Accord Chic

My Perfect Iris. I am so enamored by this scent. It stole my heart from the very first moment I sampled it, so I went online and ordered two bottles straight away. This is unlike any iris scent I've ever smelled before in that it's not at all too sweet, for one, and this scent is also a little different to your usual run-of-the-mill iris scent because it contains zero noticeable rose or violet notes - as far as I can tell. I have never smelled NU by YSL, though it's been in my wish list for an eternity, I have still not procured a bottle from the great, stinky cosmos. Therefore I cannot make any comparisons with that, but if that smells half as good as this, or if this smells half as good as that, it really can't be half bad. So I'll keep dreaming of owning that, while in the meantime remaining happy enough that I have this. This is green. It's almost transparent. It's at once a thick, translucent, indolic, heady floral and at the same time mellow, light and green, almost invisible to the naked nose. The only thing like this that I have ever smelled is a staple in my facial cleansing routine - Ultrabland by LUSH, which also contains iris. My best friend smelled "red berries" here, and it came as a shock to me that the official paper writeup about this made mention of berries while I could find no other indication of said berries mentioned anywhere on the Yves Rocher site, nor in the notes here! This is natural smelling. 100%. This is the real deal for me. It makes me foam at the mouth. Lasting power is impressive and projection is a warm, fuzzy, intimate caress.

I love Yves Rocher cosmetics and toiletries, and I've also enjoyed quite a few of their fragrances. I must stress that their scents can be rather uneven in terms of projection and longevity; namely, some of them are quite fleeting, however, there are also some collections that are very well made and offer great silage and longevity, while remaining very affordable. I recommend their collections Secrets d’Essences, So Elixir and Monoi for the best price-performance ratio. Accord Chic is one of the latest additions to the Secrets d’Essences line. As its name suggests, it is très chic - a beautiful and elegant fresh-balsamic everyday scent. There is nothing loud, tacky, sweet, fruity or bubblegummy about this fragrance; it is the olfactory equivalent of neutral colours and of understated elegance in general. On my skin it opens fresh-spicy, with pink pepper as the dominant note, supported by resins. A soft iris note adds just a touch of powderiness, however the overall impression remains fresh-balmy. Unlike other reviewers, I don't get any prominent smoky components (and, believe me, I know my smoke-bombs, having worn MFK Absolue Pour Le Soir and Guerlain Shalimar extensively!) To me, Accord Chic smells quite Chanelesque, somewhere between the balsamic goodness of Coco Noir and the peppery sparkliness of Chance. Moreover, Accord Chic does not fall too far behind Coco Noir or Chance in terms of performance, yet I only paid 20 euros for a 50ml bottle, which is really a bargain. I will be wearing this beauty quite a lot during the long summer months.

Okay, then I want to pull together my bad English and try a decent review on Accord Chic: This is a beautiful autumnal fragrance - if it had a color, it would be silver gray with sparkling golden spots. If it were a mood, it would be a break after a soothing bath with mild bathing foam. And then you would be well rested to go to work, realize your goals in serene grace. In warm air or on warm skin it is balsamic and creamy with a little sweetness, in cooler air it becomes more powdery with a more pronounced iris note. It is really chic and also one of my perfect iris scents (as the reviewer chimidoro said), airy, earthy and soothing, it has a meditative atmosphere. But beware: the scent needs some respect. Coincidentally, I was wearing Accord chic today when I tested Gucci Bloom on the other arm, and in contrast to the creamy floral scent, Accord chic became totally unfamiliar, like incense, and reminded me of Catholic churches. After all: like high-quality incense sticks, by the way. I think it's that kind of scent that you have to get involved with if you want to get to know it properly. All in all a nice, adult fragrance, soothing and not like too many other perfumes on the market. Very elegant, I understand the comparison to older Guerlains. And as dear Ladylva said, it's totally unisex - but it melts on the skin in a way, that it becomes feminine on mine. So for me it's a great deal and I grab it at days, when I cannot stand to much sweetness. Thank you for your helpful reviews.

