Reviews of Pi (1999)
by Givenchy

I really like the concept behind this fragrance, but the execution is a little "off."

Pi opens but smelling of sweet warm vanilla, however there's a lipstick accord in there that rubs me the wrong way. The lipstick smell doesn't disappear for an hour or so until the dry-down fully takes place.

The base notes smells of synthetic warm vanilla (Benzoin Crystals). It smells good, but doesn't smell very natural.

I don't detect much of anything else in this fragrance. Very sweet synthetic warm vanilla and lipstick.

Sillage is a monster though, and so is longevity. Just a couple sprays of this stuff directly to the skin and your scent will definitely linger as you cross paths with someone.

I have gotten several complements from the opposite sex while wearing Pi. Women seem to love it. If it wasn't for the lipstick accord in the top and mid notes, I would probably love it too. As it stands though, it's just mediocre.

its like squeezing an orange peel on your face .... i feel sick when i smell this one

Absolutely beautiful! Too sweet? That's fine. I got a sweet tooth! This is just one of the nicest, sweetest, and warmest fragrance I've ever smelled. It smells edible, really. I smell Pi and I don't think of pie, but it definetely smells like some kind of pastry. Something baked. No doubt it's one of the best gourmands ever.

The scent is good on the right person, not on me. Almost sickly sweet, over the top vanilla. I've smelled it work on some guys though.

Pi or Pie? I feel like a gigantic custard pie wearing this. I had to wash it off because it gave me such a headache and turned my stomach with its overbearing saccharine. A good fragrance if you're the Aunt Bea type.

An extraordinary fragrance. A pompous bottle. Magic is not that expensive and what this frag does to me is pure magic.
The beginning is so in-my face blow of grass and flowers. Basil !! Beautiful. And there is terragon to make me even more amused.
The citrus note composes a bittersweet tension that a few minutes later culminates in a sugary almond and vanilla please-suck-me finale. This is what erotica, magic and a fragrance can do and PI is sooo hard to beat when it comes down to pure pleasures. In my personal perfume book PI is only the second (out of thirty so far) with A*Men the other, being five-starred.

Pi is all about those benzoin crystals, and to be honest, I can`t smell those supporting notes very well at all. Perhaps a slight touch of citrus and herbs at the top, but then it`s just the sweet smell of benzoin with only a gentle touch of woods. Smells like a mixture of vanilla, burnt sugar and bitter almond. I find drydown to be very airy, luminous, mysterious(!) and certainly intoxicating.
So I`m a great fan, although I can see why some people find it too sweet and simple. I have also used EdP version of this, but surprisingly that didn`t satisfy me as well as the EdT….As EdP is a bit richer and woodier, it isn`t that much fun or delicious, and to me that`s what Pi is all about : Yumminess with great room for imagination as well.

Luca Turin said this is a “ sweet nothing “. I say “ space vanilla “, and I suppose if I did use some sort of hallucination drugs, then Pi would be a great companion.

Btw, if you like this, try to get some Pi shower gel as well. It`s quite amazing

This one is ok in my book. At the time of its release, it did bring something different to the table. It is a light vanilla and wood fragrance...at least that is what I can conclude from it.
The opening isn't all that impressive to me, but once it dries down a bit, the middle and basenotes are where this one gets good. It is a tad sweet, but I wear Gaultier^2 and this isn't nearly as sweet as that one. This is a bit more classy that G^2.
Great every once in a while, but I couldn't imagine wearing it on the daily. I think many people would get sick of it fairly quickly..the same as wearing G^2 everyday; it really just can't be done.
Good quality and a gem of creativity. Decent longevity and sillage is average.
Thumbs up.

My god the stuff is ambrosia. If you like vanilla or sweet florals, you haven't lived until you have this bottle. A collection without this stuff is hobbled and incomplete.

By the by... regarding the fragrance notes.... I don't mean to be curmudgeonly but...

wood is not magnetic.

OK, I've spoken my peace. Buy Pi by Givenchy, don't expect wood to move when you place a magnet beside it, and your universe will be correct!

