Poison by Dior

My absolute favourite, impossible to forget. At first, it’s intense, almost unbearable, but once it dries down, it becomes addictive. It evokes a white snake with red eyes stalking, with a few flowers as silent witnesses to the scene.

I’d been wanting to smell it for ages; my mum used it in the 90s and it always seemed iconic to me. I thought it would be gothic and high-maintenance, so at the Dior counter in the mall, I didn’t hesitate to try it. From the moment I sprayed it, I was hooked: plum with red fruits and coriander, incredibly intense, powerful, dark and delicious. It’s strong but addictive. Over time, neroli, incense, honey, jasmine and carnation emerge, making it truly special. That blend is gothic yet sweet: deep, sensual and very 80s. It lasts excellently on skin: I sprayed it at 3 pm and could still smell it when I went to sleep at 10 (7 hours). The trail is long and noticeable; several ladies in the mall told me, ‘honey, what perfume are you wearing, you smell wonderful’. My aunt said it brought back nostalgia for the scents of the late 80s and 90s. On clothes, it’s impressive: I wore a jacket I’d used yesterday and it still smells, softer, honeyed and vanilla-like. I give it 9.5/10. It smells incredible, long trail and excellent longevity. The only downside is the price. I just hope Dior doesn’t discontinue it; it is undoubtedly the best of the brand.

Very good! Does anyone suggest a similar alternative? Because on me, it doesn’t last at all, and spending that price for that performance… I wish it existed. Infinite thanks and huge hugs.

I bought it by mistake for my wife because I got the name wrong; she wanted Hypnotic Poison and it was a huge surprise when she smelled it… this is very vintage 80s and we said… it smells like an 80-year-old lady, pffff… what do we do now? We’re just left trying to find someone who wants to buy this tremendous witch perfume for Halloween.

Reading the wonderful reviews, I started to doubt myself, really do I smell what I smell? I remember being stunned by the slap in the face upon spraying, wow. What a horrible perfume. It is undoubtedly the worst I’ve ever smelled. And the curious thing is that something so horrible to me is so good for others. Incredible.

Poison has something intoxicating, witch-like, cursed and sensual, super dark. I could say it’s VERY similar to Lou Lou by Cacharel, but it’s not the same. Poison, like all Dior perfumes, has degenerated into something poor in nuances, linear, synthetic like a Fanta Zero, losing charm due to affordable reformulations (affordable for the brand, of course XD). They smell similar, you can tell which is Poison, which is Hypnotic, which is Pure… okay, but reformulating until you remove the magic starts to feel like accepting clones as originals. I have the old Poison, the purple oval bottle from the 80s. It’s a bloody masterpiece. Sensual aldehydes, darkness without oppression, magical alchemy? How have they configured an ode to the dark, mysterious and sibilant with something powdery, feminine and syrupy? Phew, it blows my mind. This is the night perfume, with personality, brutal longevity that with few sprays smells unique, BUT… there is a huge abyss between the current and the vintage original. I’m not going to switch to the current one because my vintage is worth more; I’d rather use my vintage less often than the current one every night. <3 Nothing to do with each other, it's sweetened Poison, flattened, yes it's Poison, but what a different experience. Wearing a perfume isn't 'I want to smell something similar', that would be a room spray. It means: I want to be, to experiment and to feel. How can you experiment with something intoxicating if everything smells synthetic? It could be my signature if I find another vintage bottle, it will be. ^^ Nothing to do with each other, it's sweetened Poison, flattened, yes, but what a different experience.

It hurts that an icon is so ruined by reformulations. I’m not a fan of Dior because they ruin everything, just as they did with Joy by Jean Patou or Tendre Poison. Poison has five minutes of magic before it all fades; it lasts about three hours but very softly, with an intimate trail…

Although I never knew the 80s or 90s version, trying a current bottle showed me how much I would have loved it. It is the kind of feminine fragrance I appreciate. I see it has a legion of followers who associate it with strong, charismatic women, which I understand. In my experience, I detect red berries, incense, honey, neroli, and a woody base with cinnamon. I’d like to try it again but I’m not sure. The current longevity and projection are good. I imagine Poison as a boss: elegant, professional, decisive, enigmatic, and powerful, like Jessica Pearson from Suits. Very pleased to have met her.

