Desert Dawn

I LOVE this fragrance. I have 15+ frags, but if I don't really love something I will basically never wear it. For years I've been wearing the same 3-4 colognes, so I went to Nordstrom hoping to find something truly great. After smelling about 40 different designers/niches, Desert Dawn was the only thing that excited me. What I love: - Reminds me of Glossier You (I think it's the musk?), which I love on other people but skews too feminine for me to consider wearing. DD is truly unisex to my nose, and although two people have told me they think it leans feminine, most people have told me unisex to masculine - It's the first cedar/sandalwood forward fragrance that works for me. I love Santal 33, but it doesn't work on my skin. I've tried several others and nope. DD really suits me and I think that would probably be true for the majority of people. - Garnered many compliments - Its skin scent DNA means I can overspray without worrying about offending anyone. - It smells and feels truly niche/high quality. - It's actually reminiscent of a desert morning. I wouldn't say dawn. More like 10am and the sun has begun baking everything. I live in a very hot climate and DD pairs with most occasions/weather. - The dill pickle aspect. I wore it for weeks without one thought about dill pickles, but as soon as I read the comments I sprayed up and I totally get it. At first spray, there's something gerkiny there. But this is fleeting and I don't notice it unless I think about pickles. Even though I love dill and pickles, I wouldn't want to smell like a jar of them. What I don't love: - Performance. If I only do one spray, I don't think it lasts 6 hours. I am a sweaty guy in a hot climate, so maybe I'm sweating it off and other people might have better luck. I find that more sprays help with this and reapplying an hour or two after my first spray gives the fragrance added depth. Sadly, more sprays means I will have to replace the bottle sooner than I'd like to. - Price. I bought this through a discounter, but I don't know if I could pay retail with the lacking performance. The quality of the scent matches the price, but how long that scent lasts does not. Skin scents usually can't match the longevity of bolder styles, but I've worn others at this price point and below that do much better.

On the first sniff, Desert Dawn might seem insubstantial, even ephemeral, but as you feel the notes settle around you, you get the lovely creaminess of carrot seed dancing with silky musks and smoky ribbons of vetiver, and begin to fall for the scent’s soft-spoken, easygoing charm. The sandalwood is tender with a hazy milkiness that invites one in and the kind of effortlessness I used to love about Santal 33, though, thankfully, without the pickling spice afterglow. Papyrus haloes the woods in a subtly charred, toasty kind of warmth, though, to me, this is an inherently cool scent, channeling that soothing coolness of the moments just before dawn I always associate with sheer greys and blush pinks. As it dries down, the scent turns hazy and a touch steamy, the velveteen musks whispering against skin. The vetiver reminds me of ambrette, its sweet vegetal fluidity almost liqueur-like as it mingles with the dry smoky woods. Overall, this is an effortless, somewhat introspective fragrance that feels lovely and familiar, if not particularly unique. I see it as something I’d bring along on long strolls or roadtrips—a gentle and agreeable companion to layer in softness and a serene kind of calm as days stretch into nights, and I find myself craving that cozy embrace of woods to keep my mind at peace.🏜️

A creation by Jerome Epinette is usually high on my list of strong loves and Desert Dawn has just topped that list. This is just beautiful. It's overall composition is a silky warmth where that ever recognizable sandalwood is front and center but definitely not pickle-like (as it can present in Santal 33). This is much more in the vein of Parle Moi's Milky Musk but with less of a coconut vibe and with more of a mysterious, sensual nuance - the carrot seeds add a comforting savoriness to this that deepen it and make it soft and cozy. The rose note is almost non-existent much to my satisfaction (rose haters rise up) and it's blended in so nicely that all it does it add to the experience. Dries to the most beautiful musk/woods combo ever and is completely unisex. I cannot stop sniffing my arm. Some descriptor words: Silky, milky, woody, musky, savory, warm, comforting, cozy, hazy, fuzzy, dry. See reviews by: @MyMuse and @byrehoe for even better descriptors. Perfect 10!

I love it. It is so pure, so linear (in the best possible way), and so different from most perfumes on the market. The name Desert Dawn matches the scent so well. It is a morning scent that I find likable in my solitude before stepping into the world. I find it sexy in its simplicity and uniqueness. It makes me feel fresh and is a very uplifting scent for the heaviest days, so I also appreciate that component. Any time I have a lot of work ahead of me, I wear this scent. It gives me some power to endure a heavy day, some masculine touch with a feminine twist. Yin and Yang in one perfume. I read that cedar can motivate, and I feel it in this scent. It is not as sharp as a cedar pencil but very smooth, and I love it.

