Bel Respiro Eau de Parfum

This is, by some margin, the most underrated fragrance in the Chanel Les Exclusifs lineup in my view, and maybe the the most underrated Chanel fragrance period. I asked the SA at a Chanel counter and she confirmed it's not a bestseller. In some respects it's easy to see why; this doesn't grab your attention in the way Le Lion, Coromandel and Sycomore do. It's quiet; green, green and also green, like the smell of freshly cut grass and daffodils caught in a sudden gust of wind. Where Coromandel seems to belong in some olfactve world divorced from real world images, Bel Respiro is immediately photorealistic, evoking the music of Enya played from a gramophone sat in a rolling meadow. This is floral, but as the name suggests, it is specifically the scent of flowers caught in the wind, most likely due to the added marine notes in the heart. It's a testament to Jacques Polge's genius that he was able to achieve this. The leather note in the base is not the leather of a new jacket or car upholstery but that of worn saddle or seat cushion, left to oxidise in a humid garden. You could in theory compare this to Chanel's own very green No.19 or even Cristalle but in reality they are a world apart. There's an unmistakable sadness to Cristalle, whereas Bel Respiro is filled with hope to my mind. As with most green scents, the longevity is not the best, just a few hours on my skin with low projection. The price is certainly high, but I find it so beautifully blended I can overlook this.

If you are searching for a fragrance which mirrors the warming weather, leaves unfurling, bulbs peeping from the earth, blue skies, then this is it. Bel Respiro 2016 formulation is a very tart green. The Chanel sales assistant told me the fresh note I was trying to identify was daffodil. As soon as she told me I thought That's it! Daffodil stems newly cut and placed in a vase of water, Fragrantica, and even the Chanel official site, only show limited notes however Basenotes says this about Bel Respiro. Top Notes Citrus, Grass, Crushed leaves, Galbanum, Rosemary, Thyme Heart Notes Daffodil, Honeysuckle, Rose, Hyacinth Base notes Leather, Vetiver Although the Chanel site says this is a feminine fragrance, men could absolutely wear this. It's not a "pretty" floral green, but it is invigorating and oh so fresh. A lovely fragrance to layer with overtly floral fragrances too if you are looking for a nice blend or if you find this a little astringent. I like it with Chanel No 22 and Coco Mademoiselle Intense. Very versatile. Thank you M. Polge once again.

# UPDATE Since I recieved both concentrations in the same time, it's fair enough for me, without any preconceived prejudice, to say that the EDP has a bit more depth, more complexity, more longevity compared to the EDT. Unlike more fraction of Les Exclusifs have been damaged from the EDP reconstruction, Bel Respiro EDP is, fortunately, another one of very few that has gone through an improvement. It more vividly depicts the image that a misty woods with water drops on the leaves in early spring. As I said, the EDP has a bit more in most aspects, well, please notice the adjunct words a bit . To be sure, the lithe leather nuance along with the floral note that lingers in the EDT is restrained here, yet not totally missing. Besides, a woody layer of EDP duly compensates the loss, in addition to a thicker concentration that make it to be more forest-like and more unisex. Both of them are quite nice, but still, it is not that necessary to own them both. Rating: 7.5/10 (EDP and EDT) FYI, the batch code of my EDP is 0301, produced in Mar 2016.

Hmm, mixed feelings about his one. On the up side: with its flawness elegance and understated chic, Bel Respiro is Chanel at its very best. It is a green scent that perfectly balances bitter, fresh and floral notes, one that sparkles out of the bottle (a touch of those miraculous Chanel aldehydes). Even after a few hours of wear, it still smells like the dewy freshness of spring, which I find quite a feat. The leather note is a mere suggestion, but it does give the scent a bit more body. A few spritzes and life is easy.... My only reserve is that it is so incredibly polished that it ends up lacking in character. There's not a hint of sex appeal here, which is something to consider. However, on the real down side, Bel Respiro doesn't keep its EDP promise. At all. Too quickly, it looses its oomph (still gorgeous though, I admit), so calling it a EDP is a bit misleading. EDT would be more appropriate, but that would require offering much larger bottles for the price they are asking...and that ain't gonna happen chez Chanel, is it?

I’ve been testing it for 4 months and that fragrance grown on me a lot. This is not a perfume to go on a party and to give « look I am here! » vibes. This is more a fragrance that says « come, I have something to show you. ». This fragrance is surely something that you have never smelled before, it’s a new journey! Bel Respiro is mysterious, nostagic, melancolic but full of hopes! Every time I wear it, it gives me differents vibes and emotions. This fragrance have nothing to do with No19. No19 is a cold, clean and green perfume and Bel Respiro is more like a cozy, powdery and green but more like a rainy day green. For me, that was not the love at first sniff at all, but now I think it’s my favorite from les exclusifs!