No. 19 Poudré fragrance notes
Head
- mandarin, neroli
Heart
- iris, jasmine, galbanum, vetiver, hyacinth
Base
- musk, tonka bean
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Latest Reviews of No. 19 Poudré


First spray is a strongly powdered iris, and within minutes the colder herbal note from the combination of bitter galbanum and sweet tonka bean. Iris is actually more noticeable on me way into the dry down after an entire day of wearing and is anchored by dry vetiver. It is the smell of a clean body when you get out of the shower after you've washed yourself with expensive soap, shampoos and condition and then apply luxurious body creams. If you prefer the emphasis on galbanum and green than absolutely powdery scent, try this one. Sillage is pretty soft, almost to the close to the skin and it does not overwhelm a room, but it does make to feel clean and confident. Pure class in a retro bottle.
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To us teens of the '80s, Chanel wasn't old-fashioned. It was luxury and quality incarnate. Nothing smelled as beautiful, nothing lasted as long on our skin, nothing wafted its sillage as seductively.
I've smelled just about every Chanel in existence, and even the ones I haven't liked I've at least admired. If nothing else, you get major bang for your buck. The Chanel that I spritz in the morning is still making its presence known before bedtime.
Which is why No. 19 Poudre is such a disappointment—and puzzle. It's a quality formulation for sure, a study in contrasts, green yet powdery, thanks to citrus and galbanum bolstering the famous Chanel jasmine and iris, not so much an updating or reinterpretation of the original No. 19, but a modern homage to its spirit. It's truly lovely, but I can't give it more than a neutral rating because it lasts maybe 2 minutes on my skin.
I even soaked myself with it on a 90-degree day and . . . nothing. All I can hope for is that maybe I'm temporarily anosmic to it.
EDITED October 2020: I was wrong about the longevity. I'm beginning to think that I suffer from occasional short bouts of anosmia, because I gave this another chance yesterday and it stayed loud and proud on my skin for most of the day. I've never smelled anything quite like this, both harsh and green, powdery and tender. What a magnificent trick.


Like the original No. 19, the iris is strong but refined. No cloying candy-cookie-fruity-vanilla "please don't give me a speeding ticket, officer" nonsense here. Poudré smells smart.
When I wear Poudré instead of Chanel No 19, I don't get any of the "old lady perfume" complaints from my family. So maybe from a certain point of view, Poudré is Chanel No 19 with the "old lady perfume" factor taken out.

Massive blast of powdery iris, straight away. Pretty! Suede-like note hiding beneath. Not what I expected, as I stated. Only ghostly citrus hints, to my nose. They are smothered by iris & galbanum, to start, then annihilated by the other heart notes.
Dreamy, Stevie Nicks styled invasion of mystery and romantic lyrics. Not overly flowery. Nearly face-powder nuances. Just plain lovely.
Iris, Tonka bean, and hyacinth create a lovely cloud. Anyone who doesn't appreciate its charms or at least its creativity, should have their head examined, IMO. Notes hang in the air like distant flute music.

No. 19 (although beautiful) did not develop well on my skin but
Poudre" is the exception. Not being familiar with all the notes used in perfumery I am unable to single out what I like about this fragrance.
It's clean, it's green, it' powdery, it's soft, it's light. The floral notes do not overpower the formula. In fact, the balance between the light citrus, the floral and the base flow together like a walk through a butterfly garden on a Spring day.
I wish it were a bit weightier but then it wouldn't be what it is, a waft of nature floating on a light breeze through your bedroom window.

Actually I'm not objective enough to pull Iris Poudre to its marshmallow bits, so I just have to agree with the others, and put myself on a lover's cross, wear it most days, saving the original No.19 for higher heels and repartee with a male chauvinist.

It's hard to believe how the same company pumps out inane masculine 'colognes' (Allure, Bleu, Platinum Egoiste) year after year.
No. 19 Poudre is elegant, sophisticated but also very modern and approachable, and not too elaborate. It's unmistakably Chanel. Unlike some other Chanels, it also has adequate sillage and excellent longevity.
4/5

I haven't tried my Mum's No19 Poudre on my skin, but when I sniff the bottle, it makes me think of a more modern take on No19; ie. original No19 with the addition of tonka and white musk - thankfully, and perhaps rather surprisingly, no vanilla. However, when my Mum wears it, it is exactly like Cologne on my friend!
A very pleasant, modernised version of No19; however, for myself, I prefer the original - particularly the Parfum strength. As I have stated in some of my other reviews of Chanel fragrances, I am really not a fan of Jacques Polge's perfumes; No19 Poudre, and No18 are, in my opinion, definitely his best to date.

After the sparkles die down, I'm left with a pleasant smudge of lemony vetiver, but this is engineered like an eau de cologne, where the fun is in the topnotes, while the rest is weak enough to allow for constant reapplication through the day.
Longevity fanatics should look elsewhere (I'd suggest No. 19 extrait with its hours of rich iris and vetiver), as should those who don't care for loud powder, but for those who enjoy a blast of perfectly orchestrated aldehydes, Poudré may well become a favorite.