Bois d'Argent

Somber, moody, mysterious, gothic even....a fantastical scent fit for a lake nymph, or a dark creature of the forests...one that longs for warmness but it is forced to remain cold and unforgiving, just to survive. Unisex to the core. I find it eatherial, elegant, darkly romantic, even eerie at tracts. First time I smelled it my mind was filled with the image of Ophelia drowning in a bed of flowers, dry erbs and cold water; a sort of synesthesia that haunted me all day with images of the famous painting by John Everett Millais, but also made me think of the unearthly beauty of Elizabeth Siddal (of whome I had learned about during my history of make up studies); her pale snowy skin and auburn hair...which I imagine smelled like honey in the autumn sun. They managed to recreate that atmosphere in a scent (or that of a Joy Division song, or of a E.A. Poe poem, if we will). It was love at first sight for me. Now, on to the scent itself: the opening is strong, strong cypress...evokes conflicting emotions in me, probably because it is the tree that adorns the abandoned cemeteries of italian's villages. Here it is fresh and profound, a little conifer, gives a free and airy sensation but at the same time it's grounding and broody, quite melancholic. It's so beautiful. The juniper berries accompanies it perfectly, with a light earthy touch, aromatic, woody, and measured. Just a tad masculine. The heart is all honey though...you can feel it already in the opening, trying to steal the spot of cypress, it wants to give its warmness and sweetness, its cuddly nature...but it is shackled, never truly exposed to its full sugary potential. So, it stays somber too, only in the dry down it becomes more sweet thanks to the vanilla. This is not a particulary raw honey but it is quite dry and "herbal". However, what truly holds the soul of the scent is the iris and myrrh combo, which is the base of the nostalgic aura the perfume has. This iris is classic and elegant, aromatic and powdery, made shadowy by some incense, and very cold and damp...not only in temperature, but also in the emotions and imagery it evokes. A little detached. Myrrh is bitter, yet vibrant and sensual like only the balsams can be. Some of it remains in the dry down also, thogheter with some more warm resin. They impart a royal, aristocratic character to the fragrance. The patchouli is well blended in all this mix, it adds that extra touch, never resulting outdated or out of place (as I was fearing), and it goes really well with the woods, their combo reads almost as smoked and dry tobacco-y...from time to time a boozy/alchoolic sensation can be felt too, but perhaps it is just an illusion given by the juniper berries. One aspect I didn't especially pick up is the leathery accord, if some of it is here it's more suede then true leather. The dry down is sensual and warm, and inviting in its complexity; this creates a beautiful and moving duality with the coldness of the opening and mid. The aromatic, balsamic, powdery and woody accords it's what stands out on my skin, then I would say earthy, honey and incense, but, at least on me, this is never truly sweet as some other peopole find it to be. It's as if it wants to, but it can't! And this aspect makes me love it even more!!! It's like a battle is taking place! Moreover, there is more to it then just the declared notes and derivated accords, as often it's the case...for instance there is a sort of withered and essicated flowers touches, some dry moss, incense, and a damp/humid accord. This is a perfume for wich I would gladly pay again a premium price...complex and multifaceted. It sings to my soul. I find both lasting power and projection good, especially if oversprayed. It pairs well with the first spring's days of sun, but it projects deliciously during the rainy autumnal's days. I had heard a rumor about a discontinuation so I furiously searched on the Dior website, month after month, and I can confirm it is just a rumor for now since it is still sold. Also, considering the price this has, I am happy to report that it is now sold in a 40ml version too, for 130,00 €, in line with niche standards. Many version of this were put on the market, the one I am reviewing was bought in 2021, so I shall leave my review here, on the last edition.

