To me, Dune seems pretty easy to wear. sent it back. Thanks very much indeed. The fragrances like the ones she created are like seeing a woman and then noticing her accessoriesshe turns one way, and you see her earrings; she turns the other, and you notice her scarf. Persolaise.com features reviews of perfumes, interviews with fragrance industry figures and general articles related to the world of scent. Some years later, Im still fascinated how such perfume isnt a product from a niche house. I also agree with you that its singular, and its hard to describe. It really doesnt smell like any other perfume, nor does it fit neatly into a typical category. I think it's a fantastic choice for the summer, especially if you don't like aquatics. @ Tha don, you and i have similar taste, as you can tell (DG PH) same as the user above lol, so i think you will love it, i DO! I can see Dune being especially nice in the summer. De Profundis did not make me think of Dune though. Barely any flowers. I recall reading at one point that it has been reformulated (what quality 1990s frags haven't been, I ask rhetorically?) What is it with all those bling-encrusted bottles, anyway? So useful. Yet another review where I want to upend the box of sample vials onto the bedspread and go a-hunting. January 5, 2012 at 9:20am Reply, Victoria: It is perhaps thinner in the drydown, but overall the current version compares really well. I purchased a small bottle of EDT and loved it ..for a few weeks. Copyright © 2005-2022 Now Smell This. January 11, 2012 at 8:37pm Reply, philomena: Thank you so much for this review. I have a slight preference for the original, but the reformulation was good enough that I am just happy it is still on the market. Some of the bottles had more of the wilted nauseating florals in the top and middle notes than others. Posted by Angela on 9 January 2012 91 Comments. I have owned bottle of Dune for over 10 years, and dont wear it very often. No packaging extravaganzas, with Swarovski crystals for $1000.. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. First, it is salty and metallic, with the pronounced verdancy of green leaves, briny seaweed and mandarin peel. And I agree that the dissonance is comfortable, not at all strange or unsettling. I dont intend to dwell on this exciting possibility in this post, except to say that its relevant to the subject of todays post, because its an example of respecting the past. I'm a writer, journalist and professionally trained perfumer. I must have said something to the effect that she certainly smelled lovely, and what was she wearing? I think youre smelling the new EdT. The loss of the little 30 ml bottle wont cause me to weep if my bags get lost dont trust the airlines since I paid so little for it at the drugstore in Germany. I dont know about the rest of the world but Dune got a huge boost in the UK when it was reported that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge had worn this as her signature scent for about ten years. I adore Dune. I think its the gorse/broom note I love in it which makes it unique and induces the weird storage bleak comments from many reviewers. I was in love it was leagues away from Chanel Coco and YSL Paris that I had been wearing. Thank you. A discreet triumph. Dunes flanker was called Dune Sun and was launched in 1996. Do you have any info about Dune edt, is it still in production? Plus, its distinctive and has a history for me, two things I look for in a perfume when wandering far from home. Its absolutely one of my favorites, though I must admit Im puzzled by reviews that call it bleak or weird; I dont find it to be either of those. January 6, 2012 at 6:35pm Reply, sunsetsong: A pity Kate didnt pick Ormonde Jayne. Today, it is sold only as Eau de Toilette. I need to do some serious organizing, too. Bois De Jasmin I then went on to wear Ralph Lauren Safari for a bit! When I woke up, we were about to land. LOL! You must log in or register to reply here. Ive dug Dune since my first sniff, but I always manage to convince myself that I cant pull it off. It is a gem! Weird. Doesnt even smell like the same perfume in comparison to the EDP. I am a four-time Jasmine Award winning writer with a lifelong interest in the world of fine fragrance. Scentsational, phenomenal what more to love June 6, 2012 at 6:16pm Reply, shaney: After reading this review, I purchased Dune blindly, something that I almost never do. You two could share one bottle of Dune, then, and mail it back and forth! Such a shame about the naming policy since April 20, 2012 at 4:39am Reply, ken: i managed to buy a full spray bottle of dune parfum. Very nice review. Maybe thats itDune is calming, and times are insecure. Its not bad year round, really. But its sad to see it doesnt have other forms, too. Good review, thank you. Safari for women was DELICIOUS. My bottle still smells of the ocean and the salt, which later dries to floral/musk. Some reviews are based on samples provided by brands; others are based on samples obtained by the author. A few months ago I visited my parents and found the mini edt that came free with my moms purchase back in 1993. (And if youre ever feeling generous, I wonder if shed like Encens et Lavande?) Don't subscribe Maybe youd consider? Dune is just a