Dioressence Dior for women

One thing i firmly believed for a long time - I don't like Chypre.
Then i found myself liking a few of them by accident, now i have to admit a place in my collection for a well crafted and pretty chypre.
I had a teeny bottle of this in the mid 80s, and i found it again recently. Not only does it make me think of A-Ha and Geography exams, but it's such a clean, yummy, crisp scent! I have to be in the right mood to wear it, but when i am, i sniff at my wrists all day.
I was so enthusiastic about it, i got my best friend to try it on -- and on her it smelt like really cheap rubber! Very disconcerting. She also managed to destroy "Joy" and turn that flat and unpleasant, so goodness knows whats going on there!
Isn't body chemistry strange!

My mother had it in the late 80-s. in a blue, non-transparent bottle. And it was magic! I had forgotten which Dior it was and finally discovered it in a e-sale and recognized it. Than I run to the first cosmetic shop and ask for Dioressence.
But there was something strange, as they put the same ingredient, as in reformulated O de Lancome, even the same green color, which makes it sound ancient, old fashioned not in a good way. The old one was not granny at all, was modern forever, even sporty in a some way.
Than I had a frightening idea – maybe my skin chemistry changed due to the age? And I caught my 5-years old son to taste it on his skin. The result was delightful for me, but not for the perfume- on his skin still keeping this annoying old note.
I do believe they will reformulated it again and this time for better. Meanwhile I will buy the vintage one.

When I was young (we're talking 80's), this perfume struck me like an unknown heaven: I bought a 100 ml bottle on the spot.
Inexperienced as I was in the field of perfume, I could not describe nor understand what had hit my senses, so I had to find out.
Many years this was my second best companion (Opium was number one), until I started to discover more and more perfumes, and Dioressence faded into the background.

This morning I received a small parcel with a Dioressence miniature in it. Perfectly preserved, in a neat original box.

I find myself again a bit at a loss how to describe this refined classic: I rather let it wander around my kitchen, gladly welcoming an old and genuine friend.

Although I admit, that I was positively surprised by the recent formulation, as it is unique for todays standards in it's own way, it can't compete with the vintage. The new one doesn't have the vibe. It's not only a term, like Miss Dior Dioressence vibrates in my nose. Still, the new one is one-of-a-kind, as it would have never been created, weren't it not for the vintage. Please give it a try.

Though, if you're fallen for vintage and/or chypre, the vintage is a must-try. You need to know this scent. At least go for a decant, I know that prices are ridiculous for a full bottle of vintage. It is veeery potent. Little goes a veeery looong way.

Grottola wrote a good description.

I haven't had an honor to try vintage Dioressence, but I believe those who have and swear it's the best chypre ever.
Reformulated Dioressence is lovely. It's very green, it's very mature, by that I mean, it requires somewhat experienced nose to truly appreciate it's beauty.
The word that comes to mind to describe it best - unique!

Very herbal in my skin, also a little bit dusky and powdery. An overall good perfume that for some reason reminds me a little bit of Chanel 19.
Dioressence is very green, earthy and has a tooth paste note that I like.
Still this is not modern enought for me to wear it has Im still in my 20'.
Very womanly, secure, strong and somewhat masculine.
Good perfume just like all Dior's classic.

I agree with some of the reviewers here: For me too, THE BEST CHYPRE EVER! And then I am of course talking about VINTAGE Dioressence in the orginal blue white bottle (green liquid?). THIS is how I would have liked Mitsouko to smell! But no, even as I can admire Mitsouko, this one , DIORESSENCE has stolen my heart right away. For me there are no "dirty" notes, only earthy, mossy, sweet, dry cinnamon and flowery notes.Wonderful the Geranium in here, thick and bloomey,deep purple patchouli too..finally orris and vanilla ...mouthwatering heavenly Chyprey. I am going to safe for a big vintage bottle if I can find it...:)

Vintage Dioressence Eau de Toilette

Absolutely fucking fantastic. An oriental chypre of the highest caliber, Dioressence relates to other powdery chypres such as Knowing (Lauder), with a dry, powdery rose note. Dioressence is definitely from another time and place, and would not work for everyone. I'm definitely gonna try it out this winter, because it's a strong chypre that doesn't stop giving, and I love chypres just as much as I love pizza (that means I love them a lot).