Wow. This one is special. From the moment it released I could just tell I needed to get my nose on that. I finally did. It’s woody, with this slight aromatic freshness, its soft and spicy, it’s creamy yet dry and dusty (which I adore), it silky and musky. This is what I would call a signature scent at least for this season. I could wear this in any season, but there’s a freshness to it that screams warmer weather. This is an easy grab. I also love the fact you won’t see everyone talking about this or wearing it. This is my favorite Byredo. 10/10

Freshly varnished furniture. The smell of an art studio. Smooth, dry, and beautifully blended. The rose is smooth, and the cardamom is not sharp at all. It all lingers behind a woody drydown. I prefer the complexity, accord evolution, and the spa/desert vibe in De Los Santos, but this is an easier reach, cleaner and drier. This is definitely the masculine (leaning) counterpart of Mojave Ghost, as I expected it to be. A sense of calm and renewal. I blind bought a full bottle, and I ́m so glad I did.

I get Gritti Tutu Extrait from this on clothes (a lighter version) and a definite remnant of Super Cedar on first spray in the air. On skin it’s a mix, with the cedar on initial spray and the Tutu sweetness/silkiness coming out as it evolves. This is the Byredo that brought me back to the brand, as I got fatigued by the DNA many years ago. I love it. It’s clean, a little woody, a little sweet. Easy to wear and you will smell good. Delicious and low key sexy to my nose.

Desert Dawn is a fitting name. This is a spicy, airy, dry and woody, molecular scent. This has a similar carefree and casual vibe to Mojave Ghost, but with an overdose of cardamom. The intriguing thing about this perfume is that is combines spiciness with smelling clean, which feels like a rare pairing. I’m a huge Mojave Ghost fan and I’m impressed that Byredo have made another good release that has that similar Bohemian and nonchalant clean-girl feel.

A woody, spicy, dusty opening with a hint of cardamom. It is a unisex fragrance - it feels a little too masculine for me originally but it dries down to a more feminine addictive, sweet, floral, musky note which I absolutely love. It layers perfectly with my favourite Mojave Ghost. Great warm fragrance for autumn and winter. Long lasting for a Byredo fragrance. I can see and smell a perfect desert dawn when I wear this.

This is currently my signature scent. I also really love Super Cedar, but unfortunately its longevity is below par. I think Desert Dawn is a more developed version of the latter fragrance. It’s a beautiful creamy-woody scent with a slightly papery touch. The sillage isn’t strong, but the longevity is good (though it could be even better). At the moment, I can’t think of a more beautiful fragrance than this.

This is so good I went through a 5 mL decant in no time. I think Jerome Epinette is at his best when he works to create this creamy, ethereal compositions (a la Bal d’Afrique). Soft, mediative, highlighting the most comforting facets of raw materials. Projection and longevity are disappointing but nothing is perfect I guess. If you smell pickles here, try cleaning your nostrils with a saline spray.

I don't know how to explain this, but the opening of this is nothing special, very nice musky, woody scent, but nothing to ring home about. But it has the single most beautiful dry down of any fragrance I have owned: musky but powdery, fresh, and spicy. It is like a completely difference fragrance altogether. I reach for it almost every day

I am not usually a fan of woody scents, but I received a sample of this when I ordered Alto Astral and really fell in love. It's such a well balanced, high performing cologne. It lasts much longer than most from this house, and perfect for the fall season. New favorite!

I love it so much!!! Feels like Another13 in Byredo style, and somehow it reminds me of Bal d’afrique, super ceder at the same time. But it doesn’t mean it’s common. Very unique and a scent you can wear anytime and anyplace. This perfume is very much intimate though!

Oh wow... big time sensuality! Desert Dawn is similar to Alto Astral from this brand- but Alto Astral is like the cheap wine you put out for guests and Desert Dawn is the good stuff you keep for yourself (ha ha). Joke is on you if you don’t like this fragrance!

I'm not entirely sure why Mojave Ghost Absolu (extrait) was removed, with even the article on Fragrantica and the Instagram promotional post on Byredo’s account being pulled. Excited for this.

Lots of cardamom off the bat on my skin, then becomes this captivating creamy and softly spiced scent. I keep coming back to sniff my wrist. Truly unisex but maybe leans a touch masculine.

I'm very excited for this new Byredo release. I cannot wait to read reviews on it. I have a feeling this will be the next Mojave Ghost or Gypsy Water, in terms of hype status.

I really like Super Cedar but hate that it is so weak. Now Desert Dawn is a somewhat stronger version of Super Cedar to me, so it might justify the price for me

If you've ever lived in the Desert, you'd know what a masterpiece this is. It's the exact scent of unrelenting heat on various plants and woods.

@favst: ”people from L’Oréal”? Seems like someone missed the memo, or heard the song but got it wrong 🤷♂️😄

My new favorite Byredo. If you like Mojave Ghost and Another 13 you will LOVE this.

