Chanel no. 5: Straight to the Heart ~ the Reformulations and a 2013 Holiday Buying Guide

After more than ninety years on the market, Chanel no. 5 remains among the top selling perfumes in the world, and has made a traditional Christmas gift for just about as long. Department stores across the States are already decked out in mistletoe and holly wreaths, and perfume gift sets are piled high by the perfume counters.  Just in time for the holiday fragrance sales, Chanel’s new ad reflects the world’s love affair with no. 5 and Marilyn Monroe with a new advertisement that’s equally nostalgic and touching:

This year, in addition to the long list of products in the line, Chanel has launched a new limited edition Chanel no. 5 Intense Bath Oil, and in the US, limited edition holiday gift sets. The Duo Set includes a 3.4 oz. Eau de Parfum Spray and 6.8 oz. Body Lotion ($180), and the Trio Set contains a 1.7 oz. Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 oz. Body Lotion and 3.4 oz. Bath Gel ($148).

I have designed this article to serve as a comprehensive buyer’s guide to the different products in the line. This year, however, the fragrance itself has undergone such a transformation that I felt I had to address the changes in this iconic perfume before I could even begin to describe the products.

2013 Marks a New Era for Chanel no. 5

Not Your Grandma’s Perfume

I am deeply saddened to report that 2013 marks the end of an era for Chanel no. 5. There have been numerous warnings on dedicated perfume blogs across the Internet that due to International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) restrictions of various ingredients, Chanel no. 5 and some other iconic fragrances would be rendered unrecognizable or discontinued altogether in 2013. (See one such article here from the esteemed Bois de Jasmin perfume blog). As a devotee of the fragrance for more than fifteen years, I tended to cling naively to the hope that such reports somewhat hysterical and reactionary. I was dead wrong.

When I first sprayed the new eau de toilette generously onto my right arm, my heart began to sink. As I sprayed my left arm with the eau de parfum, my heart sunk even deeper. While both concentrations had always been marked with their famously strong waxy aldehydic sparkle that made Chanel no. 5 distinctive, both are now weak, thin, and utterly flat on application. No aldehydes. Just a watery transparent jasmine. This was particularly startling with the EDP, which used to be a real heavy hitter. The EDP has hardly any throw at all, and was all but gone within two hours. Now Chanel has some of the most talented perfumers in the industry, and they have weathered the changing restrictions remarkably well over the years. And after all, Chanel has exclusive ownership of the best rose and jasmine available. As the heart notes of the new EDT developed on my skin, I felt some of the blood return to my face. The new Chanel no. 5 EDT skips all of the top notes that you’re familiar with, and goes straight for the heart.

If you are buying this for a Chanel no. 5 diehard, you can probably get your hands on older stock from a reputable source (please be very careful, and with Ebay in particular – Chanel fragrances are very often faked). For those new to the fragrance, or who were ambivalent about the aldehydic opening, you may be glad to know that although the EDT’s top notes are gone, the heart of the fragrance remains close to the previous versions and still exquisite.

This is no longer the no. 5 that I know and love, but it is still develops into possibly the most gorgeous jasmine-rose floral fragrance on the market. I imagine that I now feel how legions of older dames must have felt when they first tried on the version that I fell in love with in the 1990s. After all, back before earlier restrictions took place in the 1970s and 80s, Chanel no. 5 was made with real ambergris, civet musk, nitro musks, and whopping doses of bergamot and oakmoss, all severely restricted or outlawed by the time I bought my first bottle. I have bottles of Chanel no. 5 that date back to the 1950s, and they’re exquisite masterpieces of fragrance, but bear only a family resemblance to the no. 5 that I grew up with.

The Perfume

CHANEL N° 5 PARFUM

0.25 OZ. ($120)
0.5 OZ. ($200)
1 OZ. ($325)
7.5 OZ. ($2,100) . . . yes, really.
30 OZ. ($4,200) . . . just in case you need to scent your swimming pool!

The parfum concentration is no. 5 in its original form. Launched in 1921 by Coco at her atelier in Paris, it’s still considered an icon of luxury and indulgence, as it was then. First-time parfum buyers might be shocked by the tiny size of the bottle compared to the high price tag, but it’s a highly concentrated fragrance. It’s dabbed, not sprayed, and a small dab of the fragrance should wear for a good dozen hours, though won’t have as much throw as lighter concentrations. The parfum that I have from 2012 is hardly changed from how I remember it from the 1990s, though sadly, weaker.  The newest 2013 version that I’ve been testing is weaker still in the top notes, but still true to the unparalleled ylang ylang jasmine and rose composition that signifies its heart.

The pre-2013 parfum is distinctive in its strength and opulence. It is sparkling with glacial, snowy aldehydes, and an enormously smooth and beautiful ylang ylang, a tropical flower that can smell in turns like jasmine, vanilla flower, and a smooth banana just before it’s ripe.  Then comes the magical heart of jasmine and rose that give way to a base of soft vanilla and gentle, sweet musk with hints of a dirty sandalwood and a synthetic civet musk that smells for all the world like the real thing, and gives it a very distinctive, warm and primal base that reminds me of the animalic smell of a real fur coat.