Dioressence is one of the best classic chypres ever, and a must try for chypre fans or fans of classic perfumery in general. Hell, I'm an 18 year old heterosexual male, and I love the stuff.

When it came out it was defined as PARFUM BARBARE and its mosaic box meant to remind of byzantine culture. Yes, it's rich as a mosaic covered with gold tesserae, rich as a byzantine church. And yet it's discreet and not aggressive. I love scents that are never too granted, never one way only and Dioressence is not a one way scent. Of course you must like chypre, spicy a little sweet perfumes to wear and love Dioressence. I think this is one that can't be passed by, it should be tested and meditated, never bought on impulse. Then it becomes one of your best friends.

This is for the vintage edt version in the ribbed glass bottles. Soft, warm, smooth and elegantly spiced. This somehow makes me think of mink coats and cigarettes in long holders. I love it, don't wear it that often but couldn't be without it.

(late 90's version review)
Remember a time when you were watching the opening trailers before your movie started, and one came on that was just amazing? A trailer so awesome that the crowd started clapping and everyone whispered, "I want to see that!"

This is Dioressence. For my preferences there cannot be a better opening. It's full frontal bergamot, risky citrus, and bedroom patchouli. More please.

As the middle phase entered I realized this is no EDT. Four hours into it and I am still smelling suggestive behavior, loud and proud.

I do think the dry down gets muddled and moldy, but I"m not sure if thats due to quality of ingredients or how things come together. It never turned into a scrubber on me, but did get sweeter on my chemistry, with much less Patchouli and too much styrax.

If you haven't tried Dioressence yet, you should. This is a show that should not be missed!

Dioressence is strong,green but also very sexy.
Is Yan Tiersen-La vals d' Amelie.Is a beautiful royal garden after rain.Is classic and feminine.I love it and must purchase a bottle soon!!

Oh Dioressence how much I love and how much I hate you sometimes! I don’t know what have you done to my heart…It is so weird cause today I simply find it the most original scent ever and in few hours I consider it strange and unpleasant. I have a bottle of the “good” Dioressence before they reformulated it. The opening is so dusty and dirty that reminds me of my attic and my basement in the same time.
It is earthy and humid… The main notes that obsess me all day long while wearing it are the patchouli, the geranium, the benzoin, the cinnamon, the dry roses and the styrax.
Every time I open the door from my basement a soapy, powdery and dusty Dioressence smell punches me in the face and invades my lungs. My basement that brings me so many memories from my childhood where I used to hide so many times.
It is a cold perfume with an Orthodox church smell where they burn all day long incense and styrax.
As those around me know it very well, I love heavy fragrances like Dioressence. It is the most classic perfume from all the perfumes in the world. It is hard living with Dioressence but even harder living without it.

Even though usually people considers the reformulations worse than the originals or pale shadows of what the original smell was, I have to admit that the reformulated one it is wonderful.
I think that both mister Guy Robert and mister Francois Demachy done a great job with this one. The second version it is more bearable and has the same strange beauty as the first one.
I make a strange couple with Dioressence, and sometimes just like a wife, it drives me crazy but I am so conscious that I just couldn’t live without her!
My all time favourite fragrance and the best Chypre ever!

This masterpiece has A LOT in common with Leonard Tamango and Yves Rocher Diamella. I love them all, but they are all very dominant perfumes I must say, the typical Oriental spicy ALL THE WAY!

Sigh...
When I first put Dioressence on I was entranced; after an hour I was making plans to buy a bottle.
But after 2 hours I started to ask "what is that horrible smell?"
So my overall review (a tale of caution):
This is such a beautiful classy scent, but the drydown is very patchouli-rich! If you do not like patchouli, you will probably not like this scent at all.

This perfume has a hidden message that states;' I am not your usual common fragrance. I have class, mystery, and sexiness. I will capture you and possibly allure others around you'. A fragrance that I have always loved and respected.

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.

I wore this twenty something years ago. many compliments....they were selling the testers for around five bucks in those days...i was never a perfume wearer then. i think this was what got me hooked...

This goes onto my skin as a powdery, musty medicated horror, but quickly dries down to a spice and resin combination that is soft and lovely. It has a powdery amber base that dates it a little, but also adds comforting velvety warmth.

