Fragrance Review: Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior

Bitter almond folded into jasmine cream, with a metallic note cutting through the voluptuous richness is a vision of olfactory dessert that was created by Annick Ménardo. Having debuted in 1998, Hypnotic Poison does not shock like the original Poison. Instead, everything about its voluptuous oriental form is slow seduction. At the same time, it projects a comforting aura, with the sweetness of vanilla unfolding against the radiant freshness of musk and the milky bitterness of almonds.

Underscored by jasmine, a cloud of powdered sugar settles upon the base of elegant musk and vanilla. The musk note is almost austere, with a clean and metallic touch that contrasts beautifully with the bitterness of almond, conferring a restraint upon gourmand notes. ....

As time goes on, warm sensuality of delicate, rather than animalic musk fills the arrangement, touching it gently at first and then embracing the composition fully. Ambery richness juxtaposed with the creamy sandalwood lends another interesting facet, which is almost akin to throwing red silk over a lamp. Suddenly, the hues deepen, while the forms soften, and yet the arrangement retains its radiance.

Notes: Bitter almond, caraway, jasmine sambac, moss, jacaranda wood, vanilla musk. Available at the Dior boutiques, select retail venues as well as various online discount stores.

Painting: Henri Matisse. Odalisque, Harmony in Red. 1926. Oil on canvas. Private collection. From abcgallery.com

Comments

[Sisonne]

V, I think Hypnotic Poison is one of the most beautiful "mainstream" fragrances. It´s sweet without being cloying. It´s like being surrounded in a warm cloud of comfortness.
But I´ve to admit that I don´t wear it - I know it´s silly but I don´t like people saying "Oh, you´re wearing Hypontic Poison, aren´t you?", I like to wear fragrancs that can´t be recognized that easily ;D

[Judith (lilybp)]

Your beautiful review brilliantly evokes this fragrance, which manages to be simultaneously comforting and very sexy. At one time (when I had fewer perfumes) I went through several bottles of this. I've been meaning to buy it again (although I won't wear it nearly as often now) and your review has given me the impetus to do so. It's really a wonderful scent for the cold weather--and one that always gets compliments (men seem to love it). Have a great day!

[julien]

Sometimes this beautiful fragance gets more caramelised vanilla than almond/vanilla...
i think it is a quite interesting one...But i feel as if there is something missing in it.
I am bored very easily with it,which i am not with shalimar for example.

Well,it is quite interesting and beautiful though...

[helg]

Dear V ,

this one was a complete surprise for me recently.
Although at the time of its launch it repulsed me (the harsh bitter top note was overwhelming , leaving me reluctant to test again) a recent sampling left me with a pleasureable experience of a comforting and most importnatly not overtly sweet smoothness of almond and vanilla.

Funny when that happens , huh?

[Tania]

I was surprised when I tried this recently, since I'd put it off for so long, afraid it was going to be like Poison. It was absolutely not like Poison. It was so unlike Poison that I could not imagine what the reasoning was behind marketing it as another flavor of Poison, as opposed to its own thing. It is a soothing vanilla-almond, with an interesting bitter-metallic twist as you say. I didn't mind it. I didn't love it enough to buy it, but it was good.

[Marina]

Lovely review as always, V! I have to finally try HP as it sounds like something I would like. Caraway is an interesting note to use...do you know of any other scents where it was used?

[BoisdeJasmin]

C, warm cloud of comfort is a wonderful way to describe it, because that is exactly how it feels to me. I think that everything in the composition manages to avoid cloying, with the addition of jasmine being a perfect touch for the almondy top notes. I understand what you mean about recognition, although that does not tend to bother me. Most people I know would not recognize it anyway. :)

[BoisdeJasmin]

Judith, thank you. I found that the comforting/sexy combination was quite irresistible, as none of the qualities dominate. It is definitely a wonderful cold weather scent, and as I was walking home last night, regretting not wearing heavier clothes, the warm scent of HP was such a comfort.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Julien, yes, you are right. That caramelized vanilla note is sometimes more obvious, especially when I notice sandalwood more in the composition.

[BoisdeJasmin]

E, my experience was identical to yours. When I first tried it years ago, I could not stand the bitterness. It seemed wrong. However, later I revisited it and found the bitter aspect to be my favourite. It is indeed funny! I am glad that I revisited though, because it is now a part of my permanent collection.

[BoisdeJasmin]

T, it is absolutely nothing like Poison, I cannot agree more. In fact, I find some of the members of Poison family to be quite interesting. All the same, I do not picture this fragrance to be something you might like very much.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Marina, thank you! Caraway as a note is present in Jacques Fath Green Water, Dior Jules and Clarins Eau Dynamisante. I actually have a sample of Eau Dynamisante, and I should try it. I believe caraway is also in Serge Lutens Arabie.

[linda]

Lovely review, V! I tried HP recently and found it both sweet and bitter. Maybe I need to retest.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Thank you, L! I think that you picked out the main notes in the composition, and if you are not a fan of that combination, HP may not work out well for you.

[Katie]

Aw, drat. Looks like I'm going to be the first to bring up the Play-Doh factor. Sigh. Vanilla and Play-Doh is primarily what I get from HP. However, it's the most addicting comforting scent anyhow for me. Sensual and soothing Play-Doh.

[kaie]

I do not love almond, but I do not mind it here. Do you notice coconut in Hypnotique Poison?

[parislondres]

Such a beautiful review again V! I like it but I doubt I will ever buy this.

Hope you are well.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Katie, I have never had a first hand experience with play-doh, because Russian "play-doh" was definitely not edible. It was called "plastilin" in Russian and came in shades of dark green, dark blue and brown. It had a distinct chemical scent of plastic and clay.

I need to find play-doh I hear mentioned, because it sounds very interesting. Castelbajac's scent done by Roucel was meant to reproduce it on purpose.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Kaie, there is definitely a note that can be interpreted as coconut. I really like it.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Thank you, dear N! There is a category of scents like that for me too. I quite understand what you mean.

[Katie]

I now weirdly have this urge to send you a "decant" (de-can?) of Play-Doh. Heh.

[Tania]

V: As a gag engagement gift, some of my co-workers gave me Play-Doh last year. I may very well send you some. ;)

[BoisdeJasmin]

Katie, suddenly I will be inundated with play-doh. I am still trying to figure out whether it is a good thing... :)

[BoisdeJasmin]

T, why play-doh specifically as a gag engagement gift?

[Ayala]

Am I the only one that smells a lot of camphor in Hypnotic Poison?
It's an unusual combination - vanilla and camphor. Medicinal and culinary.
Victoria, your review describes it with a lot of depth - I remember it as more one dimensional. Perhaps I shoudl re-visit this one...

[BoisdeJasmin]

Ayala, I do not recall much camphor in it, however the initial bitterness (which I place with almonds more) might be termed camphorous. I would not say that it is a very complex scent, being rather panoramic. On the strip, it is more one-dimensional than on the skin.

[kristen]

Great review as always! I was really surprised when I tried this and liked it, since the original Poison made me smell like I had spilled grape juice on myself.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Thank you, Kristen! This is so unlike the original, I also wonder why they decided to introduce it as part of the Poison range. On the other hand, I love Poison bottle, and it is even more beautiful in red.

[babycakes]

I have been wearing HP for 2 yrs now and i cannot seem to get used to anything else,i try sniffing diff scents but nothing appeals to me like the comfort and sexiness of HP. :)

[BoisdeJasmin]

Sounds like you found your signature then! I very much enjoy it, especially on a cold dreary day, when nothing else can comfort as well as HP.