The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.


6 Comments

Chanel PARIS-RIVIERA

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


4 Comments

Chanel No. 19 Eau de Toilette

WHAT I SMELL:  Chanel No. 19 opens with bright aldehydes and a sweetened bergamot that quickly turns to a buttery iris that is so radiantly smooth that it glides on the skin as if it’s surfing just a milliliter off of your body.  Right from first spritz the perfume has a big presence, but it’s neither harsh nor abrasive.  Instead, it’s incredibly inviting with its positive energy.  After a bit, the perfume begins to dry and powder and the galbanum increasingly radiates with a dusty aura.  After some more time, the greenish galbanum and the lilting iris begin to flatten and a light sandalwood partners in the mix.  It’s here where Chanel No. 19 retreats in this warmed aura of green radiant sunshine.  Chanel No. 19 eau de toilette is an incredible perfume that’s easy to wear and easy to love.

From the Chanel website:

Daring, distinctive and uncompromising. A floral, woody, green fragrance with perfect balance.

An ideal harmony between the vibrant, green notes of Galbanum and the soft, powdery notes of Iris.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Happy and perfectly content.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE CHANEL NO. 19:  powdery, comfortable, radiant

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CHANEL NO. 19:  Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE:  Chanel No. 19 is a classic that’s easy to wear, fresh and completely unpretentious while at the same time is incredibly beautiful and long lasting.  To me, Chanel No. 19 eau de toilette is a perfect Christmas present because it’s affordable, delightful and more importantly, because it’s Chanel!

  • Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral Chypre
  • Nose:  Henri Robert
  • Classification: Feminine
  • Expense:  $110 for 100ml eau de toilette.


Leave a comment

Chanel Allure Homme

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.

From the Chanel website:

Difficult to define, impossible to resist. Crisp and clean, warm and sexy, ALLURE HOMME is the expression of a man’s charisma and inner strength. A fresh, spicy and woody composition that reveals the presence of the man who wears it.

Vigorous, fresh top notes of Mandarin and Coriander, subtly spiced, blend into clean, intense notes of Cedar. Venezuelan Tonka Bean and Cistus Labdanum combine for a sensual trail that’s heightened by Black Pepper from Madagascar.

Top notes:  Lemon, Peach, Ginger, Mandarin Orange, Lavender and Bergamot

Middle notes:  Pepper, Cedar, Patchouli, Vetiver, Brazilian Rosewood, Rose, Jasmine, Gardenia, Freesia and Anise

Base notes:  Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Coconut, Sandalwood, Amber, Benzoin, Leather, Musk and Oakmoss

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.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ALLURE HOMMEaffirmative, energized, easy-to-wear

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ALLURE HOMME:  I only found one review online, but the site was so full of obnoxious pop-ups that I won’t subject anyone to it.  I did find plenty of reviews for Allure flankers, but since this was introduced over 20 years ago in 1999, I guess it’s not that surprising that the buzz about Allure has long since passed.  Too bad, it’s such a wonderful perfume.

BOTTOM LINE:  Allure Homme is a good anytime perfume, which means it can be dressed up or down depending on your mood or situation.  And no matter how it’s used, you’ll always smell fresh and fantastic.  Plus, it’s not an “in your face” perfume which means that you’ll leave a quiet trail behind you when you wear it without offending anyone.  A perfume doesn’t always have to be groundbreaking to be wonderful.  Allure Homme is a perfect case in point.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Amber Woody
  • Nose:  Jacques Polge
  • Classification: Leans masculine
  • Expense: Starting at $80 for 50 ml eau de toilette