Chanel No 5 Parfum Chanel perfume – a fragrance for women 1921

I have avoided reviewing No 5 EDP for ages because… well… because it’s Chanel No. 5! What do you say that hasn’t already been said (and probably been said better. lol) But because this is now one of my favorite fragrances, I feel I need to.

Like others, It took me many years to appreciate No. 5 in any form. I have tested it dozens of times between 1998-2016. I never even understood it, let alone liked it. I recall at least two of my earlier testings where I actually scrubbed it off! I’m telling you, I have talked so much trash about No. 5 that it’s the last fragrance I ever thought I’d have a change of heart with. But a couple years ago I tried the EDP and after a few minutes I just felt so serene. A calm, confidence & feminine strength swept over me and I couldn’t stop smelling my wrist. Now, this would have been after the 2015 reformulation that everyone is complaining about. So perhaps I actually prefer the reformulation. Or maybe my chemistry has changed.

Whatever happened, Chanel No 5 stepped into my life and it has literally rendered dozens of other fragrances in my collection completely irrelevant. I wear No. 5 so often that I haven’t touched some of my previous favorites in over a year and they are now going up for sale. It waltzed into my wardrobe and flipped the perfume game completely upside down. Now every fragrance I encounter has to measure up to No. 5. It’s utter madness.

On me Chanel No. 5 is mostly a creamy, smooth blend of Aldehyde, ylang ylang, Jasmine, Sandalwood and other non-descript light woods (perhaps vetiver or oak moss) I don’t actually pick out any of the other notes. Probably because it’s so expertly blended. It is clean smelling but to me, it’s also a bit dirty. I know that probably makes no sense, but it has a very “unwashed human skin scent” underlying all the contradictory cleanliness. It’s perfect! It is deserving of its status and I totally get why it has stood the test of time. It is not a powerhouse and I don’t recall it ever having been… at least not since I began trying it in the late 90’s. The silage is fairly close and the lasting power of this formulation is quite good. I don’t understand the complaints. It goes about 8 hours and my skin typically eats fragrance much quicker than other people. But yes, it is pretty much a skin scent the last 3 or 4 hours.

I sometimes wonder if those shouting “GRANNY” from the rooftops have ever even tried it on skin and allowed it to drydown. Because even back when I didn’t care for it I never thought it smelled old. I just thought it smelled like soap. I have had people say, “You smell fantastic!” When I tell them it’s No.5 they’re almost always surprised. One of my sons girlfriends even said, “Really?! Gosh, I’ve heard so much about it but I guess I always thought it was for much older women! It’s beautiful.” (I am regarded as the cool mom in the group btw lol) The most famous fragrance, a name everyone knows, but it would seem not many actually know what it smells like. I’ve yet to have anyone compliment it who wasn’t utterly shocked to hear it was Chanel No 5. As if it didn’t fit their preconceived notions. I’m telling you, a sniff from the bottle or a test strip is not going to tell you anything about this one. It demands skin, patience, and a intimate romp with your individual chemistry before she tells her secrets.