Midnight Poison is the fifth fragrance in the Christian Dior Poison saga, which began with the release of the original, now-iconic Poison fragrance in 1985 and continued with Tendre Poison in 1994, Hypnotic Poison in 1998 and Pure Poison in 2004. This year’s entry was created by perfumers Jacques Cavallier and Olivier Cresp, and features notes of mandarin orange, bergamot, black rose, patchouli, amber and French vanilla.
The fragrance is fronted by actress Eva Green, best known for her recent starring role in Casino Royale:
Green said she dislikes what she considers strong “old lady” scents and often goes without fragrance, but noted she’s smitten with Midnight Poison. “It’s quite fresh compared to the other Poisons – it’s younger, fresher, like the commercial,” she said. (via Women’s Wear Daily, 6/1/2007)
“Younger” and “fresher” aren’t necessarily positive attributes in my book, but in the event, I found Midnight Poison much less young and fresh than Pure Poison (my vote for the dullest of all the Poisons).
Midnight Poison opens with a veritable roar of patchouli. It is that very clean patchouli that is in everything lately, and that only vaguely recalls the patchouli oil that once perfumed your local head shop. It stays on the scene for the duration, but the original burst does quiet, gradually revealing the citrus (juicy and mildly sweet) and a sheer floral blend dominated by rose. The base is what is left of the patchouli, plus some musky woods and a touch of amber. It is subtly sweetened by the vanilla, and as the florals fade, the slightest tinge of something fruity, but it stays more dry than not. In fact, it is surprisingly dry for something apparently geared towards the youth market.
Sephora describes it as “intense”, but it isn’t really, or at least, not once the top notes fade. It is appropriately dark for something named Midnight Poison, but it is not at all rich or heavy, and somehow, it never gets quite as sultry as I expected.
I don’t love Midnight Poison, and to my mind, it doesn’t even come close to the brilliant Hypnotic Poison. But it is well done. I like it better than anything else Christian Dior has come up with lately, and if a bottle were to rain down from the heavens, I’d wear it happily. Still, I won’t be surprised if despite Eva Green’s appraisal, many women find it insufficiently “young” or insufficiently feminine (a man could easily wear it) to wear. Do comment if you’ve tried it!
Christian Dior Midnight Poison is available in 30, 50 and 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
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Hello there. I am really excited about this! My mum and Dad gave me Hypnotic Poison for my 21st birthday and I had a bottle in my collection for about 4 years, but not any more. I do agree Pure Poison was a bit dull but I am obsessed with Pure Poison Elixir, I just couldn't be without it!! I will be hounding the Dior counter for a smell of this! I'm not too sure about rose perfumes, I don't much like Stella although I love Very Irresistible so I look forward to smelling it. Thanks for the review xx
That little blurb from Eva Green quite frightened me. I'm glad it's not nearly so bad as she made it sound. 'Dry' sounds like a veritable leap in the right direction for Dior (or any of the big brands aiming at the 'youth' market.)
I never got to try the Pure Poison Elixir, will have to see if I can snag a sample — I figured it was close to the same.
The rose in Midnight Poison is pretty sheer, more so than in Stella. Let me know what you think if you try it!
Most definitely a leap in the right direction, although guessing Miss Dior Cherie will outsell it by a mile!
Definitely got a big ol' hit of patch on this one. By the way, I reread the comments from Pure, where you asked your fearless readers to suggest future Poison flankers, and they are very funny. My favorite: Baby Poison.
In that post I suggested a pour homme, and I think I came fairly close to getting my wish with this one! I smelled it very briefly at the end of a long day, so I need to revisit it.
Baby Poison! I liked Toxic Poison too, for the sheer silliness of it. Yep, this could be Poison Pour Homme, although I don't think it is too masculine for a woman to wear (but as you know, I'll wear anything).
Oh. I am surprised. I expected anything but a dry scent. I must sniff this. I don't love patchouli but I don't really mind it, and as this is apparently not that sweet, I might even like it. Mightn't I?
I think “Poison Sport” is hysterical. When I was a teenager, my friend's mother wore Poison, which we would make fun of by calling it “Poisson”. I don't think she was too amused.
