Allure by Chanel

It’s a vintage makeup powder scent that doesn’t feel dated, avoirdupois, and timeless. I love it. I compared it to Benetton Hot, and they are very similar, though this one has less projection; for the price, it’s not bad. If you’re looking for a good alternative to Allure EDT, try Divain (085): it’s very similar, has good quality, evolution, and isn’t linear. Although I’m still testing it, it seems to last a long time (it persisted on my hand after several washes). I haven’t compared it hand-to-hand with the original, but I recommend it if you can’t afford Chanel.

The Eau de Toilette version is one of the few where, in my opinion, it is equal to or even more perfect than Allure. It has the right balance: it doesn’t overwhelm you, but it doesn’t go unnoticed either. It’s elegant and extremely delicate.

For some reason, I’ve had trouble identifying the notes, which is normal with works by Monsieur Polge. Still, I notice that rounded fruity-citrus opening with a juicy peach. The beauty lies in the development: I’m left with the honeysuckle accompanying an intense and well-structured floral bouquet. Allure has a refined presence; being fresh, it’s not overly youthful, but quite feminine. I find the EDP more formal or perhaps a bit darker. I’d love to try it on a woman. Sometimes I need a ‘model’ to visualize how a perfume complements the presence of its target, and I won’t settle for just anyone: if they don’t have excitement about wearing the perfume, I’m not interested. Anyway, sorry for the digression. Recommended to try.

Allure, personally I prefer it in EDT. It’s like N5, perfume made of balance, although Allure is warmer and perhaps a bit more naive. Universal, versatile, for any season, moment, or event. You feel its presence without making noise. I suppose that’s the essence of savoir-faire, of having what the French call ALLURE. I also want to recommend the Extrait version.

It was my signature from 1998 to 2006. I left it for a few years until last year when I got a new bottle. I notice a lot of bergamot, jasmine, orange blossom, magnolia, and vetiver in the base: a green, sweet, citrusy, and fresh EDT. I wouldn’t say it’s reformulated, but it is a bit ‘watered down,’ as Julia from LaPetiteJuliette Parfum would say (a kiss, Julia, we miss you). In any case, for me, it’s the most wearable Chanel without being powdery, aldehydic, stale, or mass-market like Chance or Mademoiselle.

I’ve had Allure imitations. Although quite successful, they never did justice to the original. It was a fragrance that greatly caught my attention, but the price didn’t allow me. I thought it was very novel until a friend told me she had applied Aura de Loewe body milk. I went to try it, and indeed, they had a lot in common (more the creamy scent of the body milk than the perfume). I’m talking about the 90s; I don’t know if the current Aura is the same, I still need to check. Allure, aside from comparisons, is magnificent and elegant like few others. It lasts a long time and has a considerable trail, perhaps more focused on lower temperatures. With character but extremely pleasant, it elevates any look. With so much Chance and Gabrielle, I don’t usually see Allure on shelves anymore, but I don’t rule out searching for it and getting an original small bottle. EDITED 01/23/2021: In the end, before the cold ended, I bought the original and wow, what a wonder, I enjoy it so much. Add that the EDP is quite different from the EDT (the only one I knew): it’s less fresh, perhaps more nocturnal. I expected the same fragrance but more concentrated and was about to take it without testing, but I remembered the differences between EDT and EDP in Cristalle and tried it. It disappointed me quite a bit. In this case, I stick with the EDT.

Time doesn’t stop and formulas change, so be careful: if you like a new launch, don’t just buy one bottle; over the years, the magic can fade. Perfume is all about encounters and mismatches, instant love or relationships that mature after a cold start. All of that comes with a spray, and that’s what drives us here. Speaking of Chanel Allure, in the late 90s I was a kid and was digging through my aunt’s perfumes; I loved the bottles and the scents. In the late 00s, I bought the Sensuelle without hesitation, vaguely remembering the previous version my aunt had, which I thought was exquisite. At first, it interested me; it had that narcotic, luxurious vibe I usually adore, but it overwhelmed me. The chapter ended when I sold it. But nothing is set in stone: last year, during a sale, I saw Allure again—not the Sensuelle, but my aunt’s version. It seemed strange that it was still being made, but I tried it. Surprise: Italian lemon, bergamot, honeysuckle, and jasmine that reminded me of Cristalle at the start. I won’t compare them, but they open similarly. I imagined they reformulated it to be fresher, though I don’t recall the old version being like that. Then I realized I’d never tried the EDT and that my aunt’s was the EDP. The EDT shows its difference by touching on vanilla, tangerine, and cinnamon, with an acidic sweetness boosted by passion fruit. Later, a fine vetiver and a timid patchouli give it opulent character without overwhelming. The freshness leans toward an intense aroma, leaving room for the EDP to boost vanilla, peach, and woods. That citrus-floral-semi-woody balance of the EDT is incomparable. What a beautiful surprise to find the Allure EDT after so many ups and downs.

