Sharing my fantasy of Chanel No. 5 ...

Author's Rating:

Pros: Lasting, timeless, voluptuous fragrance.

Cons: The fantasy doesn't come for free!

The Bottom Line: 
Recommend, because Chanel No. 5 will never go out of style.

Author's Review
Chanel No. 5 is a timeless classic so it's no wonder that it still graces my mother's traditional cherry dresser, just as it currently lends beauty to mine. I thought my mother looked just like one of those women you'd see in a Chanel ad and so wanted to be like her that I spent one summer covering my white blonde hair hoping it would turn dark like hers. She smelled great too, but I didn't fully appreciate the allure of Chanel No. 5 until I went off to college and became, oh so sophisticated. (at least pretended to be...and still pretending, sometimes)

Chanel's advertising probably has something to do with that transition too. Whether it's print ads, or television commercials, the Chanel No. 5 message is always delivered by a woman who epitomizes beauty and sophistication who almost dares you to to wear the fragrance. As fragrance often is, Chanel No. 5 is about more than scent; it's about fantasy. Perhaps not who you are, but who you might be.

That's a lot of hype to live up to and frequently this is where the fantasy ends. Have you ever built up something in your mind and then felt disappointed that the experience didn't quite meet your expectations? At least for me, Chanel No. 5 is up to the challenge.

Coco Chanel was a force and at her insistence, No. 5 was to be a fragrance for a woman that smells like a woman, specifically designed NOT to smell like a single flower. In fact it is a floral aldehyde which means that components are synthesized and then blended to produce a bouquet of scent which defies the isolation of any one "ingredient".  Apparently the creator, Ernest Beaux, liked women because he interpreted the "scent of a woman" beautifully.

Synthetic has a negative connotation, but the process enables a "natural" essence to be stabilized and tweaked to its most desirable characteristic. For instance, taking lemon and altering it to produce a scent better than nature created. Or, an aldehyde might be produced to smell like the clean scent of freshly laundered clothes blowing gently in the breeze of a bright sunny day. The aldehydes are supposed to be the secret to the success, but like its name, Chanel No. 5 is an elusive scent as complex and abstract as a Jackson Pollock painting. There are plenty of myths and legends surrounding Chanel No. 5 but from what I could discern, ultimately, Chanel No. 5 is a blend of clean, fresh aldehydes, combined with jasmine and roses.

Whatever it is, it isn't the fragrance of the moment, or a wretched concoction some famous for being famous celebutart with the latest sex tape is hawking.  I read that a bottle is sold every 55 seconds! Unlike some other powerhouse scents, like Rive Gauche from YSL, Chanel has never been tempted to mess with perfection through its decades of popularity. Chanel simply launches new products to appeal to contemporary women rather than reformulating this icon.

The scent is definitely feminine; a voluptuous floral explosion that clings to your skin for hours and hours and it's a mostly linear scent that kind of expands with the heat of your body. A little goes a long way and produces a trail of scent in your personal space without trailing too far. My impression of the fragrance is creamy jasmine, bright vanilla similar to heliotrope, a pinch of fresh picked roses from a garden, anchored by a light musky base. It evokes romance, femininity, and sophistication. (even when I'm running to the grocery store for a gallon of milk) 

Chanel No. 5 is available in different strengths and bottle types. I usually prefer to buy stronger Eau de Parfum concentrations, but Chanel No. 5 Eau de Toilette packs plenty of punch. And, I prefer the appealing aesthetic of the classic bottle as pictured. (It's the bottle Andy Warhol immortalized, like the Campell's Soup cans) I don't wear it everyday, but I also don't hesitate to wear it whenever the mood strikes me. Plenty of complementary products are available if you like to layer your scent --- especially around holidays! 

Fragrance is about as personal is it gets. I'm very comfortable recommending Chanel No. 5, but then again, I love it. Give it a try!