Review

Candy Crush: Nº5 L’EAU ALL-OVER SPRAY & ON HAND CREAM by CHANEL

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I’m always crushing on something scented or other. My nose knows no limits. Candy Crush is where I showcase the beautifully scented things I’m crushing on right now so you can hopefully develop a crush too.

So these CHANEL Candy Crushes are becoming somewhat of a habit. Don’t blame me though, blame CHANEL – it’s them who keep releasing beautifully scented ancillary products based on some of their most iconic fragrances – I’m just a boy with a greedy nose who cannot resist their charms. What’s more, these two latest gems from CHANEL are scented with Nº5 L’EAU, which consequently is one of my favourite CHANEL fragrances, so I really couldn’t resist. You can’t keep doing this to me CHANEL. Who am I kidding – I’m not ready to quit the brand – keep ’em coming!

Nº5 L’EAU stands out because it manages to strike the perfect balance between the classic and the modern. It takes the inimitable structure of the most iconic fragrance in the world and creates a new, very current twist on it whilst remaining faithful to all that makes Nº5 good and great. To celebrate the popularity of Nº5 L’EAU, CHANEL has launched two new ‘essentials’ to the collection – an enveloping ALL-OVER BODY SPRAY and a tactile ON HAND CREAM. I am obsessed with both.

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Perfume Review: BLEU DE CHANEL PARFUM by CHANEL

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Due to its undeniable popularity, I am often asked for my thoughts on BLEU DE CHANEL and those thoughts are as follows: I like it, I think it’s the typical, modern aromatic masculine but executed very well with top notch ingredients. Do I wear it? Yes, sometimes, but I prefer to smell it on my husband – it smells particularly handsome on him. Does it excite me? I wouldn’t go that far but I do think that as far as this style of fragrance goes, the big bad BLEU is the best of the bunch. So yes, I’m a fan (aren’t we all) and I can totally see why it is so popular – it’s good.

In June, CHANEL is extending the BLEU DE CHANEL family with BLEU DE CHANEL PARFUM – a fragrance that “unleashes the power of BLEU DE CHANEL”, presenting it in its purest and most concentrated form. This is CHANEL in-house perfumer Olivier Polge’s first tweaking of BLEU and much like his approach to Nº5 with L’EAU he has sought to remain faithful to the original, keeping what made it so iconic, but has reset the balance, this time specifically in relation to BLEU’S signature woods to make them more prominent, “to create a stronger and more intense energy”. So is this BLEU DE CHANEL on steroids or is it BLEU DE CHANEL in 4K ultra-high definition?

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Perfume Review: Eau de Citron Noir by Hermès

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I have a weird little rule when it comes to reviewing fragrances: I don’t wear a fragrance until I’ve photographed it, after which I can spray on as much as I like in anticipation of the written part of my review. I’m not saying I don’t have a cheeky little spray before the shots are taken, but I definitely make sure that the bottle remains mostly full. Why is this, you may be wondering? Well, it simply looks better when the bottle is full, so it’s purely for aesthetic reasons. Anything for the perfect shot, right?

Well, in the case of Eau de Citron Noir, the latest addition to Hermès’ Cologne Collection, I broke my own rule. This happened casually and regularly and I found myself not only sneaking a spritz here and there, but also giving the scent numerous full wearings. Perhaps it’s just the good weather we’ve been having, or maybe there is something irresistible about it. Whatever the reason, you may notice in the photos that the bottle is not 100% full. I’m sure you’ll find it in your hearts to forgive me.

Eau de Citron Noir is Perfumer Christine Nagel’s second cologne for Hermès (the first being 2016’s Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate). They describe it as showcasing “The striking and explosive vitality of citrus fruits combined with the depth of subtle smoky and woody notes of black lime.” That all sounds rather tempting, doesn’t it? Not to mention the fact that that deep blue bottle is heave on Earth…

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Candy Crush: CHANCE BODY OILS by CHANEL

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I’m always crushing on something scented or other. My nose knows no limits. Candy Crush is where I showcase the beautifully scented things I’m crushing on right now so you can hopefully develop a crush too.

I should start this post by saying that, out of all of the CHANEL fragrances out there, CHANCE is the one that I have the least experience with, having only really sniffed it on others.  This also extends to the entire CHANCE family of flankers, which I’m sure I have encountered in the wild but am yet to really dedicate some time to.  So when these exciting body oils landed on my desk I must admit that I was most intrigued to try them, not only because I wanted to see how they worked as an ancillary product, but also as an introduction to a collection of fragrances I have had limited exposure to.

But before we get to how good these body oils are (which is very good – spoiler alert), let’s talk some context first.  CHANCE launched in 2002 and targeted a younger audience for the iconic Parisian brand.  CHANEL is famously known for its grand dames, the likes of Nº5, Nº19, COCO and even to some extent, CRISTALLE.  Sure, COCO MADEMOISELLE came one year before CHANCE, but COCO M has a much broader audience. In comparison, CHANCE is the young CHANEL placing emphasis on playfulness as well as the brand’s signature of femininity that doesn’t give a fuck. It works very well.

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Speed Sniff: Nubian Musk by Sana Jardin Paris

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Speed Sniffs is a way to bring you ‘to-the-point’ fragrance reviews that are quick and easy to digest. They are perfume reviews without the faff.

Sana Jardin is a new eco and ethically conscious fragrance house that aims to create luxurious niche fragrance that brings real change for the growers of the materials, specifically women. This is done through their Beyond Sustainability™ movement which, as Sana Jardin puts it, “is a movement to create tangible and measurable social change through commerce, not charity. It’s a movement to create female entrepreneurs who are agents of change in their community. It is built on traditional, sustainable practices and fair trade. Beyond Sustainability™ is preserving heritage skills while inspiring the next generation of artisans.”

It’s always good for fragrances houses to take a socially-conscious approach to their manufacturing and for this to be at the heart of a luxury niche brand is really encouraging. There are currently seven fragrances in the collection, one of which is the focus of today’s speed sniff! That scent is Nubian Musk and it’s described by Sana Jardin as follows; “A seductive scent recollection…a physical encounter, a chemical attraction, limbs entwined, souls lost to pure, carnal desire. Fragranced with the intoxicating, raw scent of skin, amplified in the heat of passion.” Sounds like it’s quite something, doesn’t it?!

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