I'm No Addict Of This Perfume (Christian Dior: Dior Addict, Eau de Parfum)

Member Name: DiamondCat

Product:	Christian Dior: Dior Addict, Eau de Parfum
Date:	06/05/08 (88 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: distinctiveness, bottle and packaging

Disadvantages: the smell

This fragrance was first released by Dior in 2002, the perfumer responsible for it was Thierry Wasser. It is generally placed into the oriental category, and is described as having a sophisticated sensuality. The name and the initial TV advert caused quite a controversy among recovering drug addicts.

At first I was hesitant to write a review about something I really don't like. But people's comments on my last two Dior reviews show that many find the whole range too heavy duty. So I'll share my experience anyway, and I'll do my best to be fair and informative with it.
A while ago I smelled Addict for the first time on paper. Honestly, I was just interested in the bottle. This understated design really appeals to me. I hoped that I would like the navy one best. Ironically, as I'm not at all a pink person, I only like and wear Addict 2. At the time I quickly dismissed this one and the Eau Fraiche version. As on other occasions, it turned out that I knew the fragrance. I realized that that stuffy smell that often made me hold my breath was in fact Addict.

But some perfumes require several attempts. It's how I've come by some of my current favourites. My husband told me one day that he liked Addict on someone else, but that might be due to the person's chemistry and wouldn't I consent to try it. My heart sank, but I felt I owed him and maybe I would be surprised. Initially he liked it on the paper strip, I simply couldn't change my mind. Though I have to admit that it was slightly spicy for a fleeting moment. After that it wasn't to his taste, and I wasn't asked to test it. Thank goodness! But I liked two out of three fragrances that day, no reason for complaint.
To me it smells like a room without a window that is stuffed with flowers. It is sweet and heavy, which is often good in my book, but in an unpleasantly organic way. It practically brings to mind creepy, outsized tropical plants. All right, I may have underlying phobia issues. But even rationally I can only compare this scent to a huge bouquet of lilies absorbing all the oxygen molecules in a small room. (Though lilies are fine in many perfumes, like Ange ou Demon, Dolce Vita, Lily Angel. And Addict doesn't even contain them.) But it does contain some rare and expensive ingredients. And on the plus side, any very distinctive product won't be liked by everyone. Here is a list of the fragrance notes:

top notes: mandarin leaf, silk tree flower
middle notes: Night Queen flower, Bulgarian rose, orange blossom
base notes: Bourbon absolute, Sandalwood, Tonka bean
The fragrance is available as parfum and Eau de Parfum.
There is also a range of body products.


Parfum 30ml £98
EDP 20ml/ 50ml/ 100ml £28/ £48/ £68

shower gel 200ml £17
body lotion 200ml £23
body cream 200ml £41

To summarize, this is a well designed and very unusual fragrance. Going by it's popularity you might well like it too. I certainly respect Dior for creating landmark fragrances. But personally I give it only two stars as I simply can't stand the smell. But the quality and bottle design and still first class.

Summary: not one for me