No. 5 (1921)
by Chanel

I really don't know how this managed to be this elevated gem, this oh so celebrated equivalent of class and all things beatutiful and high culture.
It REEKS of old people and urine. This is the smell that lingers on crazy cat ladies when they go to but their cats' canned food. Maybe it's the aldehydes, i don't know, but it assaults my nose so rudely and even leaves sour aftertaste in my mouth, just from smelling it.
This is so vile and offensive and suffocating even the smallest drop will sink into you, your clothes, your furniture, your car and everyone around you too, for good measure, and will stay there for several days. If you like this, by all means be my guest. Just don't come near me.

This smells like my grandma, which is okay, but I would never wear it myself. The good news is that it is long lasting!

A rather antiquated opening of aldehydes and neroli which doesn't quite score with my nose. While the progression is expectedly complex, NO.5 grows so powdery that I get the impression of being in a cloud of talcum powder. Still I must say this is a sophisticated fragrance which should be experienced from afar because up close, the wrinkles start to show, revealing No.5's true age. But when the drydown appears I find myself eating my own words; now I know why screen siren Marilyn Monroe wore No.5 exclusively to bed...

*** This review is of the parfum, circa 2009 ***

I am currently wearing the EDT on one wrist and the EDP on the other. They smell like completely different fragrances on me!

EDT: aldehydes and peach sparkle. It takes much longer to get to the drydown than the EDP, seeming like the summer version. I never smell just the heart of the flowers in the EDT-it has quite a zing all the way down. Reminds me of how Le Dix is so aldehyde-y (but with violets). I wore this in high school but I don't remember the peach. The never ending reformulation speculation continues...

EDP: My current #5 preference. This is how rose and jasmine are DONE. The top is much less intense, and is dries down quickly to a lush, slightly sweet, soft floral, with powdery woods. This is what I imagine fields in Grasse to smell like through an open window in a quaint cottage. I do not find it "too classy", "old fashioned", "too dressed up", etc. I could wear this anytime, anywhere and feel lovely. This scent is ALIVE! With all of the "new-modern" roses comming out (YSL, D&G) I am hoping that #5 gets revisited.

I am a big aldehyde lover, and am always very sad that I just can't make No 5 work for me - something in the drydown sours on my skin, particularly in the edt, which I prefer over the edp. The opening of the edt is glorious, and shows why No 5 is such a timeless and iconic classic. The edt and edp are different fragrances, though still with the characteristic No 5 scent. The edp tends to smell a bit more synthetic than the edt. I am able to wear the lotion and cream though, which keeps a sublte No 5 aroma without causing the problems in the drydown. Sometimes I layer the No 5 lotion with No 5 eau Premier, which works nicely. I highly recommend testing to find out which version works best. For me, thankfully, I can at least wear the eau Premier version which is great in its own right. Unlike others I am not turned off by the fantastic aldehyde opening, but just something in the drydown.

This is for the EDT formulation, circa 2009:

At first spritz I get fantastic aldehydes infused seamlessly with neroli and bergamot. A peach note is there as well. The peach is peachy-fruit, not peachy-sweet/predictable. This is infused with a pleasurable iris note. Beautiful rich Grasse jasmine comes to the fore and lingers and permeates into the woods below.

Much later in the dry down I get a friendly and beautifully warm creaminess of sandalwood, vetiver, amber, oak moss, patchouli and nicely done vanilla. There are other things as well but I cannot quite tease them out. I can still detect that beautiful Grasse jasmine. I am really enjoying the character of the base, with the longevity enduring well into the next day.

This abstract scent is thoroughly enchanting and never tires.

If you are a fan of the Parfum formulation but until now, never understood how the two could smell of such different eras (Parfum 1920s, EDT 1950s/1960s), I strongly recommend a revisit. It’s clear that the EDT has been faithfully restored to the spirit of the original Parfum. I now consider this a long-term keeper.


This is for the Parfum formulation:

Sharper, richer aldehydes and neroli are immediate and engaging. The heady neroli and aldehyes are infused with a bergamot note. Rich Grasse jasmine begins to gain your attention and increases in richness. The neroli and aldehydes are seeping seamlessly through the jasmine and rose below it. The neroli and iris are still linking throughout.

In the dry down I get a similar experience to the current formulation of No 5 EDT (see above) but more tightly structured and richer. There is also a hint of the rich neroli experienced earlier. One difference though is that the longevity of the Parfum formulation on me is fleeting and am left wondering where this enchanting scent has gone.

I am grateful that this masterpiece has endured time and fad to be enjoyed today as it was intended.