Dune

Beginning it all with a fragrance loved most ardently upon first try many months back. I do my best to avoid designer fragrances for I am an idiot-type snob and pleased with it, but Surrender to Chance but this little vial in my beautiful little box knowing or perhaps not that I could and would fall a little bit in love with it despite… Only just applied and the very first words are dry, spicy, and warm, but there is so much more beyond what those three words can convey. It is not particularly demonstrative; it feels elegant in a Talitha Getty-esque manner, perhaps, though somewhat restrained. It remains positively gracious and pleasing, but everywhere I find a hint of something more. A kind of perfection in this. Mature but by no means dated, sweet but by no means saccharine, balsamic and resinous with a faintly earthly, grounded floral impression. I am reminded only slightly of Marrakech, or somplace similar where never I have been. There’s something the slightest animalic and bodily in it, just barely there, similar to that earthly impression. I am always sad when a sample comes with a stick applicator as opposed to an atomizer. Projection hindered, every time absolutely. But this is a special one. A one-I-could-wear-everyday one.

This is an update after I tried the vintage version. Both new and old version have similar fragrance impression and lasting power but the new version is more airy and light, it has a fresher start. The older version is sweeter and more ambery, spice- based due to vanilla and other ingredients' meceration. The new version needs time to turn sweeter on the skin. Both are excellent fragrances! Dune is a true masterpiece! It smells very modern, unisex, memorable and unique. It is timeless!

I do not like the opening as it smells a bit like Mademoiselle Intense by Chanel and it's just nauseating and way too spicy, but the more time passes and the more I can smell the Aldehydes and Peony, I like it much more. It fells like late Summer and early Fall (August to Early October), sea-like and sandy but also spicy. The first 20 seconds are a bit unpleasant, but then it becomes a fresh, spicy, citrusy, beachy floral and that's very nice. However, there is something in the base note that makes me nauseous which prevents me from wearing this, but it’s so interesting I have to give it a like rating.

I used to hate this...what happened? About 20 or more years ago, my husband bought this for me...I couldn't stand it (don't tell him), and never wore it. Got a sample a couple months back, tried it, and didn't like it then either. Until today. Used most of what's left of my sample, and I LOVE it. Love the heady flowers, love the amber, love the aldehydic nature of this, and love the spice. Reminds me of the sandy desert where I live, and not a moist atmosphere, but a dry and clean one. It's more where sand touches the azure sky...the union that I've painted many, many times. What did happen to make me change my tune? I credit experience and smelling a million fragrances. Update Next Day: So I got up, took a shower and put this on. I couldn't stand it. Made me ill. Too much amber, and too manly. And so it goes...

This is a grown woman’s fragrance. It is still relevant today, I personally do not think it smells dated because my daughter would have mentioned it by now and even I would have felt weird or awkward wearing it. That said, it is definitely for me for a woman of experience in life or an old soul. It’s moody, broody, intelligent, sexy, classy and definitely nuanced. It reminds me of the days that I would go to the beach all by myself. The days where the sun wasn’t out, so cloudy but still warm. The air is thick with water but comfortingly warm and moving from the waves. I smell the earth, I smell the water but in the most glorious way and florals from my lotion. Dior fragrances have always been top shelf due to composition and ability to exude class and this is no exception. One of my absolute favorites for years for when the weather warms up. I may not be able to jump in my car and run off to the beach like I used to but this gives me that vibe and its wonderful.

a solemnity and stoicism set in stone, cast in iron, and burned into glass. sandalwood and amber intersect with aldehydes and wallflower, creating a distinctive juxtaposition in a scent simultaneously crisp and floral as well as warm and golden. patchouli and benzoin combine deep in the base to provide Dune with a chocolaty, thick richness, while orange and lily maintain a sparkling and natural fizz. these two diametrically opposed ideals intersect in a particularly powdery way. the fragrance is so powdered that it smells gritty. like sand, both warm and stinging, filtering between your toes. the scent of Dune wafts from the pulse points of a dignified person on these sand dunes, accommodating for their nebulous balance on the sand with an almost nimble and dainty dancer's grace that comes only from one familiar with the climate. there is heat billowing around them, yet their golden skin gleans with no sweat and their breath is not labored. they are hunted and haunted by whatever it is that brought them to this, this particularly isolated desert. the oppression of the heat as it bounces off the homogenous surroundings is worth it when delivered with such a freeing solitude. on this dune, their voice will not be heard like their footsteps are seen.

Love this fresh scent! It is very crisp, the flowers are beautiful. I can smell lily and ylang ylang quite distinctly. I love these flowers very much! Palisander is also very pleasant. It is not just a floral scent but much more complex. There is something unique and outstanding about this fragrance. It is a pity they discontinued it. The new version is very similar to what it used to be in the 1990s. I am glad i finally chose it. It is not overly strong and will not cause any headache but I can definitely smell it on myself all day on the clothes. Very elegant, fresh, not sweet but complex. It is wonderful for summer and hot weather.

yeah this DEF what Tim Chalomay wearing while he rides that worm

This reminds me of a Kmart as a kid shopping during the day with my mother during summer break and her running into her French friend who worked the shoe department. Foreign, elegant but also coming out of the 80s and trying to modernize with the department store times. Tacky gold jewelry, Spray Net and hot vinyl seats the backs of your knees are stuck to in the old caddillac. Very dated and mature but as a 40 something, I find these nostalgic scents impossible to review objectively and standalone. They are forever imprinted into my brain as the working women of the early 90s just doing the best that they could do. It was a scrubber for me, possibly because of those times past and for the blatant dated feel that is right up there with Tabu and Ombre Rose. This one is very aldehyde forward to me and I do not enjoy it.

