jacques polge – This Side of Perfume

Chance Eau Fraîche by Chanel

July 7, 2017

Notes: lemon, cedar, pink pepper, jasmine, water hyacinth, teak wood, iris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, and white musk.

It’s hard to believe that Chance Eau Fraiche has been out for ten years now, but it was indeed originally released in 2007. I remember it well, as I was studying in Paris at the time. I got sucked in by all the advertising and fanfare that comes along with a new Chanel release, and I saved up my euros to buy a 50 ml bottle (A 100 ml bottle was too far out of my price range at the time. Even the 50 ml was pushing it on a student budget, let’s be honest). That bottle was well-loved, and Chance Eau Fraiche has been my companion every summer ever since.

The top notes start with a lively, juicy lemon, which is typical enough for a summer scent. The interesting thing about Chance Eau Fraiche is that the lemon is paired with cedar as part of the top notes. This is unusual, especially for a women’s fragrance. The cedar note comes through quite strong on my skin, and I love it. The shimmering lemon note keeps the composition balanced and gives it that “fraiche” quality.

Another interesting thing about Chance Eau Fraiche is that I find the heart notes green and aromatic, where I would normally sense aromatic notes in the opening. The main mid-note I sense is jasmine. More than a white floral, it’s a green floral here. The water hyacinth must be what I’m sensing as the fresh, cooling aromatic note. The jasmine brings more of a rounded, full-bodied aspect that balances out the cedar.

I’ll be honest about the dry down, I don’t get many of the listed notes at all, except for a subtly smoky vetiver. I sense the cedar all the way through the composition, including here in the base where it blends with the vetiver for a deliciously dry and woody phase before the scent fades away.

I decided to write about Chance Eau Fraiche now because it’s a favorite of mine. Recently I noticed that the Chanel website lists it as “limited edition” although I believe it just means that one of the sizes is limited (the 1.2 oz bottle) not the fragrance itself. Still, perfumistas are used to precious favorites being discontinued, and it gave me a scare. It would be a shame if Chanel were ever to discontinue this one. The composition is unique and dynamic, especially in a very crowded and same-y women’s fragrance market. It’s also beautifully wearable, particularly during these hot and humid July summer days. Even if it’s not limited, I’m stocking up on Chance Eau Fraiche, just in case.

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Chance Eau Fraiche is available directly from Chanel and you should be able to find it in person at any Chanel counter.

The image and info on notes are both from Fragrantica.

Cristalle Eau Verte by Chanel

May 5, 2017

Notes: bergamot, Sicilian lemon, neroli, magnolia, musk, iris, and jasmine.

I’m continuing off of my previous post about spring-themed scents, and Cristalle Eau Verte is absolutely one of my favorites for spring. The original Cristalle was composed by Henri Robert and released in 1974 (and I will do a separate write-up of that fragrance because it deserves its own post.) Cristalle Eau Verte was released much more recently in 2009 and was of course composed by Jacques Polge. Eau Verte is definitely updated and modern. It’s an accessible kind of scent profile and it’s effortless to wear.

Cristalle is famous for its sparkling champagne-like citrus top notes. Eau Verte also opens with a sparkling sensation, but you can tell right off the bat that this has definitely been composed for a modern audience. The bergamot has that clean green aspect to it, and the lemon note is very pronounced. It’s a fresh and lively opening. It’s the kind of scent I like spritzing on just after a shower. It’s just that refreshing.

Luckily Cristalle Eau Verte is more complex than a typical body mist that you might apply post-shower. The florals come in and really carry this fragrance in a sophisticated way. I’m a sucker for magnolia, so I love getting to the mid-stage of Eau Verte. Magnolia is often creamy on my skin, and even peachy-fruity. The magnolia here is slightly different in that it’s creamy but, combined with the neroli note, it takes on a shimmering light sensation. It radiates off the skin, almost singing in a way. On a sunny day, I feel like you can almost see the shimmering effect of the magnolia and neroli on the skin. That’s one reason it’s perfect for spring.

The base continues the white floral theme with jasmine bringing a more full-bodied presence. There is also plenty of white musk, which is not my personal favorite base note, but it works for this composition. A tonka or sandalwood note would have been too heavy. I get 5 hours of wear time here, so it’s a pretty typical EdT.

Overall, is Cristalle Eau Verte the most essential or pivotal Chanel fragrance? Of course not. But it’s an excellent flanker. It works as its own fragrance and doesn’t diminish the original Cristalle. It’s sophisticated and more complex than many “fresh” spring/summer scents these days. It makes me smile when I wear it and, sometimes, that’s all you need.

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I own a full bottle of Cristalle Eau Verte, which I purchased from Nordstrom.

The info on notes is from Fragrantica.

Photo taken by me.

Jersey by Chanel (Les Exclusifs)

August 20, 2015

Notes: lavender, musk, vanilla, wild flowers, grass, rose, jasmine, and tonka bean.

I first tried Chanel’s Jersey a couple of months ago when I was visiting London. I happened to be there during this summer’s infamous heat wave when it was the hottest day in London on record. On this record-breaking hot day, a friend and I decided to take a shopping trip to Harrod’s because, if everyone is going to be sweating anyway, why not do it in style? Jersey is a lavender-centric fragrance, and it ended up being exactly the type of refreshing scent required by such a hot day. I liked it so much that I ended up ordering a sample once I was back at home.

Just as you might expect, Jersey opens with a strong wave of lavender. It’s difficult not to think of fresh laundry or clean linen simply because of the association with lavender, but Jersey doesn’t come off as being terribly soapy to me. Or maybe, it’s just the right amount of clean because this fragrance is definitely about balance.

The opening lavender note is a little bit bracing, but not overly sharp. It settles down into a clean and refreshing scent, but not overly soapy to my nose. It has a green tinge that becomes more pronounced leading into the middle stage of the fragrance. I suppose this comes from the grass note, and this helps maintain the sense of freshness.

Jersey may be lavender-centric, but it’s not linear. The musk doesn’t make much of an appearance on my skin, but the vanilla most definitely does. This is a very Chanel vanilla in that it’s soft and creamy, but still elegant. It never turns into a gourmand vanilla, yet still adds a richness of texture to the fragrance.

Then the tonka bean comes in and really emphasizes the creamy texture just in case you weren’t getting enough from the vanilla. When I first noticed this change in texture, I panicked that the scent would become too heavy and figured that I’d have to wash it off. But again, perfumer Jacques Polge is all about balance, and the creamy texture here is rendered with an incredibly soft touch that’s more like cashmere than a down comforter. It makes for a dry down that’s both lovely and very wearable.

If you’re not a fan of lavender in general, Jersey probably isn’t for you. However, if you enjoy lavender, Jersey is one to try. I love lavender fragrances, so this has been perfect for me, particularly for summer wear. It’s recently gotten me though some of those late summer days where almost any fragrance feels too heavy in the humidity. Even the dry down has been wearable, and I think the echo of the lavender helps keep the composition on the lighter side in general. Jersey may not be the most complex scent out there. And again, the clean laundry associations will haunt almost any lavender fragrance, but Jersey gives off the proper air of elegance you’d expect from Chanel. Plus, it just smells great, which is all I can ask for, especially in these last days of summer.

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Les Exclusifs de Chanel are available directly from Chanel and at Chanel boutiques. They are also available in person at some department stores such as Bergdorf’s and Harrods. Jersey samples and decants are available from The Posh Peasant and The Perfumed Court, which is where I got my sample.

The image is from Chanel while the info on notes is from Fragrantica.