First — Winner of the Chanel Les Exclusifs samples from the drawing about ten days ago is…. Amarie. Just hit the Contact Us button over there on the left, let me know your mailing address, and I’ll get these sent off to you.
I really can’t say much about 28 La Pausa except, she spritzed, she was beautiful — for a minute — and she left. I’ve had no problem with longevity like some people have had, except with the Eau de Cologne (this is to be expected with that one!). My sister switched her love from Coromandel to 28 La Pausa, and I totally get it, if she would just hang around! So for those of you lucky ones she sticks with, I’m pea-green with envy and officially hate you.
Now, No. 18 seemed to be doing the same thing as La Pausa at first — doing the *poof* act — but I think 18 can be overwhelmed if there are other perfumes butting in trying to get attention at the same time. There’s the “Pickle Accord” at the start that is just a little weird, but give it time and you won’t be disappointed. It slowly dries down to a really great, nutty scent. Do any of you remember the Tickle My Wickle Chestnut Vetiver scent several of us had a thing for a while back? This is that idea, but not the same combination of notes, all grown up. Nutty earth… there, that’s my best description, and it is awe-some (full Valley Girl accent). And it is the favorite of the Mister, too. He made some really scandalous suggestion after I let him sniff it *blush*.
Don’t think enough has been said about the stupendous 31 Rue de Cambon. It is delicious on me, lush and yummy. This is my pick — although I like the Cormondel, it seems a bit sweet. The pickle thing in #18 is really getting to me — you can’t quite lose it even though the rose comes through soon enough.
In case you are wondering about the #18 – it is certainly NOT the pickles (which I never got). It is something sultry and very exotic (substitute the “r” in there as well). Almonds maybe?
Dirty dawg:d
LOL…we shall all be good and sick of the Chanels soon enough, and then we have the 12(!) dratted Tom Fords to blather on about.
Gads, the Tom Fords, I’m still bracing myself for the cash plunk-down to get those in just to try! Eeep!
I’ve written my impressions at large on these, but what fascinates me is how diversely these scents seem to react on different skins… I get no Attrape-Coeur in 31, neither pickles nor soapiness in 18… They seem to behave gorgeously on my skin, and I am *so* waiting for payday!
Whew! I was thinking maybe I wasn’t smelling right. 🙂 I do only get a mild pickles thing, just as a spice that is in there, but not the vinegar part of the pickes.
I’m glad they are behaving for me so well, too!
Miss Patty,
I think 31 is my favorite. Well, for the morning of the 20th of February it is. I adore all of them, but some I have to admit seem a bit unfinished. I would kill for the parfums. Well, I’d really really injure for them. :d
Unfinished? For me, I’m not thinking so much. I can’t think of anything I’d add or subtract from them, except making some of them or all of them into parfums. They do have a minimalism to them, but not too spare, I think.
It will be interesting to see, over time, how they hold up. I don’t think any of them are really ground-breaking scents, but I think some of them will stand up to the test of time and become classics.
Patty, I can’t be sick of the Chanels yet, when I haven’t even received my decants. 🙁 I am hoping that they arrive today. Please sent me good USPS vibes. Thank you so much!
Judging from your posts, I’m thinking that No. 18 and 31 Rue Cambon may be the shot for me. I could be wrong, but something is telling me that these may be my faves.
We shall see…
Hugs!
STupid USPS!
I think you’ll find a few in here that will work for you. I’m guessing Bel Respiro may be at or near the top of the list. Could be wrong, though.
Ha! Make that “similarity between 31 and AC, not 21 and AC”. Lordy, I can’t type anymore!
Morning Patty!
31 and 18 are by far my faves from the lot.
I am one of the ones who gets a tremendous similarity between 21 and Attrape Coeur. Even sniffing from the bottle they are almost the same to my nose, and they continue to be first cousins on my skin also.
18- well, I go through a horrid top-note with this one, an almost nauseating boozy-pukey note(nice, huh?) Then it mellows down to a beautiful amber-rose with a pince of cedar thrown in. This is the chameleon in the group, IMO. It’s also in the lead for future full bottle status, LOL! 18 could be a Serge Lutens scent.
I totally agree with other comments about individual skin chemistry – these seem very reactive to different people, and I think that is just awesome. Everybody can find something to love.:x:x
there are several people that think the AC comparison applies, I know Diane does, and I do get that, but it just changes so much once I get it on, that I can’t find it once it’s out of the bottle.
18 is the sleeper, though. I think it will be either love or hate with that one, once people spend time with it.
Well, I am not sick of the Chanels, but I’m sure people are sick of reading my impressions on different blogs. And they haven’t changed much, but I will vary the wording.
31 is my love, the one I will buy. I have known this from the beginning. DH loves it, too! I only wish it came in PARFUM!!!!!