(Can I give this two thumbs up? Three? Wow... I want to kiss the Frenchman who stirred this one up...)

It's too much vanilla in here. I like sweet scents but this one is like my grandma parfume, on the other hand it lasts long and woman like it.

Well, it's vanilla and a little spice, and that's about it. Honestly, it's a nice winter scent, and although it's not very complex, it is nice. My wife absolutely loves this on me, and I've gotten compliments about it before, so I can't really complain about it.

Top notes are very spicy and green, but it dries down very quickly to pure vanilla with a touch of cinnamon in the background. Very sweet.

According to me , Pi is totally a failure. Initial notes cause me instant headache, and then its drys down smells like cheap candy.....Although some people find it unique....but for me, its horrible.

Sweet, but not cloying. The fragrance that screams "Gourmand!" and means it. The top notes are nice, and tend to blend over the vanilla, covering it just a bit. The dry down is straight up vanilla and very mellow. I like the fact that this is sort of intense at first application and then mellow toward the end, works great for a day at work. The only issue is, that since the fragrance is so sweet people who tend to apply heavy amounts will make people around them queasy.

I am on the I love Pi side. As a woman, I see a man wearing this fragrance as a caring, sweet and loving individual (given the light sweetness of the fragrance), although always true to his manly nature ( and here comes the woody part of it). I do not find it so over the top sweet as many have complained here, but, I guess, you have to have a sweet tooth ( which I do) in order to be a fan.

I sprayed a tester of Pi on my hand and twenty minutes later I smelled my hand and almost wanted to eat it. Pi smells delicious, and works perfectly on my skin. Somehow Pi stays masculine enough for me to love it. An excellent scent indeed.

Pi...or pie? So sweet, so vanillaish, so almondish. Wasn't sure I liked it at first but kept going back to it so I finally got a small bottle (after saying I wouldn't). Oddly enough I can smell a touch of lemon when I first apply this one but it clears out quickly.

Pleasant, but unfinished.

Like the computers chugging away to provide more numbers after the decimal point for Pi, Pi the fragrance is on an equally futile mission.

Pi opens with a sparkling combination of indistinct floral and herbaceous notes above a heart of vanilla, and only a woody resin at the base stops the vanilla from seeping everywhere.

The vanilla is pleasant, but it never entirely harmonizes with the notes above or below it. It trucks on into the night endlessly restating its vanillainess, hoping that one doesn’t mind that the top and base notes are left in limbo.

When I want to smell like vanilla (and I do some days) Pi is the fragrance I reach for. Its lack of resolution stops being bothersome once one realizes that it is what it is, and that it is better than many vanillic scents.

Pi feels unfinished to me. I mean, where's the supposed wood?-- what is magnetic wood? It's an inoffensive vanilla and not unpleasant, but doesn't really go anywhere. Bland is the word I am looking for. It doesn't create enough emotion to thumbs down it though.

Kaern

Calming, soothing and sweet scent. Though quite terrific, I need something more engaging. My personal preference should not discount the fact that this is a well made, though cloying fragrance.

I've had Pi for a few months and it's definatly gotten alot of wear. I love the powerdy vanilla it dries down to and I just feel it's a very pleasent scent over all with decent longevity.

If you like the vanillic scents, Givenchy Pi is a must-have!

It starts out with a little bit of citrus, but dries down to layers upon layers of vanilla. I originally found the sillage to be a little weak, but upon reapplication, realized it was DARN good. Lasts for at least eight hours on me... last but not least, the bottle. One of the most unique bottles out there!

Thumbs up from me.

I see this as having tried to be Boucheron's Jaipur Homme and failed. The sweetness that was so well-balanced in the Boucheron scent is out of control here, though not so disastrously as in Mugler's execrable A*Men. By no means disgusting, but not top-flight for me, either.

a really sweet, soft and warm scent. it reminds me of candy. A really fun scent!

