HEYA APJ Family & Friends,
One cool morning in Paris out with Michael in early 2014 we stumbled across 31 Rue Cambon, CHANEL Headquarters and once home of Gabrielle Chanel. Inside I tried for the very first time Les Exclusifs de Chanel No 22, thinking it would be a soft and retiring scent like much of the rest of the Les Exclusifs de Chanel range I opened my shirt and 3 big blasts, one then on each wrist ( I really wanted to live this fragrance for the hour it would last on me) and……….. BOOM! Wowzas, damn near blew the back of my head off, I was incandescent with No 22 and Michael could still smell me across the room at dinner that night.
Les Exclusifs de Chanel No. 22 Chanel by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1922
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lily-of-the-valley, neroli, aldehydes
Heart: Oriental jasmine, rose, Comoro island ylang-ylang
Base: Haiti vetiver, Bourbon vanilla
Turned off? NO WAY!! It made me want CHANEL No. 22 like crazy. What a fragrance. So recently I was trotting through David Jones (the oldest department store trading under the same name in the same location in the world) with my girl friend Ainslie Walker and we came across the new CHANEL counter with all the lovely exclusives and parfums. YAY!!! The girl serving was so lovely, could not have been more helpful and wanted nothing more than to have us understand the range. Woo Hoo! An SA who knows their job. Delighted is an understatement.
Michael & I @ 31 Rue Cambon CHANEL (Photo donated by Michael)
I must say that I was definitely not in the market for product on this particular day. Had I been more financially flush this SA would definitely have had a sale. What I did get though was CHANEL No. 22 Extrait on my arm and on a porcelain. So that was about 2 weeks ago. Tonight I opened the porcelain expecting to get a base only reminder of CHANEL No. 22. WOW! My whole office is filled to the brim with this wonderful, green aldehydic like a glass filling with a fizzy, metallic, soda pop of a fragrance that is both bold and restrained. A cool character on a huge scale, that doesn’t make sense but that’s how it feels in this room right now. I am engulfed, happily, enthusiastically overcome by scent.
Photo Stolen SeedOfHappiness
When I wear CHANEL No. 22 the aldehydes are the complete and utter star of the show, flowers are mown down, fruit is pulped and what I end up smelling is a metal/citrus/vanilla/vetiver creature. It’s a bit like putting snow in your mouth with a stainless steel spoon in a rose house with them all blooming. CHANEL No. 22 is one of the few vetiver fragrances where I get the soil/dirt/wood of the vetiver without salt hints, maybe the very dry vanilla cuts it?
Longevity? FOREVER! Sillage? You could ride the waves of it on water skis. Projection? It will blow the back of the heads from people in the next suburb, a little moderation with CHANEL No. 22 is probably a good idea. Of course I spritz with abandon some days and the world be damned.
Photo Stolen Flickr
Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Perfume Posse
You can try or buy CHANEL No. 22 at any of the stand alone CHANEL stores or a very few department stores.
Surrender To Chance has CHANEL No. 22 samples starting at $4/ml and Extrait at $8/ml
Are you a CHANEL No. 22 fan? Is it a bit overwhelming for you? Which in the line do you particularly like?
Have a great and fragrant day. Waft on my loves, waft on.
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Loved reading this! I had a fantastic experience similar to yours while on vacation this spring, in Miami Beach Florida. I purchased the Gardinia, and Les Beiges and Number 22 are on my waiting list!
I did not recieve them on porcelain, (you were lucky!) But the card stock held the scent lasted forever as well.
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Julie Zamborini,
They now give out the porcelain to everyone it seems. Totally cool idea and it really has me wanting the extrait. Soon, soon…
Portia xx
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I’m thrilled to hear you have discovered this ultimate beauty!
Not being an aldehyde fan in general, N°22 blew me off my socks alright: extremely gorgeous and sophisticated.
With my skin I can spray five, six, seven times, it never becomes overwhelming.
Big big fan here.;)
Xx
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OMG Fanny,
SEVEN sprays? I would be dead.
Glad to find another fan.
Portia xx
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I thought I hated Chanel fragrances until I tried Les Exclusifs No. 22. Blew my hair back, I fell in love spiraling down the rabbit hole! I scored vintage parfum miniatures, and the effervescent shimmer of 22 has been defining scent memories for me this summer. I devoured every word you wrote, you captured the poetry of the 22 experience flawlessly!! Brilliant piece, I didn’t want it to end. xo
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Erica Golding,
I’m so glad you have discovered this treasure too. I bet you smell incredible in it.
