He Wood

The Story

Launched in 2007, He Wood was Dsquared2’s first fragrance and the foundation of the brand’s whole perfume identity, inspired by the forests and lakes of the founders’ native Canada. Its red-alder-framed bottle and clean woody scent earned a devoted following. Dsquared2 discontinued it years ago, replacing it with newer woods, which has made the original increasingly hard to find. Our interpretation preserves it.

How It Smells

This is the smell of a cool northern forest. It opens fresh and green, with crisp fir and white spruce over a clean, slightly watery transparency that feels like damp air among the trees. At its heart sits its signature: a soft, powdery violet, both leafy and faintly floral, which gives the woods a refined, almost suede-like smoothness. A base of dry vetiver, cedar, amber, and musk keeps everything grounded and quietly masculine. The overall impression is clean, woody, and serene, like a walk through a Scandinavian forest or sauna.

The Notes

Top: fir, white spruce, amber. Heart: violet leaf, violet blossom. Base: vetiver, cedar, musk.

How Our Version Compares

Our interpretation rebuilds He Wood at 40 percent perfume oil, a far higher concentration than the lighter eau de toilette and eau de parfum sprays most people know, where the actual oil content is often only a small fraction of that. Made in the EU to careful standards, it is formulated to track the character you remember while giving you stronger projection and noticeably longer wear on skin. Because the oil load is so high, a little goes a long way: one or two dabs at the pulse points is usually enough for the day, and the scent unfolds slowly through its top, heart, and base over many hours rather than burning off within the first one. An oil based fragrance also sits closer to the skin and reacts to your own warmth and chemistry, so the way it develops on you will be subtly your own rather than identical to anyone else. If you want to stretch the wear even further, apply it to freshly moisturised skin, which holds the oils far better than dry skin and slows down evaporation. Storing it away from heat and direct light will also keep the blend smelling true for longer. This is an independent interpretation inspired by the original accord, blended in our own workshop, and it is not the branded fragrance itself.

Common Questions

Is the original discontinued? Yes. He Wood is no longer in production, so authentic bottles are increasingly scarce. Our version is made fresh and stays available.

Is this the original fragrance? No. It is an independent interpretation of the accord, rebuilt at 40 percent perfume oil.

Is it unisex? It leans masculine, but its soft woody violet is gentle enough to be worn by anyone who enjoys clean, woody scents.

When should I wear it? Its fresh, woody character suits daytime and the office, and carries well across the seasons.

Comparative Advertising Disclaimer

Dsquared2 and He Wood are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Dsquared2 in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.