LOL — I'm surprised there isn't already a “Poison Sport”!
You know, patchouli ain't what it used to be. I don't even mind it anymore, it is so clean and smooth most of the time. Actually, I wish it were a bit earthier.
Good day Robin! Well i am anxious to sniff this one but now that you've mentioned the roar of patchouli,geez i don't know…my hubby hates anything patchouli,although i don't mind a little bit of it so we'll see..I am an hypnotic poison fan and find anything else hard to beat it.:)
Just make sure you apply it a good 10 minutes before he comes in the room, and maybe it'll pass? Anyway, give it a try, but if you already love Hypnotic Poison, doubt this one will replace it in your affections.
Adding — just noticed that Britney Spears Believe has “aura of patchouli”, which is probably what this one has too.
chuckling at your comment,yes i apply angel 10 or 15 min before i ask him “do i smell nice?”,i know all the tricks…but anyhow we'll see on this one,I have a list written down for my trip at the end of the month.
LOL — you are nicer than me, my poor, long suffering dh gets little say and is forced to smell most everything, like it or not
wow, surprised there wasn't some collective virtual slap at Eva Green for saying 'old lady scents', LOL
I am really intrigued. I like the original Poison, positively dislike Hypnotic and have no strong feeling either way about Tendre and Pure. The fact that you said it was more dry than not, is a plus for me, and that you said a man could easily wear it, is a huge plus for me. I really can't wait to try it now. I'm surprised to hear about the amount of patch in it as I was half expecting it to have some incense – don't know why. Oh well, too bad.
HA, sometimes I just run out of steam on that issue
Maybe you will like this one – it isn't nearly as sweet as Hypnotic, and nothing like Tendre & Pure. Worth a shot…
What a nice tale! on the website: midnightpoison, we can see the film and everything about the the Poison. Very well done!
This new one smells a mix between Stella and Lalique Perles? what do you think of that?
I have smelled Stella, but not the Lalique — the Lalique line is actually rather hard to find (in person, anyway) in the US.
The Perle by Lalique is a very uncommun fragrance that smells camphoraceus and peppery on the top notes and finishes on a very warm and dusty patchouly and cashmeran notes. It's a very modern chypre. The bottom notes, once dried, are very sensual, powdery and mysterious.
It's very daring for Lalique to sell such a weird androgynous fragrance. And some users are already addicted to it.
On the skin it's very sexy
Sounds lovely — hope I'll come across it some day!
Just thought I'd add a belated comment.. my freind & respectable (addicted) perfume connoisseur likened Midnight Poison to Allure Sensuelle…
Interesting. Have tried Allure, but not the Sensuelle. It must be much drier than the original if it's like MP? Will have to give it a shot!
I finally got to try the long awaited Midnight Poison at Macy's (sephora.com had it but not the Sephora store). Hypnotic Poison is one of my standard scents…11 y.o. daughter has even said it smells like “Mama” she has smelled it on me for so long. Never liked the original Poison, but I bought the Pure Poison lotion, and DH despises it. I can only wear it when he's out of town. I wear a zillion other things too, but was hoping Midnight Poison might prove to be a new standard for me.
I'm of the head shop era, and the “new patchouli” went, pardon the pun, right over my head. I got waves of amber instead, and then the memory of a Bill Blass scent from the '90's called 'Hot.” Once I identified the similarity, I could never shake that memory of wearing “Hot” (it came with “Nude” and one other fragrance).
So there I have it–disappointment, and no need to add another Dior to my collection.
LOL — never smelled Hot, and so perhaps it is just as well
The third Bill Blass scent in the trilogy–they were all released at the same time–was Basic Black.
I am very surprised that anyone thinks Midnight Poison is even close to Allure Sensuelle. They don't seem to have anything in common except patchouli. Robin, you're quite right that a man could wear MP: I think it could as easily have been called Poison for Men. I bought a bottle in London, having fallen in love with it instantly (it isn't available here in Canada yet, at least not in my neck of the woods), and it's already a mainstay in my collection: it's what I think L'Artisan's Voleur de Roses ought to have been, the rose scent I've been looking for for years.