The biggest problem isn't that there is too much vanilla in this fragrance, but rather that sometimes it seems that's the only thing there is. However, I still think it's a good fragrance with a great potential that hasn't been used at it's maximum level. This scent is right on the edge of becoming cloyingly sweet, but it manages to stay on the safe side. It's the sweetest bearable and enjoyable perfume. It's warmth not only makes it proper for winter, but actually it's the only season in which you can wear it. Any attempt to wear this perfume in the summer will result in the intoxication of those near you... it's that sweet! However, for colder days this is a good choice.

this would smell great on a lovely lady, but i like it too...its warm and mysterious

Very long lasting but borderlines on too sweet.

Vanilla vanilla and more vanilla. I onced owned this, my ex wife used to love it. I won't buy this again. If I want vanilla I will buy minotaure.

Too strong for me, the opening makes me want to sneeze! Vanilla thru and thru, and boy it is sweet. Lasts a very long while. If like me the opening is too 'sneezy', consider Rochas Man, it's very similar yet a lot easier on the nose.

Love, love, love this on my husband.
It's the first thing I smell as he goes off to work and the last thing I smell at night.It lasts all day on him!
It's cosy, sexy, reassuring and very addictive.

Just tried this. Both at the initial application and later during drydown, it is simply le Male by JPG, but with a dash of gasoline.
Sorry.

It starts bit strong and too sweet but give it a good 15 minutes and then it gets really good. It has sweet vanilla scent without being too strong and nice woody bottom. Wouldn't wear it daily but it best for those "special" moments. One of my friend even said that she wants to lick my neck because of this parfume. I love it and they love it. Two thumbs up!

This would smell great on a female.
Almond-extract type smell, very soft, very pleasant.

The initial burst is very mossy.. The perfume lady who was trying to sell me ADG. Described it as "musky". It isnt as musky as it is musty. The oakmoss and the wood are on the top. Along with an orange note mixed with the vanilla makes it a little funky at first... give it a few hours and at least on my skin it smells of vanilla and benzoin. To be honest it is like a refined Vanilla extract smell. My baby loves it and so do I...

Dear Givenchy Pi,

I love you. I have wonderful memories every time I put you on and your warm and enveloping scent is a comfort with every turn. Other people love you too, as can be witnessed by the compliments you receive when we are together.
Whenever I want something familiar that harkens back to some wonderful times, I turn to you. For that, I thank you.

Yours truly,
Robbie

What more can be said? Best described as warm-sensual-vanilla-sweetness; didn't turn very powdery on my skin. The ambery color of the juice really matches the character of the scent itself IMO. By the number of compliments I've received from women I have reached the consensus that this is one of the better colognes to be wearing when one is seeking another form of "Pi".

Yeah, its nice enough.

Warm, soft, powdery vanilla. Very easy to wear.

Nice and comfortable.

Not an out-and-out vanilla; its got a lot of woody-mossy-powdery tones to it, from start to finish.

Doesn't evolve a lot, but it does a bit.

One basenote-er hinted that it was trying to be Jaipur pour Homme. Well, I agreed at first, it does share certain warm, powdery characteristics with Jaipur, but the more I think about it, the less reconcilable the two become.

I used to use Jaipur, which I love, but gives me a good-aweful headache. So I swiched to this, and got a LOT more compliments, from both sexes.

it does not appeal to me..soft not long lasting and too sweet.
need some wood smell to be a masculine one..

I Love Greek Letters, but i HATE Pi! I tried to like it because i had two bottles of it, but it just never got to me.
I can smell something like vanilla covered roasted almonds!!
Blah, its ok. but..blah.
NOT for my skin!
Thumbs down?? I would, but its an ok frag.

One of my brother's fragrances. Very oriental, almost all vanilla.

The start was strange, with a citric like mandarin, plus several kitchen-like spices (checked later, they was tarragon, rosemary and basil). As middle notes there was a vanilla like aroma and a bit of anise, but mainly an oriental sweet sensation. The base notes were tonka beans, maybe also vanilla, and benjui according to the salesman at the store.

A fragrance with a gourmand style, my 3 years old twin daughters liked it at a blind test and they said "chocolate" when smelled this one. My wife said "ambar" at the base notes and I remembered some notes from Elixir des Merveilles when it was dry. For winter use, due to vanilla and other warm spices, maybe a chance of summer with fewer sprays on skin. Suitable for daytime and office use, and a recommended range of age between 25 and 50 years old.

