It’s back!
No no, not the sun! The late 1950s Mercedes SL Roadster that Jude Law just loves to drive about after putting on a couple of spritzes of his chosen Dior Homme fragrance. Although it hasn’t been too long since we saw him last driving it at night, obviously wearing Dior Homme Intense!
Dior Homme Cologne brings a change to the Dior Homme family, no more driving around at night but instead it’s time for a leisurely drive during the day. Naturally and as featured in the advert, there is no better place than the roads along the southern French coast line.
The official line from Dior is that this new fragrance is a ‘modern, whip-crackingly fresh cologne that is pared down and cloaked in cottony notes.”
Straight away just from holding the bottle you know that this is going to be different than the same named fragrance from 2007 and the other Dior Homme fragrances. The old cologne juice was darker, encased in a clear bottle and was an iteration from the normal Dior Homme. 2013 sees the bottle in a similar shape however changed to a cool, frosty ice white on both sides. The liquid is now almost clear, with a subtle hint of blue and the usual black innards and bottle cap are now a tantalisingly bright white.
This new bottle makes up a decent proportion of the TV advert and the ‘whip-cracking freshness’ is conveyed with the bottle icing up at one point! The big change here is that the cologne is designed to be minimalistic, an essential luxury that dares to be radically simple.
From the get go it starts with an icy, fresh citrusy note, but refreshingly different compared to some other summer/sports scents that have been popular recently. The bergamot and grapefruit combine together and push a juicy zesty scent that is fantastic as the sun warms the skin!
The white musk develops after a couple of hours but isn’t powerful overall, however it helps to enhance the fragrance with a fresh cotton like undertone. The gentle soft musky base makes you feel like you’re wearing a crisp white shirt, taking a relaxing drive along the French coast.
Projection is limited, although longevity is good, it stays on the skin very well for a cologne. It isn’t potent and won’t cause offence to fellow office workers or passengers in your car! Not too citrusy and never overwhelming.
Overall the cologne conjures up images of sitting on the beach, looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea, sipping a freshly poured Gin and Tonic with a generous slice of lime. The sun shining, warming the skin, helping the fragrance to release bursts of citrusy freshness.
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Sylv
DIOR Homme Intense Eau de Parfum 50ml
A High Quality creation from Francois Demacy (who reformulated this one in 2011) and actually a completely different fragrance from the "Fahrenheit" signature series by Dior. Dior Homme Intense pens with the iris note and in the early stages it gives off that lipstick scent that this fragrance is famous for; after about 30 minutes it begins to heat up but it still holds on to the iris note. About 1 hour into the drydown, you will notice a cocoa note starting to emerge which then turns into a slightly warm, cocoa lipstick is just great. About 3 hours into the drydown and the slight warmth of the fragrance tones down as does the iris/lipstick note. A vanilla vibe surfaces and blends into the cocoa, turning the fragrance into something absolutely beautiful. Vaqnilla is actually not listed into the notes but you will get a clear feel of it in the drydown. At this stage the fragrance actually turns unisex as it becomes really sweet. Can be easily worn by women as well. The longevity is extremely good (10-12 hours) and the sillage is perfect for a fragrance of this intensity (you get a good scent cloud of about 4 hours). It doesn't blast off the skin, but instead leaves a smooth haze around the wearer and a soft, but prevalent, scent trail. Pure iris but also vanilla feel powdery elegance with a potent projection and longevity, sans being intrusive. You and the persons nearby can enjoy this noble scent for a whole evening, without the necessity of digging the nose in the skin or the shirt. This is the essential idea in making perfumes, as the word 'per fumum' says, nowadays is actually so often ignored. Compliment factor is good to very good. Mainly because this is a well crafted fragrance. It evokes class and luxury. Bottle is well made and the sprayer is very good. Why would you hate Dior Homme Intense? Yes, you might not enjoy this fragrance due to its early stages and the lipstick vibe given by the iris note, blended with the pear and lavender. There are plenty of negative opinions due to its powdery top notes. So if you dislike the iris, there is a chance that you might not like this. Sample before you buy. What are the differences between 2011 reformulation and original DHI? There are some slight differences between the old and new versions of DHI, yes. The vintage opens up with a powerful iris that quickly turns into a vanilla/cocoa bomb, where the reformulation hangs on to the iris much longer. You do get vanilla and cocoa, it just takes a bit longer to develop. Also on the reformulation you will notice the pear and lavender in the early stages. While the pear note dissapears pretty quickly, the lavender remains in the background for a high amount of time. When to wear Dior Homme Intense? Indeed its for those special occasions or for romantic dates. Can be used daily but not really versatile for office wear. What season to wear Dior Homme Intense? It is mainly a winter scent, but due to its smooth and warmth, can be used in warmer evenings (autumn especially). It is not really suitable for hot summer as the vanilla can be found overpowering. A top fragrance needs a special dressed man. Therefore if you spray Dior Homme Intense, avoid sports-wear or hoodies, sneakers. Choose to dress with casual shirts or blazers and nice jeans (if possible not dry washed look or ripped off). Can be worn on formal occasions or different press releases or luxury events; also on really important occasions such as anniversaries or weddings (just avoid wearing it in a hot weather). Very good for romantic wears but go easy on the trigger. Conclusion: High quality? Seductive? Absolutely! Sexy? Not really, it is rather elegant and shows class. It's woody, sensual, warm but not exactly masculine, but rather unisex. 4.9/5
