Les Exclusifs de Chanel 28 La Pausa

I came to 28 La Pausa late, having fallen in love with so many of Chanel's Les Exclusifs, particularly the La Pausa EDP. I thought I'd never get my nose on its original "28" EDT formula. Luckily, a reputable eBay seller listed their 200 mL bottle at a (laughably) reasonable price, not recognizing this discontinued gem could command much more than they asked. I count that as a major win! Before I dive too much into 28LP EDT, let me copy/paste what I said in my review about the LP EDP: "La Pausa is gentle, delicate, fragile. In life, tangible items with such qualities often evoke a sense of unease or anxiety—'I must be careful not to break it!' But no, La Pausa isn't like that at all. Instead, it forces you to marvel at the beauty contained within such fragility." The reason I include my write-up for the EDP? Because it's even more applicable here. The two are different scents, yes, but masterful scents, both. Many have commented on the scent's short lifespan—and I agree, to a degree—but, for me, that's part of how moving it is. If the EDP is delicate and fragile, the EDT is even more so, also more austere and spare, and all the more beautiful for it. I liken its scent to a pared-down version of Bel Respiro melded with the skeleton of 1932, then boiled down to an even leaner, wispier phantom. I'm a college professor, and my niche is in aging, dying, death. My mind is never far from end-of-life issues, and that's where it goes when I smell 28LP. The scent was named after La Pausa, Coco Chanel's vacation home on the French Riviera; "La Pausa" as the break, the pause, the rest. Rather than relaxation and restoration, though, I think of the pause, or the break, between life and death, of eternal rest. You see, 28LP is a ghost of a fragrance. It haunts. But it's not the ghost of another—it's a ghost of the self. Assume for a moment that the soul, the spirit—whatever you want to call that metaphysical representation of "self"—exists. Then this is the smell of the soul loosening itself from its mortal vessel. There's a melancholic air about 28LP, but also a sense of calm detachment, or maybe of affirmation. Like the sadness of leaving the physical realm and all the pain that accompanies it. But also the wonder of having lived at all, of you—a fragile creature in a vast, cold, uncaring universe; at best, a mere mote of dust in the grand scheme of things—having experienced the world. Love, joy, loss, and the difficult lessons of life. Yes, that's what 28LP conjures for me. Life and death. Living and dying. Sadness, but acceptance. The soul coming unshackled from its physical bonds, comforting its ailing vessel. This is the smell of that white light at the end of the tunnel.

(#9) 28 La Pausa, my heart is broken. Not the essence that this smell bad, but no one will be able to smell this Iris masterpiece. I fell in love with La Pausa, you can trace I review but I do not want to go full retail price. So I opt out looking another one in resell market, they was 1 bottle post 2 years ago. In EDT rendition, 28 La Pausa. The price was ok at USD 185. I know it mere chance, but I want to try - If she already sell, I move on. But no, she is not sold yet, after few discussion. She lands on my hand. And I am so grateful. Les Exclusifs de Chanel is the first line that make me speechless. EDT is smells almost as rich and strong as EDP. But EDT is keep the scent somewhat transparent but mystical. La Pausa 28, Is quite similar to La Pausa EDP. But, It is not as green as EDP and somewhat smell is much colder. Also, more greyish purple than her new rendition, which more like muted emerald green. Rose is also more prominent, and it the cold dew rose in morning. The Orris root, very bloom to leathery cloud of sophisticate. If La Pausa at least speak "Don't brother me" 28 La Pausa would let you instantly know, please let me have my time. My absolute interpretation of Iris. ===== Extension 1 on January 30, 2025 I want to write certain random thought. As I venture deeper. I appreciate my bottle of 28 La Pausa, as I recently sniff all the good iris glory. I found that this is closest thing to Iris Sliver Mist... (Only 28 La Pausa). 28 La Pausa have certain coldness to it like it seems inspired by "Iris Sliver Mist". I am not sure what behind the Coromandel Curtain but Christopher Sheldrake is supporting Chanel around 2005, These EDT seems to have coldness tone that present in Luten's fragrance. Even Iris Sliver Mist doesn't make by Christopher Sheldrake, But it might be a blueprint or idea. Iris Sliver Mist doesn't have woody backbone similar to 28 La Pausa which anchors stronger by quality of Vetiver and aldehydic Chanel. More powdery feel on skin. I find "La Pausa" in EDP is greener and slight smokier but not in nature of green iris, So a bliss of purple iris, contains in 28 La Pausa. It’s one of few “iris” fragrance Santa Maria "L'iris" velvet label - is another way to go...

