Ilio
Diptyque (2021)

I think Diptyque leaned heavily into musks and florals between 2020 and 2025. Iris is listed as the main player here, but what I mostly get is a clean white floral with a light fruity-green accord. There’s also a very subtle sweetness, which I assume is meant to evoke prickly pear.

At times, it comes off a bit like a cheap shampoo, though in other moments it reminds me of Creed Aqua Fiorentina, a fragrance I actually enjoyed for its fresh, fruity character. Ilio isn’t as fresh, but it’s still clean, citrusy, and fruity. While Aqua Fiorentina leaned more feminine, this one feels more comfortably unisex. Performance is decent but on the lighter side—it sits closer to the skin, which isn’t surprising for a light floral. I want to like this more than I do, but certain facets occasionally smell a bit cheap to my nose.

I tried this last year and was not impressed at first. Then I kept using my sample in autumn and well... I was thinking about it since then, And bought it as soon as it went on sale this month haha, and I love it. Reminds me of growing up in Cyprus - very laid back, the perfume does not scream. And it does have the watery quality of the cacti fruit!

The opening is quite a bright affair, owing to a blast of aldehydes that carries a jasmine note, which is one of the core components of this olfactory creation. The whole set as a slightly spritzy character on me, enhancing the feeling of freshness.
A prickly pear impression is also added on, nut remains not very strong in the long run. Touches of bergamot are adding bit more of the pleasant brightness.
A slightly indolic undertone is detectable fairly soon, giving the top notes added depth.

Further into the drydown, the prickly pear strengthens a little bit, but it is an iris that is more notable at that stage.

The base is a gradual weaning of the notes above, with whiffs of bland whole musks the only ingredients added in.

I get moderate sillage, just adequate projection, and five hours of longevity on my skin.

This scent for warmer spring days starts nicely, with an original twist on the prickly pear that is rarely used. Unfortunately, from the drydown on it become more generic, and the end is quite bland. 2.75/5

Diptyque Ilio (2021) is a limited edition fragrance featuring art by Luke Edward Hall on the label, and in its original release format, was sold out almost instantly, making it for all intents and purposes a unicorn upon inception. The concept has something to do with the Mediterranean coastline and summer vibes which is all fine and well too, but the fact that the first eau de toilette release from this house in years was a limited edition release is troubling, as the brand has more or less focused on much higher-cost-per-ml eau de parfums. Part of me thinks they may eventually do away with their EdTs like Creed and permanently move upmarket with the EdPs as the only option, but here's hoping Diptyque isn't that cynical and money-grubbing. If you missed your chance at Ilio (like most of us did) fear not, for you haven't really missed anything at all, since the art and concept are the most interesting facets of this fragrance, which essentially exists as easy money from anxious collectors.

The opening of Ilio is a sparkling champagne aldehyde fizzy lifting drink of fruity and floral ionones buzzing around jasmine hedione with just the faintest trace of bergamot. The core moves into geranium and the scent really starts reminding me of Salvador Dali Le Roy Soleil Homme (1998) minus the fougère bits of that one, but things don't stay there long. Laundry musks and ambroxan along with transparent woody materials keep this light but fresh and ever-present on skin for up to eight hours, but Ilio will fail those looking for consistent projection past the first hour. Summery, fizzy, and ostensibly fresh, Ilio also leans a bit more traditionally feminine with the fruity floral structure, but also smells a bit on the cheap side with all the nondescript aromachemicals. The best part without a doubt is that prickly pear note in the opening, which I'd like to have had more of for longer. Best use is as a casual summer day wear kind of deal, assuming you use it at all since it's so collectable, and there are tons of better options.

Diptyque Ilio has all the class and composure of a limited summer flanker of Calvin Klein cK One (1994), and could have very well been released in one of those bottles. As a quick cash-grab collectable this succeeds, although the dubious future of traditional Diptyque eau de toilettes has been cast further into shadow with this long-awaited EdT release being such a novelty. I already see resellers trying to flip their purpose-bought surplus bottles on eBay, although initial prices were at or below retail because there are some who bought blind just to get one and didn't like it, so scalpers have to compete with them until those bottles are scooped up first, leaving only their high-ball options remaining. I like everything about Ilio concept-wise, and although I'm not super sold on the style of fragrance it is, I'd have just managed a thumbs up if it wasn't some FOMO frenzy-inducing carrot-dangle. If they end up re-releasing this (likely as an EdP so the cynic in me says), I'll re-evaluate my stance. Neutral