Sauvage Eau Forte

Ladies and gentlemen, I am apparently about to go to war with the fragrance side of the internet. I am not a fan of Francis Kurkdjian’s work. I’m not a fan of metro/sweet/club fragrances such as most of the Le Male line, or his arguably even larger personal hit, BR540. I think that he specializes in synthetic sweet bombs that most younger men and women enjoy. And let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with that. However, it was my personal theory that he doesn’t particularly enjoy making “truly” masculine fragrances, as it’s not his specialty and he doesn’t particularly identify with the concept of masculinity in fragrances, or at least doesn’t find it compelling. Again, there’s nothing wrong with any of that, and any artist is entitled to create that which they find compelling as much as it is up to the consumer to decide if they wish to engage with that kind of product. With that being said, I was concerned when he was announced as the new in house perfumer for Dior because I didn’t know how he would handle the Fahrenheit and Sauvage lines. Lines that, mind you, are unapologetically and even stereotypically masculine, each a masterpiece and testament to their respective generation’s interpretation of what “masculinity” smells like. I didn’t think he would do a good job, and I had very little faith. I was wrong. While shopping at Dillards I noticed that they just got in a tester for pre-sale. Apparently it officially comes in stock on the 15th. After seeing a couple videos on it, one of which being from Gents Scents, who did not like it much at all (I actually do respect his opinion heavily), I knew I had to test the fragrance for myself immediately. It’s worth noting that I am not interested in alcohol free formulas and think that they are a pointless gimmick, and I already had in my mind that even if this smells decent I’ll hate it because of the texture and lack of performance. Expecting to hate it, being biased against FK, being biased against alcohol free fragrances, being biased against the scent itself by the content I consumed, I sprayed four long pressurized sprays onto the back of my hand, put it to my nose, and was shocked. It genuinely smells good. It smells cooling, it smells masculine, it smells clean, it smells like pepper, it smells like that Dior lavender: it smells like a Sauvage. I think the best way to describe it, and those who smell it down the line may very well agree, is that it is like (on my skin) a Dior Sauvage soda in the sense that it is sweeter like the edp, peppery, and effervescent. Then, in the dry down, it gets sweet and creamy on my skin and smells like a Sauvage Ice Cream. And here is the kicker gentlemen, it actually does perform acceptably well. It’s performance is no where near bad on my skin like other people are saying. I think the best way to describe the performance is that it’s not as fantastic as any of the other Sauvage scents, but, it’s stronger than the alcohol based fragrance known as Mont Blanc Explorer. It projects about arms length, and it lasts all day. Finally, the milky vibe isn’t as bad as you think it is. Dior atomizers aren’t like other brands. If you spray it the way it’s meant to be sprayed, it comes out in a delicate but large mist that throughly disperses the fragrances all over your skin. You don’t tap/click the sprayer like other fragrances. You strongly yet slowly spray, and you spray a good couple of times. I promise you, if you “over spray” like you would a weaker fragrance such as Mont Blanc Explorer, you will be very happy with its performance. Overall, I’m going to give it an 8/10, eat my words about FK, and say that if you like the idea of a woody, lavender, Sauvage Ice Cream, this may be one you want to look into. Don’t believe the hate, and please test it yourself. Edit: Actually, the price point is standard market value for a parfum concentration. Dior Sauvage Parfum is $193 for 100ml, Sauvage Elixir is $193 for 60ml, and this is also $193 for 100ml. For the rest of the designer houses (Chanel, YSL, GA, Gucci, etc.), they range from around $180 - $200, with the exception of Tom Ford which charges $300 for 100ml parfum concentration versions of their mainline fragrances. I have therefore removed my negative comment regarding the price point.

Genuinely cannot understand the hate for this. As subjective as scents are, this feels like a 'pile-on'. I tried this after receiving a free sample dab bottle. Immediately I felt it was a very masculine and modern fougere that just smells good with nothing offensive at all. For ages I didn't bother trying it or have on my radar, because I can't be bothered with poor performance in scents. There was so much negativity i though there was no point. Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, this has average performance at minimum. I read other reviews commenting on it having good performance, and one person stated if you know where the spray then it has great performance. For me, applying to the chest area works an absolute dream in terms of longevity. Some concentrated sprays on the chest, and then some repeat misting up and down the arms and around the neck works for me. I can apply to my chest and smell this the following day, and it retains all its enjoyable parts rather than becoming a simple base. It's genuinely one of the best finds of 2025 for me. Today my proper bottle of it arrived (which I got second hand for an absolute steal because it's so overlooked). I do not see me losing interest in this one throughout 2026. It's better than Sauvage EDT, EDP and Parfum. Smells nothing like it. It's great owning this and Elixir. Solid, dependable scents from the line.

