Joy Intense
Christian Dior (2019)

This was a gift from a friend a few years ago. I didn’t like it very much at the time, but recently it has been growing on me a great deal. To me, it slightly sweet but nowhere near the sweetness of most modern designer fragrances. I get a nice bitter citrus opening, and then as it dries down I can smell the Jasmine and musk emerge. I get a tiny hint of rose, but it’s not strong. And then, if I was going to guess the wood note I’m smelling, I’d say it was cedar, but apparently I’d be wrong. But I don’t really pick up on a strong sandalwood note. I can also only smell a hint of vanilla. If I were to describe this I’d say it was a floral woody musk. I think it’s very pretty and not too loud so definitely in the easy reach category.

Joy goes around some currently popular destinations before settling in Vanilla-biscuitville. Seeing as its pink, perhaps the first port of call had to be a sweet-and-fruity gourmand in the kiddie candy-store vein of some bestsellers we all know but do not care to name. Then a transition towards jammy florals, cooked beyond recognition, until puff upon puff of vanilla sugar essays forth like a blizzard frosting all that palpating pinkness that went before. Ugh!

The opening blast is brief, mainly neroli touched up with a bergamot. Fresh and bright. Quite soon I am getting a transient undertone of sweet raspberry candy on me.

The core is floral when the drydown arises: I get mainly jasmine, a good jasmine rendition, with a rose; the latter is less dominant on me.

White musks are the central ingredient of the base, with a few nonspecific background components. Firstly, a soft and light patchouli. Secondly, a nonspecific woodsiness - on me there is not much of the promised sandalwood characteristic. And thirdly, a vanilla that adds some sweetness. The usual suspects - that is the baseline.

I get moderate sillage, very good projection, and seven hours of longevity on my skin.

Indubitably a pleasant spring scent, but parts of it, especially the base, are too generic to impress. 2.75/5