Friday, May 31, 2013

Friday Five : Chanel Les Exclusifs edition


           Happy Friday! Last week I wrote about my experience with the Hermessences in the Hermès perfume line (read here). I thought it would be fitting to follow up with a Friday Five on Les Exclusifs de Chanel! As the name suggests, the Les Exclusifs perfumes are exclusive to Chanel boutiques and very select department stores. (This is in contrast with No.5, Chance, Coco Mademoiselle, etc. which are more ubiquitously available). Recently, I stopped by the Chanel boutique on N. Michigan Avenue to take a sniff.

          The Les Exclusifs de Chanel perfumes were presented in a small display near the center of the boutique. Each had its own name card (seen above) upon which to test the scents. Overall, I thought each scent was well represented by its name. Bel Respiro was a whiff of fresh, grassy, earthy countryside; I loved it on the card, so I tried it on. However, the scent turned a bit masculine on me. Beige was smooth, warm, and womanly; it was very 'beige' as per its moniker. La Pausa was a soft powdery iris with a slight earthiness. Gardènia was a tame bouquet of creamy white florals. I found 1932 to be the most interesting; I enjoyed the light sparkle in the woody floral scent. Jersey was a soft, slightly sweet lavender that imparted the feel of soft fabric; I enjoyed the dry down on the card.

          Overall, I'd say the perfumes in Les Exclusifs de Chanel were smooth, balanced, and well composed. However, I do have mixed feelings. On one hand, they would easily please a number of noses and I could easily and happily wear any of the scents I just described. On the other hand, they were a little less intriguing than I had hoped for, considering their price point. That said, I may go back to try Jersey or 1932, the scents I found to be the most promising of the bunch. Perhaps, as with Bel Respiro, I'll feel differently when I've worn them! On that note, here are my Friday Five list of good reads this week:

1. Chanel Moon River Fresh Effects Eye Shadow is simply stunning at Café Makeup.
2. Makeup and Beauty Blog shares juicy shades from the MAC All About Orange Collection.
3. Check out a beautiful bottle of Dior Addict Eau Délice on BellaChique.
4. 'Brush up' on what makes Mason Pearson special on Lil Lady's Life.
5. Best Things In Beauty shares Flax, a gorgeous new Chantecaille eyeshadow.

        Thanks for reading! What do you have planned for the weekend? Have you tried Les Exclusifs de Chanel? Which of the scents would you like to try?

Love, Dovey.

4 comments:

  1. Beige and Gardenia sound lovely! This weekend I'm going to finish up shopping for prom :D

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  2. That's unfortunate that they're so hard to find...but yay for trying them!

    How funny that the Bel Respiro turned a little manly smelling on you.

    Thanks for being so descriptive with the scents -- it helps!!

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  3. Awesome post, Dovey :) I LOVE the Exclusifs. I haven't smelled some of the newer ones, though. 31 Rue Cambon is a gorgeous chypre-style... I only have a small sample but I need to pull it out and sniff it again. Gardenia is really pretty, too, and 1932 sounds lovely. I know it's very polarizing, but No.22 completely knocked my socks off the first time I sniffed it and while the Exclusif version is lighter on the aldehydes than its predecessors, it's still a gorgeous white floral dominated by incense scent and SO feminine and elegant.

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  4. I really liked Beige and nearly bought a bottle at one point. There's one that smells a lot like gin but I don't remember what it was called. Sniffing the lesser known Chanel scents are super fun. :)

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