Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali, inspired by Salvador Dali for women (1983)

Rather than fresh, the start is aromatic: frankincense and clove give a smoky, spiced cast, lifted by bergamot and violet leaves. The flowers are layered thickly, with jonquil, narcissus and ylang-ylang among them, and have a powdery, faintly musty quality. Its base uses chypre materials, oakmoss and patchouli, yet benzoin, sandalwood and musk give it the rounded feel of a floral oriental. Oakmoss is a lichen with a damp, forest-floor smell.

About the original

Salvador Dali was the first fragrance from Parfums Salvador Dali, launched in 1983 and usually credited to Alberto Morillas. Its bottle reproduces the nose and lips from Dalí's painting 'Apparition of the Visage of Aphrodite of Cnidos in a Landscape', and 5,000 crystal flacons were designed by the artist himself. It was first released as a Parfum de Toilette; a later eau de parfum, dated 1985 by one retailer, is listed with a noticeably different set of notes. This page follows the 1983 notes and is a separate scent from Salvador Dali pour Homme (1985).

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Salvador Dali (Parfums Salvador Dali, Cofinluxe/COFCI) stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Rich and resinous, it is described as a scent for cool days and evenings. The incense, clove and dense florals can feel heavy to anyone used to modern fresh perfumes, and the powdery mustiness of the heart is very much of its era.

Related scents

• Salvador Dali Dalissime
• Salvador Dali Laguna

Notes of the original fragrance, as listed in fragrance references.

Top notes: Frankincense, Clove, Bergamot, Violet Leaves

Heart notes: Rose, Jasmine, Jonquil, Narcissus, Ylang-ylang, Mimosa

Base notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Benzoin, Musk

Frankincense and clove lead, with bergamot and violet leaves adding a little air.

The heart is full: rose, jasmine, jonquil, narcissus, ylang-ylang and mimosa, powdery and slightly animalic in feel.

Sandalwood and patchouli anchor the drydown, with oakmoss, benzoin and musk.

Which Salvador Dali perfume is this?

The women's Salvador Dali from 1983, in the lips-and-nose bottle. It is not Salvador Dali pour Homme, nor the later Dalissime or Laguna.

Is it a chypre or an oriental?

It is classed both ways. Oakmoss and patchouli point to chypre, while benzoin and sandalwood in the drydown lead many wearers to read it as a floral oriental.

Is the later Dali eau de parfum the same formula?

We have not been able to confirm this. Its published notes, with aldehydes, red berries and tuberose, differ markedly from the 1983 version.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Salvador Dali and Salvador Dali are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Salvador Dali 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.