I just found my ten-year-old bottle was not empty; I sprayed it, and it's still the most beautiful perfume I've had the pleasure to smell. It was my first Iris perfume. The way I discovered that the scent of iris is just bliss to me is that it makes every perfume with it smells at least good to my nose. If silver, as a color, has a smell, it is Bois d'argent for me, a pearly, silvery color with a little bit of warmth but still cold. The opening is a bit harsh (but the bottle is a little bit older than ten years old, so...), then comes the myrrh, the wood, and the iris, but everything is so well incorporated that you can't really point to one thing in particular. It is so beautiful and well done. To me, if it was a person, it would be those rich women that wear all white in winter and look so good in it, and you know you can't because your trousers will be covered in dirt within ten minutes. Performance is really good; on clothes, it does not fade, and the sillage is quite powerful; it remains my most complimented perfume. My mother-in-law bought it a few years ago, which is the reason I stopped wearing it. I don't know how people perceive themselves, but living in Paris, when I wore it, a lot of people would say that their boss bathed in Bois d'Argent and that it smelled everywhere they went. Now, the comparison with Bois d'Iris from Van Cleef—the first sniff is in favor of Bois d'Iris, I won't lie. It's a bit more salty and earthy in a way, but it's a matter of taste. Bois d'iris is really less round than Bois d'argent, and it's also more linear. And, sadly, Bois d'Iris has really poor performance, so you don't get the incredible scent that lingers on your skin and clothes and makes all of your belongings smell faintly of Bois d'Argent, which is a real shame. But they are quite similar but do not give the same vibe, which is interesting. This is a signature scent : enveloping, recognizable (maybe a little bit too much), and so pleasant. People that say that it smells like their grandma: good for you, your grandma smells divine, and yes, it could easily be a rich old person scent, that's part of its charm. I'm going to try the new one soon, as my bottle is from 2015 and I would like to know if everyone is right about the changes. Edit : I did smell the new one and the people were not lying. The amber si so strong that it spoils the balance of the original, what a glow down, but I bet they have to sell the 435€ version that does smell good.

I owned the original Bois d'Argent and currently own this one, and really, any differences are minor enough that you'll get over them after the first wearing or two. In fact, unless you own both and spray them side by side while wearing them, it really shouldn't matter at all--they're very similar and there's no sense in getting hung up on perceived minor differences between this one and the first edition. You'll be able to enjoy the current version just as much. And here's the good news: The version that's available now actually has better projection and longevity. I would say the main difference between the OG and version 2.0 is that the second one comes out of the gate a bit stronger, with more intensity and further reach. The older Bd'A was tricky that way; it could seem a bit on the weak side sometimes, especially in the opening, only to become stronger later on. If there is any significant difference between the two, I guess it would be that this one is more linear in terms of its strength and projection. It's fairly strong from start to finish. If I use about 3 sprays, maybe 4, I'm definitely good for the day, and there may even be times during that day when I feel it's a bit too strong. So depending on how you like your fragrances, you could even go 2 sprays with this and do okay, it's just a matter of preference. As for the smell, it's still the same good old powdered-honey blended with a woody iris and pleasantly cloudy-resinous finish. It remains unisex leaning masculine and is a wonderful choice for all seasons excluding summer. If you already enjoy Dior Homme or fragrances of that ilk (powdery, iris-based, 'non-typical' masculines), then chances are you'll like this as well. As it adds honey to the mix, perhaps Bois d'Argent has a little bit more of a casual, playful feel than Dior Homme, but that's not to say that it wouldn't work in more formal situations either. Overall, this is a very enjoyable, unique addition to the Dior Privee line up and one that is well-worth sampling. I can't get enough of it, personally. Final rating, 9/10.

This reminds me so much of my father. He used to wear Jovan Musk and as a child, I remember curling up in the sink on the bathroom vanity to watch him shave. When he was done shaving, he would pat Jovan Musk on his chubby cheeks and suck his teeth pretending it stung. This always made me giggle. He would put a dab of cologne behind my ears before scooting me off so he could finish getting ready. To me, this smells like a super-luxe version of Jovan Musk. Creamy musk and powdery iris mixed with fresh wood shavings, pine sap, root beer, and indistinguishable fuzzy notes in the background. This is so well blended that it is extremely difficult to pinpoint particular notes, instead this fragrance has a distinct feel. I truly believe this was designed to tell a story or to impart a memory or feeling. While it makes reviews tricky, a sign of a well-calibrated fragrance is one whose notes are difficult to point out. We usually can't tell what notes we hear in the cord of a song unless one is off. The story this perfume has for me is a walk through the forest on a crisp fall day. You wade through a fresh layer of crisp golden leaves and dried out pine needles. Underneath the dry brush, the earth's rich soil smells cold, wet, slightly musky, and vegetal. Bois D'Argent roughly translates to silver woods, but all I see and feel when I wear this is a butterscotch golden warmth that envelopes me. This perfume hovers above the skin and is simultaneously wet and dry, cool and warm, and sticky yet powdery. This creates a dense cloud around you, like pig-pen from Peanuts.

