No. 22 (1922)
by Chanel

No 22 is for you if you felt Chanel No 5 wasn't powdery or aldehydic enough.

Probably stunning on the right wearer, but on my skin, it has emphasised all the things that make me remember why I'm more of a Guerlain girl.

This scent is amazing on my skin---all creamy, powdery florals that evoke bright morning sunshine, lazy days and times gone by. What a difference less aldehydes make---with the aldehydes more subdued here than in "No. 5", "No.22" feels more intimate and old-world, like orange blossoms soaking in milk and cream, dusted over with powdered sugar and nutmeg. Sickly sweet, right? Wrong---something about the oily powderiness of "No.22" stops baby-powder and frosted-cake associations dead in its tracks, allowing it to unfold like a gauzy dress; fresh, linen-like but with the nuances of warm skin. It's one of the few hyper-femme fragrances that doesn't smell fusty-musty or overtly girly to my nose. "No.22" is the smell of a very fascinating woman, who's warm and feminine but keenly intelligent---"No. 22" is enigmatic in it's dual warmth and refined, sculpted beauty. There's also something so nostalgic and evocative about it; Patou's "Joy" has this same quality of emotional timelessness, where it feels like something collective and deeply primal. However, "No. 22" is free of the animalic civet, allowing it a brisk freshness not found in "Joy". "Juicy Couture" would've loved to have been "No.22", with her perfect balance of creamy tuberose (no burnt rubber or indole death, here), vanilla and florals; but alas, J.C. can't help but fall short. If you buy only one fragrance with the intention of saying "I'm a woman", "No.22" is it.

The jury is still out on the reformulation. Except that I bought a vat of this not only that, but I bought it in the Chanel shop of all places. Not enough incense! Too much aldehyde! Proves that yes Virginia you CAN have too much of a good thing. I could just weep. Plan is to decompensate with Bois des Isles. But it's going to be a long engagement this time.

Chanel No. 22 is my black cashmere sweater and red lipstick scent. It is classic, warm, feminine and sexy on me. I know it shares many of the notes of No. 5, but it smells better on me than No. 5. It opens with a warm aldehydic floral that moves to a soft yet strong white floral. The dry down on my skin is full of incense and vanilla. Even on my somewhat dry skin in the dead of winter it lasts for most of the day. It is a scent that makes me feel relaxed and confident in my skin.

I've now tried No. 22 in pure parfum and edt. The parfum was beautiful, more subtle incence, softer, and a little powdery on me. But the edt....It had me at the aldehydes. Then, 10 hours of incense. 10 hours!!! I was giddy, like I couldn't wait to get home and write about it. I tried to fight the emotion, tried to tell myself that I've only worn it once, that I need time to let the relationship develop, time to see if it is a passing fancy or if 22 really is right for me. But I've given in. I'm not going to fight it anymore. I...I've never felt this way about a fragrance before.... : )

This is strange, because I really don't like jasmine and I am not too fond of ylang ylang or rose, but this is one of my very favourite perfumes. It is so expertly blended that no one note dominates, and the overall effect is one of refined, feminine elegance. I don't find the aldehydes to be overpowering, and the vanilla in the drydown is to me one of the best in the perfume world. Although expensive, you really do only need a tiny amount, and it lasts for ages (even on my skin). Definitely a perfume for a mature, elegant women - this really is class in a bottle!