Dunhill Pure For Men Fragrance Review: A Nuanced Cologne From 2006

Dunhill Pure Composition

Despite no direct presence of any particularly oceanic notes aside from ambergris, we found that Dunhill Pure and its herb garden bouquet results in an overall Aquatic Aromatic fragrance.

Head Notes

• Lotus Petal
• Bergamot
• White Pepper

Pure opens with a subtle zesty note of bergamot alongside a rich floral accord of lotus petal. Meanwhile, a touch of white pepper adds some substance to the first few minutes of wear.

Heart Notes

• Cardamon
• Iris
• Carnation

Eventually, the head evaporates only slightly to reveal a heart that consists predominantly of iris and carnation flowers. Additionally, there is a very faint note of cardamon that adds just a hint of spice. However, the cardamon is extremely mild and almost imperceptible.

Nevertheless, the head’s lotus and white pepper notes continue to persist but with the absence of any bergamot.

Base Notes

• Ambergris
• Cedar Wood

If you’re very patient, you may eventually begin to detect a few faint glimmers of ambergris and cedar wood. Although very subtle, they’re certainly present in the base alongside the above notes described in the heart. However, the fragrance fades into a floral albeit pleasant skin scent.

Dunhill Pure’s Life-Cycle, Wake & Strength

Although often described as a basic and linear fragrance, Dunhill Pure does feature a very nuanced dry-down that can be picked up with a little patience. However, this is faint to say the least and very short-lived too.

Indeed, the fragrance’s performance isn’t overly satisfying with only a hint of a sillage. Meanwhile, the projection’s scent bubble is minuscule and the longevity is not all that different from an eau de cologne.

What People Think Of Dunhill Pure

Although Dunhill fragrances may occasionally cause a division among both the fragrance community and the general public, there are few that sincerely dislike Pure. Since it’s such an inoffensive and simple fragrance, it’s actually something that most people can appreciate.

Interestingly, it seemed to be preferred by either much younger men or men in their fifties. However, it was really something that men between their 20s or 30s would consider wearing.

In most cases, it was regarded as a light and pleasant experience. However, many would pan it for being a boring or forgettable fragrance.

Some men even first thought that it was a women’s fragrance but women who tried it weren’t overly fond of it either. Again, nobody disliked it but none were fans. When asked if they would wear it, they found it lacked too much personality for them.

When To Wear Dunhill Pure

Given its overall floral and aromatic character, Dunhill Pure comes across as a predominantly spring fragrance. Although it can also be worn in summer, it’s not particularly adapted to autumn or winter.

Similarly, it’s a definite daytime fragrance and would feel out of place if worn during the evening or nighttime. While a relatively casual fragrance, its soothing properties would me it ideal for the office. However, we would actually consider it for the gym too.

As for the ideal demographic for wearing this fragrance, we would primarily say that it’s better for men in their thirties. However, it appears that men in their fifties would probably enjoy it more.

Finally, we would regard Pure as only a faintly masculine fragrance. By that we mean that it features very few typically masculine notes such as leathery or boozy musks. Instead, it’s a fragrance that’s so mild that we could even consider it was unisex.

Presentation and Value For Money

Interestingly, Dunhill have opted to use the same style bottle as the Dunhill Signature that was released in 2003. However, it features a frosted glass finish so the blue liquid comes through only slightly.

Meanwhile, the box is made of a silver reflective material that has been embossed to resemble a metal grate. Like the fragrance, it’s clean and quite modest. Unlike the fragrance, however, it’s quite masculine in appearance, which is quite ironic.

As for the atomiser, it works quite well overall. Since the bottle has a somewhat awkward shape, though, it can be easy to only half discharge it, which causes the liquid to squirt out incorrectly.

That said, the bottle becomes quite ergonomic when you get used to it. The trick is to squeeze into in the palm of the hand with the atomiser nearer the fingers than the thumb.

Finally, the value for money is pretty good. This is, after all, a pretty cheap fragrance and can be found for only $30-odd on Amazon or even from $17 on FragranceX.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re looking for a faintly subtle and inoffensive fragrance with refreshing aquatic and floral notes, Dunhill Pure is a good option. Its also a great choice for the gym too if that would fulfil a need for you.

That said, there are lots of other affordable aquatics with Kenzo Pour Homme being one of our favourites. Nevertheless, this is by no means a bad fragrance and may suit somebody perfectly well.