Gabrielle Ulubay
I'm a fragrance nerd, so bear with me while I share perhaps the most pivotal moment in perfume history. The year is 1921—it's the era of Clara Bow and Josephine Baker. But it's also precisely when Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel teamed up with perfumer Ernest Beaux to create the first rendition of Chanel N°5 Eau de Parfum, one of the all-time best Chanel perfumes.
I promise you've smelled the classic scent, a hallmark of the feminine floral and aldehydic profile. It's made its way onto socialites, Marilyn Monroe, and most likely the impeccably dressed woman you walk past on your way to work. Fun fact: According to the brand, it's the best-selling perfume in history, with one bottle selling every 30 seconds.
But the fashion house's fragrance portfolio includes more than one world-famous perfume. It's home to Marie Claire's 2024 Fragrance Award Winner Bleu de Chanel, an aromatic woody scent with a masculine tinge. You'll also find Mademoiselle, a warm floral with a sexy spin. My personal favorite is Chanel Chance, a younger and lighter citrus perfume capable of transporting its wearer to a springtime garden in Paris.
Adding Chanel perfume to my fragrance wardrobe is my secret for infusing my day with a hint of luxury—and it's much friendlier to my wallet than the Chanel Box Bag I'm eyeing. With that in mind, read ahead to shop the 10 best Chanel perfumes of all time.
Best Chanel Perfumes
- Best Chanel Perfume Overall: Chanel N°5 Limited-Edition Eau de Parfum Spray
- Best Chanel Eau de Toilette: Chanel Chance Eau Fraíche Eau de Toilette
- Best Chanel Floral Perfume: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
- Best Chanel Musk Perfume: Chanel Les Exclusifs Comete
- Best Powdery Chanel Perfume: Chanel N°19 Poudré
This classic, consistently best-selling perfume was immortalized by Marilyn Monroe when she famously teased that she slept in Chanel N°5—and nothing else. Since then, the scent has been synonymous with sensuality and femininity. Infused with key notes of jasmine, sandalwood, rose, and neroli, it’s a warm, intense scent that radiates maturity and grows stronger as your body heats up. It also features citrus top notes to bring sweetness and levity to the notoriously grown up formula.
Fragrance Family: Floral-aldehydic
Notes: Rose, jasmine, vanilla
What We Love: Limited-edition, snow-dusted bottle that will be a collector's item; classic scent; bright and fizzy finish
What We Don't: Because this is the most popular scent in the world, you will smell like other people
Review for MC: "I imagine this is what Audrey Hepburn wore while filming Breakfast at Tiffany's. Every time I get a whiff of the sparkly fragrance (that fizzy signature is thanks to heavy use of aldehydes, FYI), I feel like I just got the all-star treatment at The Plaza's hair salon, gained a Jumbo Flap Bag and expanded my Chanel ballet flat collection by 12. It's the kind of fragrance that feels—and smells—like money." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
You can buy the classic bottle, or this gorgeous limited-edition case.
Launched in 2007 and created by Jacques Polge, Chance Eau Fraîche brings a fresh, citrusy twist to what would otherwise be a woody profile. Its top notes of lemon, citron, and cedar paired with middle notes of pink pepper, jasmine, and water hyacinth trick me into thinking I'm eating a delicate lemon sorbet while overlooking the Amalfi coast.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Citrus
Notes: Citron, jasmine, teakwood
What We Love: Feel lighter and younger than majority of the Chanel portfolio; smells different on everyone—really meshes with every individual's skin
What We Don't: Because this is an eau de toilette, it does not last as long
Review for MC: "I change my fragrances based on my mood, the occasion, and the season but no matter what I wear, I always lean towards something fresh and airy. This was one of the first luxury perfumes I ever bought for myself and I still constantly feel myself gravitating toward it. It’s both citrusy and woodsy, with complex floral and earthy notes that make it feel light and sophisticated. One spritz really lasts, and I love the subtle blend of jasmine, teakwood, and citrus it leaves behind." — Brianna Peters, Contributing Beauty Writer
Chance Eau Fraîche is available in an eau de toilette and perfume spray.
