This Is Him by Zadig & Voltaire Review: Why I Still Wear It Almost Every Day (2026)
Getting ready with This is Him by Zadig & Voltaire.
Disclosure: I bought This is Him with my own money. My opinion is never for sale. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Some fragrances come and go. You test them, you write them up, you move on. After thirteen years of reviewing men's grooming and fragrance, that's just the nature of the job. But every now and then something earns a permanent place in your rotation — not because you're obligated to keep wearing it, but because on an ordinary Tuesday morning, it's simply the one you reach for.
This Is Him by Zadig & Voltaire is one of those. I've been wearing it for years. It's still in my bathroom. It still gets sprayed several mornings a week. And in a world where I'm constantly testing what's new, that kind of staying power means something.
Here's my fully updated honest review for 2026.
Who is Zadig & Voltaire?
If you're not familiar with the brand, Zadig & Voltaire is a Paris-born fashion house with a rock and roll soul. Founded in 1997, it sits in that interesting space between luxury and accessible — think leather, skulls, attitude, but with genuine Parisian elegance underneath. Their fragrance line follows the same philosophy: bold enough to be interesting, refined enough to wear anywhere.
This Is Him was their first major men's fragrance, launched in 2016. It was created by two master perfumers, Nathalie Lorson and Aurélien Guichard, and it announced itself with a confidence that most designer fragrances lack. Since then the range has expanded significantly — more on that later — but the original remains the one that started it all, and in my view the one that still stands tallest.
The bottle
The packaging is exactly what you'd expect from a brand with this aesthetic. The bottle is angular, dark, and deliberately minimal — matte black with clean lines and a tactile quality that makes it satisfying to hold. It doesn't shout at you from the bathroom shelf. It just sits there looking like it belongs. The cap is solid and weighted. Nothing feels cheap. For a fragrance at this price point, the presentation is genuinely impressive.
The scent — what it actually smells like
This Is Him opens with black pepper and grapefruit, and it does so with real confidence. The pepper is sharp and immediate — not a soft, decorative pepper note but something with genuine presence. The grapefruit lifts it, stops it from feeling heavy, and gives you that first few minutes of energy that makes you want to smell your wrist again.
Then it settles. And this is where it gets interesting.
The heart is incense and vanilla — a combination that sounds like it could go cloying or overtly sweet, but doesn't. The incense keeps everything grounded and slightly smoky. The vanilla adds warmth without adding sugar. It's a genuinely clever balance and it's what makes this fragrance distinctive rather than just pleasant.
The base is sandalwood, which in the dry down becomes the dominant character — creamy, woody, close to the skin, with just enough of the incense still lingering to keep things interesting. At this stage, worn into the afternoon, it becomes almost meditative. Not loud. Just consistently good.
The overall effect is dark without being oppressive, warm without being sweet, masculine without being aggressive. It smells like a man who knows exactly who he is.
How I wear it
I still reach for This Is Him almost every day.
I wear it to the school run. I wear it on days when I'm writing at my desk. I wear it when I want something that works without requiring me to think about it. Three sprays — neck, wrist, chest — and that's it. It does its job quietly and consistently.
Longevity on my skin is solid. I get a comfortable five to six hours of genuine projection before it settles into a skin scent. Some people in the fragrance community report shorter wear — skin chemistry plays a role here, as it does with every fragrance. My advice is to apply to pulse points and don't overdo it. Four sprays is plenty. More than that and the incense can tip from interesting to imposing.
When to wear it
This Is Him is at its best in autumn and winter. The warmth of the incense and sandalwood comes alive in cold air in a way that doesn't happen quite the same in summer heat. That said, I wear it year-round — particularly on cooler summer evenings. It works for evenings out, date nights, and smart casual occasions. It's not an office fragrance in the traditional sense — it has too much personality for that — but if your workplace is relaxed, worn with restraint it's perfectly appropriate.
The expanded range — what's new
Since the original launched in 2016, Zadig & Voltaire have built a proper family around it. Two releases are worth knowing about.
This Is Really Him! (2024) was created by the same perfumer, Nathalie Lorson, and takes the original DNA in a fresher, more intense direction. It opens with grapefruit and lemon, moves through a distinctive metallic orange blossom heart, and dries down to palo santo and amberwood. It's lighter and more citrus-forward than the original — better suited to warmer weather and men who find the original's incense a step too far. I'd describe it as the daytime version to the original's evening character.
This Is Him! Burning Love (2025) is a limited-edition summer release — citrus and orange on top, a rum middle, and a base of amber, vanilla and woody notes. It's warmer and more overtly sweet than the original, closer to a gourmand territory. The fragrance community has responded well to it and the rum note gives it genuine character. If you love the original but want something with more summer energy, this is worth exploring.
The original remains my recommendation for most men. But the range now gives you options depending on the season and your personal taste, which makes Zadig & Voltaire a more interesting house than it was when I first started wearing this.
Is it worth buying in 2026?
At its price point — widely available in the UK and US, often under £40 for 50ml — This Is Him represents genuine value. You're getting a fragrance designed by two respected perfumers, with real character and a distinct identity, for a fraction of what some designer houses charge for far less interesting work.
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Check price on Amazon →It's not going to turn heads the way a niche fragrance might. It's not going to make fragrance enthusiasts lean in and ask what you're wearing. But it's going to make you smell good, consistently, day after day. And sometimes that's exactly what you need.
I've reviewed over a thousand products since 2013. The ones that earn a permanent place in my rotation are rare. This Is Him is one of them.
My rating: 8.5/10
Distinctive, well-crafted, genuinely versatile across most of the year, and excellent value for the price. The longevity varies by skin type which is the only reason it doesn't score higher. For the money, there's very little that touches it.
Jerome.
Frequently asked questions
What does This Is Him by Zadig & Voltaire smell like? It's a warm, spicy oriental woody fragrance. Black pepper and grapefruit open it up, incense and vanilla form the heart, and sandalwood anchors the dry down. It's dark, slightly smoky, and creamy — more evening than daytime, more autumn than summer.
How long does This Is Him last? On most skin types, expect five to six hours of genuine projection before it becomes a skin scent. Some people report shorter wear — skin chemistry plays a significant role. Applying to pulse points and avoiding over-spraying gives the best results.
Is This Is Him suitable for everyday wear? Yes, with restraint. Two to three sprays in a casual setting is enough. It has personality, so it works best when worn with confidence rather than applied heavily.
Is Zadig & Voltaire a luxury brand? Zadig & Voltaire is a French fashion house positioned between accessible and luxury. Their fragrances are priced accessibly but designed with genuine craft — This Is Him was created by Nathalie Lorson and Aurélien Guichard, both respected names in perfumery.
About the author: I'm Jerome, founder of Dapper & Groomed. I've spent the past 13 years testing and reviewing skincare products, fragrances, grooming products, and men's lifestyle gear on this blog and on my YouTube channel. My reviews are never approved or previewed by brands — just honest, real-world testing from a dad who's been at this since 2013.
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