Chanel • No. 22 • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* Melloney on 5/17/2013 4:19:00 PM more reviews by Melloney

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

One of my absolute favorite Chanels in both the EDT and the parfum extrait.
The Les exclusifs EDT is rich and long lasting with a huge white burst of clean aldehydes. I adore aldehydes having been trained in Chanel No 5 from the age of 19 . Whereas No 5 is sweeter ,muskier and nowadays I think the aldehydes have been toned down and sadly No 5- every concentration appears to have been reformulated . So No. 22 is a great replacement for No 5 if you are loving and looking for intense aldehydes. Though in actuality No 5 and No 22 are quite different - for your money's worth No 22 is worth it.

So blindingly clean and white aldehydes - fresh before fresh meant *fruity* and then lily of the valley and white florals ,vanilla and incense in a small amount. This No 22 has personality and once you smell it, you will never forget it or mistake it for anything else.

The extrait- 15 mls is $175 USD - worth it ,my friends. It will last you a long time. If the EDT is lasting, the extrait is even more so . It's the EDT concentrated and intensified though more mellow and deeper. The aldehydes are somewhat less in this dab form or so I perceive it as such . It's a bit sweeter, more dense , darker and glorious. A few dabs in all the right places last for hours on my skin.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rasputin2 on 5/16/2013 9:54:00 PM more reviews by rasputin2

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Silver   Eyes: Green    

An old-school powdery aldehydic kissed with heartbreakingly tender, petal-delicate, crepuscular, notes of real jasmin and violet, whisper-supported by an authentic sandalwood, hay-ey tonka, and perhaps vetiver. Haunting and spell-casting, like a scent a female ghost would wistfully leave behind in a Victorian mansion, when they say, "They don't make 'em like this anymore.", they're referring to scents like this-- Now THIS is perfume.... Emotion-arousing stuff. I had no idea they still made fragrances like this anymore. Do any young women of today even DARE to smell this feminine? Like No. 5's wistful, cool-er younger sister, No. 22, reminds me of the era of great aldehydics: like Givenchy L'INTERDIT, LE DIX and Patou CALINE. So many fragrances of today want to be "all things to everybody"; not CHANEL #22: this fragrance well-illustrates Coco Chanel's philosophy that "Elegance is refusal." and that "Style is the absence of vulgarity." One really gets the sense that everything superfluous has been stripped away, leaving only a single elegant, dramatic, sinuous sculpture, like a Brancusi Wing, or a Mapplethorpe lily. Something very slightly vanillic and something very slightly spicy hides behind the gorgeous twilight-floralcy of this fragrance... but I cannot define them, as they are nigh-on subliminal. No.22 is wistful and melancholy... I can't see any other way of looking at it... Of course, in the best way. Like a scent from LAURA or THE UNINVITED. To say it smells "expensive"... would be an understatement. It's a brunette's fragrance if there ever was one: MAD MEN's Meagan could wear it... or her mother.... but not Betty. Definitely hi-glam, I see black silk dresses with bare shoulder and low, powdered decolletage... A brunette in an up-do with diamond earrings. nothing less than that. No.22 is absolutely devoid of vulgarity... nothing sweet obtrudes and says, "Just kidding! I'm really down-to-earth and approachable." I can see why one would wear this to mass or a wedding or yes, a funeral, perhaps; It's really not a "party" scent at all. Smelling this, one begins to understand why any big, venerable house has to produce some big "crowd-pleasers".... so they can continue to produce rare artworks like this one... Maybe it's the lilac/orange-flower confluence that has me smelling violet... I'm getting lilac... but have never smelled her so austerely before... it's the same lilac note that's in Patou VACANCES, but not playful and vernal, necessarily, as she appears there... There is a "shapeshifter" effect of #22: Either you get powder and florals... or you get that golden, slightly spicy incense. Lovely. No. 22, with repeated sniffs, promises to get warm on you... but helas, she never does. And that is her tantalizing, glacial beauty.

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babaleah on 3/12/2013 6:54:00 PM more reviews by babaleah

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Marvelous! No dirt, no rooty whiff, nothing animal/smoky/sexy, just elegant white floral. Here's the thing, I can wear this anywhere, any time, and I know I smell good. Think about that the next time you're in line at a huge supermarket, gagging from the skank jiuce the person behind you is wearing. If only she was wearing Chanel No. 22...

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*TOP REVIEWER* LizWords on 3/23/2012 9:05:00 PM more reviews by LizWords

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

This is an amazing fragrance, at least it is for me. What I can't get over is the lasting power, I get whiffs of it on my skin all day, and it sticks to my clothes like nothing else. It last days on clothes. I use the EDT, not the parfum.