Got to admit, I’ve been curious about this one for a while. Initial spray is very sweet, then come the woods and spices (nutmeg, pine, cypress & cedar) which add a deeper, darker, more resinous vibe. As it settles, the lavender becomes the dominant note; it has a sun-bleached, faded sort of vibe that I really like, and is not as oppressive as I sometimes find lavender to be. The Sauvage DNA is there in the background, underpinning the whole experience. It becomes muskier as it fades gradually away. Being an alcohol free formula, the initial spray is quite watery and can run down your arm. It leaves a small amount of oily residue also. Neither are complaints, just observations. To me, this feels like a cross between the EDT and the Elixir. I would say it’s the sweetest of the line, and perhaps the most traditionally unisex (although I am a woman and will happily wear any of the range, so make of that what you will). It lasts about 6 hours on my skin, and projects moderately. It is slightly more subdued than some of its brothers, but not everything needs to be beast mode. It’s beautifully smooth and aromatic; definitely not deserving of the hate it seems to be getting, although of course everyone’s tastes vary. I enjoy this, and would consider buying a FB.

Hell yeah Dior, this is a headturner that exudes confident masculinity. I ain't gonna lie though because at first smell of that opening I said to myself this is some kind of fragrance nothingness. But me having years of scent experience backed up my notions of not being so quick to judge especially since it's a fragrance made by the great Dior. So I tried it out several times on skin and it smells really nice. It even feels like it can attract a crowd of low-key fragrance admires looking to get some wafts of the scent trail. Even at one point I was walking outside and I was like what is smeeling so damn good. It was me. Very impressive moment for Sauvage forte. Something like Santal 33 meets Sauvage very cool spray then the current Dior homme woodiness added to the fray and lastly made whole with hints of Sauvage Parfum(and of course all that Sauvage linear good performance included). Keep pumping these slightly sweet Sauvages out whenever the wind blows. They truly enrich my days. Oh. Let me not leave out that this fragrance is giving the aura something that is very rare in the fragrance industry and that is it being something like a warm weather gourmand, vanilla/lavender. That's right, fresh yummy.

I’m definitely in the minority here, but I think this smells awesome. My girlfriend HATES it though. I love ultra woody smells and this kind of caters to that. It also has some clean musk and I totally get the “bleached lavender” vibe MFK was going for when he constructed this. Basically smells like a sharper, almost astringent lavender note. With the balsamic elemi resin which makes it so interesting and enigmatic. What’s wrong with this fragrance is that it should not be in the Sauvage line at all. It should’ve been its own fragrance. But of course they wanted that Sauvage sales money... Also, the price tag is absolutely ridiculous for a designer scent. I sprayed this on at a Sephora store and I’ve been enjoying it throughout the day. Upon first sniff I get this enigmatic resinous woody smell that is extremely hard to explain, but I find it masculine and mysterious. My grandparents live in a cabin in the woods with a wood stove and I feel like this is the way one of the rooms in that cabin would smell. Not a crowd pleaser, and hard to justify the price, but if you love woods and resins this may just be your new jam.

I don't understand the wanton vitriol behind this fragrance. I can understand the occasional disliking of a fragrance, but then you have maladroit peons like the one beneath me who over exaggerate arguably the most sheep herd hate bandwagon I've ever seen on any cologne, simply for smelling different, ever. I get a wonderful amount of longevity and projection on what is easily a masterful blend of nice earthy moss and musk,with perfectly blended spices, worthy of the Dior name. I sampled each Dior and while I can easily see why people love the EDP version, the Forte was just as decisively amazing to me, to the point that I actually decided to opt for this one rather than the EDP (doesn't help that it smells very similar to the EDT so I suppose that's why I enjoy Forte better). All in all, this has got to the worst brain rot I've ever seen in Fragrantica, it's arguably less pleasant to look at than the time Maximilian made an autistic guy eat his own shit on a live stream. Yes. This stupid hate, from the comments and the ratings, is just that bad lmfao.