How beautiful Allure is! It’s persistent without being loud, has great sillage while being a soft, creamy, and warm scent. It’s one of the best vanillas I’ve ever smelled. It’s a caress of a perfume. The vanilla is delicate and measured, blending so well with white flowers that it doesn’t overpower them but enhances them. It deserves a prominent spot in the Chanel collection. It’s a recognizable scent with that house signature that I can’t quite explain but I notice in all their perfumes. If I’d never smelled it and had to guess the brand, I wouldn’t be wrong.

When it came out in 1996 and I saw it in magazines like Marie Claire, I thought, ‘I have to have it!’. When my boyfriend at the time asked what I wanted for Christmas, I didn’t hesitate: ‘I want Chanel Allure’. From the first application, there was such a connection that I felt like we merged into one. Its citrus scent of Sicilian tangerine and bergamot provokes an intoxicating euphoria instantly, which then shifts with water lilies, peonies, freesias, and magnolia, without losing its citrus character thanks to the orange blossom, transforming into something delicious. It finishes with its signature amber, sandalwood, and vanilla. All combined in harmony, it makes a great perfume for a young or mature woman who knows what she wants, refined and hard to describe due to its many beautiful nuances, much like the woman herself. It’s not for everyday use unless you buy it every time it runs out, since like good Chanel perfumes, they are expensive, but they are worth it. Now I have the Eau de parfum, with a more pronounced trail, longer-lasting, and delicious. Undoubtedly, it’s one of my favorites, and I will always have one in my collection.

Wow, what a mess. They gave it to me as a gift last November, and I left it forgotten in the closet. I tried it then and thought it was a very serious floral, like ‘not for me’. Yesterday I sprayed it to sleep, and *bam*, I fell in love. Although it’s powerful and pretentious, I now see it as a summery fruity floral; in winter, I was lacking warmth. It’s like Guerlain’s Terracotta but with no real similarity. It has that intermediate sweetness and a vanilla touch (though it doesn’t last long, I don’t mind replicating it), with a creamy base ideal for cool summer afternoons. It lasts about 6 hours, with a high trail for the first two and moderate afterwards. It has definitely captivated me and could be my top 3 for summer, although here in Badajoz at 42 degrees, I prefer citrus.

Oh, the problem of expectations. I read reviews that put it in the clouds, so I decided to try it, but it disappointed me a lot. I didn’t feel it was special; I couldn’t perceive the layers or its complexity. It only brought back a basic, old memory that I don’t like at all.

A quality fragrance like all of Chanel’s, but I wasn’t able to use it after buying it on impulse. At first, I liked it; it seemed original and elegant. But the more I got to know it, the less I could stand it. It felt very artificial to me, reminding me of the scent of certain dolls. I didn’t feel comfortable with it; I’d define it as elegant and sophisticated but very artificial, one of those you love or hate. I don’t associate it with anything natural; I can’t distinguish any flower or plant… It suggests more of a luxury laboratory.

“Pure, lovely allure…” In my opinion, Allure is Chanel’s most overlooked gem; the perfect hybrid between the brand’s classic and modern sides. To my nose, it’s the sweet spot between the iconoclastic N°5 and the acclaimed Coco Mademoiselle. I detect a potent blend of brownish flowers dancing over an altar of fresh, acidic vanilla (all set against a backdrop reminiscent of an aldehydic mirage). It finishes with tons of oriental vanilla, refreshed by the lingering traces of those citrus notes that dominate its development (this phase reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle). It opens with a fresh, invigorating burst of sharp, almost toxic citrus (bathed in minimal sweetness from fruits with more natural sugar). Then it moves through a horde of flowers reminiscent of the lighter side of N°5, where the beautiful honeysuckle really shines. It ends with electrified vanilla boosted by vetiver, and as I said, refreshed by those citrus residues. Allure hits me hard; it even seems superior to the acclaimed Allure Sensuelle. The only downside is longevity; as an Eau de Toilette, Chanel admits it’s short-lived compared to others from the house. If you want better performance, decant it as an Eau de Parfum (which I find a bit powdery and fruity). Quoting a YouTube video: “It’s elegant, it’s classic, it’s timeless, it’s Chanel.” Allure is beautiful, the embodiment of naturalistic elegance, the passive blooming of white flowers, the sway of chestnut hair against the wind, the shine of nails, and the Baroque harmony that always inspires Gabrielle Chanel. Note: I mix Allure with Britney Spears’ Believe because on my skin it boosts the sillage and enhances the honeysuckle (a note I also love in Believe), and it neutralizes that overly rebellious lemon note in Allure (crucial because I usually get tired of citrus), while soothing the vanilla base against patchouli (which can get heavy if over-applied in heat).

I bought it again after about twenty years, since I was finishing a vintage EdT bottle. Even though the wonderful floral, oriental, and woody notes remain the same and I still recognize them, I was sad that it no longer has the powerful sillage of old; it’s a bit softer now, and the color isn’t the same either—it’s now a more orange hue. It remains an adorable classic that I will certainly cherish as a treasure the little bit that’s left.

A perfume with “allure,” without a doubt, one of my beloved Chanel scents… it’s warm, sensual, and lasts hours. Its light citrus touch makes it phenomenal for hot weather. It’s one of the few aromatic masterpieces that takes lotus flower into account; if you’re a fan of that note, it should be in your collection… Good longevity, powerful sillage. Very elegant.