J'Adore L'Or (2017)

I tested this in a store around Christmastime and fell in love. I should have bought it then and there but the price tag stopped me at the time. Besides spending a boatload of cash on Christmas gifts for my huge family, and property taxes on the horizon, I also needed time to weigh whether I really needed another luxury perfume that I would only wear on special occasions. I figured I could live without it for a while, but it was always in the back of my mind, almost to the point of obsession. A few weeks ago I went on the hunt to get it, only to find it wasn't available anywhere, (even the store I originally tried it was out) except one store, at double the price I saw it at the original store (which was expensive enough in the first place). I finally wound up purchasing directly from the Dior site which turned out to be cheaper than both stores in the end. I just realized, thanks to this site, that I have the reformulated 2017 version and not the 2010 version I tried in the store. While I think this is beautiful too, I'm a little disappointed that it wasn't what I originally tested. That had a sweeter, more nectar type profile with a prominent rose, and a powdery dry down. This is more ylang and jasmine heavy. While it also has tonka, the sweetness has been dialed back. This might work better in warmer weather than the 2010 version, so I don't consider this a total loss. I'm sure I'll appreciate it more then than I do now. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one. Edit - I've come to love this and appreciate it for the scent it is now. It's rich, almost bordering on gourmand, thanks to the vanilla and tonka. Unlike J'Adore edp, there's no fruit in this formula, yet the ylang is coming across slightly fruity to me. Someone here described the ylang as smelling of bananas, and while I'm not sure if that's the exact fruit I smell, it definitely is a creamy fruitiness. So I guess someone could easily make the leap to a creamy banana. Whatever the case, I now think this is luscious. So glad I didn't let my initial disappointment get in the way of appreciating this scent for what it is now.

Tried this today on skin while at a Macy’s. This is very unique in the opening. I wouldn’t say powdery but it is very creamy and balanced for a white floral in the opening. However, three hours later it smells extremely similar to Joy Intense on my skin. I have a feeling the jasmine and rose combination is responsible for this. In summary, it isn’t worth the price as it isn’t better in performance than Joy Intense, and I don’t appreciate the amount the fragrance morphed. What made it stand out is the first hour, it is worthy of the experience of trying it out but not for the bottle. Edit: Eating my words, I tried side by side with Joy Intense two more times in store and yes there is similarity but this is much better quality and richer due to amber notes. Overall vibe of this is sexier. It is the J’Adore version of Joy Intense and of all Joy or J’Adore this is my favorite. Found a new bottle for a good deal and I’m happy to have this in my collection :) Second edit: I normally dislike ylang ylang and while this has a slightly tropical vibe I don’t think it has ylang ylang in it, I think the tuberose just has a warm sunny character. In absolutely zero current website descriptions do I see it mentioned and when I compare to other J’Adores I immediately smell ylang ylang in those. Edit 2/6/22: I’ve just purchased Chanel Bois des Iles EDP and it somewhat reminds me of this... going to keep both at the present time but I think this one might be the one of the two I let go. I agree with the review above me that this is the most “Chanel” like of any Dior I’ve tried, and I do wonder if this has an undisclosed sandalwood base. BdI definitely has a stronger sandalwood though in dry down.

So clearly I have issues because this was another blind buy. From all the reviews before mine I expected something quite different. L’Or 2017 is a lovely fragrance but not even remotely tropical, vanilla or “yellow florals” (like ylang) on me. For me this resembles a classic lady-like Hermès or Chanel type of fragrance. It’s got lots and lots of sparkling aldehydes (Chanel No 5 type) over a middle of mostly clean soapy jasmine and just a tiny drop of warm vanilla in the base. I’m using the words Aldehydes, Ladylike, Chanel and Classic very intentionally. It’s a TON nicer than the regular J’Adore (which I find so generic I just cannot). I think L’Or is pretty but it’s definitely not me. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it. I don’t hate it and objectively I know it’s pretty and classy but I’m just not a country club type of lady. Maybe I’ll wear it to the office and see how that feels. L’Or Essence de Parfum (2017) does has impressive sillage and longevity and the bottle is beautiful. PS: I continue to have massive issues because I've just now blind bought J'Adore Touche de Parfum because it sounded good. I'm sure I'll be back on here to give my thoughts on that one fairly soon. Update 2/19/22 In the end I LIKE L’Or and it’s definitely the absolute best version of J’Adore in existence but you need to love that aldehydic Chanel type quality. It dries down a bit more mellow, yellow, powdery and slightly vanilla/sandalwood (keeps it from being shrieky). Oddly I get a lot of compliments on this when I don’t often receive compliments. This is a perfume for A Lady. Wearing Doc Martins and/or your yoga pants is just not the vibe.

L’or came to my life as a beautiful mistake. I’d been wanting to try J’adore and was looking for a partial on a second hand website when I chanced upon a bottle that was ridiculously cheap. I grabbed it of course. Only when I got my hands on the bottle did I realise that it was L’or. A very good friend of mine had asked me to try sniff it if I ever could because this one’s getting harder to find and I couldn’t believe my luck that I got it. I’m beginning to realise that I really enjoy yellow florals, and while ylang-ylang is a note I used to struggle with (looking at you, Gabrielle Essence) in here it is warm and golden. Maybe it is the vanilla and yellow floral, but it reminds me a little of Dahlia Divin le Nectar even though the warmth in there comes from mimosa. But to me they give off similar vibes. Each time I spray L’or, I feel rich. This really is what I associate luxury with. I am reminded of posh hallways and plush carpets where your footsteps are muted. It says old money, you know? Opulent yet elegant. The kind of luxury that doesn’t have to announce itself. It’s such a warm perfume too. Vanilla might be the top accord, but to me it plays a supportive role. It is the florals that shine here. And because it is an essence, it performs so well. I love basking in the golden cloud of this scent all day long. I have already got myself a back up bottle, BNIB this time, and have set it aside because I know this is a perfume I’ll enjoy thoroughly during special occasions.

Love love, love! It's sensuous, warm, and delicious. Made me feel sexy and bold. From opening to drydown, just absolute perfection. The vanilla isn't stuck in the back of your throat like some synthetic-smelling ones can be. The florals of ylang-ylang, jasmine, and tuberose work beautifully with the vanilla to give that atmosphere of being in a tropical garden with its florals in full bloom. For me, the rose doesn't have quite an impact, and feels like it's a secret waiting to be revealed, leaving hints of its presence along the way. Which I actually like, since I already have J'adore L'Absolu to fill in my need for roses. Longevity and sillage? This is a powerhouse. Definitely worthy of being called J'adore L'Or. I adore this and would absolutely give it a full 10/10 if it weren't for one thing. It gives me a headache. I just about cried when I realised three days into testing it from my sample that J'adore L'Or was the culprit behind my only experience with a fragrance-induced headache. I tried only spraying at my wrists, and that didn't work. Even smelling it on paper would trigger a headache, as happened recently during a visit to the Dior counter. I've yet to find something else quite like it so I'll spring for a bottle as part of my collection, but I'd definitely chance another headache just to get a whiff of this golden beauty.