Chanel N°5 Eau Premiere by Chanel

A renewed classic. It feels so good to see a woman wearing this scent!

I love Chanel No. 5 and I own them all: the old extrait, the current one, an old lotion, a 70s EDT, a mid-2000s one, a 2000s EDP, and a 90s cologne. With all this, I can say that Chanel No. 5 Premiere (2007) is the best reinterpretation of a classic I’ve tried. There’s no doubt Jacques Polge is a No. 5 fanatic; only a nose with so much love can update an untouchable classic. He managed to keep the essence and heart of that mythical fragrance, giving it a modern touch without losing its soul. It launched when Nicole Kidman was the face of Chanel, in a market that felt the iconic No. 5 was becoming obsolete for new tastes, despite leading sales. Polge’s work was flawless: maintaining the spirit of a titan, updating the essence without losing personality, style, or the old fans while attracting new ones. You can tell Polge found the answer in citrus, which never goes out of style; he kept that characteristic lemon and the aldehydes, returned to ylang-ylang but creamier and subtler, removing the animal tints, moss, and patchouli. Sandalwood/vetiver and vanilla survived, the former softer and the latter a bit more noticeable. Jasmine and orange blossom also return, but lighter. As soon as you apply it, you feel the freshness of a citrus dew mixed with the sweetness of soft vanilla and an intense, creamy, vibrant, and romantic ylang-ylang. The white florals start to stand out and the subtle woods close this outstanding reinterpretation. Over the years, it was minimally reorchestrated with a new bottle (2015), slightly increasing the vanilla and giving more weight to the florals. Then came Leau, returning to the first spirit of Chanel Premiere but leaning more towards musk and a more marked fruity side, becoming a fresher and lighter version for a new generation of young people. I’m from the older generation, I like the intense and complex No. 5, but Polge’s work was amazing and I see Oliver’s new version as quite worthy for a well-cared-for and subtle ‘Leau’.

I simply love it. It has the same DNA as Chanel No. 5, you can feel that typical soapy aldehyde scent, but Premiere has something that makes it fresh, youthful, and cheerful, ideal for hot or cold days. I have it in decant and I’m seriously thinking about buying the bottle.

It’s soapy, fresh, feminine… floral, I don’t feel any synthetic notes in any of them. At some point in the scent, I perceive a slightly “fresh talc” air on me, but I don’t dislike it because the fragrance is truly worth its price… apart from all this I perceive, it’s long-lasting, good sillage… and I don’t want to finish it, haha!!! I give it a great 9… because Chanel No. 5 Eau de Toilette takes the glorious 10!!!

Everything in life changes, including our tastes; and it couldn’t be the exception. I’ve always been in love with Chanel and faithfully use their elegant perfumes: Chance, my favorite, and Coco Mademoiselle as a complement, very similar, and to complete the trio, Allure. Over the years, now in my forties, my sense of smell and tastes have varied a bit. Every time I went for my favorite, someone would call my attention but I left it as an illusion. Until one day its scent intoxicated me and I said: Chanel No. 5, Premiere, you’re coming home with me. It was like that love at first sight I had with the previous ones from the brand; I felt special, sexy, and relaxed. A perfect scent for the Caribbean climate where I live, my daily perfume, my new signature. It’s renewed, softer to wear, it’s the little black dress we know we wear and must know how to wear. This gem stuck with softer aldehydes, with a spicy and delicious citrus note. You just need the right amount to attract attention without overwhelming, but I’m sure once again the soul of Gabrielle is present in this bottle.

I loved it! I used the complimentary sample for three days and it was enough to fall in love. It’s soft, distinguished, clean, slightly citrusy, floral, and talcum-like. It’s a refreshing change from the sweet; sometimes in tropical climates the intense ones don’t look good. It shares the feeling of Chanel No. 5, but it’s more wearable and modern without losing elegance and charisma. I’ll gift it for Christmas. It’s precious because it becomes part of the skin, mimicking itself by softly aromatizing it, very tender, perfect for daily use. Highly recommended for personal enjoyment.

It’s a pleasant and clean perfume for daily use. It’s a fairly soft and fresh floral where the aldehydes are quite noticeable during the first minutes. It has fairly good longevity on the skin, although after a few hours the sillage fades and it stays as something more personal; it’s not invasive, not very sophisticated, which makes it ideal for daily use in any season. However, it’s sophisticated enough to not be suitable for very young girls.

This version of No. 5 is ideal for those living in warm and humid areas, where a very intense perfume can end up giving headaches, not so much to the wearer as to the people around them.

I’ve been trying to write this review for a long time. I think part of me refused to accept that I didn’t love this fragrance—how can you not love a Chanel? Besides, my husband gifted it to me, and I truly tried to make myself like it, but no… the magic didn’t happen. We didn’t click because on my skin it has ZERO longevity and sillage. Not even my husband can smell it… Yes, it’s a pleasant, clear, and clean perfume, but I think the neroli takes a turn too bitter that completely overshadows the aldehydes. The best part is its opening; there, the aldehydes truly shine, as in those first 5-8 minutes they are sparkling and bubbly like a good champagne… But afterwards, that shadow of neroli clouds everything. Not even the vanilla in the base helps it gain strength and persistence; it simply doesn’t last. I’ll keep trying, but I really don’t think this flanker and I will click. I just want to add that, despite not loving this Chanel No. 5 flanker, I understand and respect the idea behind it, as it has evidently inherited the DNA of its mother, those dreamy aldehydes… but it lacks the strength and persistence of the mother. Although I’m not crazy about Chanel No. 5 either, I think unfortunately when you have a mother as beautiful and as diva as that, the daughter simply doesn’t surpass her in beauty.