Way too sweet for my taste. Not a big fan of vanilla or caramel and it has both blended in and hits you straight away. The vanilla seems to stay there, even in the drydown and gives me a headache after a while.

ive had this fragance about three times. I like the sweet-woody smell of it and it also feel real good on the skin; i guess thats because of the benzoin in it. Even though i like it very much i use it on very special occassion and not on a daily basis pretty much depending on the weather that day.

Sexy, definitely... It has the sweet vanilla part, of course, which puts me off part of the time. BUT the sweetness is counterbalanced by a smell (or a combination of them) that I'm very fond of but can't properly describe since I don't know its name. It's a very fresh and delicious smell. A "substanceless" one - unlike other smells that I associate with colors, this one I associate with transparency, or the distortion thing that hot turbulent air rising from asphalt does to light. It also reminds me of how human skin smells after shower. I think it's part of the charm of Dolce & Gabbana By Man, as well. Part of it's "smells like sex" appeal. Maybe it's the benzoin, or maybe not. I have absolutely no idea as to what benzoin is.

I have two female victims that I regularly ask opinions about my new scents. First reaction of both of them, independently: "Is this the same fragrance you wore yesterday?" I had been wearing The Dreamer by Versace, which indeed does contain the same substanceless accord I descrived above, but in a more rounded fashion, as if trying to hide behind the flowers. (Whereas in D&G By, it's more like "in your face".) The second reaction: "It's pretty good."

To paraphrase a common Russian saying about one too many fools, this is vanilla riding a vanilla flogging it with a vanilla whip. Or maybe sugar caramelized in sugar syrup. Save your money and get yourself a cartload of Movenpick vanilla instead. To add insult to injury, Pi boasts one of the tackiest bottle I've seen, on par with Amouage.

This is the only cologne I wear. Givenchy PI has a unique "sweet-vanilla-sugar" smell. I wish I could find something else like it.

I've had girls I know tell me they would love this "lick" this off. That must mean something is right about it. Lovely smell from Givenchy.

I tested this today and bought it which I will get for Christmas.

I still can't stop smelling the tester card! Love this stuff and the bottle is all class.

I got this for my husband and now I can't stay out of it, so even though I usually don't wear men's colognes, this one, I think could be unisex. The vanilla is heavenly. I haven't talked to a woman yet of any age who has not loved this on a man. A spicy oriental. Very new smelling, not the typical citrus burst.

After finishing 4 bottles I'm stating the obvious. Heavy, sweet, very good longevity and sillage - all what I look for in a fragrance. This is the only Givenchy I've had and I have no need (yet) to get any other from this house. I'd like to have this in my wardrobe all the time, but after joining BN there are so many others I HAVE to try :-)

Wonderful smell..great longevity, great for summer(smells even longer), but winter, due to the warm feelings it brings, making you long for holiday traditions..women love it(it could even be unisex)..and it's cheap!

-A Class Act

One of the few sweet scents I like. It does smell edible much like a creme brulee but it is not cloying such as amen or other similar scents. Nice sweet vanilla note plus that addicting Benzoin. Women adore this one the most.

Personally, I prefer the EdP over the EdT – it’s slightly more woody, richer and less synthetic smelling than the common EdT version. And, yes, you’ll need to be EVEN MORE careful on the trigger!

Yummy, yum, yum…

My boyfriend is a huge fan, and I can sure see why -- it's positively EDIBLE. Definitely NOT for those who don't like gourmand fragrances at all, though, as the vanilla and benzoin together make it almost like a yummy pastry of sorts. Another win for Givenchy.

I bought this on a gamble, at Costco, discounted, it was in a plastic box. I don't know what to make of it. The bottle is garish, almost vulgar. It looks very much something that would be on a 75 year old man's dressing table in Trump Tower.

