Givenchy Pi Review – Everything You Need To Know
Pi.
One of the best vanilla fragrances for an affordable price.
Givenchy Pi was released in 1998. It is based on vanilla and other sweet nuances. It lasts four to five hours on the skin with moderate projection. In this review, I will describe its smell and performance and if it’s worth it.
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Table of Contents
What Does Givenchy Pi Smell Like?
The opening is led by freshness, a blast of aromatics and vanilla. The freshness is from a semi-fruity and sweet mandarin orange. It is a fleeting hint but provides a great introduction to the more dominant parts of the scent.
The aromatics are more prominent. To my nose, it is a combination of rosemary and basil. If you’re familiar with these from the grocery store, you’ll know they have a degree of “spice,” it’s no different here. In the background, vanilla is prevalent, amplifying the sugary sweetness.
After a few minutes, the fresh citruses and aromatics are drastically dissipating, and vanilla is filling the void. The overarching emphasis in the mid is vanilla with creamy almond additions. It softens the sweetness and gives vanilla a unique twist.
There is a hefty dose of florals in the scent profile, but I never pick up on them. If anything, they keep the fragrance fresh, light, and wearable.
The dry-down adds ambery Benzoin. It’s smooth and warm, giving the fragrance depth. The rest of the wear is vanilla, almond, and ambery benzoin.
Givenchy Pi notes:
TOP NOTES
- Mandarin Orange
- Tarragon
- Rosemary
- Basil
MID NOTES
- Anise
- Neroli
- Geranium
- Lily-of-the-Valley
BASE NOTES
- Vanilla
- Almond
- Tonka Bean
- Benzoin
- Cedar
Performance
Pi lasts four to five hours on the skin with light projection. It pushes out two feet from the first hour to an hour and a half. After this period, it recedes closer to the skin. The sillage is slightly better. This has enough density to leave a mild scent trail as you move around but nothing spectacular. This performance is with four sprays.
This is fall and winter wear. With a decent dose of sweetness, it gets cloying in the heat. As for occasions, it is all but best suited for dates. The projection is subtle enough to never overwhelm no matter the situation. Yet, the smooth vanillic nature is very alluring for intimate situations.
This translates to its excellent mass appeal and likability. None of the notes in the fragrance are decisive. As a general rule, sweet fragrances tend to get the second most compliments behind ambroxan-based fragrances.
Let’s talk about the uniqueness. It’s above average. There’s nothing special about a vanilla-dominant fragrance, or even an almond-vanilla fragrance, for that matter. But the base’s ambery depth and intriguing aromatics create a blend that isn’t found in many other colognes.
Givenchy Pi Clones
The most similar fragrance is supposed to be Givenchy Pi Extreme. But I don’t see the resemblance. Pi Extreme is much darker with prominent amber, wood, and leather accords. If anything, they are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
If you want a higher quality fragrance with this type of vanilla-almond blend, Parfums de Marly Pegasus is a great fragrance. Yet, this is not a dupe.
Final Words
The final burning question is, is Givenchy Pi worth it? Yes. I wish the performance was better. I understand the light projection since it’s meant for dates, but the poor longevity is disappointing.
This con is easily canceled out by its decently affordable price and alluring blend of notes. The opening is decent, but the dry-down is the best part. There’s something so intoxicating about smooth benzoin and sugary vanilla warmth.
After you try Givenchy Pi, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.