Finally got my hands on this and I'm certainly not disappointed. It's very ethereal and natural and it smells expensive, albeit a bit fleeting, though other people can smell you more than you can.... Still, I can easily rank it in the top 5 Les Exclusifs and possibly even top 3: best being 31 Rue Cambon (EDT!).. Le Lion is quite beautiful (18 and Coromandel also)... I guess my issue is the longevity... It is what it is and while I suspect that the lack of longevity / protection is directly due to the fact that this is one of the MOST NATURAL and beautiful iris fragrances I have ever smelled, I wouldn't want it altered to "improve" performance... My assumption is that's what happened to "La Pausa" EDP which has far better performance but.... is honestly a COMPLETELY different scent... Not better or worse, please take note that this is the ONLY LES EXCLUSIF that actually had a NAME CHANGE when it was reformulated from EDT to EDP... I applaud whoever realized they couldn't keep the same name for these two VERY DIFFERENT fragrances... Again, not better or worse but.. absolutely not the same. The current EDP prominently features vetiver and, I'm not an expert but I detect a dash of vanilla as well. 28 EDT is more airy, has a HINT of animalic leather (just a tiny hint but enough to make me LOVE it) and the driest, most perfect impression of rose... I, myself, prefer the more fleeting disappearing act of THIS one (28 La Pausa) to it's successor, La Pausa EDP even though that one performs much better.... I'll just spray with abandon! If you get the opportunity to try this one I highly recommend it...!!!

Love at first sniff. Yes, I'm a lover of iris/orris; I love damp autumn leaves, rainy pavements, ink stained desks and the wonderful sense of nostalgic yet erotic yearning that orris/iris conjures up for me. This is the perfume of Catherine Deneueve's rain-soaked trench coat flung carelessly over a chair, before embarking on an illicit affair with an erudite, impossibly handsome author! I know I go against the grain by finding this a million times more seductive than any gourmand, but then again I'm not interested in blokey men or footballers. I fall in love with erudite, talented, enigmatic (yet handsome!) authors and musicians, so if that sounds like you, wear this when you're in the mood for love. But not when you feel low, because in a low mood this may make you feel a bit rainy in your soul - maybe not a bad thing when you're in creative mood mind you That's my personal take on 28 La Pausa. A more down to earth decription is - inky, earthy yet light, subtle, skin-scent sillage yet distinct, scenty and redolent of timeless elegance I dislike most of Polge's creations such as Allure, Coco M and Chance but this is excellent. A full bottle is absolutely neccessary!

28 La Pausa is a thing of utter beauty on the right skin chemistry. The opening of this is breathtaking: a gorgeous gray-toned chalky powdered iris note hangs in the air enticing you to sniff and sniff again as you evaluate its pleasing texture and softness. This hangs around for about 30 minutes before the perfume evolves into what on my skin chemistry is a semi disturbing rooty orris and vetiver drydown. It is not cold so much as acidic and slightly indolic. I can see how some reviewers likened this to a green tea note, but on my skin it is much more metallic-green-citric and lacks the roundness and duskiness that tea usually imparts to a scent. Perhaps this is my perception of what has been labeled a leather note in the pyramid above. Whatever it is, it was hard for me to appreciate this scent once this becomes the prevalent note and the powder disappeared. Given the divergent reviews, I am convinced that one's opinion and perception of 28 La Pausa is highly dependent on whether or not their skin chemistry projects this final note. For me the dry down is hard to like, but the opening is sheer heaven! Definitely try it on your skin and DON'T blind buy.