The prominent notes I get are Iris and Wood. To just say wood is quite general but the woodsy notes in here are unique and imho extremely well done in that they smell natural, dry and quite woody. Almost goes to a sandalwood but not quite. I see the reviews below and I can see where they are coming from, I recently had a small decant I got from a reputable seller on ebay and I swear I smelt fish when I put my nose to the little plastic sprayer. However, now that I own a 450 ml bottle of this juice, I never have experienced that fishy smell. Also worth mentioning is that there seems to be no batch variation in this one, I have a fresh batch and very happy with it. This is one of the all-time most unique and well-done fragrances imo. It smells like something you just couldn't do with cheap ingredients. I think this is in my top 10 if not top 5 because I really enjoy it. I swear I have noticed people following me at the grocery store and the other day I had this couple take a deep breathe of air when they approached me, they seemed to like it white a bit. I have been thinking of a way to rate fragrances and I just do not want to do it, you may love what I hate. All I want to report is when I get from it... so let me try this. For me this fragrance is: Extremely Unique It projects well on my skin Longevity is excellent for me and the scent is something you need to learn to rock I enjoy this one a lot and I am happy to have it in my collection for a longtime.

Wow, this is another great fragrance from the Dior Privee collection. Compliments to the Perfume who crafted this. I love fragrances that balance contrasting notes, and balance them into unique and wonderful fragrance accords. Ashen insence fragrances can feel too cold and dry, but this balances it with a little honey scent, not very sweet at all. The Iris goes further to soften the dry and slightly bitter woody notes, there may be a bit of bitter green galbanum here? I like the cool green juniper and cypress on top, there is some creamy amber/ labdanum in the base that smooths the whole composition. On second wearing I noticed from the mid to drydown, it becomes more simple and enjoyable; the fragrance accord is Iris, Myrrh, and something bright and fresh, in a green way. I'm 🤔 it's cashmeran, a synthetic wood note as in Frederic Malle Dans Te Bras. A little honey remains also. This is a little more darting fragrance than Ambre Nuit, another Dior favorite. This was another blind buy. I think they make the Privee collection pretty much mass appealing. The few that I have now have great quality notes and the crafting and blending are exquisite as well. Since I have a large niche collection, their small 40 ml bottles are great. They look great, are not too small as to look like a decant, and they are affordable at about $125. I think I may be adding a few more... Rating: 9.5/10 God bless. John 3:16.

Dry wood and myrrh meet the senses — stern, like the fields after harvest, their frost still whispering in the stubble. The scent is sharp, proud, yet withdrawn, like the distance between man and his remembered youth. Amber gleams there, but it is no fire — it is the cool coin of moonlight, tempered by cypress shade and the bitter green of juniper berries. Silver runs through the forest heart of this perfume. It glimmers as the moon glimmers on a blade of a sickle — clear, hard, yet tender upon the velvet dark of sleeping woods. There comes the breath of juniper, and with it, the hush of evening in a stone lodge somewhere in the Scottish Lowlands: the slow crack of logs, the smoke threading up, the air steeped in birch tar and pine sap, faithful as old workmen’s hands. Then iris drifts down, blue as smoke over snow, softening the resins with its dreamlike powder. Nothing in it is heavy; everything hovers, airy, thoughtful — a prayer uttered half in sleep. Honey and vanilla move like pale moths in the dusk, tasting sweetness only in passing, never lingering long. This forest stands between autumn and winter — its birches white and lean, stripped of adornment, yet proud in spirit. You can feel in their stillness a quiet endurance, a tender defiance. Strength, as always, comes from places that never boast — from gentle things that simply remain.

Some of the reviews on here are good for a chuckle or two. I especially enjoy those that go on a rant about a fragrance being over-hyped, as though because some fume head wtih a puffed up sense of self-importance didn't like it no one else should like it either. Indeed, some folks take themselves far too seriously. I have to admit that I am a fan of the Dior La Collection Privée line. I own several of them after having sampled them. A few didn't quite grab me but overall I think they are well crafted fragrances. Whether they appeal to your tastes is something you will need to decide for yourself. I suggest sampling before buying due to the cost. Bois D'Argent, as has been said many times, is a soft, somewhat powdery fragrance with notes of honey, iris, myrhh, and vanilla. As a man I always approach fragrances with iris with some caution because when overdone the vibe tends to be feminine to my nose. I think Bois D'Argent squarely falls into the unisex category. Both men and women can pull this off. I find the fragrance very uplifting to wear and it just makes me feel good. I like it so much that I initially bought a 4.2oz bottle from Dior Online and then later found an excellent deal for an 8.4oz bottle for $200 and snapped it up. I wear it a lot and I think it could be a signature scent.

