WHAT I SMELL: Beige opens with bright aldehydes and then quickly moves to a soft, cottony mix of delicate flowers. The perfume is incredibly demure and unassuming and the freesia and frangipani are wonderfully muted. I often wondered if I could ever like a perfume that held frangipani…I think I finally found “the one.” The perfume doesn’t transform much, but instead, feels as if a ray of sunshine has warmed the perfume and made it grow oh so slightly. There’s a lovely combination of warmth and coolness at play; it feels tinged with sunshine, but there’s a cool breeze that provides for an underlay. After around 10 minutes, the perfume begins to dry and the perfume begins to powder. At this point, it feels like a light layer of talcum is covering your skin. The florals also begin to retain a woody texture, rather like a light balsa wood. After around 20 minutes, the perfume takes on a delicate sweetness of honey. It’s just the right amount of light sugar to make the perfume sparkle. Who knew beige could be so beautiful?
From the Chanel website:
“I take refuge in beige because it’s natural,” said Mademoiselle Chanel. An elusive colour with infinite variations, beige may seem quite ordinary. And yet, behind this apparent simplicity, it hides a discreet sensuality that builds slowly before revealing itself fully. This sensual outburst is interpreted by Jacques Polge through a bouquet of Hawthorn, Freesia and Frangipani, with shimmering hints of honey. A stunning blend of white petals and yellow gold…in other words, a breath of beige.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Central Park, NYC. The Upper East side social set meets the tranquility of the park.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BEIGE: unassuming, elegant, effortless
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BEIGE: Bois de Jasmin, Now Smell This, Perfume Shrine
BOTTOM LINE: I believe that I have overlooked Beige over the years due to the name. The name renders thoughts of cardboard boxes and abject nothingness. Instead, Beige proves to be an uncomplicated, subtle and beautiful understated classic. I’ll never think of beige as being boring anymore.
- Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Floral
- Nose: Jacques Polge
- Classification: Leans feminine, but is rather unisex
- Expense: $160 for 2.5 oz. Eau de Toilette (review based on the EdT version. Also available in parfum extrait.)
April 25, 2016 at 6:06 am
Interesting. I despise beige as a colour and as an idea (and as a perfume name, actually, which is why I have overlooked it).
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April 25, 2016 at 6:10 am
Same here. But be it known, that my little 2ml sample lasted me 3 days…I couldn’t stop wearing it. I need more Beige!
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April 25, 2016 at 8:10 am
I am definitely going to check it again. Last time I tried it I appreciated its qualities (and I am total frangipani bitch), and yet found the overall effect overly fussy and synthetic. I am happy to be proven wrong. Still, you will NEVER ever (ever) catch me wearing beige.
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April 26, 2016 at 2:00 am
This is definitely why I haven’t tried it too. Beige clothing, interiors, personalities, you name it … not my thing at all. However Steve you always make me want to try a few things I haven’t before and also it has honey and that’s a good thing in my book.
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April 26, 2016 at 5:13 am
Megan…trust me, it’s worth it. It is a subtle perfume which does fit the name…but it’s so pretty and understated.
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April 26, 2016 at 10:47 am
He is good at these dispassionately passionate reviews that draw you in so I am definitely going to retry as well!
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April 26, 2016 at 1:16 pm
We will be beiging it.
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April 26, 2016 at 6:24 pm
If only invisibly. I would look like I was dying in a hospice if I wore it.
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April 26, 2016 at 6:23 pm
is dispassionately passionate a good thing??!
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April 26, 2016 at 6:28 pm
From one who is overly hysterical as myself, yes: it means writing evocatively with a certain poise – of course I meant it as a compliment!
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April 25, 2016 at 7:12 am
Good morning, wonderful review of Beige, one of my all time favorites, Beige and Jersey are both wonderful. I love its soft elegance, which you captured perfectly!
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April 25, 2016 at 7:42 pm
Ahhh…thanks Ricky. What I thought was going to be blah turned out to be such a beauty. I love that!
