Dior Sauvage Vs Eau Sauvage: What’s The Difference?

Knowing the differences between fragrances released by the same brand can get confusing, especially because most brands release a new product every few years.

A commonly asked question is, what’s the difference between Dior Sauvage and Eau Sauvage?

Eau Sauvage is a classic Dior fragrance originally launched in the 1960s. It has a distinctive citrus scent and is typically popular among older men. Dior Sauvage is a newer fragrance with a modern and spicy scent, often popular among younger men and more suitable for everyday, casual use. 

That’s the short answer, but let’s discuss the main differences between these two perfumes in more detail.

Sauvage Vs Eau Sauvage: 5 Key Differences

Dior Sauvage and Eau Sauvage are both fragrances released by Dior. Despite the similar names, they are very distinct entities and have several notable differences.

Let’s run through the main ones here.

1. Scent

The most obvious difference between these two similarly-named fragrances is their scent.

Eau Sauvage is typically known for having notes of lemon, bergamot, rosemary, basil, caraway, and general fruity tones. It has woody base notes of vetiver, oakmoss, musk, and amber. 

This gives it a clean and fresh scent that has masculine undertones.

Here it is on Amazon if you want to check it out: 

Dior Sauvage, on the other hand, has more of a spicy scent. It has top notes of pepper and calabrian bergamot. 

If you’re interested in learning more, check it out on Amazon: 

In addition, it has middle notes of Sichuan pepper, lavender, patchouli, and pink pepper, and base notes of cedar, labdanum, and ambroxan.

These two fragrances do not belong to the same Dior collection. This becomes clear after breaking down the components of each scent, which, as you can see, actually differ quite significantly.

So don’t be fooled by the similarity between their names; these two fragrances don’t have many things in common when it comes to how they smell.

2. Launch Date

Despite their similar names, there are actually many years that separate the release of Eau Sauvage and Dior Sauvage.

Eau Sauvage came first and was launched in 1966. This fragrance was produced in collaboration with perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, and is seen as a classic scent that has stood the test of time.

You may have seen a refreshed advertising campaign for Eau Sauvage in 2009 with Alain Delon as the face of the perfume. This is the exact same fragrance, simply with a new advertising campaign behind it.

Dior Sauvage, on the other hand, was released much more recently in 2015 and was created by French perfumer Francois Demachy. 

This newer scent was designed as a modern, fresh perfume for men and hence has a very different style to the more classic Eau Sauvage. 

3. Price 

Another difference between these two fragrances is their price.

Although there isn’t a massive difference in cost, Dior Sauvage works out to be slightly more expensive per ml compared with the older Eau Sauvage if you opt for the 100ml bottle.

While costs will vary according to the supplier and your location, Eau Sauvage will set you back on average 92 US dollars per 100ml, compared with Dior Sauvage which will set you back 112 US dollars per 100ml.

However, if you opt for the 60ml Dior Sauvage bottle instead, this actually works out cheaper per ml compared with the 50ml bottle of Eau Sauvage. 

A 60ml Dior Sauvage bottle will cost around 79 dollars, compared with the 50ml bottle of Eau Sauvage which is usually priced at 69 dollars. 

So at the end of the day, the price, although slightly different, isn’t necessarily going to be the ultimate deciding factor between these two fragrances.

4. Popularity 

Another interesting difference between these two Dior perfumes is their popularity.

When it comes to which perfume is more popular, Dior Sauvage is more of a modern fragrance and hence is more likely to be a crowd-pleaser.

It can be worn pretty much in every season, day or night, and is likely to draw a few compliments.

Eau Sauvage has more of a unique, classical fragrance, and as such may create more of a divided opinion when it comes to its scent.

However, the people who like Eau Sauvage tend to love it.

Overall, Dior Sauvage is likely to be more popular in this day and age, whereas Eau Sauvage is a unique, classical scent reminiscent of the ’60s, that some people will swear by but that is less likely to appeal to the masses.

5. Demographic

Dior Sauvage and Eau Sauvage tend to have different target markets, which makes sense given their distinct scents and modern vs classic vibe.

Dior Sauvage tends to appeal more to the younger demographic, think mid-20s to 30s, given its more modern scent and popularity in the current time.

