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Christian DiorEau de Toilette · EST. 1985

Poison

An iconic 1980s oriental-floral defined by a bold, almost narcotic blend of tuberose, plum, and spice over a warm amber and honey base. A powerful statement fragrance and a defining scent of its era.

NOSE: Edouard FléchierRELEASED: 1985RETAIL: $75 - $120
The Quick Answer

Poison opens on Plum and Coriander, moves through Tuberose and Carnation, and dries down to Amber and Opoponax. At $75 - $120 it is which sits at fair mid-range value, with very long lasting (10h - 12h) on skin. Sample before you commit — it is loud and polarising rather than crowd-safe.

ADEGBE ANALYSIS SCORES

8.4
Expert
9.0
Longevity
9.2
Sillage
4.7
Versatility
10.0
Value

Scores are AdeGbe's editorial analysis based on composition, concentration and community-reported performance — not a single personal wear test.

Approx. $0.75/ml — Based on the lowest street price ($75) over an assumed 100ml bottle for this concentration.

OLFACTORY PYRAMID BREAKDOWN

TOP NOTESFirst impression · 15–30 min
  • Plum
  • Coriander
  • Pepper
HEART NOTESCore character · 2–4 hours
  • Tuberose
  • Carnation
  • Honey
BASE NOTESDry-down · 6–24+ hours
  • Amber
  • Opoponax
  • Cedar
  • Musk

EXPERT ANALYSIS — COMPOSITION & PERFORMANCE

AG
AdeGbe Fragrance Research Team Data-Driven Analysis
Olfactory composition & performance assessment
Updated Winter 2026Eau de ToiletteMethodology: note-pyramid analysis + community performance data + AdeGbe scoring model

Poison is Christian Dior's 1985 eau de toilette from perfumer Edouard Fléchier. Our analysis examines its three-phase structure, its longevity and projection profile, and the occasions it serves best.

The Opening

The opening leads with juicy fruit and warm spice facets — Plum, Coriander, Pepper set the first impression in the initial fifteen to thirty minutes.

The Heart

As the top notes settle, the heart turns floral and sweet gourmand, built around Tuberose, Carnation, Honey. This is where the fragrance reveals its true personality, roughly two to four hours in.

The Dry-Down

Hours later it resolves into a dry woods and golden amber foundation — Amber, Opoponax, Cedar — that determines the lasting memory of the scent.

Projected Performance Timeline
Hour 1
Plum and Coriander opening. Strong, room-filling projection.
Hour 4
Tuberose and Carnation heart fully developed. Still projecting clearly.
Hour 8
Amber and Opoponax base emerges. Performance holding well.
Hour 12
Soft base notes still detectable close to skin.
Longevity
9/10
Sillage
9.2/10
Blind Buy
LOW RISK
Final Score
9.2/10

Who Should Buy Poison

Poison leans feminine but is wearable by anyone who enjoys the style. Its season vector points strongest to winter, and its day/night balance makes it best suited to evening wear and going out. If you gravitate toward juicy fruit and floral compositions and want strong longevity, it belongs on your shortlist.

One Honest Warning

Performance and quality are not in question here. The honest caveat is ubiquity: Poison is widely worn, so if smelling distinctive matters more to you than smelling excellent, factor that in.

Analysis based on composition, community-aggregated performance data, and the AdeGbe scoring model.A human skin-test review is added as our team tests each fragrance.

PERFORMANCE INDEX & SUITABILITY VECTORS

LONGEVITY FACTORVery Long Lasting (10h - 12h)
Weak (1h)Moderate (4-6h)Beast (24h+)
SILLAGE / PROJECTIONEnormous / Beast Mode
IntimateModerateEnormous
DAY · NIGHT SUITABILITY
DAY
15%
NIGHT
85%
GENDER INDEXFeminine
FEMININEUNISEXMASCULINE
SEASON SUITABILITY VECTOR
SPRING 🌸10%
SUMMER ☀️5%
AUTUMN 🍂40%
WINTER ❄️45%

PROJECTED PERFORMANCE TIMELINE

Projected from this fragrance's concentration, note structure and reported longevity — an analysis, not a single personal wear test.

Hour 1
Top burst

Plum and Coriander lead the opening before the volatile top notes burn off.

