Chanel N°5

I tried a sample from a friend it is so powdery and so elegant it gives 1950s vintage vibe it’s it is so good it made me wanna smell it over and over

i cant explain it, im a highschooler and male. i cant really afford fragrances so my mum gave me 2 she doesnt wear. a 35 ml of this and d&g pour femme intense, i HATED this at first, (i was in the 9th grade when i got it) its been sitting on my shelf for an year now, and im inlove with it, its like a moderen freshie to me, of course to each their own nose but to me i love this fragrance and gotten NOTHING but compliments somehow kinda reminds me of imagination

Very interesting and timeless scent but I feel like it hasn’t really evolved with the current times. It sits too soapy on my skin, and turns into a sharp ylang ylang for me. On other female friends, it leans warmer and more inviting. So it’s definitely a more personal fragrance that adapts to each user.

Went for my walk this morning and thought it a good time to compare my 2 bottles of Chanel No 5 EDP. The old one was purchased on the gray market many years ago and the batch code shows August 2013 while the new bottle was purchased from the Chanel website this month, and the batch code shows February 2026. I put 2 sprays on the inside of my forearms and went forth into 72-degree sun with a gentle wind blowing. My first impression was that the old stuff came on stronger - not so much in the aldehyde note, but in the florals. I thought I could discern the rose/jasmine in it more so than in the new one. The newer one seemed more polite, a bit more lily of the valley-ish in the first blast, but they basically kept pace with each other as we strode along. I wondered if the Chanel formula used a greater percentage of the Grasse oils in those days than they do now. Or perhaps the floral harvest back then was more generous in its petaled scent that year. Who knows? I did notice that the old juice stayed stronger longer than the new, but the newer one smelled fresher and more refined. I also felt the newer was creamier and I swear I could detect a touch of lemon whipped cream in the dry down. I did prefer the newer dry down over the old, but that could be where the old one is, well, 13 years older. It's been 6 hours since I sprayed and the old is definitely more detectable than the new so - yeah- it was stronger - at least in comparing these 2 particular batches. Gotta say that both No. 5's made for a really pleasant stroll this morning... Walk, Sniff & Smile... Walk, Sniff & Smile... Walk, Sniff & Smile...

I understand that it's a classic and I'm sure it works on some people's skin, but sadly every time I get a whiff of that thing I always think of dirty wet wipes and pissy old lady diapers. I love vintage scents in general, but this one I just can't do.

My brother gifted this perfume to my mom when I was 17. I remember sneaking into her room before dates and spritzing it on before she could notice. Elegant, refined, powdery, baby doll, lace, grandma, romance, taffy like. Its a classic for a reason. I feel like I should, now at 29 purchase this one with my adult money.

It’s giving timeless, iconic, quiet but magnetic. I love to spray it on my pillow before sleep 😭 after shower, on any occasion to feel instantly refreshed, balanced, connected.

I've always stayed away from this perfume because I've found the opening to be absolutely heinous. However, I decided to go ahead and try it on skin just to see if it had grown on me as my taste has matured, and to my surprise, I really do find the drydown quite lovely. It's warm, sophisticated, and a bit sweet--honestly, quite similar to L'Heure Bleue, which is one of my favorites. I'm happy to have finally experienced and appreciated this scent instead of gagging at it in the store like I usually do. That said, I still prefer L'Heure Bleue and don't really see the point of having both in my collection.

Marilyn Monroe would approve! The scent of eau de parfum is not far from eau de toilette. I am wearing it against my autumn-winter intuition with success. And today is 30°C. Yet it is charming, not too strong, slightly powdery and floral. It is hard to describe the scent. It is both pastel and warm. Elegant and sensual. Characteristic and universal. Powdery and fresh. I used to think it old fashioned but not anymore. It stands out as a great quality and originality. After 3 hours it is more of a skin scent in today's weather. And the same is true for the entire line. It does not create a bubble.

i swear i could smell a hint of comete in this…

I don't get all the hate this fragrance gets nowadays. I guess it's because everybody is now used to fruity gourmands(?) On my skin it's all aldehydes and a faint base of almost-spicy-woody vanilla. It manages to smell like a bar of laundry soap and also have a bit of a funk, like piss from a baby's diaper

Y'all. She's legendary for a reason: this is elegance in a bottle. Pure class and sophistication, and in my opinion, timeless. I sampled this one thinking I would for sure hate it given the abrasive sharpness of most aldehyde-forward frags, and I wish I did because this is now my white whale perfume. Sigh.

this is timeless, absolutely gorgeous, pearls, fur, soft light. And also - compliment getter. After the compliments, I love telling people I'm wearing this to see their horrified faces - funny how the public opinion labels this as a grandma smell.

I like it when I supress how much the scent reminds me of a public bathroom. There's something about it that just smells like piss mixed with cleaner.

