Chanel • 28 La Pausa • Fragrances

Where To Buy?

*TOP REVIEWER* hadas on 4/19/2013 2:54:00 AM more reviews by hadas

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This is a very transluscent, sheer, crystaline type of fragrance. There is noticeable rooty iris here, but it is dressed up with cold, aquatic, mandarin/fruity type notes, which manage to whisper rather than screech. The base is nearly identical to No. 5 Eau Premiere, with vanilla and other deeper notes. I find this fragrance very un-interesting, personally. It does not smell old fashioned, it smells modern - like something you might smell in present-day Sephora between the Prada and the Nanette Lepore.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* WentworthRoth on 1/15/2012 3:54:00 AM more reviews by WentworthRoth

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Notes: iris, woods, green notes and powdery notes.

This fragrance opens with dry, powdery iris. There are no dewey, green nuances like you find in Hiris and there are no overly earthy, rooty nuances like you find in Iris Silver Mist. The iris is cool and dry and shimmers like an expensive silk couture fabric. Underneath the main note I see two other things: a delicate woodsy base to anchor the composition and a pale, sappy floral (hyacinth-like) that adds sweetness and freshness. This is undoubtedly a very elegant and sophisticated scent, but it is sheer to a fault. Its ephemerality is no advantage either, after one hour the spell is gone.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* beentheredonethat on 12/6/2011 2:24:00 PM more reviews by beentheredonethat

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I cannot comprehend the reviews for this- I think someone peed in my sample. Because I get a split second of something vaguely fruity, then a sharp slap of cat piss. It's vile.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* SNIFFMEALLOVER on 9/21/2011 4:28:00 PM more reviews by SNIFFMEALLOVER

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

Chanel's take on CK One and Azzaro Chrome. Floral with a dash of nail polish remover. Much more pleasant than the other two, but still not my type of thing.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

elinasofia on 4/13/2011 6:06:00 AM more reviews by elinasofia

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I bought the biggest 200 ml bottle of 28 La Pausa unsniffed and this is my second day wearing it. At first the opening reminded me a little bit of Chanel no 19, but a toned down version of it. It is very fresh and green, not sweet. La Pausa has none of the slightly aggressive tones that no 19 has and after the opening it mellows into a beautiful, carrot-like iris scent. I read a lot of reviews about 28 La Pausa before I received it and I was worried about the staying power. It is not excactly cheap and for the price I expect a scent that lasts. I was relieved when I received it, because although it wears close to the skin I do not have problems with longevity. I do apply it liberally (4 - 5 sprays). I sprayed it this morning at 7 am before going to work and now, almost 6 hours later I can still smell it. If you are used to wearing very heavy "knock your socks out" type of perfumes, 28 La Pausa might feel too light for you. I don't feel comfortable wearing strong scents in the daytime, so for me this is a great perfume for work. It is my current favorite from Chanel along with No 5 Eau Premiere.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* hollyc01 on 3/3/2011 9:55:00 AM more reviews by hollyc01

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Beautiful, just beautiful. Full soapy iris of highest quality. Unlike others, I actually find this has quite good sillage and get lovely wafts of iris root and flower beauty for a good hour. Does last quite well on clothes and progresses in a much more linear fashion. On skin however, this blossoms with a gorgeos fruitiness that makes my eyes roll back in my head, rather peachy. No, it doesn't last all that long, but is well worth buying the 200 ml and respritzing to heart's content. It really is that good. Can't wait to try in warm weather . .. highly recommend!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

shaktigal on 2/4/2011 2:45:00 AM more reviews by shaktigal

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

It smells on skin like it has been sprayed on a piece of cardboard, lifeless, cartony, a bit chemical, very linear and lackluster.
Update: First "hate" now Love.. amazing isn't ;-))
moved it up to 4 lippies

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Nile on 10/27/2010 5:11:00 PM more reviews by Nile

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This costs the earth, to say that it is not powerful is maybe the understatement of the year but when love strikes commonsense flies out the window.

I just fell head-over-heels for this the first time I smelt it. I tried it at Selfridges in London and got very strange looks from people for the rest of the afternoon as I wandered around the store with one wrist clamped to my nose - I felt I'd found Nirvana & all I wanted to do was find a quiet place to sit and enjoy it.

This fragrance is very quiet; mossy, rooty iris and maybe when I wear it I'm the only one that can smell it but does that matter? When I'm wearing it I feel beautiful, even if I'm wearing my scruffiest clothes and no make-up and cleaning the kitchen floor.

