Double Review: Chanel Allure (Eau De Parfum and Parfum )

Target Gender: Female; Price Bracket (Aus): High ($200+). Category: Complex, semi-linear oriental vanilla/wood/fruit/floral combination.

Review based on wrist and card samples. Special thanks to a very nice sales assistant from Chanel at David Jones Melbourne for sampling the scent on wrist. This review does not consider Allure Sensuelle. Pricing information provided by Chanel Boutique Chadstone and Chanel at David Jones Melbourne CBD.

My first encounter with Chanel Allure was a test-like-forget affair. Forward a couple of years, and this time, while purchasing my bottle of Eau Extrême, I tried this little gem on a card and on my wrist. The card sample attracted my attention, but the wrist sample had me thinking "Surely it can't be that good?"...

Still apprehensive, I requested the lovely sales assistant at the Chanel counter to volunteer and spray some on her wrist. And this time I was bowled over. This scent is absolutely jaw-dropping, knee-weakening, divinely good. Yes, it's that good. In a break from my usual style of reviewing, I'll slam a little spoiler here: this is my favourite scent by a furlong.

Allure came out in 1996 as an EdT, and the Parfum and EdP followed in 1999. They're similar in terms of their overall feel, but not exactly the same fragrance in differing concentrations. Like most post-80s Chanel scents, this one is also a Jacques Polge creation, and a good reminder of his perfumery prowess. It is scents like Sycomore, Coromandel, 31 Rue Cambon, Beige and Allure that make stereotyopical, conformist creations like Chance forgiveable.

100ml EDP Bottle; The cap on the
retail bottle is orange.

This perfume can be defined in one word: complexity. This is a complex, multi-faceted scent that is very hard to shoe-horn into a distinct category. Even though it displays some element of note hierarchy, this perfume has no distinct top, mid or base proper. Allure has elements of bergamot, mandarin, peach, vanilla, jasmine, rose, magnolia, vetiver, cedar, orange blossom, lotus and peony.

None of the twelve notes except for peach and vanilla take the character of headline, mid or base note. Instead, they all play hide-and-seek for the life of the scent. I have come across complex scents before (L'Instant De Guerlain and Coco Mademoiselle for example) but Allure takes the meaning of complex linearity a bit literally...Mr. Polge has really outdone himself with this one.

At first spray (EdP), the opening is intense, and defiant of any attempts to define it as fruity, floral or woody. The opening has a citrusy undertone, with peach and the two woods (vetiver in particular) making their presence felt, and the citrusy notes discernible alongside. But the florals will be perceptible from time to time as well. The overall character keeps changing from perceptibly floral to properly woody to intense fruity, and any combinations of these.

As it sits on skin for a while, the peach gets fairly prominent, but vetiver and cedar are still perceptible. After about an hour or so, I thought of this scent as a very pleasant floral cocktail of rose, jasmine, magnolia and orange blossom (peony and lotus aren't too easily picked). But seconds later, I was reminded that the flowers were not there to reign, and peach, vetiver and cedar reared their heads again. And vanilla, which so far had been a mild, smoothing note showed up and made it almost a vanilla scent. This whole dance continues for the entire life of the scent.

Another couple of hours in, vanilla takes over from peach as the holding note, and the flowers, peach, the two citrus fruits (mandarin and bergamot), and the duo of woody notes (dry cedar and moist vetiver) again resurface strongly. There's no tango here, but a whole group performance of woods, bergamot and orange blossom on a vanilla stage. It could be said that Allure transforms from a fruity/floral/vetiver top to a woody/floral middle and a vanilla/wood/flower/fruit base.

I could keep describing the different permutations of notes this perfume exhibits over its life, but that is rather redundant. It would suffice to say that it shows characteristics of nearly everything in its note profile, throughout its life, and does so with aplomb. It doesn't get cloying, screechy or overpowering at any stage.

The Parfum is sold in the characteristic Chanel flacon with bevelled corners and a glass stopper. The EdP and EdT are sold in clear glass bottles that are thicker down the middle. The EdP and Parfum smell much the same; while the EdP is sharper and brighter, the Parfum sits closer to the skin and is softer and more sublime.

Longevity leaves no complaints behind: the EdP lasted about 13 hours, and the Parfum clocked a mind-boggling 27 hours on the back of my hand. Handwashes aside, the Parfum survived an assault from dishwashing detergent(!). The EdP projects to about a few feet for about an hour, then progressively gets closer and closer to skin till it gets to about 6-12 inches, where it stays till it dies out. The Parfum projects about 6-12 inches throughout.

This is a very feminine, very intimate and quite a suggestive scent due to both its notes and finely balanced sillage. It is very true to its name: it is Alluring.  It draws attention from just the right distance, and has enough complexity and mystery in it to keep someone interested in the wearer. It doesn't overpower, doesn't characterise by one note, and doesn't trail far enough to attract anyone other than someone the wearer intentionally goes close enough to. This is not a generic, safe gift; it's a suggestively romantic, intimate scent that should be used or gifted with caution.

Price(unfortunately) prevents this scent from getting straight 5s on the scorecard. Being unchanged for several years, Australian prices for Chanel's female perfumes are in real need of revision; they are simply too high for the exchange rates over the past few years. Prices for the Les Exclusifs lineup and most skincare released post-2010 are well aligned with other regions, but the "core" perfume range still retains a sizeable price gap compared to Chanel's European pricing.

Ratings:

EdP: 4.9/5...Incredibly complex, very well-balanced, warm and seductive vibe, excellent profile of projection, marathon longevity...this is seduction in a bottle. Price could be better though.