La Pausa is perfect. It is the exact evocation of the spirit of the materials it is made from. Orris is at once earthy, woody, boozy, hay-like, powdery, rooty, carroty, fresh, vegetal and dry. La Pausa captures all of these elements and does so with charm, restraint and elegance. Its longevity isn't great, and its sillage is moderate at best. But La Pausa isn't about wafting a huge cloud of stench around and making vulgar display for hours on end. It's about a personal and entirely introspective enjoyment of one of nature's most subtly gorgeous scents. There are four great perfumery Irises which all Iris fans should know well, if not own. Iris Poudre is one (Rich heady, chock full of natural orris), Iris Silver Mist (the ultimate expression of synthetic Iris dryness and melancholy), Après L'Ondee (the vintage version is a masterpiece for all time), and this La Pausa which showcases the true spirit of Chanel which contrary to popular belief isn't Aldehydes but Iris. If you want to know what real orris smells like this one is a must sniff, if you love perfumery "Irises" then you should love this. 10/10.

If there was ever a perfume that could smell just like dust, this would be it. I have used orris root powder when making cosmetics. It is grey, and it smells just like the opening notes of 28 La Pausa. At first the smell is oppressive and a bit depressing. I am not one of those people who match mood to perfume, but I felt those things when sniffing this. In my town we have a Victorian mansion that was turned into a museum, so people can see how a wealthy family lived in those days. This smells like a lace table cloth that covers a table that has not been dusted in 100 years. Kind of sad yet full of memories of the gilded days when there was livelihood in the house. Memories of dinner parties with silver tea pots and children being chased by their nannies. In the heart there is a floral note and a touch of citrus that brings some much-needed cheer. Leather is extremely tame. I like it. It does contain that remarkable Chanel-aide, an elegance and gracefulness that makes even this melancholy, distant perfume seem remarkable. It is certainly unique, chic, and simply well-done.

I was amazed upon the opening of Chanel 28 La Pausa, by the buttery, doughy yet ethereal iris. I find that when iris is buttery in texture, I usually have difficulties interpreting it as an iris fragrance, and my attention is usually attracted by other elements with more recognizable smell, which is the case with Iris Nobile and Terre d'Iris to me, although I enjoy them very much. But in 28 La Pausa, there's no other element stealing the splendor of this buttery iris. But then, after about 30 minutes, poof, it's gone. Actually, I can still smell it, albeit very close to the skin. But the magic is gone. The buttery iris mellows into a smooth, soapy, woody-floral skin scent. It's still very elegant and chanel-esque, but it feels underwhelming after the marvelous opening. The sillage is very soft and the longevity is around 6 hours. Despite its ephemeral nature and my personal disappointment towards the drydown, the opening phase of 28 La Pausa is still a quite unique rendition of buttery iris. I think it worths a try.

actually I find it very irisy- especially in the topnotes: it even has something that appears as strong as in "iris silver mist"- the same cool & metallic notes of iris - and not the iris/violet-vibe of, let's say, Après L'Ondée. It's a very natural iris and gets smoother and smoother after a while. also the combination of iris and vetiver I find unusual...and very beautiful...I can smell it for about 10 hours on myself (the vetiver stays), but I'm afraid, that sillage is so poor, that nobody else can smell it...not even sure if it is recognizable when 20 sprizzes applied just before...but nontheless I prefer it to L'artisan parfumeurs "iris pallida" because I like the rooty-earthy-airy aspect of this more than the fruity-musky one. all-time and every-occasion-favourite, even if it's only me, thinking that I smell heavenly...BIG LOVE <3 (still hoping that it subconsciously transports its enigmatic beauty;-)

I quite enjoy this one. Yes its light and you need a few sprays but it's such a realistic fresh rooty iris scent. I love it. Its well done without interference of too many other notes. If you like the smell of iris you will enjoy this one. La pausa unfolds like a blooming iris and dries down to a warm skin scent , like the smell of a lipstick. Floral, metallic and slightly woody. And needless to say the bottle is out of this world. All the exclusifs are stunning in their minimalist bottles with the magnetic top. Thanks mister_chaz for the sample , I now have my bottle ! Sadly enough this one will be off the shelf by the end of the year. It was replaced by the new 1932 ,which I haven't tried yet.

Even though the sillage is minimal and the longevity is, well, weak, to be honest. Still... I love it. The iris root is just so stunning and rich in this one. Sharp-carroty-earthy at first, then a comfortable vetiver note creeps in. I spray it on fabric to make it last longer. As we all know, these "For women" or "For men" indications are meaningless. They can discourage someone from trying a fragrance which would fit them perfectly. And here, I find it particularly annoying to be warned off by a "For Women" signal. I encourage any guy who is curious to try 28 La Pausa if he gets the chance : it's 100% unisex.