The new 2013 parfum has lost its cool aldehydic sparkle, and the opening is now far quieter and showcases the languid, tropical ylang ylang. The rest of the fragrance is still intact, all the way down to the base.

Worn conservatively, the parfum is a very subtle luxury. Worn liberally, the parfum is the most extravagant concentration of all the no. 5 line, and goes well with a night at the opera, or a Michelin starred restaurant with pearls and a gown. This has “classic” written all over it, and is probably suited to a lady who would feel perfectly comfortable having tea at the Ritz, or going to a red carpet event in Cannes.

The parfum now also comes in a purse spray, making it far simpler to transport than the classic glass stopper bottle.

CHANEL N° 5 EAU DE PARFUM

1.2 OZ. ($74)
1.7 OZ. ($98)
3.4 OZ. ($130)

The pre-2013 formulation of the EDP was the least popular concentration among true no. 5 devotees. It was launched in 1986, and included a pretty heavy dose of a synthetic sandalwood that was used in a lot of perfumes of the 80s, giving it a somewhat dated feel. I loved it for its massive blizzard of bright white aldehydes and jasmine that wore like fresh snow on fur lined mittens. I hated it for its oily synthetic sandalwood and its tendency to go sour and metallic, like tarnished brass.

The new 2013 EDP remains, once again, the least attractive pick in the lineup. It went on with a thin and airy jasmine. While it eventually develops into a very subtle, sweet and powdery-cool jasmine in the style of Chanel no. 5 as I know it, the fragrance had very little throw, and after the second hour, I could only detect it very lightly on my skin with my nose glued to my wrist. I’ve tried it a few times, on different days from different tester bottles, incredulous to the idea that Chanel could put out a product this weak and call it an EDP. This concentration is supposed to be fairly strong, somewhere between the lighter EDT and the mother of all, parfum. I regretfully have to declare this product was a complete dud for me, and I’m very curious to find out if others will have the same experience with it. This jus would have been better marketed as a light eau de cologne or body mist.

CHANEL N° 5 EAU DE TOILETTE

1.2 OZ. ($65)
1.7 OZ. ($78)
3.4 Oz. ($105)

The pre-2013 EDT formulation is my favorite concentration, close in spirit to the parfum, but much more wearable. Its aldehydes are gentle, and feel fluffy and effervescent, rather than cold. It gives an impression of the spray that comes off a pink grapefruit as you peal the rind, and has a languid, fleshy, nearly tropical ylang ylang, and unparalleled jasmine and rose.

Chanel has cultivated possibly the most delectable jasmine and rose to ever grace perfumery in its own fields in Grasse, for exclusive use in Chanel perfumes. Their rose de mai has a jammy and sweet profile, and their jasmine is perfectly clear, with none of the bitterness or heady “indoles” that make jasmine heavy compositions difficult for some people to wear. A hint of oakmoss gives the EDT a powdery green feel reminiscent of old-school Barbasol shaving cream, and sets off the florals like a contrasting background color of cool jade.

The new 2013 version out goes on insipid and flat, with a sorry, watery jasmine, but then redeems itself as it blooms into a floral heart nearly identical to the one I love so dearly. The heart is now a bit heavier on the rose than jasmine, and smells like a very luxurious lipstick scent. The oddity of this new version is that in most aldehydic fragrances, the aldehydes are the first part of the fragrance to fade. In this one, the aldehydes are non-existent in the topnotes, but they do lend a light fluffiness to the heart of the fragrance.

There are people out there who associate the opening aldehydic jasmine notes of Chanel no. 5 with older ladies who have been wearing the scent since its popularity in Marilyn’s era and long before. I imagine those who feel uncomfortable wearing no. 5 for that reason might find the newer version more to their taste. Personally, I couldn’t give a damn who else wore it, the aldehydic top notes were exquisite, and I will mourn their loss. The new formulation is beautiful, thought, and although much lighter, it’s still an exquisite powdery rose that epitomizes elegance and old Hollywood boudoir glamour.

CHANEL N° 5 EAU PREMIÈRE

1.35 OZ. ($64)
2.5 OZ. ($88)
5 OZ. ($125

No. 5 Eau Première came on the market in 2007 as the “updated” version of no. 5 for those who didn’t like the aldehydic, “old-fashioned” aspects of the original fragrance. I never considered it to really be a part of the no. 5 lineup at all because its notes are pretty drastically different from “real” no. 5. It’s a lovely fragrance in its own right, but to call it no. 5 is like calling a nice pink cotton bra and kickers a “version” of a La Perla eyelash lace basque and garter set. Now that the top has been lopped off of the eau de toilette, and eau première has been adjusted a bit as well, they have a lot more in common with each other.

The pre-2013 version isn’t all that different from the 2013 version out right now, though it is now weaker and less sparkling at the top. They both open with a nice, refreshing and pithy lemon that reminds me of Sanpellegrino Limonata, and settle in to a lemony, light jasmine with hints of rose on a fuzzy, sweet musk base.