If you're in for a sensual and sexual skin scent without much projection but something that lures someone in like a Venus Flytrap, then THIS might be the answer. Very alcoholic and musky at first spritz, but quickly releasing the floral bouquet of iris, paired with cypress (that piney note)and juniper berries. Soon turning milder and releasing a warm, cosy, honey flavoured patchouli green chypre. On further dry-down it is the glowing warm amber, that seems to get stonger towards the end, heating up the leathery, birch woodsy, honey drenched, vanilla sprinkled concotion of this fine scent. The notes are very well balanced against each other and do not compete but rather compliment each other -quietly so. For me the most dominant notes are honey and wood. Sophisticated, sexy and warm without being flambouyant, in short this would not offend your librarian or the nose of your future employer. I also see it as an olfactory collection of your favourite harback books, inherited from your grandfather.....and I love to sniff books! If you like Frederic Malle "L'Eau D'Hiver" you will most likely like this. I also see some similarities with BVLGARI "Man" (probably the honey note)

I own this fragrance, and wear it often, yet I still find it difficult to describe. Here goes: Sophisticated, Classic, Shape-shifter, Totally unique Opening: Champagne, juniper, cypress burst fading to buttery iris and medicinal/sour elemi. Drydown: Warm and sweet (honey) -OR- Aloof and resinous (myrrh) -OR- Vanilla -OR- Patchouli -OR- Shiny leather -OR- Powdery musk -OR- ...A combination thereof Bois D’Argent is a crowd pleaser, but still manages to smell unique and new (at least in the USA, where it is relatively unknown.) I think it certainly is a *masterpiece,* but it is an incredibly nuanced and ever-changing scent. It changes based on weather, on your mood, on the humidity, on the amount of empty space in the bottle... It can be borderline gourmand, a smoky club scent, a cozy at home scent, a sexy soccer mom scent, or a super-rich rapper scent. I have tried both the 2004 original and the 2018 reformulation (of which I own the giant bottle.) They ARE different by maybe a margin of 10%. I personally think the 2004 smells better (lighter, more unusual). The 2018 is sweeter/ more ambery, but performance is 100x better than the 2004. Happy to own the 2018.

Some time ago I got a sample of Bois d'Argent from my DIOR boutique and I found the scent very intriguing so I went on to buy a 250 ml bottle. But when I started to wear it I noticed that it did not last long at all, I was crushed and disappointed to say the least. One day I was looking for something new to wear in my perfume samples collection and came across a 1 ml Orto Parisi Bergamask which smelled pleasantly citrusy and I wore it to work. I was so happy to have found a strong perfume that I could potentially buy. But boy, was I wrong... Thoughout the day Bergamask seemed to get louder and louder, to the point of being obnoxious as the scent lingered in the room even after I left. I could not wait to get home and wash it off. The next day I went back to my Bois d'Argent and this time everything fell into place, I could really appreciate the subtle elegance, the whispering whiffs, the fleeting beauty of this fragrance. Warm like a summer breeze, soft like the sunrays from behind the trees. Creamy like it naturally belongs to your skin. Rediscovering Bois d'Argent has fueled my interest in DIOR and I think I'm ready for my next Privée line purchase.

This is one I only recently started wearing. I Ordered a sample and loved it I went through that sample and quickly ordered a bottle. It’s expensive. On me it really doesn’t change all that much. The beginning to the end are pretty much the same. This is so well done it’s almost impossible to pick out individual notes, at least for me. I would say it’s smells like slightly sweet, a smell I would likened to a honey. But light . I dislike sweet fragrances, but this is different. You also get a resins smell, like fresher version of an incense stick . Not heavy, or over resinous. There is probably many other notes, I honestly can’t describe or pick them out. It’s a beautiful, soft sweet, resinous fragrance. It’s a very complex blend. It’s not a heavy projecting fragrance, but it’s decidedly deceiving. You may not smell it, but others can. It’s completely uni sex and doesn’t lean one way or another. I would say sample it and see if it’s for you. This is a favorite of mine . This is probably the hardest fragrance in my small collection to do a review on as it’s so hard to describe notes. It’s truly a beautiful sent.

Reminds me of honey-scented body wash in the best way. It’s so cosy & clean. Has warm, amber touches in the drydown but it never turns sickly sweet or cloying. Very nice. Usually I don’t enjoy these kinds of scents as I find them to become overbearing as the day goes on, but Bois D’Argent is very subtle. I occasionally get whiffs throughout the day, which is all I really want out of this kind of fragrance. The fragrance is fairly linear, there are no nasty surprises in the dry down. The opening is nice, but the dry down is gorgeous. Depending on the climate where you live this could be a year round signature (unfortunately not for me, as summers where I live are extremely warm). I find on cooler mornings I don’t detect this fragrance very well, but in my warm office I catch whiffs of it throughout the day. I bumped up the sprays on a cooler night recently and got great results, but I honestly prefer wearing this fragrance more subtlety.