This is one of the most amazing scents I've ever had. I didn't even know that iris can smell like this, especially in scents. Not that I knew much how the flower itself smells like. I bought it about 10 years ago and I tried many different Chanel scents in that shop, maybe 30 or more, after choosing this as the best of all (there were obviously other candidates too). It was expensive, yes, but I wanted something very special and enjoyable and I got it. It still is very special and will remain so until it lasts.

28 La Pausa is a beautiful and ethereal creation ... posh, yet earthy at the same time. I have never smelled anything quite so intriguing. Warm Iris and leather with occasional wisps of freshly mown hay... in today's age, i do not want a silage monster - this is for my pleasure, not for the pleasure of other's in the same room. And longevity i think, really depends on ones own skin chemistry ... this last around 6 hours on my skin.

Glossy and extraordinary beautiful and..dreadful by its longevity (20 minutes is about right) Inky-dusky-dusty-leathery-iris as an image of serious, attentive and elegant personality, I just don't get this Chanel's HUGE problem - to make it last, so we able to enjoy it for real , not dragging pieces of the smell from the corners of our bank-memory to remind ourself that we actually ARE wearing 28 La Pausa...

28 La Pausa reminds me of my mother who wore No.19 30 years ago and it was similar. To me this is pure Iris but without the metallic side of some Iris fragrances. I don't smell leather, I don't smell powder. Maybe a hint of rose. I do not think it is weak, but I have become very sensitive to fragrances as I've aged so a little goes a long way.

Wow, what a beautiful fragrance this is! Delicate & romantic, feminine & dreamy. The texture feels like silk. It's a perfect bland of floral, woody, green & leather. The base is similar to Chanel Bel Respiro. I really don't want to describe this smell, because I feel like butcher trying to do so. This one really needs to be experienced!

Absolutely beautiful. One of the loveliest Iris perfumes I have ever found. This is a treasure-and I have no problem at all with the sillage or longevity . I sprayed twice at 8:00 am and still have delicious waves of fragrance now at 7:00pm. It took me two seconds to buy the large 6.8 oz bottle. What a gorgeous perfume!!

I so love this perfume. It is a delicate iris root, both airy and earthy. The very subtle vetiver drydown works perfectly with the ever-present iris. It is understated to a fault and I want it in a stronger concentration. I put on a good number of sprays on fabric to make it last.

I found a big resemblance with kelly caleche hermes ,but pause is without citrus note and very weak perfume. i like pause cos it's so fragile and tendre perfume with iris and rose,my favourite flowers.

I’m in huge trouble. I’m in love with this perfect iris fragrance and it’s probably going to bankrupt me as I spray it so liberally.

EDT: Such a beautiful Iris leather. Non-sweet, almost buttery, ethereal. FB worthy.

A single iris in a minimalist style. Pure and ethereal. Of all the iris fragrances I've smelled (the ones featuring iris), this one isn't the best, but I love it. Orris root, what can be smelled here is a pale, dusty smell. Not dirt or radish. Inheriting the essence of Chanel, soft and smooth irises and roses appear one after another. The fragrance is short lived, the leather penetrates quickly, and then I smell vetiver. A beautiful beginning, a mediocre ending. Overall relatively modest. EDT was formerly known as 28 La Pausa. It is an iris fragrance with powdery leather properties. (Should have added ionone.) The "upgrade" of the Les Exclusifs series from EDT to EDP is nothing more than an improvement in concentration (literally). Although it didn't feel like it, La Pausa's proliferation was slag. Hopefully Chanel will launch a fragrance one day. The use of the fragrance of iris, Chanel is definitely better than any Niche brand today. When I first smelled La Pausa, it was grey. The second time I had free time, I calmed down and tasted it, and it felt completely different. It is now a pale pinkish purple. The C family can be said to be a professional iris household, and they can always give priority to obtaining the highest quality iris in the industry. Iris is an important fragrance material, and Chanel is very clear that iris is an important component of many of his classics. Because its raw materials are very expensive, once the cost is limited, perfumers have to look for other ways of pairing. This also explains why there are not many iris perfumes on the market that can take into account both quality and fragrance. For the iris-themed fragrances I have smelled, the elegant route refers to Másquemilano L'attesa and Chanel La Pausa. The latter is a French fragrance (non-traditional). The curious line has Serge Lutens Iris Silver mist, which is equally good. The three genuine materials have different temperaments. The only thing in common is that they are expensive and difficult to obtain. Just choose one. Other well-known iris, either not enough iris, or too difficult to buy, some beside the point. In addition, there are many "irises" of poor quality.