pleasure to wear I only find the current formulation a bit thin on me disappear quite fast. I love the strength of the fragrance, and it lasts long. It was so sensual even the bottle feels smooth and sensual in the hand. Another favorite from Annick Goutal! citypark: For me Dune evokes the sand and the reed at a sea coast like, say, the Baltic Sea. I may just love it (forget about hating it). Ugh! August 13, 2012 at 4:55am Reply, Susie Wetzel: So, was it a knock off? My young son who passed away with leukaemia gave me my first bottle and I have used it ever since. I would love to smell it in extrait, but have never seen that. How generous! Perfume Shrine. Its intuitively obvious yet unusual at the same time. To my nose, it's even worse than Fahrenheit 32. :shocked: Absolutely underrated gem, the definition of clean/pleasant summer scent, maybe top 5 summer scent of all time. January 6, 2012 at 8:08am Reply, Faylene: I think youre both correct: I believe that Dune is no longer being made in extrait but that it is still available relatively inexpensively on eBay. Clean and fresh in high heat/humidity. If anyone knows of some way to include a live blogroll widget on WordPress, please get in touch. Dune is so serene and warm to me. I really like it, but I know not everyone likes it. It could very well be differences in exposure to light and the way they had been stored all this time. I reviewed it over on YouTube the other day. In 1993 I went by a perfume store here in Buenos Aires. Its so nice to know theres something fascinating and unusual that you dont have to special order from an online store. The project may or may not have a bearing on the scents released by the brand from 2021 onwards. I will add this - it has gotten me compliments but it doesn't smell very modern. That makes a lot of sense to me. Really, Dune is just Dune.. It has a nice fig note, which makes it a bit sweet, yet it is dry enough to smell masculine. Its nice to see how influential it is all these years later. The problem is that most of the places where it is available, the testers are old and rancid. However Id like to add that Dune also comes in an extrait version. It is light but not radiant, and elegant but not fashionable. Anyway, the bottle caught my eye this morning as I tried to decide what scent to wear. I sprayed some on and still smell comfort in that bottle. Grain De Musc Wow thats warm for January. I think it's clean and breezy, and a little bit sweet. Oddly, it only smells good on me in the summer it really blooms and gets resinous in the heat, whereas in the winter it smells kind of dry and austere. February 17, 2012 at 12:52pm Reply, Victoria: I've seen mini bottles of extract de parfum on Ebay. Inter Parfums closes Donna Karan license deal, Victoria's Secret launch newest fragrance pillar: Bare, Britney Spears Fragrances UK to raise money for LGBTQ+ charity, Carner Barcelona celebrates the Summer with fragrance trio, Zoologist marks Tutankhamen centenary with Sacred Scarab, Santa Maria Novella launch new Iris Eau de Parfum. If youve enjoyed this post, please consider supporting my workby buying me a coffee using the button below. Dune is indeed a tenacious, sumptuous fragrance, but with an unusual softness. I first smelled Dune appx two years ago and it immediately reminded me of the ocean on breezy sunny day did I mention that I live in Barbados. Thats good information! January 5, 2012 at 9:25am Reply, Yulya: Carla, you describe exactly what I feel about this fragrance! Ill keep my eye out for it at Nordies next time Im at the mall. Dune is one of those fragrances that seems so ahead of its time. Keep lookingI think my parfum mini was only a dollar. December 10, 2021 at 5:08pm Reply, Rita: I love, love , love this wonderfull fragrance, its the only one i wear, besides my fragrance free-organic deodirant. To add to the Dune revival I should finish and post that write-up! Maybe we're looking for our own calm now, not from the excesses of greed, but from economic uncertainty. What a refreshing concept. Love them both. Don't subscribe Its singular, and it's hard to describe. It was such a comforting scent for me as I pondered all my options after receiving my degree. I cant believe its been around for 20 years and Ive never smelled it! Learn how your comment data is processed. this is only the second perfume to affect me this way. July 29, 2014 at 5:00pm Reply. Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Its very transparent and ghostly [transparent]. Anyway, Dune works great in summer. *. While Chanels allure might be inspired by it, Allure does not come close in complexity to Dune. Just the other day, Los Angeles was experiencing a winter-heat-wave, I read the Victorias review and ended up wearing it on an 80 degree January day. I love Dune. Recently, Dior (LVMH) told this firm to keep their original formulations because from now on Dior would make their own. Its hard for me to think about it analytically now because its smell has just fused into one personal smell for me. "WATCH LIVE: Cleveland Zoo streaming blissfully odorless video of corpse flower blooming", "Take a Look at These Upcoming Olfactory Exhibitions" (perfumerflavorist), "Guerlain raises over 1 million for the protection of bees" (moodiedavitt), "Inter Parfums