Perfume Review: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (Eau De Parfum)

This review is for the Eau De Parfum spray, not the dab-on Parfum version (Extrait De Parfum).

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): High ($200+). Category: Floral/Chypre.

Launched in 2001, Codo Mademoiselle is today one of the top-selling fragrances in the world (and the best-selling in the USA according to the very knowledgeable and very lovely Victoria Frolova from the Bois De Jasmin blog). This is another of Jacques Polge's scents, and a definite home run.

The first thing I'll get out of the way before I go into details of notes: this is not a proper flanker to the much older Coco from 1984, and it doesn't bear much resemblance to the much newer Coco Noir either.

The top of this scent is quite fruity to me. Orange is very discernible, and because of the number of fragrances using bergamot, I can pick up the now-familiar bergamot undertones quite easily. However, what I really like about the top notes of this scent is the inclusion of orange blossom. The orange blossom really calms down the sharpness of the orange fruit, and the bergamot gives it a nice rounded softness to go along. Overall, it's a lovely top with discernible orange notes. It's not a very warm top though; it has a slight coolness to it.

In a good scent, the top should end after the mids take over, and this one is no exception (fortunately). The middle has rose as its focal point, coupled with the soft, white scent of jasmine and the slight powderiness of ylang-ylang. There is some element of sweetness in the middle which neither rose nor jasmine carry in their own right. However, the sweetness-carrying mimose is incredibly hard to discern individually here, because the rose is quite strong, and the jasmine is also quite potent to prevent the rose from drowning it. The middle, as it settles, starts showing patchouli quite strongly, and there's creaminess that is very trade-mark vanilla.

The base of this scent is very complex. It's one of the most varied compositions I've come across, and the fine balance of bottom notes is what makes this scent so good. There's very easily discerned vanilla and tonka bean (the creaminess is hard to leave unnoticed), musk, and the damp woody/mossy feeling tell-tale of vetiver's presence. There's a little touch of warmth as well, which I think is amber. The orange blossom, with creamy vanilla and slightly sharp patochuli is a real master-stroke.

Taming patchouli is a difficult task; Midnight Poison (Dior) smacks you in the face with patchouli at the top even though it's supposed to be a middle note. In this scent, the patchouli is smothered just enough that it wont overpower other notes, but prevents any one note from running away with the flag. So what could have been a complete cacophony in unskilled hands is a very complex, well-composed dry-down that really rounds out an excellent fragrance.

Longevity of this scent is absolutely marathon. Samples on my hands/wrist lasted well past 12 hours on the forearm, and about 8-odd hours on the back of the hand, withstanding several hand-washes. On clothing this scent will outlast a whole day with ease. Projection is variable but doesn't fall too low on most people. I found it projects to a few feet away from the wearer, although a friend who tried it said it projected about arms' length away from her. It also has a peculiar tendency to be more perceptible to others than the wearer (perhaps the strength makes the wearers' nose go anosmic towards it quite quickly).

The bottle is the iconic Chanel flacon (same as No. 5) with soft shoulders, bevelled corners and the convex inwards bulge at the bottom. The cap resembes the cabouchon stoppers seen in the dab-on parfum bottles with its bevelled edges, but is made of frosted transluscent plastic. The fluid is coral in colour, and won't stain clothing unless sprayed from close range instead of being misted. Unfortunately, price is something that prevents this scent from reaching its potential in the scorecard.

This scent is hard to categorise. It is sensual and elegant, yet it is quite imposing if used with that intention. It is not cloying or sharp, and spending extended time periods with someone wearing this scent is unlikely to fatigue you. It is a versatile scent, but the potency of the EdP may make it a less than ideal choice for boardrooms. It can serve as an outgoing scent, a social one or an intimate one depending on how much is applied, and where. My recommendation: Absolute, unqualified.

Ratings:
4.5/5...Soft yet powerful, imposing yet sensual, classy, fresh and very elegant. Impressive longevity, well-balanced projection. Price could be more palatable though. Applied in the right balance, and in the right place, this one is hard to go wrong with.

(Balance of notes 5, Projection 4, Longevity 5, Value 3, rounded and adjusted to overall 4.5)

Prices:

RRP: AU$116 / AU$159 / AU$234 / AU$350 for 35ml / 50ml / 100ml / 200ml

UVP: 35ml $3.31/ml 50ml $3.18/ml, 100ml $2.34/ml, 200ml $1.75/ml

Click for more information on UVP

Chanel don't allow discounting. The maximum discount I've seen at some independent retailers is about 9%. Australian prices for Chanel are quite high; however, my exchange-adjusted price comparisons with UK and Europe yield a decent score for value. USA-based retailers sell the US-made version of the scent, which is a fair bit cheaper than the French-made version sold elsewhere.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, some pharmacies. Chanel Beauty/Fragrance boutiques would be my go-to for Chanel products. However, my personal experience with Chanel at Myer Melbourne and David Jones Melbourne CBD has been good as well.