This is for the EDP. I wore Chanel No. 19 Poudre deliberately on half of me today because I knew I was going to test La Pausa and I wanted to compare it on my skin at the same time. The lovely SA was new to Chanel at DJ’s and took a great interest in my little experiment, and acknowledged that yes, the two are very similar. She let me spray the back of my hand liberally with La Pausa, and she went back and forth comparing it with the No. 19 EDT and also Poudre, and said she could see how all three were related. Although I had sprayed two generous spritzes of LP on my left hand, and one spritz of No. 19 EDT (not Poudre) on my right, I confess that La Pausa had become a skin scent within an hour, whereas No. 19 EDT is still very detectable 8 hours later. Poudre which was applied at 8am is still very present, especially on my blouse. I decided not to buy it, not a tough decision based on the hefty price tag - it’s too close to No. 19 for me to justify it, but I am going to head back tomorrow and buy the No. 19 EDT.

So, today, I learned that iris fragrance comes from the root of the plant. Facinating. I really don't care where it comes from, frankly. After running my nose through a field of craziness in an attempt to find some other holy grail, my wandering senses have returned with a sigh of relief. 28 La Pausa is fresh and feminine, like a crytal flower vase near a window sill with the morning sun peeking in. I do feel like I sense a little green & citrus, and maybe something a little soapy, but what do I know, other than that I like it. It's not too sweet, not too woody, and doesn't smell like baby powder. It's a scent that I reach for when I'm feeling soft, and sophisticated (not playful). It lasts the whole day on me, without screaming to everyone around me announcing my presence. I simply love Chanel fragrances, even though I really can't afford them. I guess you just have to pick and choose where you will allow yourself to be extravagant for the sake of quality.

I love how serious this smells. It's the perfume for a strict piano teacher. This lasted a long time on my chest and a mere hour or 2 on my wrists (but that is typical). It wasn't love at first wear but I know I have to revisit it because it is unmistakably regal and sometimes it takes many wears to fully love and understand a great perfume. It struck me as an orris scent as opposed to an imitation of the iris flower and that alone makes me want to buy a full bottle. I purchased a bottle and wear it whenever I want to smell quiet, clean and elegant. Sometimes I wear it to bed. 28LP is the very essence of the best part of Chanel distilled into clear liquid. It is the timeless, feminine French, eternally girlish, quiet luxury of 20th century wealthy women in white cotton t-shirt and cap-toed flats, hair in a headband with pearl earrings and a charm bracelet. 5 out of 5.

Not a terribly interesting one - an earthy (literally, a soil note going on here) iris on top of very mundane vetiver accord, which tends to steal the stage. It's not just the drydown, vetiver domination from the very beginning. Agree about the tanninic tea note, definitely can get it and it does not work for the favor of the composition. It's not completely bad, but lacks refinement and feels slightly unbalanced. The gentle iris is almost completely wasted in this, just can't understand the praise of it as an iris scent. And for vetivers - there are so much more interesting ones to choose from. I don't really think that it is worthy of the hefty price tag. I find the vetiver notes rather lasting on this, but the vetivery drydown is so mind-numbingly boring that I don't really care.

Such a skin scent, so attenuated and sublime to the point of anosmia, anoxia and amnesia... Ghostly fragrance , it appears to me as an extremely depleted version of Sycomore, Chanel. Ephemeral earthiness... Powderness...of pure pheromones, undetectable, I would like to say: 'effective, seductive, seducing', but no, not for me, at least, not for my skin chemistry unfortunately.. LA Pausa is pausing and posing...Anything else is resting ... She is so flawless, so angelic-too perfect to be interesting though Not wishing to press her kindness, I tiptoed out... Not yet ready to receive the gift ...,the gift of Love.?! Like it somehow

I've loved the scent of irises ever since they grew in the backyard of my childhood home. One sniff of this and I'm in that backyard garden again, poking my nose into one of the earthy-smelling blooms growing by the fence. This iris soliflore captures the earthy, "rooty" scent of the natural flower perfectly. (I suspect some of the earthiness in 28 La Pausa comes from a vetiver base note.) But perhaps it's too perfect; like the flower itself, it's soft, quiet, and quick to fade.