You know, I've been surprised by almost everything it has been compared to so far. Totally agree it could be Poison for men.
Sampled this for a third time at Sephora's last night. I agree with the “roar of patchouli” assessment about the opening notes, which for me, is a plus. I like the patch in this. Problem is, the heady, dry florals take over after about 15 minutes and just overwhelm the scent – for me. If you love dry florientals, though, give this a try. I was impressed that the drydown didn't morph into the predictable vanilla/amber sweetness. It's well done, but I would have preferred less floral and more spice and incense.
Totally agree that this bears no resemblance to Allure Sensuelle. Hard to think of something it *does* resemble, actually…
Ironically, Midnight reminds me of a scent that some WOULD call “old lady”!
So agree that they didn't morph the base into something predictable. I didn't find the florals as overwhelming as you did — but it would be interesting to see masculine version, no? Might be just what you're after.
Yes, that might do the trick! Now you've got me thinking…is there a men's version of any of the Poisons??
Surprisingly, no. But never say never
Does anyone else smell a resemblance to gucci homme, perhaps with a dab of something peachy, as was suggested in that review's comments?
Interesting…didn't call up GPH to me at all, but perhaps I need to try them together.
Or Poison Eau Fraiche!
“Midnight Poison”: Given the whimsical mystery swirling in their ads–gothic Cinderella, a midnight rendevous and dark “blue roses”—one would expect something striking, unusual and potent. However, these ad promises were just an illusion…graven images that implied Dior would meet the expectations stirred by their ad campaigns.
“Midnight Poison” is anything but: It isn't strong enough to kill a flea and wouldn't leave any kind of trail of dark evidence. Overall, it's not effective and worse–it's a dull “sword”. I found MP to have a subtle jammy, blackberry quality, that ends up drying down to something resembling the woody cedar found in “Light Blue”.
It seems that dark, complex fragrances are no longer a possiblity from department store design houses. Yes, vanilla cake-berry- frosting-prettiness has been the fragrance god of the past decade, but it's sad when a fragrance with a name like “Midnight Poison” ends up smelling surprisingly tame. Unlike the voluptuous “Hypnotic Poison”, that practically oozed brazen sensuality, “Midnight Poison” lacks any kind of flamboyancy. It's a remotely pleasant, but forgettable scent. Even more, it's a delicate, bland little thing—nothing like the midnight temptress that moves through the night, like the famous Fleetwood Mac “Rhiannon” lyrics that the ads reminded me of:
“She is like a cat in the dark,
And then she is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless
Once in a Million years of living like her ”
Well, “Midnight Poison” isn't a “once in a million years” mystical experience, just a “one in a million” fragrance.
Too many repeated words, again, but you get the idea of my opinion.
I got it, I got it! You hated the stuff, LOL…
Reminds me, not of Allure Sensuelle, but more of a dumbed-down Addict, without its smoke and memorability (memorableness??!!). It's good, it's well-made, but it's no lemming — if I've got the usage of that great NST term right!
Lemming isn't my creation though — in fact, not sure where / when it was first used in this way. But learned it at MakeupAlley!
Good word, anyhoo! I've been wearing my little sample of Midnight Poison all morning, and I'm surprised at how wearable it is for daytime, despite the name. I'm actually liking it very much, although I don't have that gotta-have urge for a bottle. It's less reminscent of Addict-sans-bells-and-whistles than I first thought, so I stand corrected. Less dark and sultry and heady. It's got some fruit, too, behind that patchouli, but it's nicely integrated. The sillage is good, too. As you say, Robin, if I were given a bottle, I'd happily spritz it.
I know!! Midnight Poison reminds me of Stella on steroids!!! It's the whole mandarin/over-ripe rose/amber thing, with extra lashings of patchouli and sweet fruit.
Interesting — will have to try them together!
I think it's an association that exists mostly in my mind and in my intuitive center, where ever that is, Robin! Seems that's the way I can remember — almost “see” — and compare scents: by hanging on to three or four of the strongest impressions — in this case, mandarin, blown-out rose and amber — and creating a link in my head. I imagine that in “real life” Stella would be far lighter and rosier. But I hope the connection is helpful to some of your readers.
