Dior Sauvage Is Amazing, But the Follow-Up Elixir Scent Is Even Better
WHEN DIOR SAUVAGE debuted in 2015, it ushered in a new era of fresh-spicy men’s colognes, and quickly became the best-selling men’s fragrance in the world—a spot it has continued to hold for years. According to Dior, one bottle of Sauvage is sold every three seconds (that’s a sale in the time it took you to read that). With that in mind, it's fair to wonder if an update was even needed for this grooming essential. We had our doubts too, but Dior Sauvage Elixir not only surpasses the OG—it's the best cologne available full stop.
Sauvage Elixir (0.25 oz)
How do you evolve an iconic, best-selling fragrance? The answer, of course, is flankers, which are basically Fragrance World speak for similar yet different perfumes based on an original. Think of them like song remixes, taking the DNA of the original and reinterpreting, relayering, and reconceptualizing it. Not every new version of a classic is a hit, but that’s not the case with Dior Sauvage Elixir. It's no mistake that we awarded it the top spot in our guide of the best colognes for men—even over the original.
The boldest, most concentrated version of Sauvage yet, this ultra-long-lasting fragrance is spicier and deeper than the original Sauvage, giving it a mature and sensual nighttime feeling. The DNA of Sauvage is still intact with a top note that includes citrus (though in this version it's more of a fleeting moment than the focal point), a healthy dose of lavender and notes of patchouli and vetiver in the base. In Elixir, however, there are more spices—both in variety and concentration—and the lavender is more of a focal point, giving it an undercurrent of clean, soapy freshness that doesn’t rely on citrus.
More than anything, I found in testing it that this one is all about longevity. Truly, it is one of the longest-lasting colognes I’ve ever tried, able to stick on my skin from morning to night and linger on my clothes for days afterward. It’s not a wallflower fragrance by any means—even a few sprays hold the ability to command attention. While the original Sauvage may be better suited for everyday wear, Elixir is a bolder, more mature choice that not only sits well with the Sauvage family as a whole, but stands on its own.
Notes
The saying may be "if it ain’t broke don’t fix it," but in the case of fragrance flankers like Sauvage Elixir, we could say "if it ain’t broke, tweak it." This is very apparent in the case of Sauvage Elixir, which takes the classic Sauvage notes like bergamot, lavender, patchouli and vetiver but reformulates them with new additions like a plethora of spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom), licorice, and sandalwood, while dialing the lavender way, way up.
The result is a warmer, darker version of Sauvage with an underlying old-school barbershop vibe from the clean, soapy lavender. The licorice note comes through toward the end, not in a bitter candy way, but more as a dash of warm sweetness. It’s less zingy-fresh than the original but also more mature and traditionally masculine.
Longevity and Projection
The draw of an elixir is that it should have more concentration of fragrance than, say, an eau de toilette, which gives it more longevity on the skin. This is certainly the case with Sauvage Elixir. I sprayed once on each wrist in the morning and could still smell it at the end of the day as I went to bed. I noticed some potency decrease after about eight hours (conservatively) and, while the fragrance does evolve a bit on the dry down, it smelled very close to the original sprays even after a full day.
For most of the day, I caught whiffs of it as I moved through my routine, letting me know it was still there front and center, but after about eight hours I had to actively smell my wrists to know if it was still there (this is not a bad thing, of course). I will also note that this potent juice lasts an even longer time on your clothes. I literally had to wash my shirt to remove it, even days later. Some people may find this annoying but, personally, I don’t mind my clothes smelling like good cologne.
In terms of projection, or sillage, I was surprised that a fragrance this bold and concentrated didn’t have more of a trail. Don’t get me wrong, there definitely is one, confirmed by my own nose and those around me. Within the first few hours of wear, the projection is most potent, so if you don’t want to overwhelm the room, I would recommend keeping your sprays to a minimum. It’s very easy to go overboard and enter cologne cloud territory. However, when I kept it to around two sprays (one on each wrist), I noticed that projection was still noticeable (like when I moved my hands close to my face) but much less noticeable after a few hours.
Bottle
If you know Sauvage, then you know this bottle—the Elixir bottle is pretty much the same. Made from dark navy glass (without the traditional Sauvage ombre effect), this simple design has weight to it giving it a luxury feeling in the hand. It’s sleek and smooth, with a magnetic grooved cap. The only real difference between this and the classic Sauvage bottle is that this one is darker.
Vibe
The original Sauvage has the feeling of a crowd-pleasing everyman, but Elixir takes a darker turn. The scent is more mature and spicier like the older brother, or maybe even the father, of Sauvage. Personally, I find it more complex, even though it doesn’t necessarily evolve much on your skin, and the spiciness of the juice gives it a mysterious quality that’s warm and sultry. It makes me want to wear this with a tuxedo to a fancy-sexy party like an "Eyes Wide Shut" masquerade.
The undercurrent of soapy lavender gives it a lingering barbershop feeling like I just got a cut and hot shave from a luxurious, wood-paneled old-world-style barber shop. For me, it may be a bit too bold and dark to wear much during the day, but once the sun goes down, I’ll spray it on to get amped for a night out.
Value
At $250 for the 3.4-ounce bottle, it’s priced higher than the original Sauvage likely due to the higher concentration and, as the brand says, "high-quality raw materials." It’s certainly priced on the high end for a mass-appealing designer fragrance which also adds to the level of maturity this projects, even if the average smeller doesn’t know how much you paid for it. However, since it’s so potent and only requires a few sprays, it may likely last longer than others even at a similar price point. If we’re talking price per wear, I believe it’s a good value, also considering you likely won’t be wearing it every day (at least I wouldn’t.)
Final Verdict: Should You Buy Dior Sauvage Elixir?
For fans of the Sauvage family, this is a welcome addition to the range for its spicier flavor and darker vibes. Even for those who don’t usually wear Sauvage, they’ll find this mature and masculine cologne appealing for its longevity and mysterious yet approachable attitude. It’s unmistakably a mass-market designer fragrance, which may turn off some serious fragrance heads, but for men who want a mature, traditionally masculine scent with a modern edge, this is a great bet.
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