(Balance of notes 5, Projection 5, Longevity 5, Value 3.5, bonus points* 0.3)

Parfum: 4.8/5...Incredibly complex, perfectly balanced, soft and sublime aura of projection, warm, suggestive and seductive character, and absolutely the best longevity I've seen so far from any scent. Priced very poorly owing to lack of availability in 15ml and 30ml sizes.

(Balance of notes 5, Projection 5 Longevity 5, Value 3, bonus points* 0.3)

Prices (Australia RRP):

Eau De Parfum Spray Bottle: AU$116 / AU$159 / AU$234 for 35ml / 50ml / 100ml
Pure Parfum: AU$175ml for 7.5ml

UVP: EDP 35ml $3.31/ml, EDP 50ml $3.18/ml, EDP 100ml $2.34/ml, Pure Parfum $23.3/ml

Click for more information on UVP

The Parfum in this scent is priced very poorly on UVP terms; Pure Parfum concentrations of No.5 sell in larger sizes (AU$270/15ml and AU$436/30ml) which makes the 7.5ml bottle very pricey in comparison. EdP is priced the same as all female Chanel scents barring Coco Noir and the Les Exclusifs lineup. Coco Mademoiselle and No.5 also have 200ml bottles, but Allure tops out at 100ml.

Stockists: Chanel Fragrance and Beauty Boutiques, Chanel counters and Myer and David Jones, selected pharmacies. Chanel pricing is uniform across all authorised stockists, and no discounts are generally applicable. I haven't seen Allure being stocked by any independent retailers.

*Bonus points of 0.3 to each awarded under "subjective assessment" category.

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.

Perfume Review: Chanel Allure Homme Sport: Eau Extrême

A 100ml (3.4oz) flacon of Eau Extrême

Special thanks to Chanel Fragrance and Beauty Boutique at Chadstone (Melbourne). 

(Review based on wrist and card samples, and use on person from retail bottle and 10ml limited-distribution bottle)

Target Gender: Male; Price Bracket (Aus): Medium ($140+). Type: Citrus/Woody.

In the earlier days of my love affair with all things fragrance, I had tried a few Chanel scents on cards and didn't think much of them. However, a house of such repute wasn't going to be dismissed so easily, and indeed on second encounter with them, I consider this one of my favourite houses.

Allure Homme Sport: Eau Extrême, like most Chanel fragrances released after the early 80s, has been signed off by Jacques Polge as the perfumer, and he's done a bloody fine job with this one.

The first thing I would point out about this scent: The name is somewhat a misnomer. This is not exactly a "sporty" fragrance like Allure Homme Sport, and neither is it an "extreme" version of the latter. It opens like Allure Homme Sport, but settles down to something resembling the male version of Allure Sensuelle with its projection greatly magnified.  If I were to name it, it would be "Allure De La Nuit".

The opening note is a sharp, citrusy accord with mint. The notes pyramid lists orange, mint, sage and cypress. My perception of the citrus is quite prominent, held along nicely by the mint. The top is cold, fresh and sharp, and this is probably the closest this fragrance goes to being "Sporty".

The moment the citrus/mint combo mellow down a bit, tonka bean becomes quite noticeable, and from the mid onwards is the dominant note in the scent. The middle has a distinct pungency (pepper) that blends with the tonka bean shortly after showing up. The Tonka bean gets stronger towards the base, where supporting notes of wood and musk join in. The wood is a mixture of earthy and spicy (cedar and sandalwood as the bottle said in the boutique).

The woods play a supporting role; the tonka bean is by a distance the most dominant note, but it doesn't get sweet enough to be cloying or feminine. The musk is discernible but not a headline note. To me, this is a 2-layer rather than 3-layer scent. The tonka bean overlaps the pepper and wood/musk, which makes it a base note that transforms a bit rather than a distinct mid.

The concentration it's sold in is Eau De Toilette Concentré, which to me is little more than a synonym for an EdP. Longevity is excellent, and so is projection. Samples on my wrist and neck lasted on average about 7-8 hours, and it is noticeable from several feet away for the first few. The scent is versatile, but quite potent and will be perceptible on the wearer from a distance. And this is why I'm personally inclined to label this a night scent. "Easy on the trigger" is another thing to remember with this one.

The bottle is opaque grey, and the same shape as the rest of the Allure Homme range, which in turn is a more squat version of the Allure series (for women) bottle. The atomiser dispenses a well-balanced amount of liquid; it wont have you spraying a dozen times to get a decent dose, but will easily deliver an overdose at anything beyond 3 sprays for a scent of this potency.

As the name would have made it apparent, this one isn't intended to be an intimate, close-range scent. It smells very nice, but it is too strong to be worn when you'll be in very close proximity to someone for an extended period. I recommend it without much hesitation, but if close-range scents are your thing, you might prefer Allure Homme instead.

Ratings:
4.5/5...Interesting composition, well-suited for night-time wear; long-lasting, versatile, and priced well for a Chanel scent.

Prices:

RRP: AU$105 / AU$144 / AU$173 for 50ml / 100ml / 150ml (L/E)

UVP: 50ml $2.1/ml, 100ml $1.44/ml, 150ml $1.15/ml

Click for more information on UVP

Chanel does not allow discounting of their products, and doesn't run GWP offers either. 150ml or larger bottles are occasionally sold as limited editions, and are much cheaper in UVP terms.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, Chanel Fashion and Fragrance Boutiques, some pharmacies.