Chic by Carolina Herrera
Women 2002
Description
Chic by Carolina Herrera is a floral fragrance for women. Launched in 2002, this composition was created by Alberto Morillas and Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. The top notes unfold with red freesia, neroli, and Bulgarian rose; the heart reveals freesia, valley lily, mandarin flower, and orange blossom; while the base settles on white musk, sandalwood, and vanilla.
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When to wear it (votes)
Key notes
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Top
Red Freesia
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Heart
freesia
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Base
white musk
Community
1,168 votes
- Positive 81%
- Negative 16%
- Neutral 3.5%
The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
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In the collection
Leading answer I owned it
3,055 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
1,168 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Spring
955 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Day
566 votes
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Fragrance profile
About Chic
Chic by Carolina Herrera is a floral fragrance for women. Launched in 2002, this composition was created by Alberto Morillas and Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. The top notes unfold with red freesia, neroli, and Bulgarian rose; the heart reveals freesia, valley lily, mandarin flower, and orange blossom; while the base settles on white musk, sandalwood, and vanilla.
White flowers Flowers Woods and mosses Spices
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
More from Carolina Herrera
Related editions
More from Alberto Morillas
How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Moderate
348 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Moderate
375 votes
Character
Leading answer Traditionally feminine
139 votes
Value perception
Leading answer Fair price
127 votes
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Community reviews
33 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
I first discovered it in the early 2000s and was instantly hooked on the scent, along with other gems from that era like Pleasure and my beloved Romance. But being young and just starting out, I couldn’t afford it, so I only enjoyed it from afar because a colleague wore it. I loved working with her; she smelled amazing and was super professional and kind, yet had an aura of distinction and elegance, very chic, just like her perfume.
Thanks to a friend, I got lucky and tried it; she gifted me a decant. The moment I applied it, I knew it was an early-millennium scent with two great noses behind it. On me, the Bulgarian rose is prominent and doesn’t fade (though there are white florals); as it dries, this rose blends with a bouquet of whites like jasmine, neroli, and orange blossom, with a slightly powdery and clean dry-down. Being a proposal from over twenty years ago, it’s not explosive, but delicate and clean. It lives up to its name: it’s discreet and elegant. The trail is subtle and lasts about 5 hours on my skin.
The first time I tried it was a sample my dad gifted me when I was 21, and I fell in love instantly. My ex-boyfriend found out about my desire and bought it for me. The scent lives up to its name: it’s exactly what defines a chic woman. The bottle is a dignified representation of the modern and minimalist style of the 2000s. I adore it and want to get it again ❣️
The first time I smelled it was a sample my dad gave me when I was 21, and I fell head over heels in love. My boyfriend at the time bought it for me after seeing how much I wanted it. Its scent lives up to the name, it’s exactly that: a scent for a chic woman. The bottle is a worthy representation of the modern, minimalist style of the 2000s. I love it and want to have it again ❣️
I smelled it for the first time in a free sample that came with Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy. That was my first designer perfume, and although I liked it, I preferred Chic. At 20, I felt it was youthful without being childish and elegant without being mature—the perfect scent for my age. The sample ran out, so I bought the big bottle; on the second use, it fell and spilled all over the closet. The room was saturated with Carolina Herrera Chic for days. I bought it again six years later, and to my surprise, they had reformulated it. It has certain notes from the original version, but I didn’t like it. Now it seems very heavy; I don’t know if it’s the original, but it doesn’t smell like my 20-year-old self at all. It’s a white floral that overwhelms, makes you dizzy, and harasses me until I get a headache. Since then, I hate white floral notes.
I had it years ago and wouldn’t buy it again. I didn’t dislike it, but I never loved it. It’s a fresh floral perfume with moderate longevity, quite soft at first but then becomes very intimate.
It smells super clean, nothing sexy, it’s a citrus floral and timeless, rich for going to work fresh without drawing attention. Instead of Chic, it should be called Clean xd. I wouldn’t buy it again; there are thousands of more interesting options.
My mom had it in 2004, and it was a wonderful scent: sweet lemon, fresh, and very feminine. A few years later, I smelled it again and noticed they had reformulated it. It was one of the biggest disappointments of my life 😢. It was delicious and addictive; now it smells like nothing, it’s generic and boring.
I’ve been wearing it for years. It’s an all-rounder: floral but not overpowering, soft and subtle, perfect for everyday wear or the office.
I used it for years; it’s very versatile. It’s not that overwhelming floral, but a proper and soft one, without much intensity. Perfect for work and everyday wear.
Mainly it smells of white flowers, and the sandalwood base gives it a rich woody touch. Pleasant, feminine, fresh, and versatile.
