Égoïste / L'Égoïste (1990)
by Chanel

A spicy, rose oriental with good sillage and staying power. A bit on the formal side, but not impossible for more casual occasions. The rosewood in the head note is critical here; it sweetens the top and moderates the acidity of the citrus. Also a brilliant touch is the coriander and the vegetable musk of ambrette seed. These two combine with the oriental elements in the base to enliven the central floral note of rose. Very smooth and elegant. One feels debonair when wearing this.

I've never cared for Egoiste since its inception in 1990. It has an unusual smell to it that to this day I find medicinal and reminds me of something called Robutussin cough syrup. I would never wear this or recommend it to anyone else but do understand that everyone is different and feels differently about fragrance. Whatever floats your boat.

This review is under revision.

Excellent fragrance for women wanting to impress other women. Wear it instead of your Coco one of the May evenings, and you will feel your girlfriends' noses up and down your neck. They will never guess what you are wearing but will be mesmorized by the aroma and stunned by your honest reply.

I really don’t rate Chanel fragrances for men – they’ve all disappointed me to various degrees.

With Égoïste, all I get is a mild vanilla and sandalwood base topped with a somewhat sharp (and irritating) metallic rose note. Taking into account that this almost put me off rose scents for life, there’s no way I’m going to be forgiving in the slightest.

I’ve heard rumours that the Égoïste of the early ‘90s was richer, better blended and had greater longevity. Well, I wouldn’t in the least be a bit surprised as the bottle I recently purchased (and promptly sold off) was extremely weak on my skin.

If I could go back in time, I would certainly snag a few bottles of Bois Noir (1987) before the name was changed to Égoïste (or even the concentrée version).

A pathetic shadow of its former self?

BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING, OUTSTANDING !!!

Egoiste is a beautiful oriental, with an outstanding rose/sandalwood accord (one of the best i've ever smelled).
It is one of those fragrances you love to hate. It is overwhelming, and you would notice it even when the person left the room 5 minutes ago.
The beginning is a little bitter, and i can smell a hint of mandarine. After 5-10 minutes you start to notice the rose and the sandalwood and finally (after several hours) the vanilla based drydown.
Egoiste is also on of the very few male fragrances that would suit up very well to a woman. Maybe that's one of the reasons why a lot of people don't like it.
It's also a very warm and elegant scent. Because of it's strong personality you should apply it carefully, and use it in the evening or in fall/winter.
The thing i like most about Egoiste is the fact, that it has a strong personality, and is rarely used. It smells completely different from all the other products out there in the market, and people will recognize you immediately if you wear this one.