No.5 EDP by Chanel | bestmenscolognes.com

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No. 5 is probably the most famous fragrance on the planet. The original parfum dates back to 1922, but today I am going to review the eau de parfum which was released in 1986. This is the more affordable of the two and probably the best selling, at this point. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a try?

Contents

What does Chanel No. 5 Smell Like?

Notes include: aldehydes, iris, ylang-ylang, peach, neroli, bergamot, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, vanilla, oakmoss, patchouli

Click here to try: No. 5 EDP from Chanel

My Full Review

The opening of the EDP version blasts you with the cold aldehydes found in Ernest Beaux’s original formulation. That synthetic smell was designed to capture his memories of the frozen sea air of his youth. Cold air/ozone, that’s the only way I can describe it.

With that you get a bright use of a bergamot and peach note, along with a spiced neroli, giving the aroma a general fuzziness early on. Cold, dry, fresh, spicy, and floral. The sandalwood is already coming through.

So, the original is infused with a lot of jasmine from Grasse, and I do get plenty of jasmine early on in the wear. But, it doesn’t seem to the same strength. I mean, I am going off memory of what the Parfum smells like, but this doesn’t have the same degree of iris and jasmine as I remember it…could be wrong.

Anyway, the jasmine that is there is joined by the ylang-ylang which presents itself powerfully in this mix. Sort of reminds me of Gabrielle, at times, since they have so much floral overlap. But, the rest of the blend is distinct.

That original blast of the bergamot, neroli, and peach are greatly reduced moving into the next phase. The aldehydic floral really comes out. Soapy, sort of powdery at this point, and dry.

Really, the oakmoss is there, but man there’s a period where this fragrance is a super sandalwood on my skin.

From there, it’s basically a soapy floral I can get some of the rose, jasmine, and remaining ylang-ylang. But, the iris does pick up and adds to the powdery smell. Sandalwood floral with some of the same aldehydes. Overall, it feels like a warmer perfume at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, EDP is strong early and can leave a nice scent trail for about 2 hours or so. It’s not overwhelming, unless you go crazy with the sprays. For most of the wear, it’ll be above average and detectable while sitting much closer to the skin.

On me, I get about 8 hours of wear with No. 5 Eau de Parfum. Not a crazy long-lasting perfume from Chanel, but it serves most purposes well enough.

Seasonally, this is probably best in autumn or springtime. The mild climate and being away from the extremes on either end of the temperature spectrum, is where No.5 fits in. That being said, I’d rather wear this in winter versus the height of summer, if I had to.

This is more of a mature fragrance. Though, for me it’s less of an age issue versus fitting in with your own style. It is a classic scent, it’s different from much of what is offered nowadays, and that makes it feel anachronistic to some.

It can still be worn by younger women or older. It can be a daily signature or something that you put on for special occasions. It’s attractive, but I’ve personally never particularly found it to be sexy.

It’s nice and comfortable and can fit in while dressed up or even in a more casual situation.

Overall Impressions of Chanel No.5 EDP

Overall, do I like this version? I do. I’ve got to try the Parfum again, but I think that one is just better than this, in totality. Greater concentration and sort of different in the formulation. Though, I’m kind of still more of a fan of Shalimar, myself.

However, I really appreciate the timeless qualities of the essential No. 5 structure. Some people say it smells old or ‘old lady-ish’. I mean, it’s the quintessential modern perfume, and over 100 years old at this point. Like, of course, it’s not going to be cutting edge…but it can still be an absolute killer scent.

Funny enough, it was at the time thought and created to be a very sexy and liberating perfume.

The floral aspects here are great, when paired with the aldehydes. Fresh and more intense up top, with a clean soapiness in the finish. Drier with a cold coziness. Then, warmer into the finish.  Very well put together with layers, that can take time to fully get into.

I really like the sandalwood phase, when the iris and jasmine are in balance. That’s really a quality aroma.

Is this a fragrance for everyone? Probably not. It is one that should be tried out by everyone. Not just once, either. Come back to it, let it develop, and see if it draws you in.

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Chanel No. 5 EDP

7.9

Aroma

8.6/10

Sillage

7.4/10

Longevity

8.0/10

Versatility

8.7/10

Uniqueness

7.0/10

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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.