Even More Alluring? (Chanel: Allure Sensuelle, Eau de Parfum)

Member Name: DiamondCat

Product:	Chanel: Allure Sensuelle, Eau de Parfum
Date:	06/05/08 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great lasting smell, Chanel quality

Disadvantages: maybe not ground breaking enough

This is a follow up fragrance on the now classical Allure which was released in 1996. (The original was first released as EDT,two years later as EDP.)

The follow up was launched in 2005 as a more sensual and warmer interpretation of the original. Having said that, it aims to be luminous rather than heavy.
The scent has been created by the same "nose", Jacques Polge, as its predecessor. Also, the structure of the composition follows the same pattern. Unlike the traditional top/ middle/ base notes all Allure fragrances are created with equal facets, comparable to a jewel. In my opinion this structure makes a scent more mysterious and harder to define. A further plus is that the fragrance doesn't change so much while you're wearing it. It stays pretty consistent and fades eventually.

The facets of Allure Sensuelle are:
fresh
timeless floral
woody
oriental
fruity
sunny spicy
some of the fragrance notes are: bergamot, mandarin, pink pepper, jasmine, rose, iris, vetiver, vanilla, patchouli
(I'm still looking for a complete list of notes notes that also puts them in their right categories. When I find it I will update the review.)

The bottle and packaging are also based on the original. The lid and writing on the bottle are a warm shade of purple, the box matches this shade. The full retail prices for Chanel products are rather steep, but enthusiasts will tell you that they're worth it. On the whole I agree.
Not to forget that lower prices are available online. It is important to make sure that the online shop is reputable and that the products are fresh as well as authentic.
Here is a list of the current range for this fragrance, with the recommend prices for them.

Parfum 7.5ml £65

Eau de Parfum 30ml/ 50ml/ 100ml £38/ £52/ £73

Eau de Toilette 50ml/ 100ml £40/ £57

Deodorant 100ml £22

Shower Gel 200ml £25

Body Cream 200ml £45

Body Lotion 200ml £28

The body products feature the usual classy understated Chanel design. Even the boxes seem too good to throw out once you've started a new product. Quality fragrance items can have a great "comfort factor", their value goes beyond "just smelling good".

As for my personal experience with this perfume, I would still rather stick with the original Allure. At least on me it manages to be more elusive when it comes to defining it. (Admittedly, this may be in part because it took me years to track it down from when I first smellled it.) The Sensuelle version isn't quite dramatic enough for me in terms of oriental fragrances. (Experts put it into the oriental/floral category.) For orientals I'd pick Coco or ideally Opium.
Also it reminds of Casmir by Chopard, which I overdid in my teens. I'm not down on either one of these, I must have reached a saturation point though. If I received Allure Sensuelle as a gift, I would wear it. But I will be investing in a new bottle of the original soon.

I'd like to share something a Chanel representative taught me recently. It explains why different concentrations, including body products, can smell quite different. This is applies particularly to the Allure range, but to a degree to all Chanel products. The stronger a concentration, the stronger the emphasis on the fruity/spicy/warm notes. EDT concentration focus more on floral components. Not only does the alcohol content react differently with a person's skin chemistry, but the formula does slightly shift with each concentration. Therefore, even though EDP or Parfum are technically stronger, they tend to be more mellow and balanced, not to mention longer lasting.
Body products can also be rather different from an actual fragrance. But if you skin interprets them correctly they can extend the lasting power of your perfume.
It pays to test various concentrations to be really sure which suits you best.

If anyone has questions, please let me know. I'm happy about any excuse to research perfumes.

Summary: another hit from Chanel