After reading all the great reviews of Chanel No 5 Velvet Body Cream, I head down to my regular Chanel counter and requested for a sample sachet and since they do not have any, they so kindly gave me small jar instead (scooped from a original sized tester jar - Made in France version) and thus, tried it at home and found it revaishing especially layering it with NO. 5 Eau Premiere or the No. 5 EDT and EDP and even when used on its own, it is equally delicious smelling and very close to vintage No 5..

After testing it for a few days, I had decided to purchase it and when I reached home and opened it, found that the fragrance is so watered down and lighter as compared to the sample (even though still distinctively No 5) they gave me.

When compared side my side, my dissappointment is comfirmed, It is definitely different in terms of sillage, longevity and lushness.

For the texture of the cream, there is no issues at all as it is very moiturizing without a hint of stickiness and easily absorbed when applied.

Then came the interesting part...the tester at the counter, "Made In France", the version I bought..."Made In USA".

So wonder is it due to the different country that it made or has the fragrance in the cream too, been re-formulated (which I strongly suspected) to just the shadow of its past just like the EDT, EDP and Parfum Extrait?

As a YSL SA put it in terms of Opium re-formulation, whether we like it or not, this is the best and closest that we can at least buy presently for our favorite fragrances and Chanel No. 5 in every product from body line to fragrance strengths (EDT, EDP and Parfum Extrait) are no exception.

So sad but seems like that is the un-fortunate fate for nearly all classic fragrances...Sigh...

My husband gave me this as a gift today (Valentine's Day). I absolutely LOVE it! It is sooo deliciously scented (you don't even need to wear perfume with this) and it feels so soft and velvety on the skin.
The packaging looks amazing (as with any Chanel product); elegant and beautiful.
I don't think this cream is expensive; there is quite a bit of product in the jar and a little goes a long way. I think it will last me quite some time.

Well i didnt use it yet, i tried it in Galeries Lafayette and bought it
It smells AMAZING
it smells powdery just like babies' powder
When i was on the way home i was smellinb my hand all the time
And yes it is hydrated
My hands are DRY
love it
And its packaging is Nice (luxary)
If i finished it i will try the lotion :)

*Beautiful body cream. Hydrating and smells fantastic. A keeper!*

I've purchased this product 5 times is about to purchase again. I wear this product every time I travel out of the country. It feels velvety and the scent lasts all day. It is potent and you only need a small amount. I love the look of the Chanel jar this creme comes in. It is so sophisticated, elegant, strong and classy. I kept all my Chanel Body Creme jars because they are too beautiful to toss. This is my favorite perfume body creme. I will do a review on my other body creme that smells just as beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful product, really does make skin feel like velvet and smell divine.

Oh Chanel, how I love thee! My favorite teacher, who was probably only in her early or mid twenties at the time, would slip out a bottle each Friday afternoon at the end of the last class and dab a tiny bit on her neck after letting us out. She was so pretty and elegant, the perfume came to embody timeless feminine class.

Finally many years later, after sampling the edt and edp in a department store I chose the body cream as it tempered the aldehydes a little while letting the body of the fragrance shine. A "good parts" No. 5, if you will. Also, with the creme you can get a more precise application. Do not be fooled that this is just a watery half hearted peripheral to the perfume-- this cream is potent! In terms of scent it most closely resembles the edp to my nose and I can't imagine actually using it as a lotion. Just once I made the mistake of smearing a little on my arms and legs after a shower to moisturize. Oh boy, I stunk up the room! Usually a little dab, judiciously applied, is more than enough.

I've had my jar for about eight years and I've hardly made a dent. The color of the cream has morphed to a pale peach (It was white to begin with.) but the scent is still true.

While I can't imagine ever needing to repurchase it because the jar is large and the scent strong, if the cream ever went bad I would. It is just that good. If you have shied away from No. 5 or Chanel in general, I really do suggest trying the creams. They cut back on some of the bite while still being true to the character of the perfumes.

I love the scent of this and the texture is so luxurious. It has a very sexy smell. To me it smells better than the perfume. I got it to layer with my chanel No. 5 eau premiere perfume which I also love. Some said this is scented very strongly which is what I had hoped for but on my skin this isn't the case. It smells lovely close up but it is not strongly scented on me. You would have to come in close to smell it. When I run out I will repurchase along with the Eau premiere perfume.

I said that I would repurchase, but I will never have to. This one 5oz jar will last a lifetime. It's very strongly scented! This is why I'm not sure how well it moisturizes- as I only use it for the scent. I only use a dab (literally) and dilute it in unscented lotion.
I'm not exaggerating..If you use this "full-strength" all over, you will clear out an office building- it's that potent.
Diluted, it's a lovely soft floral-musky skin scent. The perfect "shower fresh" femme skin scent, as long as you don't over apply. I prefer it to the juice. The EDP is too opaque and heavy (because you can't control the application, as you can with the cream), and the EDT is big on the aldehydes. The parfum is nice, dry and closer to the skin, but more formal.

I received a sample of this in the packet, so I can't comment on the package quality, but the cream itself is like velvet: thick, rich and, yes, the scent lasts forever. It doesn't really smell like Chanel no.5 on me. I get far more rose (and possibly carnation) and sandalwood and much less aldehyde. It is a gentle, creamy floral that warms up with your skin and ghosts up to your nose just when you've forgotten you put it on. I do the classic 'who smells so good?' look around then realize it's me. I take one lippie off because my husband says it smells like old woman perfume (possibly because he works with older women who wear this), so I don't get to wear it very often.