WHAT I SMELL: PARIS-RIVIERA opens with a soft creamy petitgrain that is quickly met with a sweet, vibrant and juicy neroli. It’s fresh, energetic and a bit bubble-gummish as it feels a bit chewy. But overall it’s incredibly sunny. A sandalwood makes it way in to reveal a bit of pencil shaving along with the lightest of jasmine, which helps it migrate away from the orange a bit. After a short time, a gauze of musk layers over the composition and it feels as if the perfume is contained in a muslin wrap designed to keep the flies off of the fruit that sits within a basket. As the perfume continues to develop, it begins to sweeten which is welcomed as it makes the perfume just that more joyous. And in a bit, a warmed woody base adds just the perfect resting place for this floral dream. PARIS-RIVIERA is a delightfully pretty perfume.
From the Chanel website:
1928. Gabrielle Chanel builds her villa, La Pausa, on the Côte d’Azur, a few years after opening a new boutique in Cannes. With breathtaking landscapes, the French Riviera becomes the hot spot for society. The sweetness and excitement of this life is captured by the floral and solar scent of PARIS-RIVIERA.
A burst of zesty Sicilian orange interlaced with petitgrain reveals soft, subtle notes of jasmine and neroli. Sandalwood and musk add a touch of warmth for a scent as radiant as the Mediterranean sun.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A summer picnic under the orange trees.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE PARIS-RIVIERA: fresh, dreamy, uncomplicated
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PARIS-RIVIERA: My Woman Stuff, Fragroom.com
BOTTOM LINE: Chanel does fresh better than anyone else. This perfume is no exception. PARIS-RIVIERA is the perfect summer scent. No, actually it’s the perfect scent to wear whenever you need a mood booster no matter the time of year and I love it!
- Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Floral Fruity
- Nose: Olivier Polge
- Classification: Leans feminine
- Expense: Starting at $90 for 1.7 oz. eau de toilette
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Happy and perfectly content.
WHAT I SMELL: Allure Homme opens with a fresh and intoxicating herbal mandarin and lavender that is peppered with hints of brown sugar. It goes on sexy, invigorating and completely approachable. The perfume soon mellows a bit from its’ exciting entrance, but it remains delightfully confident in it’s persona. As the perfume continues to settle, the tonka and a light vanilla are the radiant center and help to create a smooth and creamy aura that begins to radiate ever so subtly. After some time, the perfume matures a bit with a buzzing pepper coming into play along with a soft, but sweetened patchouli. Allure is neither for the young or the old, but for any man who just wants to smell clean and fresh…and just fantastic.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Allure Homme is aptly named. But I can’t help but call this fragrance a “go-getter” as there’s some real positive energy in the perfume and that when you wear it, it makes you feel as if you really can accomplish anything.