I keep expecting more from this. But reading all the reviews, something struck me — something much heavier than the perfume alone. Has anyone read that New Yorker article titled “The New Literalism Plaguing Today’s Biggest Movies?” It was a big deal when it came out. Anyway, seeing all these beautiful Gen X and millennial women gush about this perfume has me wondering, “am I so drawn to literalism in perfume that I can’t give classics like this a chance?” I think of fantasy notes like vinyl and kitten fur. I think of the flavor text that sets the person doing the smelling in a concrete scene. I think of this concept of perfume as memory that has been especially prevalent since Margiela’s Replica and Byredo in the 2010s. Being Gen Z, this is how I grew up with perfume. When smell Dune, I smell something good — but it just smells like perfume, not a story, not a poem, not a memory. Is it wrong that I can’t enjoy it for what it is? Or has perfumery improved with these evolutions? Who can say… all I know is that I never find myself reaching for my decant despite loving woody fragrances.

I have fond memories of the early 90s my college years. THIS takes me there in one spray. Fragrances back then were fantastic and complex, this, Egoiste and ANYTHING Mugler aaaaah. I always wanted it to be reminiscent of the beach but to me it's more arrid landscape, if you want seaside then TF oud minerale is the leader.

1991 was the year I was given Dune as a present by my then blood sister who was living in Paris with her family. That summer I was 14 and I entered into the worlds of scents unknowingly....Dune was the reason. From the first spray then till after maybe billion sprays, Dune always transported me to a very warm, affectionate, and independent landscape which was always safe. yes, some fragrances really do that; they are more than just smelling nice. as Zamora have said they are atmosphere, skin, texture, emotion...like a liquid friends that accompany our journey on earth making it really rich. without Dune it would be a "waste land" i guess lol...but I think so! Dune is my first ever kiss, my heart breaks, my joy, my try-agains...Apart from witnessing each other's journey all this time, Dune is so unique I have never smelled something close to her I guess. I am so thankful they are still making it.

Amber isn't my favorite note - it can so easily feel cloying to me - but it's beautiful in Dune. It's breezy, not cool or moist like in spring, but hot, dry, and hazy like a day at a salt desert. Holy crap, this is what Furiosa would smell like, if she was allowed the luxury of wearing perfume.

This is a strong contender for my favourite perfume of all time. I don't think I could ever get bored of smelling it, as it is complex without being irritating to the nose or annoyingly present. I usually have very glamourous feminine tastes in perfumes, maybe vintage leaning. This does not scream "female" or "sex", but it is beautiful, sensual and opulent nonetheless. Think of the restrained, ancient beauty of a white marble greek statue. Contemplative and calming but still sensual and feminine. It is a very woody, earthy and "dry" perfume but occasionally I catch hints of creamy floral sweetness. Cleopetra (beautiful and intellectual) would have worn this I think

Classic, classy, and beautiful.

I saved my babysitting money for months to buy this perfume for my mom. It was the first "sophisticated" scent she ever owned, the epitome of elegance back in the day. Even though Dune was born in 1991, it smells like the 80s to me, with its opulent woody top notes followed by something spicy, alluring, and ambery. The ylang-ylang rises to the occasion with green, almost metallic, sharpness, but the drydown is all oakmoss: damp and earthy, like a forest after it rains, like forgotten memories. I love this scent, but wearing it makes me a little sad, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor? Maybe it's the strangely creamy yet watery note, reminiscent of tears, in the middle. Maybe it's that final mossy accord that makes me think of an overgrown tombstone, once deeply cared for, now abandoned.

Still the best Christian Dior ever made & by far. The reformulation is not as good obviously but she is still the ultimate amongst the Classics. At first spray it is always like coming home whilst wearing something that is elegant tasteful not too strong but smells like nothing else. Dear Dior Please bring back the Body Lotion & something as close to the original EDT formula as humanly possible & you would make a fortune we love her as we always have done.

Zamora please never stop writing, you're very talented.