First off, this is my first comment here and I must admit I am impressed with the style and high standard of honest reviews given by the hosts. Kudos!
Back to MP…I have been browsing around for a perfume for my girlfriend for Christmas, seeing as she has been complaining ofhow some of the “high street” brands she used to enjoy have become too childish and boring.
I'm no fragrance expert, but after fumbling around the perfume departments in several stores, and keeping in mind that blue is one of her favorite colors, I gave Midnight Poison a sniff… I now have a bottle wrapped under the tree for her this Christmas.
The Eva Green ads can be seen as misleading, if one is looking for “a couture-clad maneater at the stroke of midnight in a bottle.” But I've seen Miss Green in the ad several times and see a woman with an unbridled sense of fun, spontanaity and charm, a soft sensuality exuding from her smoky eyes and stunning features. In short, the ad aspires to create the idea of a woman who is living nocturnal POSSIBILITIES that are fresh and slightly mysterious. That IS what is in the bottle here.
I've been sneaky and had my girlfriend try a bit while we have been out and she loves it, and, strictly from a man's perspective, I love the way it smells on her. The burst of fresh patchouli in the top, backed by a slightly tart bite of mandarin and bergamot is meant to tantalize, not incite raw heat. The middle of dark roses is warm and soft, and then the dry down of tonka and amber, still posessing a swirl of patchouli, is dark and mysterious, yet seems light and arousing, rounding off a very feminine scent that gets a man thinking.
I think its a well-made fragrence. It reminds me of when I asked my girlfriend out; how she smelled, the anticipation, the possibilities… the first late-night date.
For those looking for the heavier stuff (and I smelled literally hundreds of scents before chosing MP) the original Poison is more potent, as many have said. Plus, there are several STRONG rose based fragrances as well. This one, however, is a nasal treat. Just thought a male perspective could be helpful here.
Okay, so now I have to reclaim a little masculinity here… cars, football, and stuff…!
As a fan of MP, I'd like to thank you for your comments! I have felt like a lone supporter in a sea of dissenters. I love to hear a man's opinion, too, so I hope you'll contribute more in the future! Robin does a great job with this site; it's one of my favorites for perfume reviews.
Hey, no problem. I've seen some of the “so-so” opinions on MP and decided that maybe a man's opinion may help spread the good word. I'm sure I'll be leaving my thoughts on other fragrances as time goes on. Thanks for the comment and making the “new guy” feel welcome.
Hello markolomeu and welcome! We're always glad to have a man's perspective, and entirely agree it isn't a “a couture-clad maneater at the stroke of midnight in a bottle” — great phrase! Hope your gf will love her present.
I hope she does as well! Thanks for your comment as well Robin – you have a really friendly bunch of readers here! I hope to help bring a little humor and maybe even some new views to the pages, for fragrances both male and female.
Speaking of new views, I wanted to run this idea by everyone and see what everyone thinks.
I own Prada Amber Pour Homme, and it is a rather regular fixture to my daily wardrobe. I wore it out today, and having just recentlly been around MP as I was gift shopping, I caught a small similarity in the dry down for both the Prada and the Poison. Not exactly the same, to be sure, but the similarity of the warm tonka bean/vanilla and patchouli with amber is there. The lingering orange and flare of seude makes the Prada and slightly hardens or stiffens the dry down in it, making it warm but masculine and a little layered, while MP is the tonka/vanilla with strong patchouli and amber, which allows the accords to sort of mesh altogether. That makes it sweeter, but still warm; it becomes feminine and fresh.
I've heard PAPH called feminine or less masculine than most male juices, and I've heard MP said to be the forerunner for a Poison for Men… interesting how each have a similar dry down and generate the transgender affect on their intended market. Maybe its because of the untraditional nature of their scents (a sweeter male scent and a slightly tart.bitter female scent aren't conventional fragrance standards in todays aqua or flora scented world)
Hasn't stopped the men and women from buying PAPH or MP respectivly. The last store I was in, MP's tester was dry and Prada was leaping into shopping bags.
