Chanel No. 5: love it or hate it?

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missy k

Saved 3/27/08 to Beauty Product Junkies

Chanel No. 5: love it or hate it?

I know it’s probably the most iconic fragrance ever – synonymous with luxury, style and class - but to me, Chanel No. 5 just smells of cat pee! Perfume is so personal isn’t it? I always wear Calvin Klein’s Obsession even though my best friend says I stink like a demented old hippy. (I don’t care, I like it!)

Anyway, on my way home just now I went to my local ‘99p shop’. While was queuing up to buy my bargain biscuits, I idly spritzed myself with a bottle of 99p fragrance called ‘Eau de Fever’. (The bottle by the way was quite unattractive, and could have been a contender for Bella’s ’33 worst perfume bottles' list: http://bellasugar.com/slideshow/1501028) And I swear this stuff smelled just like No. 5!

I just wondered what you think about No. 5 - do you love it or hate it? And if you don’t have a strong opinion on Chanel No. 5, what other perfume do you dislike with a passion? Please vote and comment. I'd love to hear what you all think! Smiling

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john80614 29 weeks 10 h

i actually registered on the site just to leave a comment in this thread!! i want to say i absolutely detest chanel no. 5, i say that cos altho im a 31yr old guy i live with my elderly parents and my mom wears it quite often...it makes me feel sick and i literally cant stand being in the room with it!!!

Robbey62 5 years 6 weeks

every time I was around an elderly acquaintance of mine, I thought she must have some sort of smelly medicinal cream on...it used to turn my stomach. Then one day I smelled Chanel No. 5 when I was shopping and was shocked to realize that was the odor! Thank goodness I never asked about her "condition". How in the world did it become such a classic fragrance...it reeks!!

julieulie 5 years 7 weeks

Chanel No. 5 has always mystified me because I loathe the way it smells on most people, but it smells so... normal on me. I don't own it, it's not my typical choice scent, but it does not reek of old lady on me the way it seems to on most people. I guess I just have some funny skin chemical reaction. Case in point, I absolutely cannot for the life of me use self-tanning lotion, because my skin will flat out STINK for 3-4 days afterwards... it's awful!

burningphoenix 5 years 7 weeks

To me it smells like old lady + lots of baby powder...

Aquamarina 5 years 7 weeks

I hate it!smells of old

Frenched 5 years 7 weeks

Although I have to admit that I've never sampled the real scent, I do have one of those imitation ones that I got for $5 bucks and my veredict is that while I enjoyed the first notes, the final notes are pretty icky and very old-ladyish. I definitely can see why people would say that this smells like cat pee. I guess this is one of the scents that can work for some women, but for the most part, it's too strong and it's too old-ladyish.

missy k 5 years 7 weeks

there has been not one positive comment yet about this scent! surely someone out there has to like it?! ;)

gruaig_rua 5 years 7 weeks

Old lady scent.

littlemissme 5 years 7 weeks

Ugh, hate it :(

glamourette142 5 years 7 weeks

I love Chanel and think it's classic but No.5 does smell old and not pretty

kiwitwist 5 years 7 weeks

I think it is disgusting

kh312 5 years 7 weeks

i don't really like it either, but i don't think it smells like cat pee.but it does smell like a perfume an old lady would wear. i much prefer chanel crystal,it's so fresh.

missy k 5 years 7 weeks

I agree - it's Chanel so we're supposed to think it's fabulous but maybe it's just a case of the Emperor's New Clothes! :)

daisykat 5 years 7 weeks

OK, here's the thing. I think we hear so much hoopla about this fragrance that we THINK we're supposed to like it. Maybe we're even ashamed to say we think it smells like kitty piddle. Heere's my opinion of it: It does smell good on some women, but I'm not one of them. It just plain stinks on me, like old ladies cheap toilet water. Funny thing is, though, someone gave me the body cream as a gift and, guess what - I loved it!!!! It's one of those weird fragrances, I guess you'd say.

bailaoragaditana 5 years 7 weeks

missy k, the sad thing is, it's true! My grandmother actually said that it smells like old lady perfume. I don't know what that makes it, a Civil War leftover or something, but you know that's BAD!

robinesque 5 years 7 weeks

Hate it! I just don't "get" why this is the number one fragrance in the world. It's most likely just another status symbol, like those god-awful Birkin bags! This is bag diva/snob talking and I'm saying they're UGLY. $6,000.00 for those boo-ring bags!! That's all.

missy k 5 years 7 weeks

'so old-ladyish that my 84-year-old grandmother says it smells old ladyish'... ha! bailaoragaditana, that really made me laugh! :) ;)

bailaoragaditana 5 years 7 weeks

It's awful. It's so bad and old-ladyish that my 84-year-old grandmother says it smells old ladyish. I mean, seriously. I don't understand why it's so popular. It reeks. It smells like the cheapest perfume money can buy, and lasts like the most expensive perfume you can buy. Worst combination ever.

makeupmonkey 5 years 7 weeks

I agree with the old lady comment... there is this 86 year old lady that works part time helping out with some admin stuff at my office (i work in non-profit, plus I think at this point they just feel bad because she just needs something to do so she comes in a few days a week) anyway she DOUSES herself with the stuff, i mean you have to hold your breath when you're walking by her, it's soo strong :ROTFL:

Tabloid 5 years 7 weeks

I hate it! I was expected something else. The smell is too strong and awful, for me. Although, my grand-mother always spray it on her doggy. :rotfl:

rgrl 5 years 7 weeks

To me it smells like a little old lady. I never got the big allure of it.

bellaressa 5 years 7 weeks

Let's just say when I smelled it for the first time, it was not what I expected. It was just not sexy, when I think of Chanel No 5, I think of Ms. Monroe and this is not sexy at all.