28 La Pausa is an excellent fragrance, however it does not have the power to last for long enough on my skin, unlike some of the other fragrances in the Les Exclusfs line. Projection almost always sits close to my skin. I hope Chanel reconsider and release 28 La Pausa in a stronger concentration, because then it would be one of my favourites. Such a lovely scent, however it just doesn't get noticed or lasts long enough. Pity

to me this reminds me of a old grand piano dust on the ivory keys the scent of ivory wood from when the piano was played i whould enjoy it's scent it has an elegant tinge to it which i'v i fond it strange at a time and the scent of an old tin can filled with sowing needles and thread and the rust of the can at that time seemed interesting but intoxicating in a way. it is earthy but it's metalic at the same time.

23)I'm crazy iris and it is a marvel, a female version of Iris Silver Mist warmed by some vetiver and a background copied on Guerlain. Je suis fou d'iris et celui-ci est une merveille, une version féminine d'Iris Silver Mist réchauffée par du vétiver et une fond copié sur les Guerlain.

Compared to the reformulated La Pausa edp, the original '28 La Pausa edt' is much greener, reminiscent of fresh grass and soil. It feels like a lively iris root. However, it is disappointing that the lasting power is too short.

I detect a lot of liquorice in the opening that adds depth to the powdery, slightly bitter freshness. Sillage is moderate to soft. It's nice and clean but too similar to no 19 Poudre to even think about buying a bottle.

What a lovely fragrance. Elegant and delicate, stays close to the skin but you will not go unnoticed. Love it during the summer days, while wearing a white shirt.

I blind bought this because it is now discontinued and I did not have any choice. I love both orris and rose usually and I thought I would like it. I had thought it would be very similar to Chanel No 19. It is not so similar to that, but I think it would layer very nicely with it. 28 La Pausa is really, really beautiful, iris and floral and it was love at first sniff. Light, beautiful, iris done in a very pretty and authentic way. There is no artifice here, nothing synthetic. There is a floral background too. If this perfume was a person she or he would be dark with an big beautiful afro, seriously intelligent, have awesome good taste in just about everything: books, music, art, clothing, and he or she would be so kind and generous. But most of all, that person would smell amazing and draw compliments every day. I am going to make this rare fragrance last for as long as I can.

Lovely, soft iris. In La Pausa, the iris is not cold, not metallic nor sharp as it could be in Hermès Hiris or in SMN Città di Kyoto. It resembles more to Iris Pallida (but Iris Pallida is better, in my opinion). It is rather mild and close to skin. Calm and soothing, subtle and - alas ! - lacking of a proper identity, especially if you compare to the other Chanels of the line. Well , if you like minimalist fragrances, this could be for you! Very office appropriate, has little sillage and under lasting power. It disappears on my skin in 10 minutes (no joke). Good if you like very mild skin scents. For me it's a pass.

This one starts out like a makeup aisle in a high end department store and then dries down to a light powder. It sits very close to the skin and is a mature scent. Not for me... 7/10

When I first smell this EdT in the sample vial or newly applied, there’s a strong prickly green tea note that remains the main feature of the sillage even after it’s well into its main act, masking everything else. Smelling it naively, I concluded that La Pausa was a fuzzy green tea with citrus scent, but after reading some reviews I see that it’s supposed to be iris. OK, I’ll play along. Maybe there’s a little iris close to my skin if I go earnestly looking for it, along with some vetiver, but it’s not the dominant note by any means. This makes me wonder if a lot of people are anosmic to the prickly green tea note that I find so prominent in this and many other commercial scents. That would explain why a surprising number of reviewers complain about La Pausa being weak. It would also explain why so many people love fragrances that I feel are ruined by way too much of this note, La Pausa being one of them. I’m sure the green tea note was added to increase the sillage, which is minimal for real orris, but the element that was supposed to enhance turns out to be a hijacker that takes the poor little natural plants to a big, plastic shopping mall display. On me, sillage is considerable and the scent lasts at least 6-8 hours without ever revealing the iris that is supposed to be its theme. It’s not bad in tis own way, but it’s not the type of perfume that I wear.