Eau Sauvage tends to be worn more by older men, as it has more of a classical scent and is evocative of the 1960’s period. 

This is not a hard and fast rule – some younger men may prefer Eau Sauvage and some older men Dior Sauvage – but more of a tendency for each fragrance to appeal to different age ranges. 

Sauvage Vs Eau Sauvage: How To Choose

Now that you understand the main differences between these two Dior perfumes, how do you go about choosing which to buy?

There are several things to consider when choosing between these two fragrances. 

Let’s discuss the main factors here.

1. Budget

As I mentioned before, there are slight differences in price between these two Dior perfumes, depending on the bottle size chosen.

Dior Sauvage tends to be more expensive if you choose the 100ml bottle, whereas Eau Sauvage is more expensive if you opt for the 50ml bottle.

Prices are still relatively similar. However, if you are on a budget and not concerned about price per ml but more concerned about overall price, the cheapest (yet not most cost-effective option) would be to opt for the Eau Sauvage in 50ml. 

This is usually priced at 69 dollars, compared with 79 dollars for the Dior Sauvage 60ml bottle.

If you are more concerned about cost-effectiveness, then opting for the slightly more expensive Dior Sauvage 60ml bottle is a better price per ml and will last slightly longer.

It’s always best to check the Dior website for the latest price, however, as there can be fluctuations in cost.

2. Aesthetic 

When you are choosing between these two fragrances, another factor to consider is whether the bottle aesthetic is important to you.

If the answer is yes, then this will be one of the deciding factors when trying to choose between these two perfumes.

Many people like to collect perfume bottles, as they can make a nice decorative addition to a bookshelf or a dressing room.

The appearance of the Eau Sauvage and Dior Sauvage bottles are pretty different, and in some ways, the Eau Sauvage bottle is more decorative with its ribbed, diagonal patterned glass.

This would make a great decoration in any home, so you may be swayed to choose this fragrance for this reason.

Dior Sauvage has a bottle that is more simple, yet still elegant and may also serve as a decoration, though it has less of a unique appearance compared with the Eau Sauvage bottle.

So if aesthetic is important to you, make sure you consider whether you like the appearance of the container your perfume is sold in.

3. Setting

It’s important to consider where and when you will be wearing a fragrance before you buy it. Certain fragrances are more suitable for evening wear, and others for daytime or office wear.

Dior Sauvage works well in most settings, whether that is a daytime event or an evening out. 

It has found its popularity with young men who often wear it on nights out. However, due to its versatility, it can also be worn during the day in an office or other work environment.

Eau Sauvage, with its fresh, citrusy scent with masculine undertones, is perhaps more suited to daytime wear at the office, or for more formal evening events.

Eau Sauvage has a classical elegance about it which exudes an air of formality and authority, making it less suitable for casual wear compared with Dior Sauvage.

So if you are looking for a versatile fragrance that can be worn day in, day out, Dior Sauvage is your best option. 

On the other hand, if you want an elegant fragrance that can be worn in more formal environments, your best bet is to choose the classic Eau Sauvage fragrance. 

4. Age

As I mentioned before, Dior Sauvage has found its popularity amongst the younger demographic, typically men in their 20s-30s. 

This is because of its more modern and versatile scent, and tendency to be a crowd-pleaser. As a result, you may find that if you are in this demographic you prefer to wear this perfume.

Eau Sauvage, given that it was originally launched in the 60s, has a classic, formal, unique scent that tends to be more popular amongst the older demographic.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to pick your fragrance according to your age, and this shouldn’t be the only deciding factor. But it’s useful additional knowledge to have when making your choice.

5. Scent 

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly of all, when deciding which Dior fragrance to choose you obviously need to consider the scent.

At the end of the day, the fragrance which smells better to you is going to be your best option. You will be the one wearing this perfume all day, so liking the scent is all the more important.

So before you buy, make sure you can get out to a shop and put your nose to these two scents in person, and try them on if you can to see how the scent develops on your skin.

This will be the best way to decide which scent is the better one for you.

Conclusion

So there you have it – Eau Sauvage and Dior Sauvage are two very distinct fragrances that have their own virtues.

Hopefully, I’ve clarified the difference between these two scents, and given you some food for thought when it comes to choosing which to buy.