It was my favorite fragrance for years, the one you love and believe you’ll never change. I started using it in 2004 and adored it. In 2006 or 2007, they changed some notes, and I hated it. And I hated Carolina Herrera for letting it go. I never had a perfume I liked as much as the first formula of Chic again.
Very feminine, aromatic, and super chic. I truly loved it; it has excellent longevity and projection. Highly recommended.
I love it, plus it brings back good memories of my teenage years. On my skin, it smells citrusy; sometimes I notice neroli and orange blossom, which is delicious. It’s clean, fresh, and perfect for everyday wear. Ideal for summer.
On me, it’s floral, fresh, and clean. Very feminine and mature; good for hot weather if used moderately because the floral charge is strong. It has a wide trail and lasts about 8 hours. Works well in the office or with executive attire, adding a formal touch. It’s already discontinued, so I use it sparingly. If you like Ralph Lauren Romance or Estée Lauder Pleasures, you can buy it blind. It also reminds me of Kenzo Air, but more casual.
I bought it for the bottle, but on my skin I only smell rose and a hint of citrus. No freesia, sandalwood, musk, or vanilla. It sounds like Ralph Lauren Romance, another rose scent that doesn’t stand out.
I had it years ago and liked it, but I’m not sure if I could handle that scent today.
To me, it feels heavy for very hot days, like today where it’s 30 degrees in my city. I don’t find it exquisite in the heat, but in the cold, it feels warm and delicious.
It’s not sold in Chile anymore 🙁
It’s not my style. I was given it as a gift and wore it out of obligation, but in the end, I just put it away in a drawer.
My mom had it until they discontinued it. I loved it and would use it occasionally for school because it smelled better than my other perfumes. It’s floral, elegant, and slightly woody. It reminds me of rainy days and New Year’s Eve parties when we went shopping for gifts, or of her coat. It had great longevity. I think it was the best Carolina Herrera fragrance and the most elegant, although I like CH L’eau and 212, which are more casual.
I’ve had this since my mom bought it years ago until they pulled it from the market; I absolutely loved it, and she’d sometimes wear it for me to go to school because it smelled better than my perfumes. It’s floral, elegant, with a woody touch. It brings back memories of rainy days and New Year’s parties when we went shopping for gifts, or my mom’s coat. Plus, it lasted forever. I think it was the best of Carolina Herrera and the most elegant, even though I like CH L’eau and 212, which are more casual.
I love this fragrance; it’s accompanied me my whole life and I never get tired of it. I find it rich, and on my skin it’s very long-lasting, which is what I look for in a perfume. Even today, despite having others, I still use it; it will always be among my favorites.
It’s not my style; I was gifted it, used it out of obligation, and eventually put it away in a drawer.
Super elegant and long-lasting floral scent, perfect for mature women.
I used to wear this with a classmate at uni and I loved it. One day I asked her what perfume she was wearing, and she pulled out her CHIC bottle to spray my wrists… it was love at first sniff, and since then, many bottles have passed through my vanity. But the last one I used two or three years ago felt eternal; maybe they changed the formula or I bought a bad batch, but it didn’t smell the same anymore, I hated it, and I never bought it again. I have to smell it one day and discover what happened in our love story.
A classmate used this at university and I loved it. One day she asked me to spray it on my wrists, and I was instantly smitten; since then, countless bottles have passed through my vanity. But the last one I used a couple of years ago seemed to last forever and didn’t smell the same anymore—I ended up hating it and never bought it again. I’d love to smell it someday to figure out what went wrong in our love story.
On Fragrantica, someone said CH doesn’t make good perfume, and I agree. Chic was a gift I didn’t like; it smells generic. I felt nothing special about it—in fact, I’d only wear it if I felt terrible and wanted to go unnoticed.
On a CH review (I think on the English version of Fragrantica), someone claimed Carolina Herrera doesn’t make good perfumes… and I couldn’t agree more. As for Chic, it was a gift and I didn’t like it. It felt like the most ordinary scent imaginable. It didn’t say anything to me, and I didn’t feel anything ‘special’ with it. Just to say I only felt like wearing it on days when I felt sick, ugly, and wanted to go unnoticed—I think that says it all.
I’ll admit, I went through an entire 100 ml bottle of this perfume. I simply got used to it; I can’t say I adored it. Now I know the note that dominated for me was freesia. I can’t confirm I smelled sandalwood. Personally, I enjoy fragrances that include it in their notes. It’s pleasant, feminine… A coworker once told me I smelled like strawberry, but she wasn’t talking about the fruit—she meant ‘a well-bred, spoiled little girl,’ saying my perfume smelled expensive. Would I buy it again? No. I’ve found prettier scents that blend better with my skin chemistry. It has good longevity and presence.