Dior Sauvage or Bleu de Chanel – Who Is The Best NOW?
Dior Sauvage vs. Bleu de Chanel.
When I was looking for my first fragrance, these felt like the only two choices – they are not – but they are the most popular for men.
This review will break down their scent, performance, and overall effectiveness. I probably can’t tell you which one is best for you, but I’ll tell you what I know from years of wearing them.
Table of Contents
Quick Summary
- Bleu de Chanel is an Introvert, Dior Sauvage is an Extrovert.
- The warmth of Dior Sauvage is addictive.
- Bleu de Chanel is a “quieter” fragrance and a better choice for dates.
- If you want compliments, Dior Sauvage is the better choice.
- I wear Bleu de Chanel EDP the most.
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Dior Sauvage
When you spray this on, you’ll get the freshness of authentic bergamot. It is slightly like lemonade but not that bitter or citric. Some light spices are in the mix, but they’re never right there. I have to “look” for them.
In the background, you can tell the warm ambroxan is ready to rumble. This smell is similar to a high-quality, unscented deodorant that’s more manly and warmer.
After five minutes, ambroxan washes over the scent like a tidal wave. It brings a clean lavender, like a shaving cream, but only lasts for the first half and hour or so.
Beyond this point, all I smell is ambroxan and musk – smells like clean sheets in the best way possible.
When it comes to performance, Dior Sauvage EDP lasts all day on my skin. As you walk around, it leaves a good five-foot trail behind you. I would consider it a strong fragrance – so don’t spray it too heavily.
My Thoughts on Dior Sauvage
It’s a generic fragrance, hence why it is so easy to compare it to common hygiene items. Yet, it’s high quality. If a fragrance is synthetic or too strong, I will get nauseous in a car. Dior Sauvage EDP does not for me.
If I had read that a fragrance is generic when looking for my first fragrance, I would have passed – rightfully so, but at least it’s easy to wear. It’s a fragrance that you spray on and go.
My girlfriend has the same opinion. Her take is that it smells quality and it’s attractive, however, it smells common and that she’s smelled it on other guys before. She’s also said that if you want a fragrance that will define you as you, this isn’t it.
Bleu de Chanel
First spray = Fresh & Invigorating
It is citric like lemon but smooth, warm, and slightly sweet like Grapefruit. The Spicy mint in the background is the part that grabs my attention. It smells like a day-old mint leaf – authentic but weakened.
For the first half an hour, the focus is mint with grapefruit and then a wood smell in the background. If you want to be technical, it is Iso E Super a man-made wood smell.
It is a generic wood smell; the closest smell would be that of pine lumber at a lumberyard. There are occasional smoky accents, which I appreciate.
I get good performance with this fragrance. In college, I put on 4 sprays on a warm day and 4 hours later someone walked into the room and said, “What’s smells like Sephora in here?!” – oops.
A few sprays and it will last long enough for a work and/or school day.
My Thoughts on Bleu de Chanel
Do you know that meme where it’s like, “you can copy my homework, but change the answers a little bit,” and then it shows the New Zealand and Austraila flag?
Same thing here, Bleu de Chanel is a generic fragrance with small changes to make you feel like its different than all other popular men’s fragrances.
The one thing I will highlight about BDC is that when I wear it, it makes me feel classy.
My girlfriend’s opinion is that it smells common, attractive and attention-grabbing when I wear it “I could do better.” She wasn’t super enthusiastic about BDC but she doesn’t hate it either.
Final Words
This review focused on the EDP versions, so keep that in mind. If you are unfamiliar, this is the concentration of the fragrance. I have tried all concentrations, and the EDP versions are best for both lines.
Here’s a review of the entire Dior Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel lines.
Both smell different but are generic in their own right. As I rewrite this article in 2025, my thoughts have changed. I prefer Bleu de Chanel.
This is mainly from personal preference, I like quieter and fresher fragrances. BDC makes me feel classy and Dior Sauvage smells good, but I don’t feel any type of way about it.
If I were picking for my first fragrance, I would have gone with Dior Sauvage. It is easier to wear and got a better reaction from my girlfriend.
No matter which fragrance you choose, you’re getting an outstanding scent. There’s no wrong choice here. After you try Bleu de Chanel or Dior Sauvage, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.