Perfume Review: Chanel Les Exclusifs: No 18
March 7th, 2007
Please welcome my first contributing writer, Elena Singh! She shares her experience with the new Chanel Les Exclusifs at the boutique in Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas is the city that, like a giant funnel, pulled all human sins into its neon-lit innards and these sins spin around in an endless mad dance. The vices charge the city with electric energy through the vigor of their sheer multitude and force of their longing for something else: a new beginning, a promise of better life, a desire to forget the past and detach oneself from the present.
This last weekend, Las Vegas amplified my own little penchant for fine perfumes and I ended up with three bottles of Les Exclusifs in my overstuffed suitcase. As a perfume fanatic, I always thought of myself as being one of those sinners who is never happy with her possessions and who, like a pathologically unfaithful lover, is always looking for something or someone better beyond the horizon.
As I approached perfume counters or unpacked another set of decants I realized that my chances of being serene desire-free celestial being anointed with her “signature scent” are pretty nil. Like a gambler trying her luck over and over again and enjoying the thrill of the game, every sniff of new perfume puts me in a bliss-like meditative state. I finally realized that for me the pursuit of happiness is more significant then happiness itself and quite frankly, I am not sure if I want to reach the perfume nirvana just yet. Being an insatiable desire-driven sinner is way more fun! Now let’s hit the casino floor and continue our glorious perfume gamble!
The Chanel boutique at the magnificent Wynn hotel met me with bright lights, fourteen hundred dollar sets of candy-colored plastic bangles (yes, plastic), Saturday morning Vegas crowds, stressed out assistants and depleted stand of Les Exclusifs. Where are the ambery Coromandel and the aromatic 31 Rue Cambon? Why are there two bottles of Cuir de Russie and tester cards for only six fragrances? How do I get rid of my family so I can really concentrate on resolving such upsetting issues? And – most importantly: why did Eau de Cologne disappear within the course of three minutes that it took me to find a salesperson? Oh, in what a scary world we live…
As the lovely and enthusiastic Liz informed me later, they sold out of Coromandel and Rue Cambon almost right away, and I was buying the last bottle of Bel Respiro (which was actually true, as she grabbed the last bottle from the shelf). Aside from Bel Respiro I purchased No.18 and my beloved Bois des Iles in Eau de Toilette form. Liz also included all samples of Les Exculsifs and two beautifully crafted Chanel booklets describing the entire line. Lucky me.
Today I would like to talk about No.18. The second I sprayed it and walked through its cloud I thought to myself: “This is definitely a Chanel.” I do not think of myself as a type who easily falls for marketing lines, but maybe Monsieur Polge is right: there is a bright and dry aspect to the fragrance, almost reminding of luminous sparkle of a clear Tiffany diamond. I did not realize that the ambrette seed that became this composition’s main theme had such complex facets and would lend itself to such fresh interpretation.
As I smelled the fragrance for the first time, almost immediately I had an image of a young bride, her face covered by a sheer stiff white veil. She is standing in a sun-filled room, with dust floating in soft yellow light as warmed roses and irises decorating the space give off their odor. The bride is shy and a bit scared of the uncertain future awaiting her, but she is also excited to spend her life with a young man she loves so passionately; she smells a bit of musk and soap and she is relieved that their affair will not be clandestine anymore. They are going to be man and wife.
I feel that the last thought is brought to me by a certain level of formality that No.18 retains. Yes, it has the powdery opening and the sunny citrus note to it and it has the flowery aroma developing later, it does resonate with a bit of musk and a hint of good soap, but it also possesses a clear, dry, almost architectural angle to it. For myself, I concluded that it must be a dry iris note that gives the scent this sparkling crystal feel. This angle almost decisively underlines the entire composition, lending it a beautiful and distinct tone.
As for me, I am quite happy with No.18 – it is easy to wear and will be wonderful for warm summer days. But – the gamble continues as I have been promised a call as soon as Coromandel is back in stock.
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26 Comments
1. dinazad | March 7th, 2007 at 5:45 am
Great review, Elena, thank you!
Actually, to me 18 smells of grappa. It starts out as grappa and is pure grappa for a pretty long time. Heck, I thought, I can order a grappa after the next slap-up restaurant meal and decant it into a sprayer under the table if I want this. Matter of fact, I probably have a half-bottle of the stuff somewhere behind the cooking sherry. Why should anybody want to smell like grappa, even a high-quality one? And then, after ages and ages, it changes into something fresh and interesting and faintly quirky and yes, cristalline.
I find 18 and Coromandel the only two of the Exclusifs which elicit any kind of interest in me. I don’t feel the wild urge to invest in a giant bottle of 18, but should I win the lottery or something, 18 would certainly be on the list of possible knickknacks to eventually acquire! There’s this completely un-grappa-like quirk in it, you see…..
2. March | March 7th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Welcome Elena! It actually sounds like shopping in Vegas would be a lot of fun! Yeah, investing in those giant bottles … why not have a bunch of other decants instead?
What does your family think of your, uh, hobby?
3. Judith | March 7th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Welcome Elena! I like 18 a lot too, despite the fact that some people find it has a bit of “pickle” in its opening. My favorite though (and the one I invested in) is 31 (leaving aside my beloved Cuir de Russie).
4. Elle | March 7th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Wonderful post! “An insatiable desire-driven sinner” – that is the perfect description of what I am w/ my perfume quest. Like you, I have no desire to reach perfume nirvana yet. Maybe in some distant incarnation. Certainly not this one.
I adore scents w/ ambrette seed and really thought I would adore this one, but it turns out to be the only one of the six that I actually don’t seem myself purchasing at some point. Your description is so beautiful that I’m almost convinced that I am wrong and I *do* need it, but my skin chemistry somehow amplifies the soapiness and I can’t get past that (soap phobic).
