Chanel No5 L’Eau was launched in 2016, with the goal to have a version of the original and iconic Chanel No5 appeal to younger generations. It’s appropriately called the “Water of No5,” bringing to mind a fresher, airier twist to the original. I’m a fan of the original Chanel No5, it just really works with my body chemistry, so I snatched this one up immediately after it launched.
Notes:
- Top: Aldehydes, Lemon, Neroli, Mandarin Orange, Orange, Bergamot, Lime
- Middle: Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, May Rose
- Base: White Musk, Orris Root, Cedar, Vanilla
The aldehydes and citrus notes at the top are vibrant, light, effervescent, airy, youthful and sparkling. The aldehydes, which are artificially formulated fragrance notes, combined with the citrus notes are bubbly, reminiscent of champagne bubbles. The citrus fruits here are sophisticated and do not remind one of household cleaners, but rather fruits that are slightly sweet, bright and clean. Think of the dried rind of an orange, rather than fresh zest. The middle florals are not overly heavy or cloying, rather they are soft and a touch powdery. It’s hard to decipher which floral is which, as they are blended together well. Lastly, the base notes are smooth; a little musky and a touch warm, almost skin-like Again, the bottom notes are very balanced and one isn’t over powering the other. Like the original Chanel No5, it’s a bit difficult to describe this scent, because it has so many notes and everything is so well layered and balanced. No5 L’Eau is soft, sophisticated, luxurious, elegant and feminine. If you know what the original Chanel No5 smells like, take that and water it down, but place an emphasis on the lighter, brighter qualities of it. Musks and florals dominate the original, where citrus leads the way with L’Eau.
Season: Chanel No5 L’Eau is one of those fragrances that can be worn all year round. It’s light and airy enough to not be cloying during the spring or summer. I do feel this would be a bit more appropriate to wear on summer evenings, perhaps in a more formal setting, due to the musks in the base notes. If this is applied with a slightly heavier hand, it’s a warm and cozy fragrance for fall and winter. Even though it has a “lightness” to it, it’s present and won’t get lost in layers of clothing. In fact, this scent frequently reminds me of a soft, ivory cashmere turtleneck - soft, luxurious and effortless.
Sillage & Wear Time: Chanel No5 has a low to medium projection from the body, depending on how heavy it’s applied. Because it’s not loud and in your face, it’s appropriate for office settings. It creates a soft, clean cloud of scent around the body, that again, isn’t overpowering or cloying. This is the type of scent that will make people say, “You smell nice” VS “Your fragrance smells nice.” I find that the wear time of this fragrance is decent. I can definitely smell it lingering on clothes for hours and hours. It fades on the skin a bit after maybe 5-hours (on my skin, anyway), but I don’t mind topping this up midway through the day.
Recommended for: This is definitely a feminine fragrance, so if you are a fan of soft, delicate, extremely feminine scents, this may be for you. If you are a fan of the original Chanel No5, and want to a version that can be worn more versatilely, then this may interest you. If you don’t like the original Chanel No5, but like lighter musks, this may work for you. Also, people who are a fan of aldehydic scents - this one is definitely for you. At the risk of sounding pretentious - if you like to smell elegant, sophisticated, dainty, and luxurious and dare I say, expensive, this has you name written all over it. Pair this with a soft ivory cashmere turtleneck, a pair of black or grey slacks, a pair of velvet smoking slippers and a long camel-colored wool coat and … *chefs kiss* you’ve stepped right out of a Vogue spread. Hmmm, may need to actually wear this outfit … This is one of my favorite scents and I will always have it in my collection, along with the original Chanel No5.
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