N°5 L'Eau

N°5 L'Eau by Chanel is a feminine-leaning eau de toilette from 2016 in the premium price tier. It opens with lemon, sweet orange, mandarin and aldehydes, moves into ylang-ylang, jasmine and rose and dries down to cedarwood, vetiver and white musk. Expect around 6 hours of wear, and it projects at a moderate level.

Notes, explained

Opening

Lemon Clean, sour, instantly recognisable. Bright but burns off fast.
Sweet Orange Juicy and cheerful. The friendliest citrus there is.
Mandarin Soft, sweet, almost powdery citrus. Gentler than orange.
Aldehydes Fizzy, soapy, slightly waxy. The 'sparkle' at the top of Chanel No. 5.

Heart

Ylang-Ylang Banana-custard floral. Rich, tropical and slightly rubbery.
Jasmine Heady, sweet and slightly animal underneath. Rarely subtle.
Rose Can be jammy, green, peppery or soapy depending on the type. Not one smell.

Dry-down

Cedarwood Dry, pencil-shaving woodiness. Clean and structural.
Vetiver Dry, earthy, smoky grass root. Smells like soil and citrus peel.
White Musk Clean, soft, laundry-like. The 'smells like nothing but better' note.

Smells like this

Cheaper alternatives

All 12 cheaper alternatives to N°5 L'Eau

More Chanel fragrances · Discover · Cheaper alternatives