Projection: Strong
Hour 4
Heart in bloom

Tuberose and Carnation take over as the core character of the fragrance.

Projection: Strong
Hour 8
Early dry-down

Amber and Opoponax anchor the scent close to the skin.

Projection: Strong
Hour 12
Base residue

A skin-scent of Amber and Opoponax is what typically remains by now.

Projection: Moderate

Wear It

  • ✓Winter (45% seasonal fit)
  • ✓Autumn / Fall (40% seasonal fit)
  • ✓Evenings, dinners and going out

Skip It

  • ✗Spring — it underperforms here (10%)
  • ✗Summer — it underperforms here (5%)
  • ✗Enclosed offices, lifts and meeting rooms
  • ✗Go easy: 1–2 sprays is plenty
  • ✗Hot daytime errands — it can read too heavy

Blind-Buy Risk

37/100SAMPLE FIRST
Risk factors
  • • Very high projection — easy to over-apply and overwhelm a room
In its favour
  • • Beast-mode sillage is hard to dial back once sprayed; sampling helps you judge dosage.

INGREDIENT SAFETY SNAPSHOT

Linalool / Limonene

Common EU-declarable allergens; can oxidise and irritate sensitive skin.

Benzyl Salicylate / Benzyl Benzoate

White-floral declarables; usually well tolerated but listed under EU rules.

Benzyl Benzoate (fixative)

Generally well-tolerated base/fixative materials with low sensitiser risk.

This snapshot is based on the published note list, not a full INCI ingredient breakdown. Always check the box for the official allergen declaration and patch-test if you have sensitive skin. See full ingredient-safety guides →

MOST COMPARED WITH

Shares carnation & cedar
Poison vs L'Eau d'Issey
Issey MiyakeShares pepper & amber
Poison vs Crystal Noir
VersaceShares coriander & amber
Poison vs Obsession
Calvin Klein

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is Poison so strong?
Poison was created in the mid-1980s, an era that favoured bold, high-projection fragrances. Its dense tuberose, plum, and spiced amber accord is highly concentrated, so even one or two sprays project strongly and last most of the day. Apply sparingly to avoid overwhelming a room.
When should I wear Poison?
Poison is best for autumn and winter evenings, formal events, and occasions where a powerful signature is appropriate. Its heavy, opulent profile is generally too intense for hot weather or close professional settings.
How many flankers does Poison have?
The Poison line includes several distinct fragrances such as Hypnotic Poison, Pure Poison, Midnight Poison, and Poison Girl. The original Poison is the spicy tuberose-plum oriental; the flankers vary widely in style and should not be assumed to smell alike.
Is Poison worth buying?
For the money, Poison ($75 - $120) is a fair buy. It projects at a enormous / beast mode level and lasts in the range of very long lasting (10h - 12h), which puts its performance well above average. It is worth it if you connect with its Plum and Coriander character; if you want an all-occasion safe blind buy, sample first because it leans toward evening wear.
Can I wear Poison to the office?
Be careful. Poison projects strongly (enormous / beast mode), so in an enclosed office it can easily overwhelm colleagues. If you must wear it to work, limit yourself to one light spray on clothing and avoid reapplying. For shared indoor spaces, a softer fragrance is the more considerate choice.
Is Poison good for summer?
Not really. Poison scores only 5% for summer — heat tends to amplify its Amber and Opoponax base and push it toward cloying. It performs far better in winter, so save it for cooler months and reach for something lighter when it is hot.
How many sprays of Poison should I use?
Go light. Because Poison projects at a enormous / beast mode level, one to two sprays is plenty for most settings — one on the chest and one on a wrist. Three or more can quickly become overwhelming indoors. With longevity in the very long lasting (10h - 12h) range, even a small application carries you through the day.
Is Poison safe for sensitive skin?
Poison is an alcohol-based eau de toilette and its note list includes materials such as Plum, Coriander and Pepper, some of which fall under EU-declarable allergen rules (for example linalool, limonene or coumarin depending on the notes). That does not make it unsafe — most wearers have no reaction — but if your skin is reactive, spray onto clothing or patch-test on the inner arm first. This guidance is based on the published note list, not a full INCI breakdown.

INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS

Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Poison.

INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS

Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Poison.

TOP DUPES & AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES

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ADEGBEDRAFTING 3D PERSPECTIVE...
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