Hi there. Those temps should be getting high up there in the Northern Hemisphere. Sometimes in high heat I like to go super restrained with my fragrance. Luxurious but introverted. The way a sotto voce fragrance can surround you with a barely there nimbus of fragrance can be powerful in its understatement. Also, I like that a tenacious one can surprise me with little huffs of reminder through the day. Once called Gris Montaigne after the grey of the Rue de Montaigne store (I think i remember that rightly) and now called simply Gris Dior.
Gris Dior by Maison Christian Dior Collection 2018
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Calabrian bergamot, Turkish rose, Patchouli, Jasmine sambac, Amber, Oakmoss, Cedar, Sandalwood
OK, so Gris Dior is a softer, less intense version of the original Gris Montaigne. They are saying it’s the exact same thing but the big fragrance crews have often played fast and loose with the truth. Still beautiful, still luxurious and interesting but like a fraiche version of itself.
If a Middle Eastern rose/patch, hefty kinda perfume is your wish then go grab a bottle of something else. Gris Dior includes a lot of the ingredients but doesn’t do its thing flamboyantly.
The opening is rose water marmalade and a wash of cool white flowers. A light, airy fragrance that only hints at any darkness. Actually, Gris Dior is like smelling someone else’s perfume at lunch. Tangible and lovely but non intrusive.
Into the low level rose/woods heart Gris Dior continues to pump out a very low key prettiness. It’s an under the radar beauty. Until i purposely try to resmell it I’m blissfully unaware of any fragrance, unless there’s a surprise huff from my shirt.
Underwhelming sounds mean but I think that is exactly what François Demachy was aiming for here. Beautiful, poised and luxurious but barely there. A cool whisper of scent that you can wear anytime and anywhere.
Did you try Gris Dior?
Portia xx
Undina's Looking Glass 
Interesting that this is softened. I have a bottle of Gris Montaigne and it is big and bold and it tends to give me a headache as it wears. However, when my husband wears it, I’m like a honey bee to a flower, it’s oh so good. This might be a good alternative to the heft of Montaigne.
LikeLike
Damnit! I know how freaking good the original smells too.
Yeah, you will be in heaven with Gris Dior.
PS: So good to see you. You guys well?
Portia xx
LikeLike
All is good…just tired of the COVID world, just like everyone else. But thankfully we are fully vaccinated and healthy. Hope you both are doing well. xoxoxoxo
LikeLike
We are booked to get our vax done next month. It has been a very slow roll out here. Fingers crossed the world gets back to some kind of normal ASAP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a tiny sample of this – definitely enjoyed it and would probably enjoy a decant. But those giant bottles … probably never going to spring for one of them…
LikeLike
HA! Yes, it’s funny. I have a few now. They never seem to lose much juice, no matter how much I use them. Most of mine go in decants sold to offset the price a bit.
It feels very lavish having that much perfume to spritz though.
Portia xx
LikeLike
I have the original Gris Montaigne and I find it pretty wispy and ethereal (compared to a lot of my other scents, (like Coromandel for example). Haven’t really tried Gris Dior other than a quick sniff at the shops. Fortunately I bought the 250ml bottle so it’s a lifetime supply. But it is very lovely indeed and I find it quite easy to wear as you describe.
LikeLike
Hey TaraC,
I have three of this 250ml bottles! We could wear just one of those as our signature scent for 4 or more years I reckon.
Portia x
LikeLike
😀😀😀
LikeLike
I’m with you on how I perceive the original perfume! After trying it from a sample, I was going to buy it (at least a decant), but then something distracted me… and then all of a sudden Dior relaunched the whole collection – and it was too overwhelming for me to start testing everything again and try to figure out what exactly has changed.
LikeLike
Ah i didn’t know about the name change and would be surprised ifit hadn’t changed in formula too.
I’m positove I tried the original but for the life of me I cant recall a thing about it. Maybe thats a sign it’s not for me Sounds very understated and chic though.
LikeLike
HA! Tara, it’s DEFINITELY a sign.
You would smell lovely in it though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have not tried Gris Dior, but I think I did try Gris Montaigne a few years ago.
LikeLike
Hey Ricky,
Yes, I’m reading that most of us gave it a sniff but few bought it. VERY under the radar kind of scent.
Portia x
LikeLike
I tried only the original one (and liked it), but as with many modern perfumes these days: you snooze. You loose. I didn’t buy a bottle when they were available, and now I’ll need to re-test it to figure out whether I still like it. Especially since I found ithe original to be very mellow, same as TaraC.
LikeLike
Yeah, Dior is especially reformulation happy. So annoying.
Portia xx
LikeLike