18–needs further testing. I liked it, but wasn’t sure how much and put it aside for further research (I think my reaction to this was similar to yours to 31. DH’s clear second favorite; he said it was “subtle” on me and astounded me by asking “Is that musk” (of course, he also asked that about Coromandel, so it may be dumb luck; if any fragrance is spicy, he guesses “cinnamon”!)
28 La Pausa. Very pretty, very light on me. I like it, but I haven’t gone beyond that—yet. It doesn’t disappear on me, just stays very light. (DH: “that’s very light”)
Thanks so much for the beautiful presentation!!!
could never get tired of your impressions! I’m just surprised, nicely, that we agree on most of these, which takes that into Djedi and other territory, and that’s a great thing!!!
31 in parfum would be awesome, and so would 18.
I think 18 is the man-killer. There is something in there (pickles?) that seems to suck them in. I was surprised Warren liked this one the most, I would have guessed he would have liked Bel Respiro more or EdC.
Judith, my Brit beau says “cinnamon” quite systematically when he smells spices too… I should just break down and get him Rousse.
“He made some really scandalous suggestion after I let him sniff it” OK, Patty so the winner of the bunch is clear, no? No 18 it is!! :d:x
Oh, hell yeah! 🙂
The poor little bleeding ‘eart Brit boy still longingly awaits the arrival of the six strutting Chanels. His winsome gaze drifts over to the sash window, one lone tear dribbling slowly down his rosy cheek, and then nestling in the downturned corner of his mouth. He emits a sigh, an admixture of ennui, desire and this morning’s breakfast….
:-b
I swear, I put it on the express Atlantic mail! But it should be there this week, and just think what the anticipation is doing for you!
y’know I trust you P. Just sharing my anticipation.
Hey, gorgeous !
I’m completely remiss in not telling you how beautifully you decanted /presented these, so here it is…YOU ROCK !
My consensus lies with your inklings.
Chemistry is EVERYTHING.
Longevity varies.
Although I really like them, I suppose I had greater expectations.
I bought Coromandel [and haven’t regretted it- yet !], and keep dancing around the 31 RC- I guess, I probably love Il Profumo di Acqua di Parma more, in that genre of scent.
[Strangely enough, no one ever mentions this one- and it’s a real heartbreaker ! Email me, if you’d like some]
Love you gals, and your beautiful candor.
Enjoy the slight temp warm-up …
Heya, doll! You’re so very welcome!
It seems like Chemistry is even worse with these. When I read that some people have them last not more than a minute, all of them, I’m just shocked! I get hours out of them. But most Chanels have always gotten on well with my skin. Never tried the Il Profumo one.
We are balmy here in Denver, have been almost for a week. I’m near to March, which means we have one more one-foot+ snowfall coming in March or April, then it will melt off in three days, and spring will officially be here. 🙂
Alrighty, Patutska-
I will wing you a nice Il Profumo, which I guarantee will lemm you !
Anything else you crave ?
Oh- BTW- just to throw a monkey wrench into this 31 thing-
I finally figured out what the nagging similarity was :
Iris Nobile EDP !!!
THAT’S what it reminds me of !
These definitely all seem to vary a lot w/ skin chemistry. No. 31 and I fell in instant love w/ each other. The love persists. I’m fairly certain it’s eternal and I could say my vows today and not have to worry about any awkward future breakup. However, despite being an iris sl*t, La Pausa didn’t work on me. She wasn’t fleeting, but she did go off to a dept. store. A high end dept. store, but, still…she left Chanel. Maybe she was annoyed that I’m such an iris sl*t. Not enough loyalty to any one scent for her.
No. 18. OK, this is brutally unfair since I’m a long time ambrette seed worshipper and in the base I really do get that divine note. However, in order to make it there I have to go through an extensive period of soapiness. Tragically, the soap phobic part of me trumps the ambrette seed lover. Need to devote some time to seeing if I can figure out a way to magically skip the opening and middle and just come to the happy ending.
Shame about the La Pausa. It seems for those it works on, it is magnificent. My sister changed from Rue Cambon to La Pausa on needing a 1/2 ounce of. I wish it worked its magic on me because I do love iris, but ISM is my first love there, so… there may not be room for another?
Lord, soap in 18? Yikes, that’s a travesty. You should spray it on DH and see if it works on him instead? 🙂
Definitely nutty on my, which I love! Too few nutty-earthy perfumes out there. The more I wear it, the more I love it.
I fixed the Universal Text Centering Button ®
P — there’s definitely something freaky in the display — most of the recent posts are centered? I’m afeared of going in there and trying to fix them individually…:-ss
Patty — wow, so you get the nutty Wickle thing too in No. 18? People are getting such different reads on that and the 31RC.
I love the chypre of the RC but that sandalwood… sheesh.
BTW — are things looking normal today on your computer? Everything’s centered, including the comments, on mine (as well as yesterday’s post, didn’t look further back.) Did you hit the cool Universal Text Centering button?:-“