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April 25, 2016 at 7:38 am
I also found the name very “beige”. I wish they had called it “ecru” or something else. Upper East Side Central Park is so spot on. I have a small sample, but haven’t worn it much. It’s too similar in feel to me to FM L’Eau D’Hiver, which I prefer and have worn a lot. It is a nice comfort scent-like eating a bowl of oatmeal with honey on a cold morning.
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April 25, 2016 at 7:43 pm
Yeah, I’m not sure what they were thinking when they called it Beige…maybe they thought that it would make it more exclusive since only the “in the know” would be interested in it. Who knows. I’m sure there was some market research behind the name.
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April 25, 2016 at 8:43 am
This is such a pretty and feminine scent as you say. I get quite a dollop of the honey, but I don’t mind it at all.
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April 25, 2016 at 7:44 pm
I wish I got more honey from this. I love the little sweet when it dries down.
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April 25, 2016 at 10:20 am
Oh alright, I’ll try it.
I have a beautiful sweater that I did not wear this year, and it’s probably beige. I refer to it as “fawn” in my head. I thought cardboard boxes were tan. That word conjures up polyester leisure suits, or Haband “slacks” advertised in those weird catalogues and it’s worse than the word beige, isn’t it? Now I need to go look at paint swatches somewhere and see what beige actually is, and then I can refer to Chanel’s Beige as something else. It won’t be ecru, though. I don’t like that, either.
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April 25, 2016 at 7:45 pm
I see another trip to the Chanel store at the Galleria in your future 🙂 Boy…you resurrected the Haband slacks from a dark corner of your brain .. LOL
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April 25, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Cotton feel is also my impression of Beige. Glad you like it.
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April 25, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Do you like it Lucas?
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April 27, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I LOVE this perfume so much. It’s been on my wishlist for some time! Not usually a big Chanel fan, but this one is stunning (and I hate beige as a color, too).
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April 27, 2016 at 5:38 pm
This is now on my wishlist and I keep trying to hold back from hitting the “buy” button on the Chanel site. I think I’m losing my willpower!!
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April 28, 2016 at 1:50 am
Since I like beige as a color, I had no problem with this perfume’s name (though it could have been something more interesting) and I like and wear Beige for the last 3 years (from a decant). I agree with all three words you’ve chosen to describe it. I should wear it tomorrow!
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April 28, 2016 at 5:28 am
Good choice. Sadly, my sample is completely out. I think there is a purchase in my future. I wish Chanel had a good Mother’s Day sale besides free shipping!
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April 29, 2016 at 6:46 am
Great review, S. Chanel Beige always strikes me as a fragrance for a bride to wear. Somehow it always reminds me of Chloe Love.
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April 29, 2016 at 7:23 am
I agree, this would make for a very nice bridal wear. I would love to try the parfum extrait version. I wonder how much it differs. I’m thinking that it would be much creamier.
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April 29, 2016 at 8:58 am
Would love to try the extrait as well! I bet it is Beautiful too. Too bad extraits can’t be tested at their Chanel Boutique here. Do you have a Chanel store nearby?
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May 2, 2016 at 3:18 pm
E – I was just at the Chanel counter at Bergdorf’s this past weekend and no go on a tester the extait…but they did give me a couple samples of the EdT 🙂
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April 29, 2016 at 9:14 am
Hey Steve,
I’m in with the name haters but as my life become steadily, and happily, more beige I am willing to go back & retry too. I think I have an extrait here too. Let me se….
Portia xx
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May 2, 2016 at 3:18 pm
I would kill to try the extrait. Tell me all about it my dear!
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May 3, 2016 at 11:45 am
Nope. I told you a lie. It’s Jersey I have the extract of. Sorry.
Portia xx
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May 5, 2016 at 4:43 pm
It sounds lovely
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May 5, 2016 at 6:16 pm
Hazel…I am really trying hard to fight the urge to hit “purchase” on the Chanel website! Free overnight shipping for Mother’s Day too!
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