I found the opening VERY earthy, somewhat mineral-laden, with an overtone of rain on hot cement. After it warms up it is too soft and not noticeable. I am disappointed as I am a wild fan of Une Fleur, Gardenia, and Sycomore. That said, I do not unduly worship at the altar of Chanel, and offer an honest if somewhat undiplomatic review here. I put this through my "enjoyment per ounce to dollars spent" cost benefit analysis, and this one came out lacking. I will not be purchasing this one. Thank goodness for the small sample.

There are many people who will love this because it has the watery green melancholy found in Dzongkha, Essences Insensees, and Chanel No. 18. The sillage and longevity are weak (as Chanel says, “delicate”) but as it evolves I much prefer the vetiver and powdery leathery notes of the drydown. Iris is not my “thing” but if it was, I would prefer Bas de Soie or Iris Poudre. Back to this scent: well made, obviously high-class and exceptionally fine ingredients, and a lovely soft ending, but not for me.

First i must say i love Chanel fragrances and they love me back but this one is NOT worth the money.it's a week generic cologne and i bet if no one knew it's a CHANEL and based on smell alone the ratings were much lower.

I can't be sure what they were going for, but it probably wasn't a cigar that has been put out in a bowl of tomato soup next to some flowers.

I've recently been fascinated by iris scents; most notably Iris Nobile by Acqua di Parma and Iris 39 by Le Labo. My mother had received a bunch of flowers after a performance (she's an actress), and for days the room in which she'd placed the beautifully arranged iris and lily bouquet, smelt divine. Chanel's 28 La Pausa is close to that scent, but not close enough. 28 La Pausa opens rather fresh. The prominent iris note is green and natural. I do believe that the iris note in this fragrance is the actual essential oil, rather than a synthetic take on iris. Citrus notes compliment the iris towards the heart, however when settled, 28 La Pausa transforms into a smooth, soapy scent. The soapiness, although feminine and pretty, resembles other iris-based scents on the market, most notably, Acqua di Parma's Iris Nobile EDT. The woodsy drydown only furthers my comparison to the above fragrance. I do believe vetiver may be a missing note in 28 La Pausa. It has this wonderful bitter and earthy quality that really compliments the iris. There is a great sense of simplistic subtlety to be found in this scent. It doesn't scream, "look at me!" or anything overtly sexy, however it succeeds in being soft and inoffensive. The scent lasted well on my skin, so I won't agree with the other reviewers who experienced poor lasting strength. The scent is delightfully refreshing and clean smelling. I'd most likely wear 28 La Pausa during Spring, when the weather is particularly beautiful and the world is lively.

I agree with Alfaron- well said, my friend. This is such a beautiful heavenly scent from first spray to drydown. It did not scream iris or funky orris root to me at any time, but I do smell the iris more in the drydown. Yes, the EDT does not have a lot of staying power, but on my skin neither does Cuir de Russie EDT. I will just spray on more of this initially and re-apply. Who wouldn't love a pick-me-up of this glorious juice in the middle of the day? What I love most is how the vetiver perfectly and subtly balances the florals but does not dominate the iris and rose. It is soft and just gorgeous. I like vetiver but I am so tired of the current taste in 'slap you in the face, knock you down' vetivers that tend to completly dominate a fragrance and then go on to conquer whole buildings. 28 La Pausa is vetiver and iris done right. As an iris lover, and owner of about 8 bottles of niche iris dominant scents, this lovely fragrance is near the top of my list of iris loves. So many people ruin iris. This is iris and vetiver both done exactly right. Thank you, Chanel and Jacques Polge.