It saddens me that they reformulated it, perhaps due to regulations, but I think it is to modernise it. It is no longer as brutal as the original. It leaves an incredible trail and you notice when you arrive. In the first half-hour, the exquisite plum makes a mark. Then it turns into something sweet and unique without being cloying. The trail lasts about four hours, then becomes intimate and sensual. On clothes it is more linear and longer-lasting. It remains one of my favourites.

What can I say about Poison, the only, the original? It poisoned me about 20 years ago and I am still affected. I started using it when I noticed it on a neighbour; it suited her, it felt greedy, and so it is. It is a juicy ripe plum bathed in sandalwood and vintage sweetness. It is sweet to the max, but not like current sweet perfumes. I feel it is very different from its younger siblings, Hypnotic and Poison Girl. It is a classic everyone should try. Currently I have it in the collection just to smell it occasionally and wear it on special occasions and sparingly because it is very strong for me.

A beautiful perfume with a mysterious air; juicy fruity notes warmed by a touch of incense. It transports me to a country cabin: a bottle of red wine, grapes, burning wood, tea, and fresh air. It’s elegant and seductive, with incredible trail and longevity. I’m talking about the vintage version with the gold Christian Dior logo. Smells super natural, like red fruits, grapes, honey, incense, and flowers.

A spell from another era. I like it but it doesn’t quite convince me because it smells very old-fashioned. It doesn’t smell like an older lady, but rather the past: what a mature and elegant woman used in the 80s/90s. It’s strong, intoxicating, and super seductive. It seems rich, but for people aged 40 and above. Very complex, I quite like it, but I prefer Poison Girl; I don’t identify with something so firm yet. You can detect the incense and fresh spices, and the plum, but it’s zero sweet, which makes it interesting. Super enchanting, I’ll surely return in a few decades. Something similar but more youthful is Versace’s Crystal Noir.

Poison, the common person has nothing to do with it… and perhaps that’s the difference. It’s not for common people; it’s on my list of favourites. It’s for those who enjoy perfumes that distinguish, strong scents, and complex notes. It emanates sensuality, is dark as its bottle, and that depth gives it the touch of plum and wild berries, but at the same time it’s very sweet due to the honey and cinnamon that give it magnificent sensuality. In the end, these notes float in vanilla, amber, sandalwood, and musk, all well-mixed but always accompanying the plum. It’s sexy beyond measure, and if you want to provoke sighs, this is the place! For romantic dates it’s a MUST, especially night ones. It transports me to a skyscraper at night with the moon in the background, just the two of us, in black stockings and sensual clothing. Yes, definitely not for everyone, but personally it intoxicates me. Of course, it depends on the sprays: in spring and summer, one spray at night in enclosed places; in autumn and winter, I enjoy double with two during the day and three at night. The key is the dose and enjoying the notes. Don’t buy it blindly; it’s complex, but those who like it will love it. Poison is exactly as its name suggests: poison in a good sense, sweet, narcotic, intoxicating, dark, and sensual that doesn’t kill you (if you know how to use it), because its trail and projection can kill if you overdo it. It’s on my favourites, timeless and unique. It will never disappoint you in class, style, and longevity (almost a day on skin and days on clothes). A love of perfume, off the charts, that goes unnoticed. If you don’t have compliments, they’ll question you. Dior didn’t make a mistake; it was a total success. There are people who leave a mark and perfumes that cross it. Poison is one. It’s for the woman of every time, confident and who knows where she’s going. I’m not talking about ages, but Poison says you should already know what you want.

I’ve been debating for some time whether to review this, because the positive opinions are overwhelming and make me doubt my nose. But I think a perfume called ‘Poison’ isn’t meant to please or be liked; that’s its personality. Many opinions have a pink tint of nostalgia. The first time in the perfumery I thought the bottle was expired. The second and third times I admitted it smells like this… and it smells to me of something so offensive I prefer to keep silent. I wonder if my young sense of smell has gotten too used to mass-produced and sweet perfumes. I think decades ago fragrances had more personality. That said, I make a show of mine and say I don’t like it.

I’ve met many perfumes, but none equal Poison, despite Dior’s hateful reformulations. This is from another world… a true poison, so strong you can’t wash it off with water; it penetrates to your DNA. This Poison hasn’t stopped selling its soul to the women who wear it. It overshadows everything, absolutely everything, even in environmental perfume shops full of resins. It seeks to install itself on its throne. It’s a great perfume, a tremendous dark and sensual fruity one. This perfume speaks for you if you’re afraid to wear it. There’s no age and it surpasses in quality everything tested. A kiss and a hug to this poem of passion.