Gardénia (1925)
by Chanel

I really love this one. It has such a crisp and clear, true scent of gardenia. Very elegant and fine.

I tried this once in a Sephora on Broadway in NYC, and waited 3 years to find it released only at Chanel boutiques and Bergdorf Goodman. I spent $200 on a large bottle - the only size they sold it. I LOVE the smell - perfect for the summer, not to heavy, fresh and crisp. However, it only lasts about 20 minutes. I've sprayed it at work and asked my co-workers - they coudn't smell it on me. My husband couldn't smell it on me. I wish, wish, WISH it lasted longer - because it doesn't I sadly give it a neutral. Otherwise it would be 2 enthusiastic thumbs up.

My first impression was the scent of the calyx of an unopened gardenia bud. Green and sweet. I spent too much of my childhood mauling my mother's gardenia bushes...peeling the buds were irresistible to me. The dry down is more of a general floral smell. Nice.

Chanel's Gardénia has to be the most 'creative' scent approximation of this flower, given that it bears no resemblance to it, whatsoever. In the main, this reminds me of a dilute of Poison, which quickly softens to take on a slightly cardboardy accord. It is very linear, remaining constant for the first two-thirds of its (very short) life, before settling into a sweet, unremarkable, flowery base. I regret to say that I am pretty underwhelmed by this scent, though this perhaps says more about the overall high quality of the Les Exclusifs line, of which Gardénia (to my mind) is probably the least successful. I am chastened, and somewhat surprised, to see that this is a Beaux creation, as I rate his perfumery skills extremely highly.

This fragrance is so clean with a seemingly singular floral note. Apparently there is no actual Gardenia in it, and I do not smell a trace of vanilla anywhere. Someone else said watery, and that is a good description. What I love about it is its lightness and naturalness (it does not smell synthetic at all). This is a perfume you might wear if you did not want anyone to know you were wearing perfume. It is like a white flower halo. I spray my business cards with it and hope to have some always in my collection.

The bubbling sweet champagne base reminded me of Carons'. This scent shows us how a gardenia scent can be made young cheery clean and aquatic. It is cute more than being elegant and the scent would suit to a liquid soap more than a Chanel gardenia perfume. Not a bad work but disappointed me.