I agree with a prior reviewer who said it's a bit boggling in that it seems so much like no. 5 but so different at the same time. It is heavy in heady aldehydes, especially at first, but it's also got a musky kind of woody base that really evens it out. It's just lovely, one of my new favorites.

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*TOP REVIEWER* julia178 on 1/25/2012 9:45:00 PM more reviews by julia178

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Chanel No 22 is my fifth fragrance from the Les Exclusifs line, I also own Coromandel, Jersey, Bois des îles and Beige. Coromandel as a warm oriental scent is what I usually gravitate toward, so adding Bois des îles already meant branching out of the ordinary for me. While Bois des îles and 22 share many of the notes the main difference to me are the strong aldehydes in 22. Both open on Jasmin, then add Ylang yang and Rose. The heart of 22 is made of Frankincense, Vanilla and Vetiver. The base note in Bois des îles is a bit creamier and woodier, it has Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. In my collection 22 is probably the boldest and headiest floral fragrance I own, and I wear it mostly to formal events. It is a very sophisticated and well crafted scent with good longevity. My skin is on the dry side, it easily lasts about 8 hours and morphs beautifully throughout that time. Beautiful classy packaging, 6.8 oz spray bottle for $210.

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chrystelica on 12/6/2011 2:00:00 PM more reviews by chrystelica

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

The beginning and middle notes of the parfum are great. I love the heavy jasmine layered with aldehydes; smells very classy, very Chanel. Then, as with all Chanels, my skin chemistry comes in and ruins the whole effect.

The undertone and middle notes of this develop on my skin smelling muddled, messy, somewhat like a damp cat litter box. Not what Chanel was going for, I'm sure.

The strange thing is, I used to wear Cristalle and the oak moss in the base smelled nice on me, appropriate even, and since I grew tired of that and stopped wearing it, everything Chanel rubs me totally the wrong way. I can't stand the way ANY of them smell on my skin. If I smell it on someone else, it develops the way it's supposed to be, but on me it is not a good match at ALL. It reminds me of the train wreck that was Mitsouko on my skin.... a big, heavy, fussy musty mess.

Chanel no. 22 and no. 5 smelled so beautiful on my grandmother. I have tried and tried, but I give up, they're obviously not meant for me!

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*TOP REVIEWER* SNIFFMEALLOVER on 8/25/2011 6:58:00 PM more reviews by SNIFFMEALLOVER

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Awesome! Really yummy sweet dry down. The opening blast of aldehydes may be scary for some. Otherwise almost perfect. I have tried both old and new version and I find them both good. I think the sharp aldehyde bite dissapears much faster in new version and it has less incense, but instead has more sweetness and creamieness (the sort you find in the drydown of Allure Sensuelle).

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zoeybear20 on 8/19/2011 7:00:00 PM more reviews by zoeybear20

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I finally went and bought myself a bottle of this from the les exclusifs line. While I absolutely love the smell of 22, it just doesn't fit me. It just seems to clash with the rest of me. I can see myself wearing this one a lot more when I'm older, but at my age, and how I present myself, 22 doesn't seem to work. I mean it smells beautiful, but I feel sort of self conscious when I wear this scent out. I should just wear what I want and not worry about what other people think.
The smell is amazing though. Such a clean soapy aldehyde smell. I know some people hate that type of scent, but 22 is exquisite. It smells expensive and luxurious. I will save this for special occasions only - when I'm dressed up to go somewhere fancy. (which is rare hah)
But also I'll wear this around the house, because I just love the way it smells.

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*TOP REVIEWER* awesomeness2 on 8/15/2011 11:42:00 PM more reviews by awesomeness2

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Oh, how I was convinced I would love this one. Oh, how I was wrong.


I acquired a sample, and I've tried relentlessly tried to fall in love. It's of no use. Chanel 22, like her sister No. 5, is too big of an aldehyde for me to love. It's a soap monster. To complicate matters further, Chanel 22 's composition is basically all white florals, which might be wearable, but are not very likable. I was expecting so much more.


There are better choices out there in this price range. Heck, there are better fragrances at a third of the price ... and at full retail no less.


Try before you buy.

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MissChanel24 on 8/3/2011 11:24:00 AM more reviews by MissChanel24

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Ahh... the covetable Chanel no22 thats part of their Les Exclusifs range... I wanted this so badly and i spend a fortune purchasing this. Its twice as expensive as a chanel EDP fragrance out of their normal range.... yet this is a EDT.

