Chanel N°5 L’Eau & The Body Oil

Chanel N°5 is one of those famed fragrances that every girl grew up hearing about, and possibly dream of owning some day.  In the world of perfumery, Chanel N°5 is significant for departing from the single florals that women used to wear, and has grown to be synonymous with the spirit of liberation that Coco Chanel embodied.  The original N°5 is so much more than just a perfume, it is an olfactory heritage that has been passed down through the generations for the past 95 years.  As a lover of the brand, N°5 was something I had aspired towards, but could never quite embrace fully… until now.

Although Chanel N°5 remains in the top 10 best sellers at all times, it is time for a remake to draw a younger audience and to be more in tune with the present.  Chanel N°5 L’Eau takes the structure of the grand N°5, but at the hands of perfumer Olivier Polge, manages to develop quite a different persona from any of the other N°5 incarnations before L’Eau, transforming into a vibrant and fresh fragrance.

The new Chanel N°5 L’Eau starts out at first whiff like N°5, the resemblance is uncanny.  However, this dissipates within seconds as aldehydes lift the fragrance, and transforms it into a more translucent scent.  This is a different zesty kind of aldehydes, devoid of the metallic tang that sometimes gives me a headache.  Vibrant lemons, mandarins and oranges trills and tickles, just enough to give L’Eau a light-hearted outlook without going the direction of cologne.

At the heart of L’Eau are the pretty florals – rose and jasmine, with a base of white musk; giving L’Eau a velvety cashmerean feel on the skin.  This lasts a long while, before slowly drying down to allow some notes of cedar and ylang ylang to emerge.  It is an elegant and polished fragrance, yet modern and versatile for whatever occasions life takes you to.  Chanel N°5 L’Eau is formulated as an EDT, and lasts about 4-5 hours on me.  It has moderate sillage, and no matter how much I douse myself with, it never gets overpowering.

In case the relatively short-lived wear time of the Chanel N°5 L’Eau is of concern, and quite frankly regardless of your real intentions, there are a multitude of reasons I can think of to pick up a bottle of the new Chanel N°5 The Body Oil.  Chanel makes some of the finest and most luxuriously scented body care products [the Coco Noir Body Cream is one of my most prized possessions], and this body oil takes refinement to the next level.  In many ways, it is closer to the original Chanel N°5 but without the complicated aldehydes that sometimes get in my way of appreciating the fragrance.  It is more robust than  Chanel N°5 L’Eau, with a fuller floral bouquet and an even creamier woody musk base.

The Body Oil comes in a hefty glass bottle but the nozzle spray emits the finest mist I could ever imagine for an oil!  It literally breathes Chanel N°5 on my skin, and the oil is a light dry oil that gets absorbed into my skin instantly, leaving it beautifully scented and perfectly moisturised all day.  I love misting my arms and legs with it, and then layering Chanel N°5 L’Eau over for the day.  Although Chanel N°5 The Body Oil remains close to the skin and does not bear much sillage, it keeps my bedroom fragranced when I go to bed at night, and lingers on my sheets afterwards.  So lush is the scent though, that even my husband approves!  This is limited edition so I recommend you check it out as soon as it hits stores (November in Singapore), and pick up a backup bottle if you find yourself falling in love as much as I have!

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}