Got misled by the idiotic comments here and I almost tried to dislike this fragrance day one. The paradox here is I kept coming back to Sephora just to spray this and try to find reason to never own it. (I owned all sauvage line over the years and in every ml bottle even refill bottles). Every visit got me more and more hooked to this in a way I couldn’t explain. The downside is it’s pricy and non refillable other than that.. it combines the freshness and refinement of a parfum concentration and with even better longevity than the parfum itself! I was shocked. Purchased it after I dunno how many visits as my elixir bottle just died. Bottom line is don’t get introduced to a frag online always take other opinions with two grains, only your opinion matters. My wife likes it more than the edt and the elixir maybe equally to the edp. The rest, you can keep burning from spraying alcohol on your freshly shaved bodies 🤫

I first smelled Eau Forte on a co-worker. Every time they walked down a hallway they left behind a strong sillage that caught my attention. after about 3 or 4 weeks i was starting to wonder what they were wearing, so i asked. they said it was the new Dior Sauvage that was sort of like a lotion. I looked it up and found a lot of controversy behind it. i think in order for you to appreciate this one you would have to remove any sense of what the original Sauvage smelled like. this one is different, but not in a bad way. depending on your skin type this leaves a strong sillage creating a scent bubble around you, leaving you to pick up wafts of it through out the day. I would say this one last around 4 to 5 hours. pick up a sample if you can. this one needs time for you to come around to it if you're expecting the Sauvage DNA. I personally love it!

Ill be honest, i have many fragrances and ill put this one as the most relaxing, pleasant fragrance that has came across my view. I was about to order it and ditch my Sauvage EDT but after reading online, it appears that water fragrances tend to go bad faster, and that they are a good storage for potential microbial growth. Also when i saw the bottle at Sephora, it was white all over the sprayer and the cap. Its like the fluid is sticking whatever it touches, it was kind of a dirty feeling. The bottle looks dirty/unclean. All these aside, i would order this if it had at least some percentage of alc, or a version with alcohol, because i would most def make this my signature scent. Its how a man should smell. One more thing, it lasts whole day on my hand where is prayed it. Tested it 2 days in a row.

I'm not gonna lie i was ready to write this one off because all the negativity but got a sample when I ordered the parfum and wore it on hoodie to gym thought it was meh then next day smelled something good and realized it was hoodie and remembered it was forte forgot about it till today that was January fast forward wore the last of sample today applied at 5am on skin and clothes and as of 2pm slight breeze and sunny outside it did waft in and out of my nose throughout day and I like the woody clean vibes slightly sweet I will get a full bottle this seems like it performs best on clothes Great longevity and definitely a great gym scent or date scent with someone comfortable enough to want to be in close definitely safe Inoffensive and pleasing woody aroma off my skin

To me, the fragrance is a masterpiece. It’s not overly complex but it’s crafted very well. It’s sophisticated, very musky , peppery and manly. I don’t get how people get 2 hours on this. I get descent projection for the first 1.5-2hrs then it becomes about an elbows length for the next 5-6 hours, and then 1-2 hours it’s a skin scent prior to the departure. Where this scent shines is in spring to summer. In the winter I’d agree, 4 hours tops. This fragrance is very misunderstood. Most fragrance YouTubers hate this because it’s doesn’t follow the norm. I think this fragrance is lovely and it will be my spring to summer go to. Note: The issue I have is with the atomizer. The sprays are inconsistent and it sometimes the spay puddles on your skin. 9/10

A lot of undeserved hate on this one. I wasn't too impressed the first time I sampled it when it first came out. I revisited the fragrance in a storage a couple of weeks ago when I was on a trip out of state, and I was very impressed with it on paper. It reminds me more of Sauvage Elixir than the EDT, EDP, or Parfum (I don't really care for those three, but really like Elixir). It smells like a lighter, more earthy take on Sauvage Elixir. A very nice REAL lavender smell (unlike synthetic lavender some frags use). I like that it's oil based so it lasts a long time too. I'm kind of glad that a lot of people aren't buying it, as it makes it really easy to pick up bottles on the cheap! I will definitely be buying a bottle come mid-spring.

