Chanel Coco Noir Eau de Parfum & Body Cream
Chanel Coco Noir was first launched in 2012, but I have only recently been able to sit back and appreciate it. Inspired by the time that Coco Chanel spent in Venice in 1919 shortly after the death of her lover, Boy Capel. She fell in love with the exquisite beauty of Venice and its Byzantine influences stayed with her for the rest of her life.
Coco Noir is bottled in a deep black glass bottle, the simple rectangular shape is reminiscent of that infamous LBD that is often associated with Chanel. But it feels surprisingly comfortable in the hands, not cold and unintuitive in the least, but moulds to the grip. And that is due to the rounded faceted molds, giving the entirety a sense of sumptousness.
It opens with sparkling notes of bergamot, grapefruit and orange, but it is rounded by sandalwood and patchouli. After the initial burst, the richness of white musk and incense settles in to give this fragrance a sultry edge. It wears down on my skin after about 30 minutes to reveal the creamier florals, rose and jasmine predominates.
Chanel Coco Noir is one which I am still undecided about. When I first had a whiff of it, it disappointed me by how ambivalent it is. Unlike Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, which hits you hard and fast with its distinctive personality, Coco Noir is more of a gentle seductress. It is certainly a very refined scent, but it lacks boldness. And it is this quality which probably makes Coco Noir a much easier to please fragrance than Black Orchid. It certainly wears much better in the daytime, and can be easily refreshed for an evening date.
Where the EDP disappointed, the brand new Chanel Coco Noir Body Cream excelled. It takes the nose in a clear direction, and its closeness to the skin makes this an alluring and incredibly sensual part of the woman’s ritual. Apart from the refreshing grapefruit, the beauty of rose and geranium rose leaf emerges much clearer. Also tonka bean, which was also part of the EDP, grounds this body cream.
Chanel Coco Noir body cream is a light fluffy cream that smoothes over the skin like a silky veil, and leaves it feeling delectable. It is housed in a hefty square glass jar that is entirely black with no markings on all sides, save for the golden interlocking double-C emblem on the lid. It is definitely one that will class up any bathroom vanity!
It is the perfect companion to Coco Noir EDP, layering beautifully and reinforces the floral heart of the scent. I wished the scent of the body cream lasted much longer, but alas, as with all lotions and creams it is fleeting. As for the eau de parfum, it lasts a decent 4-5 hours on my skin, but is best preserved when I spray it on my clothes as well.
So very much miss Coco Noir Shower gel. Please bring it back.
The Noir EDP didn’t really resonate with me, but their more recent release (re-release?) of the Perfume concentrate is pretty nice, but so pricy. Must check out the body cream!
I have Coco Noir and honestly don’t reach for it very often. But after reading this, I have to go and check out the body cream. It is very interesting that body cream is what Coco Noir is not. I know this effect from very heavy scents or ones with lots of sillage (like Laura Mercier’s Crème de Pistache but never heard that a subtle scent revealing its boldness in cream form, very intrigued to try out!
Oh the body cream is more fragrant in the florals, so in combination, it gives coco noir more direction than if worn on its own. Does that make sense? It still lacks the sultry attitude that others have, but at least it becomes much less ambivalent.
I wanna try that cream. It seems like a good one to try out.
yes it is!