I sprayed it on myself about 15 minutes ago. It's a hot day here in California, about 98 degrees. OK, I'm getting used to it now. There is a powdery scent, like those brushes they use at the barber after they cut your hair. It's sweet and and also piney. It smells clean after it stays on your skin awhile.

If I had been at a fragrance counter and purchased this properly, by sampling it first, maybe I wouldn't have bought it. But it has a way of growing on you, that I don't entirely detest, and I think there is some mystery and sensuality to the scent that might create some interesting reactions from other people.

Simple, inspiring vanilla fragrance with a masculine sensually fresh woody touch.You cannot go wrong with this one-like with any other Givenchy fragrance.You'll feel unique.I love it and consider buying it next to Very Irresistible:)

I've tried Pi out a fair bit lately and it makes me want to like it but I just can't. I can see how this warm fragrence would be ideal for close romantic type settings or a cold evening. In the top notes unfortunately I can smell nothing but what gives the impression of being pure vanilla extract, almost edible as many say. But as the time progresses it develops a bit more and there are woody notes for sure.

One of my main problems with this one though is that to me it has a very, very feminine touch to it. If I had never smelled it before I am sure I would guess that it was a female fragrance.

I can see how some might like it and it may have it's uses somewhere but I see it's application as very limited, certainly not enough to justify purchasing it.

Very sweet oriental. This one seems to be mostly linear on me, being dominated by vanilla yet with a slightly woody accord. Even though I hardly find myself reaching for this one it still gets a thumbs up as it is one of the better "sweet" fragrances.

This is my favorite fragrance.
Pi is a refined, oriental, woody fragrance with a note of vanilla.
This fragrance is great in every aspect (longevity,scent,versatility) and can be used for any occasion (casual/formal wear). You can't go wrong with this fragrance. Highly recommended. Two thumbs up !!!!.

Fantastic for people with a sweet tooth.When i first wore it i thought i was going to kill people with its strong, vanillic sillage, but it turns out i had the right chemestry and i got tons of compliments from it and later on, the drydown won me over at last. After the initial, surprisingly fresh start, the sweetness creeps in, wether you like it or not and that is some "magnetic wood" they list, it's soft and almost like the smell of balsam wood. The benzoin base makes it all worth it as all the notes seem to rest calmly on it. Lasts a long time.

Branching off into baking products was a really risky move for Givenchy, but in the end it their gamble paid off. Who would ever have imagined designer vanilla extract? I'm not sure why it's so popular though - although the bottle is lovely as is the name, it really made my cookies turn out quite bitter.

Smells like some really good ice cream. Can get a little strong. Verry verry sweet.

Despite the the fragrance pyramid, anyone with a nose knows this has vanilla predominately in it. I guess they didnt list it because so many complain of vanilla boredom.We are not the typical consumers.What the ---- is magnetic wood. Anyway, for whatever reason, I didnt intially perceive vanilla as the dominant note in this.I t seemed full of sandalwood. Maybe because I had been sniffing on sandalwood extract at that time.It was th e first scent I could pick up in any scent.If you overdose yourself on a scent, you will be sore to catch it out of many.

One dimensional take on sweet. Pure Vanilla with slight woods and florals. Apply with caution, as it can be very cloyingly sweet. Longevity and sillage are incredible with this fragrance and though the bottle is one of the most uniquely designed, the juice just isn't very wearable. On very cold evenings perhaps.. this is one "pi" that I won't be having seconds of! (that was even worse than my usual swill)

I was given this by a woman from Japan. She wore it more then I did. Years later, I have rediscovered it, so to speak. And the vanilla and pineapple notes are really more unique then I remember. One of my favorates. CA, USA

Like Joop!, Π was another scent I avoided for years because of its ‘reputation.’ Another mistake. This is an outstanding fragrance—it is citric and floral and woody and aromatic and sweet. I don’t find the sweetness at all off-putting; in fact I don’t find it nearly as sweet as many people here claim. The sweetness has been masculinized, and it is well within the realms of tolerability. As simple as Π is, it is an addictive scent, really—it must be that ‘magnetic wood’ that attracts me. Π has a unique exuberant warmth. I’m certainly happy I tried this, I’ll be even happier wearing it on special occasions.

vanilla and baby powder to start with just hints of synthetic fruityness, I really takes a long time to calm down into something warm and wearable, try it out yourself - you'll see what I mean. I do like it on the tail end of the drydown though

This stuff rules. I tried it based on so many favorable reviews and could not be happier. It lasts all day long unlike so many others scents I own and just smells so rich and creamy. The scent does not change much throughout the day but that's fine by me. A real winner!