This stuff right here is what Art of Perfumery is! Just bought a bottle after trying it out, couple sprays on the wrist then a family said "You smell good" and that's from a good 10 feet away! I'll be buying myself backup bottles of this in case Dior try to discontinue it with all the undeserved hate its getting. ATH said it's "flat and gone so quickly" Did he even try wearing it for a day or two? Obviously not! This stuff projects and long lasting! It's musky, woody, soft, clean, spicy, soft lavender and cooling powder like all the same time. Very versatile too, dress up or down, night or day, all 4 seasons. This is 9/10 for me! Ahead of its time! and I applaud FK and Dior for doing something innovative.

I also have the regular Sausage EDP, which is more like a wintery fragrance. Unlike the original EDP, this is more versatile and all weather. Starts strong, keep you smelling good for a good 8 to 10 hours. Iris dry down gives a good calming and satisfying feeling. I never used the Elixir, so I can't compare the difference. However, because it's of water, not alcohol, Spitzs dispers like mists and can create nasal irritation. You need to sake the bottle before use for better applications. And be careful about spraying on your clothes, specially if it's of a darker shade. A stain of white mist will be all over the place, sometimes creates embarrassment. But a nice fresh perfume no doubt.

The hate on this fragrance is crazy! This is probably the best fragrance in the entire line next to Sauvage Elixir. Super versatile, beautiful, easy to wear, great performance. Opens warm nutmeg and light fresh citrus-like pine from the elemi over a hefty beautiful natural lavender accord, in the dry down you get some earthy cypress and cedar notes grounding the top and heart notes. Nice aromatic and fresh with some woody richness. Very dense from the oil concentration on initial spray but it settles very well. I honestly don't know why anyone could dislike this fragrance besides it not being overly exciting or doing anything groundbreaking. Very pleasant release solid 7.5/10 to me.

Tried it at sephora and understood the hate for it, initially didn't like it so much myself. But after smelling it a few more times I realized I love this and now I don't understand the hate for it. Had to have a bottle for myself. Smells like I'm near a waterfall in the middle of a forest and can picture myself enjoying this on a vacation somewhere with a warm climate at a 5 star hotel. Projects really well indoors or if the weather is nice outside. On clothes lasts till the next day, on skin I'd say 8 hours at least but will continue to wear it and update on performance. Overall I'd give this a 9.5/10 If the longevity on skin was a little better it would be 10/10.

This is a Dump Truck full of non-offensive Musk, outlined by an undertone of fairly consistent wafts of Lavender. I feel like everyone around can smell it, but that’s not the case. This is a scent that will sillage a bit, but not a lot, and gets attention if and when you pull someone into your space: a friendly hug, lunch/dinner date, gym etc... etc... Need to be cautious and not overspray, so that takes time to dial in. It can almost, similar to the elixir, become too cloying if so. My opinion: the best of the entire lineup. Xerjoff, Acqua Di Parma, and Acqua Di Gio are my staples; however, for a designer brand/fragrance, this is, indeed, Top Shelf & quality.

This appears to be a polarizing fragrance and I truly understand both sides. When I first smelled this in the store I thought it was perhaps the worst thing I’ve ever smelled. I left the store almost angry but then someone happened. A few hours passed and I find myself enjoying it. The dry down became intoxicating in a way. The next day I purchased the fragrance and I truly do view it as a masterpiece. It reminds me of a rainy day in the Pacific Northwest. It’s earthy, woody, and ever so sweet in the dry down. It’s both comforting and refreshing. I can’t say I would recommend this to everyone, because even my own wife hates it. For me tho, I truly do love it.

Okay now we're talking, This is basically (at least in my opinion) a more powdery drier version of Sauvage EDT, it smells quite similar but more resinous and spicy indeed, almost like a Sauvage scented incense. The sillage? Good, the longevity (at least on my skin) Amazing, 10 hours easy; out of all the Sauvage lineup, this is the one I like the most because of its uniqueness, that incense-like note gives it a very oriental vibe and I like it a lot. Definitely worth a try. Since it's basically Sauvage ADN with a twist, it's well balanced for all ocassions and seasons. Can't wait to get my hands on a bottle of this one.