The musk in both eau première and in the sensual elixir is remarkable in that it reminds me very much of the old delicious, but neurotoxic nitro musks that were in the original Chanel no. 5 and have been banned since the early nineties.  Unlike all the other contemporary musks I’ve smelled, this one is sweet but not cloying, and has neither the clean, soapy quality nor the usual milky smell that makes my stomach turn. It also lacks the laundry-sheet musk smell that’s ubiquitous in everything from perfume to household cleaners these days. It’s a warm, sweet, kittenish musk that reminds me of rubbing soft fur against my cheek. Eau Première is like a fluffy lemon meringue musk with hints of no. 5 throughout.

CHANEL N° 5 SENSUAL ELIXIR

1.7 Oz. ($68)

The sensual elixir was introduced in 2004, and was clearly the olfactory predecessor of eau première. Sensual Elixir was introduced as a new way to wear Chanel no. 5. It’s perfume in a silky silicone base, and feels something like a hair serum. Somewhat of an unusual way to wear perfume for sure, but it’s really lovely nonetheless. I always get lots of compliments on it, which proves its projection as well as its popular appeal, but at the same time, it’s never loud the way that alcohol based perfumes can be. Sensual elixir smells just like eau première, but with only a touch of the citrus top notes that lend it a lifted sparkle. It’s all sexy, fuzzy, kitten musk with rose and jasmine, from top to bottom.

The Bath Products

In addition to the products  described in detail below, Chanel currently offers:

CHANEL N° 5 THE CLEANSING CREAM ($50 6.8 oz)
CHANEL N° 5 VELVET BODY CREAM ($80 150 g)
CHANEL N° 5 AFTER BATH POWDER ($65 5 oz)

And outside of the US (Europe, Mexico, and Canada):

CHANEL N° 5 THE HAIR MIST
CHANEL N° 5 THE SPRAY DEODORANT

CHANEL N° 5 INTENSE BATH OIL
(limited edition)

8.4 OZ. ($100)

Believe it or not, at $100 for a gigantic 8.5 ounces, this stuff is a steal. It wears like a perfume, and smells very much like the sexy, musky sensual elixir, but with a richer, rosier heart, and no noticeable citrus at all.

Chanel no. 5 bath oil has come and gone and come again many times over many decades, and it still comes back every once in a while as a limited edition for the holiday season. I once read that after a childhood of poverty and displacement, Marilyn Monroe finally felt successful when she could afford to use real Chanel no. 5 in her bath. After having my heart broken by the changes to the actual no. 5 perfumes this year, this limited edition bath oil is my one consolation. You could add it to bath water for a luxurious treat, but why waste it that way when you could dab it on as a fragrance? Plenty of people do just that, and this year’s formulation is plenty strong enough for it.

As a gift, this oil is a real, luxurious treat, and limited edition products do make great gifts. Although, if the recipient isn’t particularly a perfume or Chanel fanatic, she might be confused as to how to use it, particularly if she doesn’t have a bathtub. So know her well – if she’s a Chanel girl at heart, or knows her way around old-fashioned bath products, this is probably a good bet.

CHANEL N° 5 THE BODY LOTION

6.8 OZ. ($50)

The body lotion has undergone changes as well. The older version had a very bright opening that reminded me very much of vitamin C tablets I took every morning before school as a kid. It was heavy on the jasmine, and had a sparkling, vivid quality.

The new body lotion goes on with a strange, sharp note, but that fades almost immediately into a gentle and extremely elegant rose and jasmine fragrance. It isn’t nearly as heavily scented as the older version, but I actually find it more refined and luxurious. The roses really shine in this lotion, and the fragrance isn’t overpowering.

CHANEL N° 5 THE FOAMING BATH

6.8 OZ. ($65)

I can’t comment on the performance of this in the bathtub, but if it’s anything like the older foaming bath, it will give you exquisite, soft foamy suds that last for quite a while as bubble baths go. I only smelled this from the bottle at the Chanel counter (repeatedly, deeply, and on multiple occasions), but the newer fragrance is an exquisite, refined blast of the highest quality jasmine and rosy musk.

This is probably the most luxurious of all of the products if only because it’s the least useful. I can’t imagine the fragrance will last on skin for very long after the bath. This would make a great gift for any floral fragrance lover with a bathtub who would never think to buy something so exceedingly indulgent for herself. This has all the makings of a real Marilyn moment.

For those who don’t have a tub, there is a cleansing cream as well, which produces a creamy lather for the shower.

CHANEL N° 5 BATH SOAP

150 G ($25)
200 G + soap dish ($75)

I don’t know if the fragrance in the bath soap has changed, but the last bar I bought in 2009 was highly fragranced and highlighted the gorgeous Chanel no. 5 jasmine. It was so heavily fragranced that it filled the bathroom with its perfume for hours.

Without knowing if the fragrance has changed, I can at least say that the texture of a Chanel soap is a luxury unto itself, with a milky pink and creamy soft lather that just melts onto the skin. It melts a little faster than other, harder soaps, but if you love no. 5, it’s one of those things you’ve got to try once in your life. It’s another luxury item that would make a very nice gift for those who would never treat themselves so indulgently.