Cold, sparkly, floral. You hate her cause you aint her... I would wear this year round but currently I just sneak my moms

Smelled it at an airport duty-free. I don't think I've ever smelled anything that smells like a bathroom more than this. The opening was pungent. If I were on a date and I had to smell this for the first half an hour, I'd probably lose my appetite. Overrated and overglazed. Mid at best, not a safe blind buy.

Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum is one of the most iconic fragrances I've ever smelled. The first thing I notice is its unmistakable powdery and woody character, which instantly transports me to another era. Whenever I smell it, I imagine going back in time and meeting an elegant, graceful woman from the past. This isn't a fragrance that follows modern trends—it carries the timeless beauty and sophistication of a different generation. To me, it smells like vintage glamour, refined manners, and effortless elegance. It has a classic personality that has stood the test of time, and you can immediately understand why it became a legend. Interestingly, one of my friends used to wear this fragrance, but the scent always felt very different from her personal style. She dressed in a modern, casual way, while Chanel No. 5 painted a picture of timeless elegance and old-world sophistication in my mind. That contrast made me realize how powerfully a fragrance can create its own identity, sometimes completely separate from the person wearing it.

If opening an old, woody, duty filled with cobwebs and mothballs was bottled. I was so disappointed and disgusted. Update: why did I smell this today at duty free and actually liked it? What's going on? Not a love- definitely not. Before I couldn't smell anything else but that really pungent vintage, Penhaligon perfume note that is very aggressive to the nose and very common in niche perfumes, but now I can clearly feel the aldehydes. It's not pleasant, but way more enduring. There's a weaker version and the stronger. I think it's the edt x Edp. The stronger version I continue to intensely despise, but the weaker one is liveable.

If the chemistry hits off it can play like magic. Gorgeous. I feel cinnamon. Beautiful for summer, autumn, ESPECIALLY AUTUMN, and of course winter- very versitile! Chanel leau I find even prettier but such a pity for poor performance- that one only good in insane heat lile nowdays.

An all time favorite, is it just me or had the composition changed in the last few years? No. 5 was known for the longevity and sweet spillage. The recent purchase feels like it has neither. The notes have changed too? Or its just my post pregnancy nose

doesn't live up to its reputation. not good, not bad, just okay. the most recent review calls it "a fancy baby powder smell" and i couldn't agree more

I have a little vintage bottle of this, so I'm not sure how that might differ from a new bottle. At first it's very powdery more than anything. It's hard to pick any other note out of it besides a fancy baby powder smell. After a couple hours it still just smelled like baby power. I asked my husband how he liked it and he actually asked me if I was wearing this other perfume I had that was literally for a baby and smells like baby powder. I thought it was a little amusing that he said it smells like fancy baby powder and that is exactly how I had already described it here. I don't think it's an awful fragrance or anything, but I don't understand the hype around it. I feel like it's overly popular because Marilyn Monroe helped with the formulation of it by testing this and the ones sent to her before she approved this one, and then it being her signature scent. I think if it was just a Chanel scent released like any other with no specific relation to any celebrity it would not be as popular as it is.

It has occurred to me that Dr Scholl's shoe deodorant spray has very accurately replicated the aldehydic smell of Chanel No 5. My mother wore this and I have always had a bottle. So if anyone wants their footwear and feet to be marvellously fragrant...

Chanel No. 5 is pure magic in a bottle. I’ve loved many fragrances over the years, but nothing compares to her. Don’t just spray it on your skin, mist it through your hair too. The warmth of your skin brings it to life, while your hair carries the scent in the most beautiful, delicate way all day long. And somehow, the best part comes later. There is nothing quite like catching a hint of Chanel No. 5 on your clothes the next morning. It’s almost unbelievable that a fragrance can smell even better the next day, soft, elegant, and impossibly luxurious. Every scarf, sweater, or jacket becomes a beautiful reminder of the day before. Timeless, sophisticated, and unforgettable. Chanel No. 5 isn’t just a perfume; it’s THE PERFUME. My absolute favourite.

Reminds me of my frightening mom. I had never known the notes, but this clarifies an atavistic response to aldehydes, neroli, vetiver, and patchouli. If I go to hell, it will smell like Chanel No. 5.

i have a super old imitation perfume of chanel no. 5 and it basically takes all the good elements and subtracts the pee note so i really like it