Appallingly vanilla, with a positively noxious odour of woodchips, followed by a chemical scent (benzoic crystals, indeed...hello, sodium benzoate). This is disgustingly sweet, and smells most like a store-brand baby powder. I can't recommend this at all.

I love this scent. Wonderful for winter, girls love it. Warm, sweet, makes girls want to get closer to you, just smells awesome. Tt lasts, too. The END.

I went out to a shopping centre after church and went to the department store that was moving. Went to the discounted perfumes, found Pi and sprayed once on my hand, and it opened pretty generic, IMO. However, the Midnotes were horrible. I took a gamble and bought it anyways, since it was so cheap. Half an hour later I smelt my hand, and it was magic! Quite sweet and vanillic. I didn't want to wash my hand afterwards!

I really like this fragrance, but I don't find it as strong as many of the other reviewers do. It has a wonderful soft sweetness to it (initially) that dries into a slightly woodier, more complex mixture. I don't find it as heavy of a vanilla overdose as many others do (maybe just my skin chemistry) and it easily has the most attractive bottle going these days. I got a great deal on this on-line, and have not been disappointed in it at all.

Yummy, warm and vanilla. The only sweet-smelling fragrance I allow myself to wear. Super strong, lasts all day (careful with that atomizer, Eugene) Another great one from Givenchy.

Classic yet daring and somewhat(in the good sense of the word) eccentric evening wear-scent.
Classy and pricy exclusive Oriental notes mingled with warm woody and spicy features.

Smells like a grandma would wear this! Smells very old person like with a dry down of vanilla and baby powder. Also doesnt seem that strong. DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS.

My initial impressions of Pi were the same as teflondog's - this smells so edible, "Pie" would have made more sense. Personally, I don't find the vanilla to be overpowering; in fact, I find it smells fairly different from vanilla, as vanilla-based scents usually bore me. Rather, the woodsy heart note compliments the the sweetness to creat an incredibly warm fragrance. Oh, and this has the greatest longevity I have ever encountered in a fragrance by far. Whenever I wear Pi, it's usually not until my second shower that I can no longer pick up on it. I have never had problems with over-application of this myself, as I usually don't spray more than 2-3 times depending on the fragrance, but I can see how one spritz too many could breed contempt; two sprays of this beast should be enough for anyone.

Aside from Joop! Pour Homme, this is the sweetest scent I've ever encountered. It should have been named 'Pie' because that's what it smells like to me. It's easy to describe this one since it's a straightforward scent. It smells like tons of vanilla stacked on top of caramel. It doesn't get any more simple than that. If you have a sweet tooth for fragrances, this one will satisfy it without a doubt. However, just make sure to go light with the trigger finger because it can get cloying like no other.

The sweetest thang since my wife, supersweet yet strong enough for a man to wear, and smell good and get lot's of complements.

I was sitting on the train the other day when a woman stepped on smelling absolutely incredible. Both my friend and I were wowed and we had to ask her what she was wearing. Yep, it was Pi. An absolute vanilla lover's dream. This is one of my all time favorite men's scents and will likely always will be. Perfect in every way, form lasting power to sillage...Love it!

Pi is a great overall fragrance. It has a good mix of citrus and vanilla to begin with, then it fades down into a nice vanilla scent. It also has great staying power (works over 10 hours for me). You only need one spray of this stuff, it is potent. Strong recommendation if you like sweet scents.

I'm amazed by the number of enthusiastic reviews of pi. It's not bad, but it just way too simple. After a while all you notice is vanilla, vanilla and... even more vanilla. And when it comes to benzoin crystals. Well, if you like the smell of a car garage then you'll be more than pleased.