If you're smelling "cilantro gone off " you've got a spoiled bottle. P.S Does cilantro ever not smell "gone off"? Trick question 🤠

this one leans more masc on me at first, but settles into something more unisex after a few hours. it has a warm spiciness that leans a bit harsh, like an aftershave. it reminds me of a well dressed salesman - classy & charismatic, easy to get along with, I don't want him as a best friend this fragrance doesn't really spark my interest, but I may play around with it some more

I'm very torn on Dune. I bought a sample because I love the idea of a fragrance that used to be classified as feminine now reading as more unisex, or even masculine. But there is something about it when first applied that I can only describe as cilantro gone off. That goes away, though, on the drydown, when it becomes deep and gorgeous, all musky sandalwood and vanilla. I'm just not sure I have that kind of patience.

it's really hard to compete with the prior poetic comment from Zamora, so I won't try! :) It's the first time I have worn Dune, ever. I was certainly around in the late 80's/90's, well, at least, that was when I was old enough and employed enough to buy perfume. Dune EDT smells very much to me like Chanel's Egoiste did, back in the day. It is as though the team at Dior opened a bottle of Egoiste, threw in a few extra flowers, and called it job done! Dune is a beautiful smell. It smells of understated and elegant good manners, good upbringing, money, silk, and privilege, but a *knowing* one. Not a cheap, loud, or pretentious one. This is understated elegance, done right. This is to the manor born. Absolute true class. Timeless, suitable for just about all occasions, as appealing, in a subtle way, that it could ever be possible to be. I ordered a second back up bottle today, after the first time application from my first bottle. That should say something! I could bathe in it. It's beautiful. It's all you could want from an elegant and timeless personal signature. Love!

This is my number two ride-or-die. It is difficult to describe, which is why most reviews are all over the map. The name suggests beach to so many people, but if you’re expecting coconut and suntan lotion, you'll be disappointed. If my life depended on a description, I wouldn't say beachy. But warm, sandy and elegant is a good place start. I'm not nuts about the first five minutes. It hits you with sharp citrus and bitter bergamot. It's almost harsh. But then it settles into a subtle scent of hot sand (think Sahara, not Miami). It smells like Brazilian rosewood and glowing amber. It's dry, warm and wraps around you without suffocating you. It's very calming. So yes, "Dune." It's perfect for professional or formal settings. It's dignified, unique, completely unobtrusive, and good for any occasion. Honestly, it smells so good, I'll wear it while vacuuming the den. It's just that versatile. I get SO MANY genuine compliments when I wear this. People seem surprised, or even taken off guard by it. You can see them processing the scent with a deep breath in real-time before telling me how very much they like it. Folks, this stuff is magical.

I purchased a decant sample of the modern EDT and fell head over heels so I ordered a 10ml bottle of the “vintage” (original) formulation only to discover that I prefer the modern. The OG is a lot more aldehydic, bolder, and definitely more complex; it takes you on a longer journey to dry down, starting somewhat green and approaching licorice-like on the drydown and eventually landing in a similar spot as the modern but with a touch more punch. To my nose, the modern formulation opens soft and stays soft; it’s rounder sandy dunes — hot sun, warm feet, comfortable. The original is rockier with an emotional intensity…urgency? violence? I don’t think one is better than the other but there is a subtle difference. I’ll have to come back later to wax poetic about my love for Dune.

Hello fragrance fam! The vintage formulation of Dior Dune for Women has a masterful warm,spiced woods, oriental scent profile. If you want an easy trick for how to identify the full bodied vintage version, pre-2004 editions will have "Christian Dior" typed on the front of the bottle while versions made after 2004 will have only "Dior" imprinted. The older versions contain the balsamic depth and mossy sandalwood that was found in it's original formulation. * USA, visit our web store VintageDecants If you'd like to sample this fragrance in it's vintage formulation, along with hundreds of other discontinued and rare fragrances to choose from. :)

This is the last few weeks of summer; hours drowsing on umbrella loungers dotting the many beaches of Crete. It is salt, sea, sand, and heat. Suddenly my mind clears of all concern and I feel myself dropping down into the fragrances kicked up by warm breezes across the hot sand. It is mildly spicy, and aside from the orange blossom - never sweet; mostly just gentle florals inside sandalwood somnolence. Divine.

warm, dry yellow floral. at the first sniff i thought i sensed honeysuckle. it s pleasant, calming, dignified, it simply bewitched me😍

I found this on some fragrance site, I forget which, a while back. I was so excited, but when I opened and sprayed it had this horrible odor of rank gasoline. I don’t usually have issues with my nose, things smelling off and all that. I just didn’t understand why Dior would put something out that smelled like that. After reading the reviews, I realized I must have received a bad knock off or something. So I’m thinking of ordering a bottle from Dior site and see how it goes.

Dune is sunset in a bottle, not sunrise. Its melancholic, oceanic, calming scent was created solely for the woman who lived a life of intensity and pain and now craves the calm of small waves under the sunset, while never letting go of the memories that have shaped who she has become.

This just came in and I had no idea what to expect! I read somewhere that Princess Katherine wore this so I was curious. This is gorgeously timeless. The first spray smelled the teeniest dated but then it quickly evolved into the lovely lushness of high quality lipstick and then a slightly fragrant powder. It is warm and soft like a cashmere sweater. The notes are perfectly blended. It is beautiful for this time of year. I wouldn’t wear it in the summer time. It is a definite fall/winter scent for me. It’s a warm hug on a cool day! If you’re drawn to sweet gourmands and fruity florals, I’m not sure you’ll appreciate this fragrance. For an edt, it wears pretty well and has great longevity! I find this very feminine although I’m trying to picture my husband wearing it and I’d have to say, he could probably get away with it.