This has become a stable go-to fragrance for me since I got it two months ago - one that I know I can always reach for when I'm on my way out and have to make a quick decision on which fragrance to wear. (At least in the autumn/winter weather we have had - and I would guess that these are the best seasons for wearing it*). It's balmy, resinous, semi-warm, and just creates this comfortable good-smelling aura around me then I wear it. It lasts most of the day on me, and while I enjoy it all the way through, I just think it gets better and better through the different stages. The opening is powdery - a bit starchy iris, which together with the resins results in a powdery-creamy make up smelling accord. As it dries down, the balsamic sweetness becomes more apparent, and the overall feeling gets a bit warmer, and the starchy-ness fades away. But these are nuances - the scent doesn't change hugely. It's important to say that it's not a loud scent, and I call it semi-warm because it maintains a certain powdery lightness and spicy-freshness (from the elemi and pink pepper). I would actually categorize it as a my-skin-but-better fragrance. I find that Accord Chic fits nicely into the the Secrets d'Essences line from Yves Rocher, which I percieve as high quality fragrances for a low price, well made, good smelling, and easy to wear. *Edit: It's equally great in spring!

I sprayed this after showering this evening. Instant love. This is VERY good - it's spicy and unusual (in the sense that it bucks the sweet fruitchouli trend. I am not being negative, snobbish or disparaging about scents like LVEB, Flowerbomb etc. - I have flankers of the original fragrances and love them). Chic Accord smells expensive and I think it's unisex, despite being marketed as a woman's perfume; it could easily be worn by a man and I think that Yves Rocher have missed out on a wider market by not marketing it as such. It reminds me a little of SJP Stash, DK Black Cashmere and TM A*Men, all of which I love and wear. I'm not suggesting that Chic Accord smells like any of them, but it has that sort of vibe. If anything, I think Stash and A*Men smell a bit sweeter. Highly recommended for lovers of warm, woody, spicy oriental scents AND it is a bargain for its price. Sillage moderate - not sure on longevity yet, but I suspect this will be very good, especially on clothing.

As I expected, Accord Chic is totally unisex. Here’s the story: I own about a dozen fragrances that I haven’t even opened yet, because first I want to use up the ones that I’ve already had for several years now. The ‘problem’ is that I apply fragrances very sparingly, so for example a 50ml bottle can last me for several years. This is when my hubby comes to the rescue, because he’s a typical male oversprayer and he can empty the exact same bottle in less than two months. He has just finished off my bottle of Yves Rocher The Vert (and enjoyed it very much), and now I’ve given him Accord Chic. It smells amazing on him: the elemi is very prominent, and so are the spices, and it maintains its resinous-balsamic character while smelling much more piquant than when I wear it. So, guys, don’t be afraid to try Accord Chic (or The Vert, or Tendre Jasmin, or any other YR creation ‘for women’) - this little gem deserves to be loved and enjoyed by both sexes.

Another pleasant surprise after falling for their Rose Oud, which brings Yves Rocher fragrances to a different level. Accord Chic is a happy scent. It opens freshly with the pink pepper and iris but it quickly settles to this astounding dry down of a truly balsamic and comforting scent that I was hoping it would be. Accord Chic doesn't have the best longevity or sillage but I enjoy the way olibanum, benzoin, and elemi play nice with the slowly fading pink pepper and iris. After about 30 minutes, I'm left with a warm and cozy scent that makes me want to snuggle under a nice and soft blanket.

At last had the opportunity to try it, ordered something especially so I could get my hands on the tester (paper swab, but at least it is something). At first snif I wasn't impressed. "The scent that wasn't there"-feeling. But after a few minutes the incense came along. Reminds me of a catholic church with freshly waxed floors. Nicely done. Now, an hour later, that still is pretty much it. Starts to fade now, but again, I tested from a paper swab, very sparingly (hoping to use it again, tomorrow). As an incense-lover: I like it.

I blind bought this for myself as it was on sale. My first impression was not a favourable one, I thought it had a bit of an "old lady" smell. I came back to it a few weeks later and it has since become the favourite of my small collection. What I initially thought of as "old lady" has become timeless and elegant. The initial smell of pink pepper is quite sharp. It however mellows out into a complex smoky and feminine mix of resin and iris.

Noble enough fragrance! Resins, iris and pink pepper are far from annoying here. It has a little bit in common with Rose Oud. I even feel Feminite du Bois. But just a little bit. Also Yves Rocher is good at at making fragrances with good iris note. It could cost much more, because it smells expensive enough. In general this fragrance reminds me how labdanum smells by the type. I like this fragrance. The quality is worthy this time.

I loved this scent sooo much. So sad they discontinued it. A cool, sophisticated blend, completely void of sweetness. More like a chypre actually. Made me feel so elegant in a white button down shirt. Unfortunately it turned dark in no time, and that really changed the impression. Often an ageing scent just needs some time on the skin to clear itself of the top notes, but this one did not survive it. i will miss it always.