Coco Mademoiselle is a vibrant, youthful scent ideal for those who dislike the smokiness of the brand’s other, more mature perfumes. It’s a complex, warm floral inspired by Gabrielle Chanel when she was a young trailblazer, turning women’s fashion on its head.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Notes: Orange, patchouli, Turkish rose
What We Love: Sexy scent great for a date night or time out with friends; lasts up to eight hours on the skin
What We Don't: It's a true floral and heavy on the rose, so it's not a good option for the floral-averse
Review for MC: "I despised floral perfumes for most of my adult life. But more recently, I've been leaning into the fresher, sweeter profiles. My takeaway: a warm floral, like Mademoiselle, puts a sexier spin on a bright blend of notes. I personally like to layer it with a vanilla-forward scent to amp up the cozy factor during the holiday season." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
Cométe is one of 17 fragrances in the Les Exclusifs collection, meaning it has a slightly higher price tag than the rest of the range. Trust me: you can smell the difference; this intense floral musk whispers wealth. It should, given that it was inspired by a "price upon request" Cométe necklace. In-house perfumer Olivier Polge was inspired by the smell left behind by a shooting star, so think of this fragrance as the physical manifestation of stardust.
Fragrance Family: Musk
Notes: Fresh cherry blossom accord, iris, heliotrop, musk
What We Love: Great transitional scent from fall to winter; incredibly long-lasting—I get roughly six hours of wear; light and sensual
What We Don't: It's not a very powerful scent, it whispers as opposed to shouts
Review for MC: "My bone to pick with many designer fragrances? They are too strong. I want those around me to know I'm wearing perfume, but I don't want to suffocate them with a fragrance overload. Cométe strikes the perfect balance. A few sprays on my pulse points and sweater ensure that anyone who comes close gets a whiff of cherry blossom and musk, but it's not overpowering when I walk into a room." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
Based on the original N°19 formula Gabrielle Chanel designed during her lengthy tenure, this newer rendition is a modern-day ode to Gabrielle's final fragrance for the fashion house. White musk and leather create a grounding base, while vetiver and floral notes of iris, rose, narcissus, lily of the valley, and ylang-ylang give rise to a soft and dainty finish that doesn't feel stale.
Fragrance Family: Green
Notes: White musk, vetiver, Galbanum-Iris Pallida accord
What We Love: The iris soften the original sharpness of Chanel N°19; well-balanced citrus and neroli
What We Don't: Scent is fleeting, so you may to pack a smaller size with you for all day wear
Review for MC: "My first fragrance was Chanel N°19, which I love for its fresh scent and iris notes. I like my scent to be a little mysterious so that whenever someone smells something similar, they think of me. I tend to wear fragrances like this that aren't instantly recognizable." — Rebecca Vanyo, Content Creator and Haute Couture Collector
Other Chanel Perfumes I Love
One of the brand’s newer fragrances, Coco, launched in June 2024, hinges on Chanel’s commitment to complex, even paradoxical elements. Its deep, warm notes of amber and patchouli mirror Gabrielle Chanel’s pared-down fashion sense (quiet luxury, anyone?). In contrast, its notes of Sicilian mandarin, Comorian ylang ylang, and Tunisian orange blossom indicate her preference for baroque art and Byzantine jewelry. One spray opens a world of contradictions that will constantly evolve on the surface of your skin.
Fragrance Family: Amber and Citrus
Notes: Amber, patchouli, mandarin, ylang-ylang, orange blossom
What We Love: Changes throughout the day as it settles on the skin; if you want to emphasize the amber, try spraying it on your clothes
What We Don't: With the reformulation in June, some customers are missing the previous iteration
Customer Review: "Love my Coco Chanel! I have worn Coco for many years. It has the most alluring, sexy smell, very subtle & special. I receive so many compliments ....especially from my husband!" — Chanel
If, like me, you love history and everything vintage, this is your scent. It was crafted in the 1920s by Gabrielle Chanel, who was inspired by nights at Le Boeuf sur le Toit cabaret. The bar opened in 1921 and became an epicenter of avant-garde culture by 1922. This fragrance nods to the location’s cosmopolitan essence with its spicy, sensual notes of tonka bean, New Caledonian sandalwood, and ylang-ylang. The scent also features vanilla, rose, jasmine, and amber for warmth.
Fragrance Family: Spicy
Notes: Tonka bean, sandalwood, ylang-ylang
What We Love: Soft and inviting; classic and timeless energy; unique
What We Don't: Has a bit of a leathery undertone, which isn't for everyone
Customer Review: "Beautiful scent. This is one of my favorite fragrances. I love it, classic and timeless." — Chanel
Autumn is my favorite season (we all have one), and Sycomore Eau de Parfum lets me live in a fall state of mind year-round. I’m obsessed with anything smoky, and this woodsy scent of vetiver, combined with cedar and vanilla, gives fire-pit-atop-a-ski-resort energy.
