What do you get when you pit a Greek God against a Wild Man? You get one heck of a showdown between Versace Eros vs Dior Sauvage. These two scents are both incredibly popular, but only one can reign supreme.
I’m excited to be comparing Versace Eros and Dior Sauvage in this post with you today. I’m sure many of you are curious to know which is the better scent, and in this post, I’m about to reveal my winner.
But before we get started, I just wanted to give a little disclaimer that these are just my personal opinions. Your opinion may differ from mine, and that’s ok. In any case, I will compare and contrast these two scents closely to help you decide which is right for you.
Let’s get right to the good stuff and decide once and for all if Eros or Sauvage takes the crown.
Versace Eros
Versace Eros comes in an eau de toilette, an eau de parfum and a parfum. While each of these fragrances are very similar, there are slight adjustments between the notes. However, I got my hands on the main EDT version, which I will check out.
This fragrance was the first to be launched out of the two competitors back in 2012. It’s an excellent choice for evening wear and will project well during the winter. Wearing it in summer may cause it to be a little overwhelming so I’d advise you to wear it with caution.
What Does Versace Eros Smell like
Versace Eros opens with a burst of freshness from mint, green apple, and lemon. This is followed by a warmer heart of tonka bean, ambroxan, and geranium. Several of the same notes are found in Sauvage, so it’s easy to see why it may be challenging to decide between the two.
As it dries on the skin, Eros then releases a burst of sweet and woody notes like vanilla, cedar, vetiver, and oakmoss. This base feels incredibly comforting and masculine. It’s perfect for a special occasion although I must admit that some people could find it a little too much.
Eros comes as a 50ml spray or you can purchase larger bottles at 100ml and 200ml. It’s part of a larger family of fragrances including Flame which is a woody spicy perfume that is a little less sweet and has a more sophisticated personality. Eros is the more playful of the two.
The largest bottle comes in at a price of $122, so it’s more affordable than Sauvage, which I’ll discuss a little later on. I’d say this is excellent value for money for a designer fragrance that lasts so well on the skin. You don’t need a lot; a little goes a long way. It projects so well, and while it’s a recognizable scent, it’s always well received.
Dior Sauvage
Much like Eros, Dior Sauvage comes in three choices; eau de toilette, eau de parfum and a parfum. Check my review for a comparison between Dior Sauvage EDT vs. EDP vs. Parfum. I’ll stick with the EDT for this review but you should know that the EDP version is a less complex blend but much more mysterious and mature. Food for thought if you want to move away from the freshness of the EDT.
What a lot of people love about Dior Sauvage is that it’s inspired by the classic 1966 Dior fragrance, Sauvage. However, this is a modern take so don’t expect it to smell the same.
What Does Dior Sauvage Smell like
Launched in 2015, Sauvage has certainly made an impact with its fresh yet spicy bergamot and pepper opening. It’s diverse, earthy, spicy, and rich all in one. The smell moves through notes of Sichuan pepper, lavender, pink pepper, patchouli, vetiver, elemi, and geranium at the heart.
Drying down to the base, Sauvage reveals its true warmth with notes of ambroxan, cedar, and labdanum. While this is the more youthful of the Sauvage range, I notice something of sophistication to this dry down. What’s more, I really feel that this fragrance opens up and shows its true character once it hits the base.
Sauvage EDT comes in 30ml, 60ml, 100ml, or 200ml bottles so you’ve got a nice choice here. You’ll pay anywhere between $59 and $150 for these which is pretty affordable when you consider that this is a designer fragrance.
Sauvage is anything but a cloying perfume for all its character, richness, and warmth. For this reason, it makes a good choice as a signature scent. You could quite easily wear this day to day for almost any event and it’ll fit right in. My only gripe is that it may struggle to project during the winter as a lack of body heat just won’t boost the performance.
Comparison Of Versace Eros Vs. Dior Sauvage
I’m drawn to Eros and Sauvage in two different ways. Eros, for me, has a scent that’s playful yet classic and feels much more timeless. On the other hand, Sauvage is a raw, outgoing, and bold scent that says ‘look at me.’ The combination of notes in both fragrances shares many similarities but personally, I love the presence of patchouli in Sauvage.
If you want a perfume that’s going to perfume well then there’s no doubt in my mind that Eros takes the crown here. Sauvage may be a wild scent but it doesn’t project as well as is more suited to intimate occasions. Whereas Versace Eros is loud and in your face; if it’s attention you want, that’s what you’ll get when wearing this.
Dior Sauvage is the more versatile of these two fragrances. By that, I mean that you can wear it for all occasions. If it’s a signature scent you’re looking for, I’d say go Sauvage all the way. However, owing to its more delicate performance, it doesn’t work as well as a winter fragrance. That’s where Eros is far superior. That said, wear Eros in summer and everyone is going to know about it.
Versace Eros is presented in a square-shaped turquoise bottle with the synonymous Medusa head. For me, the bottle looks a little tacky when compared to Dior’s sleek, ombre flacon. However, maybe it’s the packaging that ups the price slightly because Dior charges ever so slightly more. It’s certainly not bank breaking for a designer fragrance but if you want something more affordable, it’s Eros all the way.
Conclusion: The Winner Of Versace Eros Vs. Dior Sauvage
It’s not an easy choice between Dior Sauvage and Versace Eros since they both have some excellent qualities. Moreover, both fragrances have a terrific take on the aromatic fougere scent with a few similarities and some things that set them miles apart from one another.
With that said, I’m going to pick Sauvage because it just appeals to me more. Don’t get me wrong, Eros is a fragrance that I’ll keep in my collection for special occasions, but it’s not something I could wear all the time. It just feels a little too much for the office or a quiet afternoon out with friends or family.
Sauvage is a little more discreet and yet still gets all the right kinds of attention. Many people are familiar with it but I’ve noticed that it sits so differently on the skin depending on who is wearing it. Yes, all perfumes do this to an extent; it’s all about body chemistry, but something about Sauvage clings to the wearer and gives you an almost unique experience.
And yes, it’s a little more expensive but you’re paying for high quality. Having spoken to a lot of perfume fans, there’s this idea that Versace fragrances always feel a little more synthetic. Sauvage feels natural and refreshing and that cuts it for me. What’s more, I love how it feels to wear; it’s masculine without being arrogant and with every spray, I find myself falling more and more in love with it.
