Paris – Paris

Paris-Paris is a creeper. With great expectations I received my package from Chanel this weekend. At first when I spritzed myself I was not that impressed to be honest. At the onset there is a burst of stunning Citrus followed by Patchouli and a wondrous Rose. Then the Pepper makes it presence known. It is not intrusive either. However, it seemed like a "Been there. Done that." sort of fragrance but I was wrong which happens sometimes. We had my step-daughters wedding reception this weekend after she had decided, to her father's surprise, to elope to the Bahamas. I decided to give Paris-Paris another shot for the event. While at the reception I had a few people compliment me on my "lovely" and "gorgeous" perfume. Well, that was great and all but I do not judge fragrances by compliments alone. I was at our table after dinner had been served and as people were doing their speeches this gorgeous zesty rose scent kept wafting its way into my senses. I felt ladylike but a little more edgy than a normal traditional rose usually makes me feel. I really was enjoying the bubble I had surrounding me. As my husband and I danced to "Tennessee Whiskey" he leaned in and asked about my fragrance. I told him it was called Paris-Paris. He said "I love how pretty my lady is smelling tonight". Now that is a deciding factor for me actually. He is so used to my huge perfume collection he rarely compliments anything anymore. So when he does...I have a keeper. I told him it was the newest Chanel...he placed his cheek onto the top of my head...and said with his manly accepting voice..."Of course it is baby." Most of the night I could smell this subtle beauty as the sillage is not enormous but Paris-Paris is there like a shawl of Earthy Rosewater with a twist. The longevity on me was moderate to long wearing. Give her a skin test. I recommend!

I have a decade long love-hate relationship with pink pepper. It turns into mildewy pencil shavings on my skin while all the other notes are wiped clean within the hour (Glossier You reformulation, Tory Burch Love Relentlessly..) I gauge a perfume's quality by its ability to make me love a note I turn my nose up at. Paris-Paris has genuinely floored me in every way imaginable. It is a bright, room temperature glass of Shiraz. Not the perfume your gourmand fiend friend recommended to wear on a date, but the wine bottle you share on one and snap a picture of its label afterwards. You keep buying and buying the bottle, but you never call the guy back. Fragrance is not inherently gendered, but I do believe it can be used as an extension of gender expression, whether it be the one you're given at birth or something that lie opposite on the spectrum. This perfume is feminine. As I wear it, I am bursting at the seams with the femininity I used to push aside. It only makes sense that it was crafted by Polge, as he created the only other perfume that has evoked such a strong feeling from me, Comete! You don't get a nose full of rose, just the essence of it, and the pink pepper turns into a supporting actor. All these notes would underwhelm me in anything else, nothing sticks out like a sore thumb. It is not outrageously expensive, although I wish this entire line had a bit more projection. That being said, I will buy the body wash and lotion and probably wear this for the rest of my life.

Paris-Paris is significant in that it is the first rose-centred offering from Chanel. « Les Eaux de Chanel » are understated but very well-composed perfumes, obviously made with good quality ingredients. Paris-Paris appears to be a simple rose-patchouli scent with some citrus freshness in the opening. However, it is so much better than that. The rose note is the focal point of this scent, and every other note appears to be carefully selected in order to complement and best showcase the rose as it unfolds. Such is the quality of Chanel. Paris-Paris is rosy from initial spray, dewy and transparent. The rose is photorealistic, green and fresh, enhanced by some orange and lemon. As it develops, pink pepper adds a soft twist of spice to the rose, giving it a little edge. A perfectly-gauged pinch of earthy patchouli grounds the rose in its later stages, a beautiful example of the classic rose-patchouli accord. Its performance is surprisingly good, with moderate sillage and longevity. As a rose lover, I was keen to try Paris-Paris and I'm not disappointed, even though I typically prefer richer rose scents. This is one of the best examples of a rose cologne I've tried. Wonderfully light, fresh and natural-smelling, it is effortlessly beautiful throughout. A great feminine spring/summer everyday scent for rose fans. 4/5.

Paris-Paris is a beautiful woody rose. If I had more than a 1.5 ml sample vial, I would spray this with abandon; it's gorgeous. It reminds me a little bit of Perles de Lalique, only it's much less "in your face" with the pepper and patch. For an EDT this has excellent longevity on paper--much better than my other sample, Chanel No. 5 l'Eau, which smelled fantastic for the first few minutes but faded quickly, like most citrus colognes do. But Paris-Paris, while still an EDT, wears more like a sturdier Chanel EDT (my beloved EDT of Misia is stronger than many so-called EDPs, for instance, and I'd put most of the Liz Taylor EDTs in that category, too). It has been decades since I was lucky enough to live in Paris, but it really did smell like that sometimes, like woody roses, but to be completely honest, it also smelled like car exhaust, urine, and cigarettes sometimes, too. As with all big old cities, its odors were complex and polyphonic. It's not in my budget to buy another full bottle of Chanel anytime soon, but I would seriously consider adding this one to my wish list.

Rooh Afza. I guess only a select few will understand that reference. For those who don't: Rooh afza is a sherbet rather a syrup used to make sherbet. It was introduced in the market (Indian subcontinent) in about 1907. It is a rose concoction with many other added fruits. A very common household name but my o my the popularity it garnered has stood the test of time. So refreshing in taste and so in smell and aroma. Used in a variety of desserts and puddings. Paris-paris has that quality. That refreshing rose from a short rain spell and when the rainbow is visible on the skyline. The rose is sweet and delicate whereas the citrus and patchouli with the pink pepper used in contrast to add and bring out that slightly astringent and minty feeling. Its very light like some of the Aqua allegorias from Guerlain. More in the nature of mists. Having said that it is nothing groundbreaking or very novel particularly for the price in a les eaux formulation. And Chanel keeps raising the prices so whimsically, its laughable.