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.