Fragrance Family: Wood
Notes: Vetiver, cedar, vanilla
What We Love: Has an earthy aura that's great for layering; it feels fresh in a climbing-through-nature way
What We Don't: One of the more expensive options on this list
Customer Review: "I adore this fragrance. It is beautiful in autumn. I love the forest and this reminds me of hiking through a boreal forest with its fermented scent of decaying leaves, evergreen, and sleeping spring perennials. A dreamy autumn dream. I'm instantly transported to my favorite trail wearing my Danner Mountain Light boots surrounded by red, gold, and mossy greens. I deeply inhale and enjoy. Pure love for this fragrance and I thankfully have a full bottle in my collection." -Chanel
"Feminine" fragrances have a bad reputation. You're imagining an overly powdery, floral explosion, aren't you? Toss that preconceived notion to the side and smell Gabrielle Chanel, a sleek and sophisticated blend of notes like jasmine, ylang-ylang, and orange blossom. Every time I smell this essence, I'm reminded of its solar and radiant aura; I feel like I'm basking in the one spot of strong sun left on the beach.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Notes: Jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, Grasse tuberose
What We Love: Bright and bold; gets you in touch with your sensual side; lasts forever—especially if you spray it on a sweater
What We Don't: If you're looking for a stereotypical floral, you're better off with Chanel N°5
Customer Review: "It is a bright, romantic floral that smells mature. I could see anyone from their early twenties and onward spritzing this on when they want to smell expensive and luxe." — Sephora
This white floral fragrance was created in 1925 by Ernest Beaux, Chanel’s first fragrance director who is also responsible for the iconic N°5. My favorite fun fact about Gardénia is that it's a special node to Chanel’s emblem, the camellia flower. In addition to its eponymous top note, the fragrance also features sweet notes of orange blossom, coconut, and vanilla and musky notes like jasmine, sandalwood, vetiver, and patchouli. It’s a timeless, light fragrance without the headache-inducing headiness commonly associated with floral fragrances.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Floral
Notes: Camellia, orange blossom, coconut, vanilla
What We Love: More youthful scent than majority of Chanel's fragrance portfolio; inviting floral
What We Don't: Definitely leans more spring and summer, so while it's great for vacation, you might not reach for it during winter
Customer Review: "Smelling a gardenia in the garden is my favorite scent, and this fragrance captures that sweet, rich flower perfectly. This is by far my favorite fragrance of all. I love how I can catch the scent as I move while wearing this perfume. Sweet and rich, but not overpowering." — Chanel
What Distinguishes a Luxury Fragrance
Chanel fragrances shout luxury from the very first spray. Below, the qualities that distinguish luxury perfumes like Chanel from their competitors.
Lasting Power
"Lasting power and outstanding performance are definitely things you want in your luxury fragrance as well as wanting it to be different than anything you’ve ever smelled before," explains professional perfumer Alexandra Monet, who works with fragrance company Firmenrich. She adds that luxury perfumes allow their wearers "to have a signature."
Ingredients
As with any product you apply to your body, fragrances are defined by the quality of their formulas. "Chanel uses beautiful raw materials like luxurious flowers such as jasmine or orris, for example, or sophisticated woods and Amber notes." She also highlights sandalwood, rose, patchouli, and vetiver as notes that "really help a luxury fragrance stand out."
Why Trust Marie Claire
Marie Claire is an expert in fragrance, having covered topics ranging from the best floral fragrances to the best citrus and gourmand fragrances. Samantha Holender is a Beauty Editor with nearly a decade of experience in the fragrance space. She has tested nearly every fragrance released over the past five years, and written content about vanilla fragrances, new fragrances for 2024, and fruity fragrances.
How We Tested
Marie Claire editors were quick to volunteer their favorite Chanel fragrances. After picking the top 10 Chanel scents, our independent testers (plus a few Marie Claire staffers) and yours truly tested them. We individually reviewed their fragrances based on their complexity, wear, and number of compliments received while wearing.
Meet the Expert
Alexandra Monet is a professional perfumer with Firmenich, a fragrance and flavor company. An urban globe-trotter, she is currently based in Paris, France.
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