Just an observation…
Markolomeu
It is true, there have more & more sweet fragrances for men since around 2005, and in the past year, more & more dry earthy fragrances for women. Many women are buying and wearing the Prada, and men could I think as easily wear the MP — only I don't think most men wear women's scents as readily as women wear men's.
You have me there Robin. I wouldn't wear Midnight Posion myself, probably because I associate the rose and the slightly sweet/tart dry down in it as feminine. But I agree, it is drier than your “(insert female celebrity name here) fruity and sticky faux glam” sprtiz and splashes.
Maybe that is why some women aren't drawn to Midnight Poison: it isn't feminine by THOSE standards, which some people admittedly like. It also isn't coated with the same punch and power as tried female favorites like Chanel No. 5 and the like. But I still feel that it is very nicely feminine, but on an actual women and not a teen queen.
Maybe that is where Dior was heading with this; perhaps they are trying to meet the standards of a woman and try and appeal to the growing up teenage girls who will start abandoning “Curious” and “Heiress” for something stronger, a little more willful and adventurious.
Hopefully, these teen girls will get nose cavaties from the bottles that Miss Spears and Miss Hilton keep churning out and start going for the better stuff. I know that men would appreciate that as well.
Oh! On a bizarre non-sequitur, what do you think a good name for a male Poison would be? Would we keep the same format of a named Poison? Or would it be different?
I would make the male equivalent a Remedy or Antidote, just to play off of the name Poison that is associated with Dior's “sensual woman”. For example Hypnotic Poison could have a Waking Remedy for Men, Tendre Posion could have a Rough Remedy… cures that undo the “affects” or kinds of Posion…
Now it sounds like chemical warfare!
Any comments? Ideas? Just a funny little suggestion!
Antidote was taken by Viktor & Rolf, so they'll have to stick with Remedy! There was a funny thread here awhile back w/ suggestions for the next women's Poison, but can't remember where. Like “Waking Remedy”
I just recently got Midnight Poison and it has become my second fav of the Poison series after Pure Poison. It is seductive, mysterious and intriguing. I am definitely glad I bought it!
Jenny
It is funny how Britney Spears' Curious gets mentioned, becuase Dior's Midnight Posion actually reminds me a lot of Britney's Midnight Fantasy. The colour, the name, and even the juices bear an uncanny resemblance to each other – the plum-ey sweetness with florals and clean patchouli. Go smell them and you will know what I mean! But while I was tempted to buy Midnight Fantasy, I couldn't bring myself to get a celebrity scent, I may well consider buying MP.
Interesting! I can see where you find the similarities, but I pretty much hated Midnight Fantasy and really like the Midnight Poison — so they're at least different enough that you might like one & not the other
Oh good for you! It is always a bliss to find a fragrance that I would like to wear everyday for more than three months. I have also been considering getting Midnight Poison, and though it is more fashionable than Hypnotic Poison, the latter is slightly more pleasing to my nose. I agree with the thread that points out that floral-fruity with clean patchouli seems to be the trend now (I think it started with Coco Mlle) – YSL Elle and CD Midnight Poison caught my attention at about the same time.
Glad to see someone likes Pure Poison though I cannot appreciate its appeal. My choice of Poison (in descending order would be Hypnotic, Midnight, the original, Tendre, and Pure).
Even though I like the perfume, I can’t help that every time I put it on, it makes me feel sad. Perhaps it’s the dark side of it, the “midnight” element haha and I am not much of a night owl. It’s just that some fragrances make me feel good and happy, and others, no matter how well they are done, put me in a lousy mood. What a shame Midnight Poison, I must look for a good home for my big bottle.
What a shame! Hope you find a happy home for your bottle.
Well I made a mistake of putting it on a list of requested perfumes for my sister, for my birthday. And she picked it of all three perfumes to get me. I never tried it before putting it on the list but did after and it was too late.
I don’t hate it, and now that it “fell from the sky” I am using it but I am not crazy about it. I imagined a much stronger and expected a perfume with a stronger character. This one fades fast and does not seem to have a distinguished smell.
I
Oh, what a shame! Can you possibly exchange it?