Genuinely so underrated. It is very different from all the other sauvages in my opinion. It is water based so it is a bit sticky on skin. It is a milky texture and color but the atomizer is so perfect. It has the best atomizer out of all the colognes I have smelled, if you care about that. To me, it has such a strong peppery smell and I was told it smells a little like old bay seasoning which I disagree with. It is so powerful and strong you only need 1-2 sprays max. It lasts for a long time and fills up a room. It is great for every day wear, night wear, and date night. I recommend.

This is good. Sure, it's nothing special and the price is ridiculous, but it's a solid release. Woody, musky, and a tad of that Sauvage spice. Linear throughout but so is Dior Homme Cologne, and this serves the same purpose. There is a cooling effect that is great for the gym, if that's your thing. Its an anytime, anywhere fragrance when you want to feel refreshed. Also it last all day. An absolute solid musk fragrance. If it's the color and consistency of the juice that is turning people off, just remember that most of you ejaculate onto your bellies everyday. You sickos.

This is very reminiscent of Aqua Universalis EDT, which makes perfect sense. I went from hating this to absolutely loving it. I respect Kurkdjian for putting this out, and I agree with comments below that it will probably be more appreciated in the future (provided it’s not quickly discontinued and the water-based formula doesn’t spoil too fast). I also think that if this had been created by a different perfumer and under a different house, it would be getting more love. I’d buy a backup bottle if it wasn’t for the shelf life concerns.

This is a fantastic fougere. Definitely doesn't deserve the hate it's getting. It's undoubtedly one of the better sauvages in the lineup. The quality is on another level. I just got it today so I can't personally speak on the performance as of yet. However projection is great so far. Edit: performance is not slouch either. Lasted an easy 8hrs on skin and I could still smell it on my shirt when I put it in the wash a couple days later. So yeah this fragrance from a quality, smell and performance standpoint is an 8/10 to me.

First time I smelled it; hated it. Gave it a second chance and actually wore it....this has become one of my favorite colognes of all time. The most versatile cologne ever literally I can’t think of any occasion where this would smell out of place. I’m not kidding, there is no other cologne that’s as versatile as this. It’s just so balanced I can’t even describe how much I love this smell. Smells of quality although not complex like some people want their colognes to smell.

The negative feedback thus is idiotic. I’ve tried this twice so far and here are my observations: It smells great. It’s spicy and soapy. It projects. It has solid longevity. Go try it yourself instead of letting perfume grifters tell you what to believe. It may not be for you, but it is not a 2.23/5 fragrance. I suspect you'll see people change their tune over time, just as we saw with Elixir. If you want a slight deviation from the original then look elsewhere.

My really awesome friend owns this cologne and man I was surprised he even owned a bottle, it’s a very underrated scent no one really likes it, I can smell the why people hate it but it’s exactly the reason why for me it smells super good, it’s a very dry scent it’s not supposed to be sweet or anything but the ruggedness for a non alcohol perfume I like, it’s definitely layering worthy for sure I would love to own a bottle to layer ontop and stuff.

I don’t understand the hate on this fragrance. Easily my favorite sauvage, I’ll take this over elixir any day. It smells pretty bad on clothes or a tester strip but worn on skin it smells amazing. It’s also important to note that due to this being a water based fragrance you’re actually SUPPOSED to rub it in, unlike other fragrances that are oil based. When you wear this on skin and rub it in it smells great and lasts forever.

Musky, clean laundry, lavender and a tiny bit of the classic Sauvage spice. I don't understand the immense amount of hate this gets. Sauvage eau forte is another MFK masterpiece, a beautiful and simple clean scent. Though I think people shouldn't really take this as a true Sauvage flanker and rather see it as it's own seperate creation. Would repurchase again, amazing shit. To the haters, I sincerely ask yall to try it again.

Pulled the trigger, couldn’t get this one out of my head. Smooth lavender, clean musk, modern fougere. Reminds me of Masculin Pluriel, but way easier on the wallet. Good performance, easy 8+ hours on skin with soft projection. Received a compliment from about a meter away 3 hours after applying. Only downside, leaves a sticky feel on skin. Definitely more grown than Sauvage flankers. Less loud, more confident.