Reports Record 2022 Second Quarter Net Sales" (perfumerflavorist). I agree with youI also hope it stays on the market! bottle from Sephora. You have a longstanding relationship with Dune! Dune remains my go-to scent. Like Victoria, Im also glad to see Dune belatedly getting its due: its tipped lately, to use the Gladwellian terminology. Hopefully you snagged a bottle! Many people dont know this but Diors classic formulas (miss dior 1947, fahrenheit, dune, etc.) Im going to try to find the extrait that several of you mention. Michael Edwards's Perfume Legends adds notes of broom, wallflower, bergamot, lily, jasmine, rose, amber, lichen, musk, sandalwood, and vanilla. - Victoria, OperaFan in 5 Perfume Masterpieces for Summer: Oh, yes, and Guerlains Vetiver (in the early 2000s redesigned horizontal ribbed bottle) has been indispensable for this summers heat. What nonsense. EV-er. I promise, I will, I realize my membership is pending Dune was my younger sisters first signature scent (she moved on to Coco Mlle, and now is wearing a lavender-frankincense EO blend that she made herself), and I was Absolutely Forbidden to Wear It. It would be hard to sample Dune, though, without thinking of your sister, Id imagine. Im not often in the mood for it but when I am, nothing else will do- if that makes sense. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Would happily read another review of a top twenty Perfume (for me at least). Oh, I think it would be terrific on a man. January 5, 2012 at 11:43am Reply, Bora: Can you tell us how the 1993 and the current verions compare? Very nice and stayed with me all day. White Gardenia Petals didnt move me at all, but Dune is a whole different creature. Loving perfume on the internet, since 2000. it is a lot smoother and i think the saltish note came through more than the edt. Except for iris, I cant pick out Dunes individual flowers. so simple, so beautiful). Its strange to try to figure out whose body is where. The facets of the original Dune are still there. Add this to the long list of classics that I havent yet smelled! Your reviews [almost] never fail to inspire me to seek something out, to want to smell it and think about your vivid descriptions. Dune is an old favorite but I find it unbearably heavy in the summer. In The Book of Perfumes, author John Oakes writes Dune is something of an enigmaIts certainly engendered much opinion, both for and against. I understand that. Dune stays rich in its fusty way, but close to the skin, like having washed with a scented soap. January 6, 2012 at 10:37am Reply. While Dune did not make the same splash as Poison, its legacy lives on both in fragrances that are directly inspired by it (Chanel Allure) and in compositions that rely on its technical innovations. May 10, 2016 at 11:27am Reply, behemot: Great review, thanks! But Dune is at least a much more interesting fragrance than the very blah WGP if it introduces it to a new generation thats great. I bought a bottle about two years ago, and it really is like nothing else. Its so difficult for me to imagine how the perfumers were able to combine a dry oriental with the ocean and make it worksimply fantastic. Available from major retailers and Dior boutiques. The smell of the sea, the brush, the sweet caramel of a food vendor* and a waft of the heady mix from one of the tents, a woman wearing the most expensive sun tan lotion and a citrus cologne. I would love to find a small bottle of the Extrait, but never seem to be able to find it. A few years later I asked it for my birthday, and have had it ever since. Now Smell This Christian Dior Dune includes notes of broom, bergamot, wallflower, mandarin, lily, peony, rose, jasmine, amber, moss, musk, sandalwood, and vanilla. It seems that so many well-loved scents from days-gone-by are reformulated and folks practically insist on smelling the original or nothing at all (which means I dont sniff them). Victoria: Roma is another Dune sibling, and I used to like it as well. If it helps, I didnt get that impression from some Dune I sampled last week, so Ill cross my fingers that it was a blip in reformulations. I remember the bottleprettybut thats all. A hint of amber sweetens Dune, the tiniest touch of white musk keeps it clean (but not fresh), and moss or is it a woody musk? Yes, a thesis could be written. I wonder why Dune never really became as popular as these other fragrances.. Because it's just not very good. Dont expel me from The Perfume Club! Id love to read your review, and Im sure Im not alone in that! Too much vanilla! I hope you find some, too! No doubt this is a perfume to be reckoned with. It really does remind me of dunes, of sunny places and smooth, crumbly minerals. I tried it for the first time in Amsterdam, on the airport, at 5 am, just before taking a flight for a job interview. I feel like that sometimes, too, that Dune doesnt really suit me, and someone else would appreciate it more. I am floored. It is one of the few fragrances my husband immediately recognizes. Sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused. Sample: my own 1993 bottle and a sample of current EDT from Saks. Heres a link: Dior Dune Pour Homme review. Then Ill read a fabulous review like yours, or absentmindedly spray a tester in the store, and my lust reawakens.