Of all the Secrets d’Essences this was the one I loved. I felt Yves Rocher was bringing out too many fragrances too quickly. They used high quality ingredients but some of their scents felt jumbled. Then came the dreadful news that Yves Rocher was withdrawing from the UK market so goodbye Accord Chic, Iris Noir, Comme une Evidence and the lovely inexpensive Gardenia they used to do.

Had to try this based on reviews. Is it ‘too perfect’? Nothing controversial, great to wear to restaurants, church, hotels. Nothing offensive, it smells expensive and classy with a bit of a Shalimar oriental vibe. But it doesn’t last very one on me. I shall have to keep spraying but I really like it. I love smoky scents.

This is not a review, but why is it that I can only find this fragrance on fragrantica? Not even a press-release, or on YR website. Weird. Update: today (june 22th) I saw on the Dutch YR website the option to order a sample with your other products. No mention of buying a real bottle yet. Waiting and anticipating.....

OMG! I loveeee this!!! Spicy spicy spicy! Right of my alley! I don't know how YSL Nu smells so i can't compare. Its long lasting on my skin and projection is moderate not gona' suffocate anyone,and this is a good thing because this stuff is spicy!

.....and today i found it for sale on the YR dutch website. Ordered a bottle right away :-). I am looking forward to comparing it with "C'est la fête Patchouli" by Christian Lacroix. That one is very incense-y on me (the elemi note).

I just got this today for 30 euros. IT is a great parfume, but i wish that IT had a stronger sillage. I can smell the iris and the benzoin, i like IT. A Little bit like Shalimar.

Just got the tester today. As a powdery perfume lover, I really love it! Speaks of elegance.

Yves Rocher is among the very best when it comes to price/quality ratio: all of their scents are affordable, but very few of them smell cheap - unlike many designer scents that cost much more. On top of that, this Accord Chic has been the recipient of a lot of praise on Fragrantica and elsewhere, so I was extra eager to try it out, even though the note list isn't especially up my alley, and I was very glad to get a little decant as an extra in a swap. My first impression wasn't very good, though, when I first smelled it straight from the bottle, and when tested in the crook of my elbow (which is how I tend to gather first impressions while wearing another perfume - you're dedicated or you're not!). Experienced that way, it smelled like pure alcohol with added spices to me, like the scent of some kind of flavoured hard liquor that wafts up to you when you open a bottle. Not a bad smell exactly, but definitely not what I want to smell like out in the world - people could get the wrong impression! Luckily, it's a very different story when I give Accord Chic a "proper" wearing: on my wrists and neck it's more wellbehaved, and I understand why it's so popular. It's still all about the spices to my nose, and to a lesser extent about the resins and the incense; the iris is noticeable but it keeps to background. The scent is fresh at first and a little warmer later, but it stays light and not very sweet: feminine and sophisticated. I like it quite a lot now that I've tested it properly, although as suspected it's not exactly my thing, and I'll probably never get a full bottle.

I really really wanted to love this one at first, and not just because of the positive reviews. I like the idea of it, a close-to-the-niche-perfume try (a nice one), and I like the mixing of the benzoin, elemi and iris with pepper. So, excited I went to the YR store and asked for a sample, ready to be astonished, enchanted... And close I was.. But, my skin rejected it. :/ On my skin it smelled sour, sharp, like...a bug repellent. I was so so sorry! Anyway, I was ready for some “negotiation“, maybe it needed more time to develop on my skin. So, I took the smallest bottle to give it more tries. It does take more time to develop on my skin, but never to the point of detecting any iris! And iris in this combo is what balances it not to be so sharp and soury (IMHO). BUT - my habit of spraying perfume on my hair saved this item from being a ”mis-buy" and overlooking its true potential. Thankfully, my HAIR loves it and after 15 minutes...what's that lingering spicy balsamic and iris smell around me (among the pepper)? It's finally - ladies and gentlemen - Accord Chic in its full radiance! So, I now spray it mostly on my hair (near the tips because it's a mid-length, comes around my neck - just perfect!) and on my scarves and blouses. I'm glad I found a way to use it and it will remain in my collection. Also, I would add that this perfume will probably not appeal to the “perfume beginners“, it takes a bit of experience (so to say) to accept it and wear it.