Just acquired a bottle to complete my whole Sauvage line collection. Actually this is wearable and pretty ok. It fits into the newer range of skin care routine. The newer cleanser, toner/lotion and serum. Can use together after using those. Eau Forte longetivity probably 4-8hrs.. skin scent but skin chemistry dependant for sure. I'll need to use it more often but it's good to add this.

A very Francis kurkdgian take on the original Sauvage. It's actually nice and smells more airy as many of Francis's creations ,yet the only similarity to the original is the ambroxan/cetalox trail. I actually like this one and I think it's closer to classic perfumery, maybe that's why it's not getting much love. It doesn't have those heavy ambery aroma chemicals.

Unpopular opinion on here: I really love it. The scent pyramid is accurate: lavender, aromatic, fused with soft musk and a hint of spice. It's very nice. Yes, water-based, but that's secondary. It's a nice scent, and I am wearing it often these days. As Lil' D says, it will probably earn recognition later on.

Clean, spiced lavender at the top, with woody base, and a hint of sweetness throughout. It’s a classy, gentlemanly fragrance. It’s not loud, but it wasn’t meant to be. There are plenty options in the Sauvage family alone for more obnoxious potions if you prefer. Personally, this is the best Sauvage yet.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<(HOLY GRAIL FRAGRANCE)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> OPENING 1O/1O SMELL 10/10 RICH VERY POTENT SUPER ADDICTING LAVENDER WHY SO GOOD? IT'S MADE BY MAISON FRANCIS KURKJIAN, MASTER PERFUMER FOLLOW ME TO FIND THOSE HIDDEN GEMS, TRUE MASTERPIECES, LEGENDARY SCENTS WORTHY OF A KING/GOD

The best sauvage. The biggest problem is that they released it as a sauvage flanker with an idea (water based) while sauvage fans don’t know what water based means and they want an ambroxan bomb. Dior should release this as its own scent. Very classy masculine fragrance 10/10.

Very unique, misunderstood and underrated perfume. I disliked it the first time I smelled it; but it grew on me. It is very oily, but because of that it is actually quite powerful. I think this one is ahead of its time and will be cherished as collectors' item.

No question, this is one of Dior's best creations. Sprayed on my skin at store, 7 minutes later a women said I smelled fantastic and demanded I tell her what I had on. Don't be afraid of this white milk looking juice. Made by the best MFK 10/10 Hidden Gem

Not sure why so much hate. Very masculine. Heavy on the lavender. Fresh to me. I get moderate sillage and last around 4-5 hrs. It has elements of other Sauvages but stands on its own. You will either love it or hate it. Not a safe blind buy.

I don't usually post reviews, but I have to say that Eau Forte is better than people say. I tried it today and it smells nice. Don't listen to others, go try it. And longevity is pretty good.

Dry down is very lovely. And I really mean it. This is, alongside Sauvage Elixir, the best drydown out of any Sauvage. So clean, so soft, just wow. Masterpiece by Francis Kurkdjian.

I hate the other Sauvages, but aside from the weird texture on my skin, I love this. It's a great resiny lavender, not too musky, and has great performance. A gem, in my opinion.

Hands down masterpiece. It's a completely new direction away from the classic blue fragrances and it absolutely rocks. It's superb and I love what Francis Kurkdijian is doing.

This smells wonderful, it's the most elegant and mature scent of the Sauvage line, and even though it has a non alcoholic formula, the performance is just fine.

This is good just way overpriced that s y the bad reviews, but i ve got 2 of 10 ml baby bottles of this soooo worth it is so cheap go for the baby bottle

Honestly I like this one , hate seems forced only because it’s water based , reminds me of hicking in the forest , def not blind buy safe but it’s great!

The discourse on this fragrance is strange. It completely mogs any other iteration. It’s simply a dry, resinous, and woody beauty.

Really good Fragrance. Simple, clean, smooth you can really sense every note. I have a decant. The only drawback is the price.

My most worn out of my whole collection got 3 bottles finished one smells sexy and so versatile ticks all boxes for me

Fucking beautfull, idk why this gets hate; smells like a medditeranian forest, so beautfull i camt expalin it

This scent is simply amazing. My only regret is that is not coming in 200 ml bottle.