This is the fragrance that my mom used to wear that triggered my love for fragrances. The best Chypre ever.

I have no doubt that the dark, dry dusty roses and styrax would drive many young perfumistas away from DIORESSENCE screaming "old lady" and relaying anecdotes from their grandmother's retirement home. But patience pays off in this case, as the big dusty attic opening evolves eventually into a very modern smelling slightly sweet patchouli drydown.

The initial aldehydes and citrus do not stand a real chance against their dark competitors, nor do they limn a sunlit path through the passages of this labyrinthine perfume filled with dried floral notes floating in resins. To my nose, this chypre, unlike MISS DIOR, veers much closer to the oriental than the floral aldehyde category.

DIORESSENCE opens as a fairly serious, dark and heavy affair with a somewhat overwhelming sillage. This is definitely not the sort of fragrance you want to reapply during the day--at least not if anyone else is around! Still, I find the complexity of this creation appealing and especially appreciate the surprising patchouli drydown, which has excellent staying power in the edt.

Well, for a start I have smelled the reformulated fragrance which bears no resemblance to the picture. The scent itself is not totally unpleasant in that I can imagine whiat it used to smell like, when it was good. I don't personally like it- it's extremely old fashioned like the bottom of an old ladies handbag (and I love old fashioned scents). This has a spinsterish quality to it which is just plain unnattractive. The best bit was the residual smell after I scrubbed it off with an abrasive washing up sponge, which was rather nice.

Dioressence is a masterpiece! Like it was described in the commercial, Dioressence is Exuberant, Smouldering, Uninhibited...Is not a scent for everybody, but for sophisticated, strong, beautiful women or men...Rare scent like nowadays we can hardly find. Is very sad that the tastes for aldehidic chypre fragrances have changed. Now we are suffocated by "modern" scents that are very common and average. Every time I use Dioressence I feel so happy and so unique! I love it!

I'm in love with Chypre aldehydic fragrances! This one makes me crazy, it really is an animalistic scent...being 22 years old I don't know how Dioressence used to smell now almost 41 years ago when it was created; I read some reviews on the internet and from what I saw, people seems to be a little disappointed by the remakes...I can notice the diferences between the last editions of Dioressence,there is the edition of Dioressence with the bottle with letters writen directly on the glass, the edition with the bottle that has an etiquette with the name and the last bottle, the remake..there are few small diferences between them all that only someone who really has a good nose can notice. I think that the best version is the one with the bottle that has the name writen directly on the glass, and the liquid is very green.
Very long lasting and hard to find...
so unique!

Dioressence is a chypre aldehydic 70s fragrance my mother might have worn when she was a young woman. I love its subtle retro sillage. The same with Chanel No.19, Cristalle, Amazone/Hermes.

I first smelled this on the lady sitting next to me on an airplane. I just had to ask her the name of the perfume, and got some as soon as I could. Love it.

Can anyone in these more modern times dare to wear Dioressence? The late 70s into the 80s was a clash of the old, run over by the new (wave). The hippies were getting older, and perhaps wiser if they haven't fried their brains into jello, and the teens were getting bolder and ached to buck the system and were anti-establishment.

When I smelled Dioressence EdT for the first time in the mid-80s, I couldn't help remember how crisp and green it smelled. If anything it was awfully mannish. It seemed to symbolize womens' lib, and that women too can wear mannish colognes to fit their roles in the modern world where they worked and made names for themselves.

I was blessed to find a bottle of the parfum. It is much warmer than the EdT with its more pronounced floral and powdery notes that soared above its more powdery notes, all atop a warm chypre base.

Alas, I think it might be dated, and needs a bit of reworking. Perhaps incorporate more of its feminine nuances into the composition. In this day and age, there is nothing wrong about being a woman and being a best one at that.

Dioressence sparkles from the outset with a blast of citrus followed by a spicy and sumptuous floral bouquet. Best of all, just when you think the scent has said all it can possibly say, Dioressence slides effortlessly into a musky, mossy, velvety drydown. A ladylike classic that manages to both surprise and soothe.

My favorite in the oriental chypre category, so beautifully balanced. Womanly -sexy like Femme de Rochas.

I love this oriental chypre, its sharpness and green notes at the very beginning and its fine floral noble notes which appear later.

a truly Dioressence lady