This is such a disappointment... not that it smells bad, it smells nice. However it smells exactly like Estee Lauder's White Linen. When it came to me, i realised why i liked this fragrance. Its really disappointing - because its so expensive. Its not Chanel's fault, this fragrance was released in 1922 and Estee Lauder must have most likely copied the fragrance. But if it smells so similar to something thats not even a 3rd of the price, why make it part of the "Les Exclusifs" range. I smell exactly the same as the next person wearing white linen... only difference is no22 is creamier... and a bit "softer".

I will NOT repurchase this... i love the smell, i wore white linen in my teens, so when my nr 22 is finished, I will buy White linen and tell everyone im wearing no22... no-one will know the difference.

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*TOP REVIEWER* KKAI on 1/22/2011 10:30:00 AM more reviews by KKAI

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

Aldehydes and incense! I would say that this is roughly a lighter version of No5. For me, it is not really floral, but I would mostly categorise it as soapy. It is rather strong and old-fashioned for my taste. I have to note that I tried the edt and I have heard the edp is superior. Great staying power but I would not buy a full bottle, as it is not my style at all.

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metje on 1/12/2011 9:36:00 AM more reviews by metje

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Other    

The opening is very, very, very strong with aldehydes! Don't breath!!!! But when is dries down, it's a very different scent. So soft and cosy, i love it! And it lastst also for a long time. I wish i would not get a headache from the opening, but it's very lovely after that!

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*TOP REVIEWER* ella343 on 11/29/2010 7:26:00 PM more reviews by ella343

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

It is hard to imagine anything that smells more nearly like a smile than orange blossoms. In the spectrum of white florals, from the pristine aroma of lily of the valley to the heady, overripe sex appeal of jasmine and tuberose, orange blossom is likely the most joyous. This is not imply that innocence must necessarily follow—after all, a happiness hard-won is the more richer and satisfying—but all the same it can come off as flighty, not only because of its cheerful demeanor, but also because of its tendency to fly off the skin with rather too much alacrity. While not so fleeting as citrus, an orange blossom soliflore, unless anchored by the tenacity of jasmine, which has been the vogue of late, often provokes that common complaint, that it does not last. More often, its midway status between top and middle note (much like lavender in fougères and galbanum in chypres), orange blossom serves as a segue into a lush floral heart, not to mention its natural inclination, as with all white florals, to merge into the skin scent of musk in the far drydown.


Like all Chanels, No. 22 is marked by a characteristic overdose of aldehydes, which are not only instantly recognizable as the brand signature, but serve to magnify Chanel's unparalleled access to high-quality raw materials, whether it's jasmine de Grasse in No. 5, sandalwood in Bois des Îles, or iris in No. 19, Cuir de Russie, 28 La Pausa, and 31 Rue Cambon; No. 22 may boast an exquisite orange blossom. It is an ideal formula, the signature on the superficial level and substance beneath: one intensifies the other. But this is perhaps too much reductionism. The Chanel ethos is not essentially powered by either brand recognition or expensive extracts—other houses have attempted to counterfeit the strategy and failed—hence why No. 5 is known as "le monstre" in the industry—ultimately, it is craftsmanship that keeps afloat the braggadocio luxury of Chanel, in a world where such things are normally no more than a flash in the pan. In this sense, perhaps No. 22 is the most Chanel of the Chanels. At its heart, the indolic decadence of white flowers shines bright, the volume turned just a little too loud in the white-floral manner by a massive slug of soapy aldehydes. It smells like a good time. But behind the festivity, the throaty laughter, the frothy party dress, and the cocktail-infused breath of No. 22, is a hint of austerity: wisps of myrrh. Once you catch the incense, you wonder how you could have missed it. Those two ancient realms of perfumed essences, a froth of creamy soap and heady incense smoke, are here joined together, by that builder of bridges, the orange blossom.

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chefmama on 7/13/2010 12:54:00 AM more reviews by chefmama

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

I started wearing this in my early 20's. It is one of the sexiest perfumes, ever. I LOVE the incense note. It has those beautiful florals and then that incense! Women who wear this immediately recognize it on each other, I met someone recently who was stunned that anyone else knew of it, but she smelled fabulous and I knew she was wearing something so familiar. I wore this on my wedding day and still wear it. It has staying power, too. Gorgeous!

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*TOP REVIEWER* sherrie09 on 5/21/2010 5:27:00 PM more reviews by sherrie09

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Gosh, I'm not sure I have anything to add after Mac789's review, because her/his reaction was also my own - I was stunned. I get the incense immediately on the tail of the aldehydic opening, with the orange blossom soapiness, and the whole mélange sweetens into a fluffy meringue-like fragrance that has nothing to do with today's confectionery fragrances. It's like someone wearing a floral cologne lit a stick of incense. It intensifies and overtakes, but it burns down rather quickly until just an echo of it is left in the room, and then the vanilla comes out and combined with the ylang ylang (I think) gives an impression of the most heavenly angelic lasting sweetness. I love this stuff! I wonder whether it might have been the inspiration for Encens et Bubblegum, but that may just be coincidence or my sole impression.

