Dioressence (1969)
by Christian Dior

Agh! I don't know where this lilac is coming from. Awfully overpowering attack on the senses. I have an immediate vision of a woman in a 50s B movie clawing at her own face.

12nd November, 2011.

Dioressence is green, powdery love. I'm a young woman and I really like this fragrance.

The opening is quite strong and chemical in a sense. Dioressence establishes the earthy greeness in the top notes, which is then followed by intense aldehydes and delicate fruits.

The heart makes way for the introduction of beautiful floral accords, mostly white florals, and sweet yet spicy cinnamon. The combination is almost heavenly.

I curse those that call Dioressence 'old lady'. I've never heard such nonsense in all my life. This may be the most recent re-formulated version, however I don't find this fragrance unpleasant in the slightest. The original may have been better, but the most current version still has avid fans.

The drydown is deliciously soft and somewhat sweet. Vanilla is the highlight here, with the patchouli, vetiver, oakmoss and musk creating an atmosphere behind it all.

The lasting power is wonderfully good, however the sillage is quite soft. I like this aspect, as it makes Dioressence quite mysterious. I often wonder why Dioressence is one of Dior's most overlooked fragrances. It's a pity that releases like the Poison series and Miss Dior Cherie tend to shadow some of Dior's earlier masterpieces.

7th November, 2011.

I have just purchased an EDT from ebay. I wore it proudly in the early 80s & remember the sharp green opening that settled in sophisticated patchouli - I can't wait to re-wear its magic!

29th October, 2011.

I love the wet, green opening in this, but it heads straight for business in about 10 minutes ... and that business is patchouli with just a bit of cinnamon & spice. It's likable but boring -- not what I was expecting from such a revered classic. It would probably wear much better on me in the dead of winter than in the heat of summer.

* tested edt sample from TPC

17th June, 2011. (Last Edited: 20th July, 2011.)

I am reviewing the vintage parfum.
Au débouché, I get geranium, roses, cinnamon and patchouli.
Once I dab it on my skin, what I perceive is geranium, roses, cinnamon, patchouli, vanilla, benzoin and ambergris.
I find it a spicy, smooth and creamy oriental that doesn't smell dated at all; it is quite classic in feel.
I don't get any chypre-ness from it.
It possesses a raw sensuality that is enhanced by its vanillic sillage (sillage is a lot more vanillic than what it smells like on the skin), an animalic vanilla, not a gourmand one.
Its staying power is excellent.

15th January, 2011.

l know this classic gets a lot of love & respect from others here, but l just couldn't get beyond the sharp, pungent, peppery, green opening. Being a gardener l'd have to say it smells like pelargoniums, the mediterranean plants often called geraniums, rather than the true geranium which has virtually no scent. Not something l want to smell of.

13rd September, 2010.