This fragrance has been heavily reviewed on the top blog sites, which I read while wearing it myself. They all state that this is a good, not ground-breaking, Iris fragrance in the middle of the Les Exclusifs Pack. Another theme I agree with is longevity; yep, you'll need a heavy, frequently recurring hand with this one. Recently I bought myself a bouquet of iris, which is one of my favorite flowers. La Pausa is very true to the natural scent. The question is, do you mind smelling like your iris bouquet, or do you want a bit more excitement? Because I love this scent I don't mind the linearity. I know the marketing blab states it is 'full of contrasts', but the only contrast here is the black cap and the clear bottle. I htink this is a quality, conservative choice for springtime. Yes you'll have more exciting scents in your collection (for me that would be Apres L'ondee), but that is the only negative thing you could say about it.

Absolutely a member of the Chanel tradition, but much more easygoing than most of the other scents from Chanel. The iris is very clean and fresh at first, then softens down to a nice powdery note. I am a vetiver junkie, and this scent does not disappoint. 28 La Pausa goes green fairly quickly on the dry down, but never totally loses its floral aspect. Overall, it reminds me of my grandparents sprawling 19th century ranch house: the breeze bending hay over the flint hills, a mahogany window seat, sprawling under a shade tree, and a century of Dutch Irises carpeting the lawn. This perfume has a gentle silage, which is a major plus for me. I am not the kind of woman who likes a perfume to walk into a room before I do. Though this scent tends to staty close to the body, it can be easily amped up by applying a bit more. It should be noted, 28 La Pausa also does not have much longevity. In total: gentle, classic, welcoming.

28 La Pausa starts of as non-perfume - which might be not that something, from a marketing prospect interesting, attempt of the anti-perfume a la CdG, rather something that is lacking a clear quality or feature on an apparent impression on first encounter and continues to not settle to one thing. 28 La Pausa features a superbly elegant lightweight construction - lightweight as in weightlessness, would there not be the fantastic orrris root dose, the vetiver, and these leathery tunes that shift it from its being without gravitas - it highlights the similar novelty that some of Jacques Polge's 'spätwerk' scent's show - No.18, 31 Rue Cambon and 28 La Pausa ... a celebration of superb perfumery, eery, elegant, sensuous, hard to put in words - no comment here about the infantile and boring disintegrations, the EdP version show ... get 28 La Pausa as Eau de Toilette as long as it appears ...

Brilliant. To me its an iris root note that conjures up the smell of minerals and cool earthy soil. But it's also very wearable and 'socially acceptable' because it smells like a luxurious bubble bath, kind of lotion-y,and like expensive make up. I wear this to work and it's soothing and makes me feel well put together. Oddly, longevity and sillage are pretty good on me, which is not usually the case and contradicts what many other reviewers have found. You might think it's not groundbreaking, too polite, too formal/reserved, maybe even so expensive smelling as to seem snobbish. And I can see all this. And yet still, for me, it has a quiet persistence and elegance which, this Summer, is making me turn to it more often than some of the stars in my collection. It makes me think of a solitary fragile iris softly glowing in the darkest depths of a forest.

28 La Pausa EDT was PEACE in a bottle. A masterpiece. I dont know about the EDP but I'm not interested in going there Sorry. This was one that needed to stay exactly the same. People say it doesnt last but it lasts for 24 hrs on my skin (I shower every day so I can't test if it goes longer) but it IS ghostly. I'll think it's gone, but then when I'm not looking for it, it will show itself. It is the most beautiful fragrance in my collection. This is going to sound weird.. but if you've ever been on a train in europe traveling alone, and thinking about someone you love but that is gone, that is the feeling this one gives. Deep love and loss. Happiness and peace. All of the best things in life. Not to get all emotional/deep here on fragrantica or anything... Top two in my collection. I stocked up before the switch to EDP- It's one I can't do without. x

Chanel 28 LA PAUSA is to my nose a veritable pause from perfume! All I detect is a light powdery cross between flour and sawdust, which does not develop and disappears from my skin shortly after application. Perhaps a bit too subtle? BEIGE would have been a perfect name for this composition, it seems to me. Clearly 28 LA PAUSA represents a pendulum swing in the opposite direction of the flamboyant, bombastic "I am perfume, hear me roar! (or, rather, "smell me stink!") creations of the 1980s--but could this be too far to the non-perfume side? I wouldn't say that this is an anti-perfume, for it is definitely not aesthetically repugnant in any way. Still, although 28 LA PAUSA raises profound perfume identity questions, I think it's safe to say that I won't be adding this pricey bottle of nearly nothing to my collection anytime soon...