Name: Coco Noir
Brand: Chanel
Size: 1.7oz
Price: $98.00
What I liked:
- a fruitchuli done right
- elegant and safe, perfect for most occasions
- not overpowering
- longlasting
What I didn’t like:
- a mainstream and unoriginal, although classy, fruitchuli
- the price
“Coco Noir is the magnificent evocation of that woman in that city [Coco in Venice] and all those women today who choose intensity over the bland norm; the detours of seduction over perfunctory exhibitionism, and true luxury over vulgarity.” That’s how Chanel describes Coco Noir, their latest scent to hit the market. And it was this description that first got me excited about this scent, causing me to stalk the Chanel counter to grab a sample. I thought it was gonna be a dark but elegant version of the heady and spicy oriental Coco, which is simply divine.
Then I smelled it. And my face fell. This is a fruitchuli. An extremely well done fruitchuli. Very likely the best out there. In fact, it seems to me that Chanel wanted to teach its competitors how good a fruitchuli can smell like when it’s done right. But still a fruitchuli it is. I guess brands these days just don’t want to take any risks and Coco Noir will sell like hot cakes. It’s a beautiful scent that’s elegant and contemporary and is bound to please fragrance beginners. Just like it is bound to disappoint perfumistas because of how safe and understated it is.
Coco Noir opens with a timid burst of sparkling citrus that’s soon overwhelmed by a blend of grapefruit laced in patchouli and musk that’s gonna hang around for hours, remaining very prominent in the heart stage too. But now, it is paired with a floral bouquet of jasmine, rose and geranium leaves. The heart notes fade quickly and all that’s left in the drydown is the patchouli, musk and grapefruit, with the addition of sandalwood and vanilla, which add creaminess and depth to the scent. Sadly, this is also the most mainstream part of the fragrance.
I like Coco Noir a lot. It may not be what I expected it to, but it is still a lovely fragrance. I’m just not sure I love it enough to pay the hefty price tag for the full size obsidian black bottle (how gorgeous is that by the way?). It’s its lack of originality that’s putting me off somewhat. Patchouli, clean musk and fruity notes are present in pretty much every feminine perfume these days. A lovely blend, but overdone.
However, it has something that most perfumes lack these days and that’s class and elegance. But then, this is Chanel. Everything they do is elegant. If you don’t own any fruitchuli though, Coco Noir is definitely the only one worth getting. It’s warm and seductive, but not loud so you could easily wear it at work too and it’s gonna stay close to your skin for the entire day.
Available at: nordstrom
Summary
Chanel Coco Noir is the best fruitchuli on the market. It’s elegant and understated, but still a fruitchuli, which is hardly original these days. Still, the scent is really beautiful and it hangs around for the entire day.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This reminds me that I have a small sample of it I’ve got with a magazine, must find it and try!
Marina(Makeup4all)´s last [type] ..New Makeup Lanches and Makeup Inspiration
Marina, do try it and let me know what you think. It is a lovely scent, I just expected something more original from Chanel.
The fruitchuli separates the pros from the novice, doesn’t it? :] I don’t even know what that smells like. I really like that you explain why it’s such a hit for so many but also it’s not all that special. I’ll be sure to take a whiff of this the next time I’m at a counter. You write the best perfume reviews by far! You are so knowledgeable and such a great writer. The words you choose really paint a scent in my mind (that makes no sense because words can’t paint themselves and my brain can’t smell nor can it smell through the internet haha).
Janessa, aww thank you. It’s not easy to write a fragrance review but I hope I’m able to give you a general idea of how a scent smells like and if it’s right up your alley. Coco Noir smells lovely. If you don’t own anything like it, you may really enjoy it. However, this was such a big release for Chanel that I’m disappointed they didn’t come out with something more daring.