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It`s a fantastic perfume which will last
I was in my teen years when I started wearing this and looking back, I should have waited - it`s a strong, seductive, exotic woman`s perfume with sensual, chocolately (?), grown up undertones.
The packaging is typical Chanel - black and gold with a crystal glass bottle. The advertising although infrequent is beautifully done and reflects the sort of image most women wearing Coco would like to portray (me anyway ).
When I wear Coco, I always feel special and dressed up. I`d never were it for work or to visit a Granny. It`s more your wining, dining and seducing perfume which will last all night - whatever you`re doing.
One point, I`m one of those unfortunates on whom eau de toilettes are useless and eau de parfum wear off with an hour. Coco does NOT do that, it lasts and lasts and lasts, even after a shower, I catch whiffs. This is good for me but before buying, try a tester as it`s quite a cloying, hard to get rid of smell if you don`t like it. Trust me though - you will!
Reviewed By: Debra Nelson
On Dated: 12/08/2005
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Musky and Sexy !
This Christmas whilst most of you have already got your presents, men usually have left their partners gifts to the last not knowing what to buy, so I decided to share with you my favourite scent in the hope that it may one or two of you out for ideas.
**BACKGROUND**
Coco Chanel was born in 1884 in France her life was tinged with much sadness, her mother died at the tender age of twelve, her father left soon after leaving Coco’s aunts to raise her, but when she reached the age of seventeen, both her aunts decided it would be best to place her in an orphanage leaving her in the care of nuns.
It was at the Aubazine Orphanage that Coco started to feel very lonely indeed and suffered mentally which continued throughout her entire life and more than anything else Coco desired a happy marriage, which she sadly never managed, nor did she ever have a family of her own, according to rumours this was due to an abortion that went wrong in her younger years. She had many relationships with some important men indeed including an English and a Russian Duke, an aristocrat and even a Nazi Officer and it was her love of the Nazi Officer that resulted in her being exiled to Switzerland in 1971.
Coco herself did many things before her success as a famous fashion designer including dancing, acting, horse riding, sold hosiery and even worked as a cabaret singer although it was Etienne Balsan, her aristocrat lover that was to finance her obsession for success and in 1909, she opened her first boutique in Paris and from that small store employing just two teenage girls she grew the business into one of the world’s best known fashion designer and most profitable fashion houses of all time. She forever changed the fashion industry and in turn the way women looked at fashion and themselves.
Coco launched her signature perfume Chanel No. 5 in 1923, she held dear the maxim that more is less "Always remove always strip away, never add"
The first editions came in a stylish art deco bottle being the very first perfume to bear a designer name, she chose to retire in 1938 handing over the reins to Italian designer Schieparelli but in 1954 she decided to make a comeback and sadly she died at the grand old age of 87 back in 1971 whilst staying at her private quarters at the Ritz Hotel in Switzerland, leaving behind an empire worth over £100 million a year at the time of her death.
**THE PRODUCT**
In 1984, perfume creator Jacque Polge, responsible for such scents as Allure, Egotise and Coco Mamoseille, was inspired by the lasting spirit of Coco and decided to name his new creation Coco Chanel after the great lady herself.
Jacque Polgue himself described Coco as a scent that can be seen as the vibrant evocation of today`s blending of civilizations, with reflections of ancient trade routes between Venice and The Orient`
Coming packaged in a simple yet very stylish black box laced with gold themes, not garish at all, in fact very elegant with the simple words COCO in large white text, there are two different types of bottles, the first of which is very posh looking indeed, an old fashioned square perfumed bottle with a glass stopper for a lid, so not ideal for travelling nor carrying about with you, the second of which is a more practical yet still managing to retain that posh look square bottle with spray action and black lid. The colour of the perfume itself is slightly darker than Chanel No. 5, a deeper honey colour.
My first introduction to it was in Boots, I had spent a few years beforehand and even still at that time being very economical with money as we never had much of it, but I had received some gift vouchers for Boots as a Christmas present and wanted to buy myself something really special as I had much in the way of luxuries.
I approached the perfume counter, I had always liked the very elegant idea of Chanel, but upon trying the No.5 decided it wasn’t for me, the sales assistant suggested Coco, she spray some on my wrist, at first I wasn’t very keen as it seemed very overpowering and left Boots shortly after deciding I would wait and come back another day, upon returning home about ½ hour later, I could not stop smelling my wrist, the scent was just devine, Craig agreed and said I should purchase as it definitely suited me, everyone’s acidity levels in their skin tones are very different you see, one perfume could smell gorgeous on someone else and smell rotten on me, so when you find a scent that suits I recommend you purchase.
The scent itself is excitingly enriched with paradoxes, its classic, musky, sensual and voluptuous yet still managing to remain demure. It has a very oriental and spicy smell, the mixture of Vanilla, Orange Blossom, Mandarin, Indian Jasmine and Bulgarian Rose blend perfectly together and certainly can never be described as sweet nor flowery like some, it is quite a heavy scent, definitely ideal for evening wear and of course special occasions.
The smell lasts very well also so you really do get value for money, is it a bit more expensive than some, available from many perfumery outlets including Boots, House Of Fraser, Debenhams etc, the 50ml EDT and 35ml EDP sprays will set you back around £40 or if you feel more extravagant you can purchase the 60ml EDP Spray for around £55, 100ml EDP Spray and Bottle will set you back around £70. More recently a small travel set has came on the market coming in a rather nice clear plastic case filled with 3 off 15ml EDT sprays which costs around £40. They also have a whole range of scented toiletries to compliment the perfume including body lotion, bath gel, soap and even moisture mist.
Upon doing a bit of research online I discovered a bargain at www.qualityperfumesdirect.co.uk you can purchase 50ml EDT for only £42.99 including P&P.
Although this scent may not be for everyone, it’s definately my signature scent and intend to pick some up in duty free when I travel to New York in a few weeks.
Thanks for reading, please check it out, it really is a wonderful scent recommended to make heads turn this Christmas, take care Heather:)
Reviewed By: Pamela Baker
On Dated: 07/04/2005
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