Thanks,
Portia xx
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No. 22 is wonderful! Just like Erica, I had no interest in the Chanel line until I tried this one. One test, and I had to have it. So beautiful and complex, you described it perfectly.
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Thanks FleurDeLys,
Wooo Hoo! I am happily surprised that so many people really enjoy 22.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia! No 22 is crazy gorgeous – so happy you love it. I have loved this since my teens. The Extrait is beautiful and not overwhelming at all to my nose. Will hopefully get the EdT soon. Wish I could have been there when it knocked your socks off! Sandra xo
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You would have been laughing your head off with Michael Sandra. I can just imagine the two of you roaring, that’s what Michael wanted to do but had no one to enjoy the moment with.
Portia xx
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You have a vivid and accurate way of describing No.22, putting into words what I also feel and experience when wearing this scent. In general I dislike aldehydes, but this is one I love, so very much.
I’ve never had the chance to smell the extradition this one. Do you find many differences between the EdT and extrait?
I hope you have a full bottle of this some day.
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I can’t remember the differences Tatiana. One day when I get both of them on my skin again I will take proper note.
Portia xx
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Am I a fan of No 22? Yes indeedy, and sounds like you had a Chanel epiphany there!
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Ha Ha Ha! That is EXACTLY what happened Mr Blacknall Allen.
Portia xx
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I remember clearly that you nearly killed us with 200mls of Trayee in one spritz …… straight to the chest. In fact there were still remnants at the Gosausee last week. BUT I am gonna überspritz No 22 next week. I promise. Love this review.
Bussi ❤
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OMG! I forgot that Val,
Yes. I had overspritzed Trayee because in my head it was a quiet little fragrance and you guys were like “WHOA big perfume day.” In the car with me all day, it did smell incredible though and I really got to live the whole story, so did you.
Then Michael ordered a COFFEE!!!
I love you.
Portia xx
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Ah you have seen the light!
I adore aldehydic fragrances and this is not just one of my favourite aldehydic fragrances, but one of my favourites of all. Welcome, welcome…
You know, I have a memory that on first discovering #22 Michael did Exactly The Same Thing! I suspect his enjoyment was tinged with the relief that it was *you* doing that at Chanel HQ not him!
Blacknall Allen has it: an epiphany.
A choir of angels sings with one spray, with the blessed number 7 you must have had a right Holy Chorus!
Fragrant Blessings
SM xOx
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Sister Mary.
You make a very convincing story about Michael. It could be true. I saw him last night and I could have asked. I’ll find out…
7 sprays makes seven choirs of angels. Yes, that sounds about right.
Portia x
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Huge love for 22! It was my first Chanel back in the days before it became part of the exclusives. It was easier to get once upon a time. I’m sure after your fragrant epiphany Paris never smelled so good. Waft on.
Hugs.
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Heya Poodle,
That could be true. that day Paris smelled incredible.
Did they change the formula before it went exclusive?
Portia xx
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One of my absolute favorites from Chanel. I just recently tried the extrait and it is SO good.
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Puhfume,
Oh Yes It Is…..
Portia xx
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It smelled super on you that day, and all the way through the movie too! Thanks for reminding me! xx
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You are welcome. That was a fun day. we saw the Eames movies. Super cool stuff.
Portia xx
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Love No. 22! All those aldehydes and incense make it my favourite Chanel. Can’t wait to try the extrait!
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TaraC,
If you love the EdT then the extrait will probably blow your mind. Come tell me when you try it.
Portia xx
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Oh LMAOOOO! Brilliant review! Yep 22 is a tad strong….a sillage monster! I’m still trying to make up my mind whether it’s for me though….In SA stores it’s more than a week’s rent and that’s the small bottle.
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And I can totally understand why it nearly blew the back of your head out….I myself just today went into a well know SA city department store and thought I would sample no. 22…..luckily just one small squirt on my jumper (not 5 decent hits as was your sample experience) but I must say as I walked back out through the department store I felt like Moses parting the Red Sea!!
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Het there Lisa Reader,
#22 is heavenly. I was totally unprepared for its size though. Now I wear 3 spritzes and even though it’s enormous I feel like I’m big enough to carry it off.
I bet you carried your single spritz with great aplomb.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia, totally unprepared for it’s size, lol…….exactly!! Yes indeed, my single spritz had me with my head out the car window on the drive home but nevertheless, what an addictive, luscious fragrance it is 🙂
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( talking about which version; edt/ edp/ pure parfum?)
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is this about the EDT or EDP
please let me know
kind regards
Pascalle
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Hey Pascalle,
From 2014 so it is about the EdT, and the parfum which is also called extrait..
Portia x
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