Allure Sensuelle (2005)
by Chanel

I don't do flowery scents. But I'll make an exception for Allure Sensuelle.

This is a wonderful, dynamic, attention-grabbing scent that's classy but takes confidence to pull off. Allure Sensuelle has excellent silage and longevity and in my opinion is very different from, and much better than, the original Allure. In fact, they're so different I wish this wasn't marketed as a flanker. The original Allure is overly powdery and floral on me and is the only scent I've come across yet that feels too 'old.' It has a nice drydown of amber/sandalwood but I won't sit through the *long* blast of boring powdery flowers just for that.

Allure Sensuelle is another animal. The short version: flowers->carnal flowers->musky/spicy/sandalwood sexiness.

The long version: It opens with a BLAST of sharp green geranium - I get no fruit. An explosion of flowers follows and blends immediately into the geranium. My impression is white flowers - fleshy, heavy, sweet but very slightly musky - so probably jasmine. I don't get much rose. There's also a slight spicy edge to the flowers, perhaps pink pepper. After a while the flowers change; they're still very much present but I detect the barest edge of something dark and faintly animalistic, almost *rank* which I think may be another facet of the jasmine. This flowery stage has VERY strong silage.

After this, once the flowers begin to quiet down, the scent gets closer to the skin. It's as if the flowers shout 'pay attention!' and once you're looking, the smell beckons you closer. Once the animalistic-flower note fades, I get hints of chocolate and something deliciously like hazelnuts. I wish this stage had better silage because it's so yummy! It then blends into a simultaneously sharp and creamy sandalwood, with hints of something cool and powdery I'm attributing to iris. At this stage I occasionally get whiffs of spice and sweetness...but it's mostly a cool sheen of iris over woods.

And Allure Sensuelle is STILL not done changing! At its drydown I get a lot of sandalwood, which is like catnip for me: musky, spicy, creamy, and sweet. I wish the sandalwood was a *little* sweeter and less sharp...if Chanel had added amber to warm and sweeten the drydown it would *perfect* but even so, it's pretty heavenly as it is! These ending stages are my favorite, when Allure Sensuelle morphs from creamy/nutty/mocha (wood and chocolate touched with coffee) to a spicy/musky sandalwood that makes my eyes roll back. It's never gourmand or overly sweet; it's very smooth and well blended. It really is, as its name suggests, *sensual*. This is bite-your-lip sexy: confident, feminine, and bold. A smell for a woman who knows what she wants.

29th January, 2012.

I adore this scent!!! I don't even remember how I stumbled upon it - perhaps I was exploring the newer (to me) Chanels after falling in love with Coco. Anyway, to my novice perfuming mind it is a fragrance for colder times - but I only figured that out through experience. I found that I just wasn't reaching for the bottle during the summer - but now that the mornings are turning chilly, I am again remembering how much I love it.

I don't know Allure (plain) so for me this is an independent scent with no positive or negative associations with the name 'Allure' affixed at the beginning. And it is a seductive scent, sensual, exactly as the name says.

I read somewhere that is has been discontinued. I must stock up or else next fall when the weather again turns chilly, I will have this perfume to warm my blood!

Sadie

8th October, 2011.

Coromandel, Coco Mademoiselle, Bois des Iles...could not find my favorite oriental Chanel, ya'll! Forever it was AGAPE love with BDI - like your beautiful, intelligent sister who reads you the tilt of your nose and the understands what you are saying with the slightest lift of the eyebrow. She is perfect company, but she never wants to do anything new or go anywhere fun.

Last summer I bought one of those huge bottles of Coromandel knowing that I would wear it every single day in every situation and it would be gone by August. Too bad Coromandel ended up being like one of the FABULOUS people you are wildly attracted to at first but soon realize you don't like being around them that much and you don't have anything in common. Shoot!

Also I couldn't go back to Coco Mademoiselle. You just can't - that secret has been out for way too long. And I am twelve years older now.

So then I happen upon Allure Sensuelle. Its like a blend of all three. I don't know why they call it Allure anything; she stands on her own. I think they should rename it Gabrielle and give her some independence. I love it and its my favorite Chanel oriental. And l love also Cristalle and 19.

11th June, 2011.

When it comes to Chanel fragrances it is either a hit or miss with me. While I quite enjoyed the spicy Coco, the powdery and soft Allure and the fresh and exciting No.5 eau Premiere, other Chanels like No.19, Cristalle and the highly renowned No.5 left me dissatisfied.

However along came Allure Sensuelle which restored my respect for Chanel fragrances. The scent is unique, stylish, rich and spicy. A scent that will certainly rouse up the men and awaken your animalistic desires.

Do not be turned off by the opening which tends to be rather strong and alcoholic. Once you wait it out for a few minutes, a gorgeous dusty yet sexy spice warms the skin.

In reality Allure Sensuelle is a combination of a variety of smells; spices, woods, musk, fruits and flowers. Somehow all these notes blend together successfully. I'm still in awe of this fragrance.

The patchouli note is dominant, so I'll admit that this won't appeal to some. The vanilla note also lingers in the background creating a slight sweetness and comforting warmth.

The sillage and lasting strength is unbelievably good, so good that you would find it quite overbearing in the warmer months, so it is best worn at night or during Winter.

Overall, Allure Sensuelle is indeed very sensual. Chanel never fails in producing elegant and sophisticated scents.

5th June, 2011.

Fruity- floral ( not very exciting ) and woodsy overall- a rich ,sweet and moderately deep fragance- surprisingly not that girlie smelling on me. I find it quite unisex.I like this very much even though it has the dreaded pink pepper in it . Definitely aimed at the younger target customer but definitely wearable and that is what counts.

16th December, 2010.

For a fruity floral clearly aimed at the youth market, this is really rather nice. l get melon, peach & a sweet, caramel-like vanilla. The sillage & longevity are good. lt's not something l can imagine wearing much myself, & l like Allure a lot more, but l wouldn't object to smelling this on someone else from time to time.

13rd September, 2010.