My new blanket for colder days. Sandalwood with a cardamom twist. Very comforting.

I don't see the reason for the hate - it smells fresh, clean, and fantastic

A dry, blushy woodspice. A Scandi-Western. Bone-white driftwood and rose gold sand. Quintessential Byredo DNA with the airy, unisex quality. It’s got the De Los Santos backbone, but with cedar CRISPR’d in place of the sage. And instead of your typical Byredoy powdered violet, it uses starchy papyrus. There’s something about it that smells like virgin carpet, that elusive “new house smell.” Or maybe even a box of fresh coloured pencils and crayons. All this is fabulous, except for the fact that I can barely eek more than an hour out of it. Its lifespan is nil on my skin and makes Mojave Ghost feel like a heavyweight on fabric. My favourite fragrance to date is De Los Santos, so I was afraid I’d soon be $200+ poorer, but I can’t rationalize the price with the performance. A pity, as it is a beautiful blend. Mental Snapshot: An adobe villa ripples on the horizon. Wind-polished stucco, lofty rafters of raw timber. There’s lots of sleek midcentury furniture. Probably Danish. And animal skulls. Probably bison. There’s not a soul inside. Just a pair of palomino mustangs capering in the half-light outside. You blink and the whole vision dissolves into the dunes. (It's a millennial allegory for home-ownership). tl;dr: sepia-tone mirage 🌄🪶

I got a spray vial from a purchase through Byredo, today. I wonder how common it is to spray samples on the inside of your elbow? I do it a lot. Just curious. Never asked anyone before. Anyway, this has some spice up front which goes away after about 10 to 15 minutes, and I’m glad, because I don’t mind spice up top, but I don’t want to smell that way all day. There is maybe a white musk. There’s no description on the Byredo site, so I’m guessing and checking what others have said. Definitely the papyrus that Byredo uses often and possibly the carrot seed and Moroccan Cedar. I get orris but that could be carrot. I’m thinking vetiver but could be a cedar. No, there is definitely vetiver. This is a very Byredo scent. Not far from Bibliotheque. This kind of reminds me of a dry version of something by Sergei Lutens, some sort of suede scent. I like it. Needs a full day try-out.

I visited a Byredo store this past weekend and was soon greeted by a lovely associate who helped me explore their fragrance line and encouraged me to take a whiff of their newest release, Desert Dawn. I immediately smelled a soft, woody scent with some spice that I thought was lovely—although it did not knock my socks off. As it dried down: Woody. Clean. Floral? I grabbed a couples of samples to try at home and upon wearing Desert Dawn on my skin it hit me! Le Labo's Another 13! Albeit a muted version. It's softer, less animalic, and Byredo-esque. I already own Another 13 and love the scent profile so I won't be adding Desert Dawn to my collection. If you like the notes of Another 13 but find it too punchy or just too much ~something~ Desert Dawn is worth a try!

Fall desert air, all creosote and prickly pear. I just spent the week in Arizona and this fragrance smells like walking the paths along Papago Park at the edge of the botanical garden, the light bright and thin in the late afternoon. Spare desert clouds an atmosphere, the barest floral scent on the wind. This is a simple fragrance, one more a reproduction of the spirit of a place, the idea of it, than anything else. The quiet. There’s a sense of air here, breathiness, similar to Mojave Ghost except in this iteration, this is dust and October sunset whereas the other is a winter sunrise. It’s light and sensual and nuanced, with musk and sandalwood emerging to round out this beautifully elegant fragrance.

First wearing impression: This reminds me of lots of different fragrances. Papyrus from S33, cedar wood from Byredo Super Cedar, carrot seed and sandalwood from Kilian Sacred Wood, and musk fixatives from Arquiste Peau. It's exactly how I'd imagined it would smell. Dusty, woody musky, slightly earthy. I like it but it's not setting my world on fire because I've smelled this a million times and if you've been into fragrances for a while, chances are you have as well. However, if you're new and want to get yourself something that touches on and encompasses many different good fragrances, this might work for you, because it covers a lot of ground. Scent 70/100 Performance TBD

This is very woody from the off on me, a smidge of sharp rose, not unlike that powerfully represented in Rose of No Man’s Land then straight to the woods. The base notes, when I got to them were so distant could not even be a skin scent. So for me it’s a quiet wood bomb for an hour, fading after 3. The wood dimension is soft and dry, quite naturalistic. The overall impression is pleasant and very Byredo. I have a small cross section of four Byredo and I have Santal Blush so won’t be buying but as a very work safe, genderless warm wood it’s perfectly nice. High price point for a pleasant perfume but I imagine a lot of people will love it.