5. Patty | March 7th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Welcome, Elena! Great review of a beautiful scent. I keep thinking that others of the Exclusifs are my favorites, but my mind seems to keep focusing on 18. I wonder Y? It really is a beauty.
Ah, if this is sin, I don’t want to be, um, right? No, wrong song, but that’s the sentiment. I enjoy the sniffy quest wayyy too mcuh to ever give it up.
6. newproducts | March 7th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Welcome, Elena! Thank you for a beautiful review of a scent, I am yet only dreaming about. I will purchase a decant eventually, I think. Sometimes, I wish I would reach perfume nirvana already, because as fun as the search is, it can sometimes be exhausting!
7. Marina | March 7th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Very interesting account of your visit to Las Vegas and Chanel boutique, thank you. I agree with your assessment of No 18 as jewel-like, however, I don’t get the shy and a bit scared vibe from this joyful, luminous blend
8. Kelley | March 7th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Brilliant writing, Elena! Thanks for the wonderful review. After reading about no. 18, I am wondering if it has any similarities to L’artisan’s Bois Farine, with all of it’s fennel seed/iris/musk glory?
9. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:30 am
To Dinazad:
Grappa…hmmm..::Busts out two bottles – one of grappa and another of No.18 – on her office table and proceeds on drinking and sniffing at the workplace::
I’ll let ya know later! Thank you!
10. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:34 am
To March:
Well, I do have decants of others, but yes, I did sin and get those giant-go-in-my-will-when-I-finally-die bottles. It was Vegas and all the mad money flying around!
My parents think my obsession is a little weird: they grew up in a country where any excess was prosecuted and a proper woman should have had only one bottle of perfume, if any. My husband loves the stuff as much as I do and that was one of the reasons I married him! Ha ha!
11. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:36 am
To Judith:
I also did like the No.31. It was wonderful and sold out. I tried a sample and think that Luca Turin was right when he named it “The best chypre in thirty years”. It is gorgeous – rich, pungent, full-bodied. However, I am not a chypre girl and do not think will splurge for Rue Cambon…
12. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:39 am
To Elle:
Thank you my fellow perfume sinner.
Hey, it’s ok! If you don’t like it, don’t let anything sway you! Lately I am trying hard to only surround myself with things and people that bring me happiness – life is too short for other things!
13. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:40 am
To Patty:
Thank you! With perfume, I love game more then I love the rewards and I intend on gambling for a while!
14. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:42 am
To newproducts:
Thank you!
I agree. Exausting – and – sometimes it does get expensive. LOL!
15. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:45 am
To Marina:
Thank you! I think I got the shy and young feel from the perfume mostly because it is so sheer and light..It is not the perfume to announce your presence in the building. Also, the floral aspect of it gives it a lot of freshness and some sweetness.
16. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 11:48 am
To Kelley:
Thank you! I think if these two perfumes were fabrics, Bois Farine would be a very soft cream-colored flannel, cozy and warm, while No.18, as I described, would be a stiff white tulle. There is some similarity in overall feel, but No.18 is more luminous and sparkly..
17. tmp00 | March 7th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Welcome Elena-
Lovely review! I really need to go and give these a good sniff…
18. Ina | March 7th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I really enjoyed reading about your experience, Elena! I wish I loved No 18 as much as you do (actually ran to put some on after your description). Alas, its beauty is only apparent for the first few minutes on my skin. My favorite Les Exclusifs are 31 Rue Cambon and Coromandel, and I’ve fallen madly in love with Cuir de Russie reissue.
19. Patricia | March 7th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Welcome Elena, and thank you for your post. I could picture that lovely bride as though she were in the room with me. I too was looking forward to the Exclusifs and bought myself both Coromandel and 31 Rue Cambon. Both lovely scents. I also liked No. 18 and might have to eventually work my way over to Beverly Hills and get that one. It’s depressing going into Beverly Hills though, I much prefer Las Vegas, my kind of town. It would be a nice way to get there and buy something that I want, but obviously, now I will call first to make sure they have it in stock!! Thanks again for your post, it made me nostagic for the sin city.
20. Leopoldo | March 7th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for your post. I think 18 is probably my favourite out of these – at least the first few minutes. Nice to read you, to read you, nice.
21. chayaruchama | March 7th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
What a lovely review,Ms. Singh !
[be still, my beating heart..SINGH...the name of the boy across the street I wanted to marry, when I was 6 !]
I enjoy #18,but I’m loaded w/ perfumes, and decants [God bless Patty, my sweet enabler in sin], so I’m waiting awhile.
Welcome to Aromascope !
Ms. Ina is a treat- and I hope we make you feel at home.
I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.
22. Elena Singh | March 7th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
To chayaruchama:
LOL! Yes, my husband is Mr. Singh – hence my last name!
And I agree, Patty is the woman responsible for many perfume purchases for me.
Thank you for warm welcome and yes, all of you made me feel all warm and fuzzy! It was my first time doing this and I am very grateful to Ina for giving me this opportunity.
23. Tamara | March 7th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Very well written, Elena. Quite lovely! I wholeheartedly agree that No. 18 is fresh, sunny, uplifting and dignified.
24. Elena Singh | March 8th, 2007 at 2:50 am
To Tamara:
Thank you for your comment!
25. Flora | March 10th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Very enticing review! I am in love with the idea of Bel Respiro, I hope it’s what I think it is. I want to try them all, of course. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
26. douglas | March 21st, 2008 at 1:00 am
Great Review. I have always loved perfumes and calognes and can honestly agree with you 100%. No 18 on a women is something that defines class and at the same time true scents of beauty.