It smells like something that might waft from my grandmother’s dressing table—it’s not really my thing. 5/10

why the perfume Chanel No.5 is the embodiment of the 'le parfum' in general. being, like Habanita, 100 years old it is still the quintessenial, not redundant, feminine, sophisticated, aldehydic flowery woody, mature French and transnational womanly, with an ultrachique, Parisienne, also timeless signature, perfume. an instrument for women to be elevated to hyperspheres. 'aldehydic', those molecules pushed forward by the mme. chosen perfumer Ernest Beaux, to lend this perfume in 1921 modernity, billowing influence, transcending over the enfleurage (which in itself is also exceptionally chic) in an airy, swiftly, windy introduction to nobler flowers as that we saw in our environment. Rose de Mai, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang for a full spectrum sensation, neroli, iris, lily of the valley, then these flowers given body by woods and herbs as vetiver, sandelwood, patchouli, oakmoss and vanilla. as such we have a devoilement of an airy fruity start with peach, bergamot and the aldehydes, then that famous 'eternal' bouquet of iris, rose, jasmine, neroli, lily o.t.v., and the most sweltering the ylang-ylang, to be concipiated towards a memorable 'drydown' in vetiver, sandelwood, vanilla, patchouli and oakmoss. in 1921 the use of civet shall have this exquise parfum rounded out with a furlike chinchilla chicness. if there is now any civetone used since the IFRA banned the use of civet is unknown to me. in 'Coco' there was also civet in 1985. I tend to compare this unforgettable, superfeminine and classic perfume with Patous 'Joy', Hermès's 'Calèche', 'Miss Dior', Rochas's 'Femme', Balmains 'Ivoire', 'First' of van Cleef and Arpels fame and finally YSL's 'Y', Givenchy's 'Interdit' and in the American echelon Oscar de la Rentas 'Oscar', 'Halston', Calvin Kleins 'Obsession', Donna Karans signature perfume of 1990 . they are not fully equal and even within this 'haute few' there are differences in the amount of oakmoss used (Ivoire and Calèche stand forefront), perhaps a light change in the cast of flowers particularly this bouquet became très, très 'chanelissime'. if aldehydic or chypric, a champagnelike fizziness is also a point of comparison. even inbetween these sisters Chanel No.5 stands out because of its impeccable execution. I am sure the No.5 I have now (edp) shall not differ much from what the choise of the fiery lioness mme Chanel was: 'numéro Cinq'. it is simply femininity and ultrahauteté in a modern flacon. there are now so many perfumes and in such different and social échappements but Chanel No.5 keeps standing on its pièd-à-stalle it fully deserves.

I have had a love affair with Chanel No. 5 for over 30 yrs. It is my go to when I need to feel a little extra feminine, elegant, empowered. It’s a classic that even with some reformulation over the years, it still has that original appeal.

again I have read your article [Elena Vosnaki] with renewed freshness and foremost, admiration. it is quite a research. I came to realise now (as also something from the last weeks) that DEMOGRAPHICS are all. and of course the classical demographics of the 'ladies who lunch' (1980s) and perhaps in the 1920s les Suffragettes, les Danseuses de 'Roaring Twenties' and Intellectuel and Sensual women (and these of all times) have in their time-related specificity all been gone, yet the new women of now (or men) are simply from another demographic, generation X-Y-Z, the post millennials, post COVID persons et cetera. now I often come harsh to the conviction I am already too old here (67 years). so my first encounter was with the civet-Chanel No5 at 1974, the eau de toilette and the 0.25oz7.5mL parfum which already costed HUGE. but these were my first encounters and I fell in love totally. then in the 1980s I was treated to what I now call "My Decade" with all the hooker perfumes, the most vile and distortionist ones. Giorgio, Coco, Obsession, Poison, to name the most notorious. but of course I also bought the No5 Edp. you made me aware of that. and also directly for my mom. (plus the Chanel Coco Edp.) my poor dad, who had the nose of a wolf, was hostaged in these sweltering and asphyxiating fumes. that Chanel No5 is (still) relevant to me, and learning from your article, becomes a rare occasion, not for me but at the backdrop of the perfume community. I love Coco Mademoiselle Intense, Cristalle le Edp (which was there sooner as you might think) (but with now also the new one) and No19 in Edp form. Cristalle L'Eau Verte Edt Intense, No19 le parfum. but one keeps having a knack for le No5. (I have.) NOW I fully realise the historicity of the demographics for this perfume (and all...). you give such translucent clarifications that it becomes immediately crystally obvious. last weeks I made reviews of les Démonesses du Decennium of les 1980s. what made them so special for me. you made it clear that times are changeing and that No5 conjures up wholly new and perhaps not so favorable images.... now I read Fragrantica with much joy to learn and ... laugh. I do like the newest from the newest and in the mean time builded this huge collection (260 ++) of perfumes. the latest ? Alien ExtraIntense from my favorite perfumer Dominique Ropion. it is smashing. I was never an Alien adept. I was the classical Angel Narcotic Slave. but this time Dominique has nailed it. I think they could do nothing anymore with Chanel No5. it shall be (become) a museal relict, and with the Asian Market yet a sellable one. thank you for the insights Elena !