Wood-dominant scents aren't my style (I was given a sample so tried it out of pure curiosity), but this is one of a handful I actually like! It's smooth and creamy and a touch powdery, and the cardamom is surprisingly subtle, giving Desert Dawn a smidgen of spice without being sharp or peppery. I could be imagining it but I do feel like I'm getting a whisper of rose in the mix too. IMO doesn't lean feminine nor masculine, it's a good unisex perfume! Ah! As I typed this up I finally realized what this reminds me of -- it's somewhat like Parisian Musc by Matiere Premiere, but without the coconut/fig note.

It's like an evolution of Super Cedar. Compare the notes, Desert Dawn contains everything Super Cedar has. It's a pleasant scent, but I personally don't really get the mental image of a desert from it. It's more spicy and complex than Super Cedar for sure, but part of Super Cedar's charm is how simple it is. It has almost a sweaty quality to it, but somehow not in a bad way. The sandalwood however adds something of a pickle note to it, as sandalwood tends to do in fragrances, which is a minus for me.

My Byredo SA sent me this to try early along with a few additional scents. Right off the bat this opens very fresh with the cardamom and maybe a little rose but not a traditional in your face rose smell. It quickly turns into a beautiful soft woody scent in the dry down with the sandalwood, cedar wood, and vetiver becoming front and center. Not a scent I’d typically go for, but I keep going back to spray more on. Very much a unisex scent that is well done.

I think my nose is broken. This smells like super cedar and light florals. That being said... Super cedar smells absolutely nothing like cedar lol I don't even think it's wood like in any way. To me both super cedar and dessert dawn have an interesting chemically rubber cement smell... It's very odd but weirdly addicting. I enjoy desert dawn a lot but I don't think what I smell is what other people smell.

Received this today from Neiman Marcus. I’m still figuring it out. It’s definitely a very dry woody scent but I can imagine a little bit of a silky texture to it. It feels a little herbal which is maybe the cardamom. As far as Byredo goes I think it’s similar to De Los Santos but better, a little more complex. Reminds me more of the Mojave desert than Mojave Ghost does. Perfectly unisex I think.

In reading reviews I appear to get a different experience than most. To me it smells like Mojave Ghost with creamy coconut vibe sandalwood. I actually like it very much. I would wear it all seasons, anytime. It is a light but noticeable fragrance which is what I prefer. A with all Byredo, a bit overpriced...but I would buy it anyway 🤭

Dill at first snif, not a liniar perfume, it's versatile, for me it leans more towards masculine, love the cedar and woody top note but somehow I dont find it a niche perfume, the rose note I can feel it only in the opening, the cedar its a bit overpowering, will definetly turn heads When wearing this perfume

This is a beautiful skin scent that is a mix of Super Cedar and Alto Astral. The scent is pure perfection to me. My only complaint is with the longevity. It projects well for about 6 hours and then just fades away. Byredo should highly consider this for their Absolu line 👀

This is good, but i thought I was thinking ‘when did I spray Another 13?’. If you like another 13, it has been over used and well known for a long time now. So I’d say its a good change for that, since every company does it a bit differently and put their own touch.

Finally I give it a try on my skin, it's really can't tell what it is. Fresh but very familiar with, and later it recall my memory of Super Cedar. Not bad, but since I am already wearing Super Cedar during cool weather, not a "must have" item for me.

Smells like Glossier You without the explosive pink pepper, rather that replaced with a mediating rose that adds a beautiful feminine finish to this skin-like woody musk. Very faint and will not last long.

Started very much “dill pickle” on me and then turns in to a dry wood. (Ceder and sandlewood) I do like it but probably not worth the price. I get absolutely no cardamom and very little rose.

tried this because the car we rented for our road trip had a sample left behind in it. its not bad! i dont get rose at all, it smells vaguely cactusy, very midcentury modern vibes

Powdery and subtly aromatic. Unisex and very wearable, a subtle skin scent on me. Doesn’t feel too contrived or cosmetic. Really enjoy the cedar sandalwood vetiver blend here.

its super aromatic and woody!!! fresh spicyyy, its giving a bit of santal 33 with the pickle note but i dont hate it!!!!! the dry down on paper is soft and a bit sweet!

Smells like floral Woody glue, but in a good way... It's not my favorite but I do enjoy it quite a bit. If it wasn't so expensive I think id buy a small bottle.

Great interpretation of rose. Simple. Byredo-like. Maybe a bit airy. Not sure about the longetivity, but want to add to my collection

Silky, woody. Carrot seeds give it a fresh, almost dewy feel. Decent. 11/18/24 - I love this more and more everytime I smell it

I absolutely love this scent, but it’s very faint on my skin and fades quickly. Thus, not worth the price for me, sadly.

The most Byredo of all the Byredos that ever Byredo'd (Byredid?). Good jumping off point if you're new to the brand.