I bought a few testers the other day, and this was for my good friend, one of the 4 fragrances I selected for him. He trusted me with my nose since I am obsessed with fragrances :) I am not sure whether I have the new version or the old one as I purchased a tester of this. Anyways, it is not that important to me. This smells incredible. Absolutely incredible. A perfect blend of all the notes that are listed. It is slightly sweet, yet woody, mysterious, and smoky. It is delicate but it lasts all day on clothes and even one spray lasts 24 hours. Sometimes projection can be soft or moderate, but longevity is still a beast. It opens up very woody, and smokey, and it dries down to a soft and pleasant vanilla base. I adore this! Definitely unisex, it worked on me and I hope he will appreciate it too. I remember one of my best friends used this for a very long time.

I’ve always loved the dusty feel of Bd’A, which results from its mix of smoky incense with powdery vanilla. The incense is a fine, light one, which gives Bd’A its unique “clean” quality. Guys, you couldn’t smell any better, any more casually sophisticated than by wearing this on a date, believe me. And longevity is exemplary; doesn’t stop. An easy 9/10. For reference, Bd’A is much like Dior Homme; both have that pleasant powdery quality that registers as both old and modern at the same time. But this is no easily-available mainstream scent like DH, it’s always been more exclusive, but without an exorbitant pricetag. Also, the incense at work with Bd’A balances out the sweetness whereas with DH the sweet notes can be a bit too gourmand.

This is a very warm, cozy, hug-like scent, albeit a bit cloying in the opening (though not particuarly strong). It opens in the most beautiful way-- resinous vanilla and myrhh, almost nutty, with hints of iris. The way the woody resinous notes blend with the iris creates almost a banana-like smell. The dry down on me is banana runts + honey + myrhh + iris. At first, I feel I wasn't crazy about it, but I kept getting whiffs throughout the day of the dry down, which was soft and sweet and reminded me a bit of Le Labo Ambrette 9. A strong LIKE (but not love) for me. I think if I was craving a perfume with this vibe, I'd go for Hanae Mori over this. EDIT: I find myself continuously reaching for this one! It is slowly growing into a love.

This is a near masterpiece that is shot by having no strength to it at all. This is a very very myrrh heavy fragrance, extremely realistic sweet and dusty resin with an iris that gleams with the smooth myrrh. It’s addictively beautiful and elegant but holy shit it only projects maybe 2 inches max, it is so intimate that unless you’re rubbing your nose in your arms not a soul will notice it. I maybe get about 3-5 hours but it’s so hard to tell with how weak it projects that it doesn’t really matter to me, it’s still almost impossible for me to enjoy. Even if you get a bit, I can’t justify spending over $300 on toilet water, if this was any stronger it would be an easy fb buy for me but is way too weak.

Powder, honey and vanilla- that's what I smell, and it's quite enjoyable. The concept behind this perfume is great: delicate powdery notes embracing gourmand and woody accords, yet the scent stays light and crystalline. If it were a musical composition, I think it would be Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Tchaikovsky. If it were a fictional character, it would be the Snow Queen. I simply can't put into words the magic of this perfume, you should give it a try. Sillage and longevity are not that great, though, which is a shame or, maybe, part of its charm- Bois d'argent wouldn't be as fascinating if it were loud and aggressive.

In France this one is more known than the Aventus, Actualy this one is a sign of succes and wealthy here, they even have some expression with the word bois d'argent on it, For curious people go check on Youtube they even make a french mini documentary of how this fragrance became a sign of succes and wealthy, It's a really good fragrance depends on the batch you have you can have either a big or littlle sillage Personnal experience on this frag with girls : I can tell you that they all love this one, but the problem is that it's too known here in France so a lot of people wear it or they wear clone of this one ...

to my unsophisticated nose, this smells like mint (which I assume is the myrrh), woods and iris. it reminds me of a misty day: dewy, calming and quietly beautiful. what impresses me most about bois dargent is that for such an intimate perfume it has incredible longevity. I often find myself able to smell it 20+ hours later (even after a shower!), which is unheard of for my dry skin. overall I think it’s a unisex masterpiece. it might not turn heads, but you won’t care because you’ll be in your own personal minty heaven.