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georgia77 on 3/5/2010 1:27:00 AM more reviews by georgia77

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

There is no other. This is the ONLY perfume that I always must own (and I have a lot of perfume). Its beauty trumps any breakup. It is chai tea, powder, and beautiful flowers, with the classic Chanel background, and something powerful and confident that stays all day. It is not sweet, it does not give me a headache. This perfume is narcotic, and you should try it. No. 22 is the antidote to the crap. In no way does it resemble men's deodorant, overly sweet foody smells, or headachy floral high-pitched yuk.

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Evii on 2/19/2010 3:30:00 AM more reviews by Evii

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is one of my all time favorite scents I've been wearing since my teens and will never stop wearing it. I've never been a fan of #5 but #22 is fabulous. Its classic its timeless its ageless. Yes its a floral and powdery but its that perfect scent for end of winter beginning of spring. I'll never be without and I always keep a bottle of perfume on my vanity. I know many of you are so over Chanel but honestly I'm over all the newer scents. I love there classics and still recall once when I smelled it on someone at a dinner party and asked her if she was wearing 22 and she was like, yes how do you know I just smiled and said its one of my favs also. I don't know many women who wear it but when I smell it its very distinct no mistaking it and I guess I like that also.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Mac789 on 12/10/2009 3:14:00 PM more reviews by Mac789

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

No. 22 is a blindingly white abstract floral-aldehyde composition whose electric top is like a jolt through the rest of the house fragrances. I am torn between calling that top electric and likening it to ice crystals that shatter to reveal an exquisite melange of the richest florals: tuberose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, white rose. Unlike No. 5, where the ylang-ylang's bitter edge is always apparent on me, the note is sewn into No. 22 in equal distribution to the others.



Much has been made of the "incense" in the base of No. 22, but it is the sweetness of the heart notes that is so seismic. There is a moment of being taken aback--how long is this concerto grosso, anyway, and at this moment one is either captivated or put off for life. No. 22 does not shy away from deploying its full floral arsenal right up front, along with what seems today to be a risky amount of powder.



Testing No. 22 alongside the rest of the Exclusifs range, it is not No. 22 that stands out. Indeed, it is the others in the group, which appear subtle and crafted more slyly: Next to them, No. 22 seems extreme and an exercise in fragrant je m'en foutisme. For this reason, it is best to test it alone, where its frontloaded antics will seem less alarming.



I used to test No. 22 when it was still sold in ULTA stores. It seemed an improbable fragrance for me and there was also a whiff of logocentricity to it that deterred--and if there were incense to be found in the base, as the pulse of the fragrance, then it took far too long to get there.



As the scent warms, orange blossom becomes most dominant to me. This happens after what appears to have been an assault on each of the florals, which are spilled, torn, shredded, and subjected to any and all methods of getting them to perform a haute voix. And sing they do! The orange blossom is responsible for all the sweetness, and also for a good portion of the soapiness that arrives later. Through the heart, No. 22 is giddy in its giant abstract bloom.



That vaunted base is noticeably vanillic, and vanilla is the unifying element between the incense and the vetiver. The incense is an imposture for me; I find the base vetiver more prominent, in the manner of Fracas.



There is always a lot of talk about how No. 22 is too "big" or simply too much, in its grandness of scale. It does take quite a while to dry down on me, during which time it does speak in the imperative. The drydown is to be experienced, though. Here is where that show-off bouquet reaches an edenic end. Although soapy and powdery elements are still evident, the end is far more minimalist than the top suggests.



If you can live through the shocking jolt of the opening, the drydown will more than make up for it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* KelseyP on 7/23/2009 9:32:00 PM more reviews by KelseyP

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I swear there is something in every Chanel that absolutely *sings* with my chemistry, so take that as a caveat. This scent is divine - I had trouble getting used to the Aldehydes in No 5, but after easing my way into them now I can't stop. This is a big fluffy amazing dose of aldehydes, and singing sweet floral tones - but don't expect to actually smell like a *flower* - that's not what this is about. It's about feeling buffered and encapsulated in a billowing downy softness of powdery soft incense. Omg, I can't believe I think I love this more than my vintage No 5 perfume.

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joners on 4/15/2009 4:29:00 PM more reviews by joners

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I love Chanel No. 22 as much as I love Chanel No. 5. It lasts and lasts, and smells so pretty. I had to order it from the Chanel Boutique in Beverly Hills, but it is so worth it!! Nice, big bottle, too!

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