Who do you wear your perfume for? I wear mine for me.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* condesadepitimini on 5/21/2010 3:53:00 AM more reviews by condesadepitimini

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Lovely , soft iris. In La Pausa, the iris is not cold, not metallic nor sharp as it could be in Hermès Hiris or in SMN Città di Kyoto. It resembles more to Iris Pallida (but Iris Pallida is better, in my opinion).
It is rather mild and close to skin. Calm and soothing, subtle and - alas ! - lacking of a proper identity... especially if you compare to the other Chanels of the line... Well , if you like minimalist fragrances, this could be for you!
Very office appropriate, has little sillage and ZERO lasting power. It disappears on my skin in 10 minutes (no joke).
And for 200 Euros a bottle, well.... I think it should last more!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* SensualSusanna on 4/16/2010 10:16:00 PM more reviews by SensualSusanna

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

A beautiful soapy/clean iris scent. Very pretty and feminine. I wouldn't of imagined this was a Chanel fragrance as I find most heavy and cloying (sorry fans). But 28 La Pausa is soft and clean. I do like Chanel No. 18 more out of the Exclusif's collection, but this comes close. No. 18 though knocks my socks off.. it's ethereal, clean and so feminine with notes that make me swoon.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

babaleah on 4/11/2010 7:48:00 PM more reviews by babaleah

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

Hmmm..It appears this isn't a runaway favourite. Well, here's MHO...

(ahem...) I absolutely love this scent.
I have found that it actually smells like an exquisite iris on me. Further I have also found that any stale or earthy or metallic whiff only comes into play when 28LP competes with anything else. That is, if I've worn a top with Eclat de Jasmine, for example, and then a few days later worn the same top with 28LP, the 28LP is different. Not bad, but not the incredible scent it is on its own. So I've learned. Yes, to do my laundry more often, but not only that - This scent must be worn on its own. No dryer sheets, no scented hairspray, nothing. Use it (or test it) when you know you've got no other scented products on, and smell the difference.
I'm a scent junkie from way back, and of late so many scents have been so disappointing in that most of them turn sort of skanky on me (I think it's the "precious woods" or fake sandalwood), but 28 La Pausa is in my top 5 scents (eclat De J, classic Diors, and 28LP). I have a generous MUAer to thank for my introduction to this scent, and I know I will be purchasing a full bottle in the future. Pity there aren't more splits and decants available!

**UPDATE**

So I finally bought it! For those in Canada who don't live in Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto, you can order from the Bloor St Holt Renfrew in Toronto, and they will ship to your local Holt for you to pick up. I had the product in a couple of days. I love the scent even more and wear it every day. It's an old world style exquisitely crafted scent and a perfect refuge in a world of (as another reviewer aptly described) "swill" to choose fom. Very very happy with my purchase, and would definitley purchase again.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Mac789 on 12/11/2009 3:25:00 PM more reviews by Mac789

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

In general, I've not sought out an iris note in fragrances, so consider this review as coming from someone who has no higher standard measure.



Iris is fascinating for its many permutations and treatments. Cool, rooty, buttery, warm (generally in conjunction with rose), metallic, cosmetic/powdery, gourmand. I cannot fault the iris in 28, La Pausa since the note never truly appeals to me and to deride it in comparison to something else is unfair. However, my lack of full appreciation for the note does allow me to attempt some greater objectivity than I would apply to, for instance, patchouli,



The most interesting aspect of La Pausa is its cologne-like nature. By this, I mean not only the weight of it but also the structure. Beneath a rooty, somewhat vegetal and apparently freeze-dried top appears to be a traditional eau de cologne; what others are reading as "green" notes smell nearly citric to me. Iris in La Pausa is very fragile indeed, although the top does give a good enough representation of it that persons looking to experience the note might want to give it a sniff alongside Hiris (part lipstick, part cookie), Iris Silver Mist (rhizome mist of March), Apres L'Ondee (a watercolor study), and Iris Ganache (patisserie iris).



Since there is nothing in La Pausa to anchor or "hold" the note or allow it further bouquet, the iris fades into the cologne-like midnotes and La Pausa then becomes an exercise in "fraicheur," meaning a pleasant, clean, and unremarkable fragrance with indistinct identity. Here, there is a resemblance to linen (note references to Lauder fragrances below) achieved by generic subtle floralcy. Moving into the base, La Pausa smells as something one might scent a handkerchief with. In other words, an extremely mild and perfect non-offensive office scent. Basenotes seem to be tenderly musky and gently soapy. It is something with which one might scent stationery.



Worn as one would wear a cologne, La Pausa is not an insult to iris. We should perhaps consider it as an iris cologne, next to the Eau de Cologne and not in relation to 31, Rue Cambon or to Coromandel. For me, La Pausa is not the weakest link in the Exclusifs collection (Gardenia is), but seen in light of its structure it only fails as a "destination" or statement scent and not as an exercise in delicacy.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

betto182 on 11/24/2008 2:00:00 PM more reviews by betto182

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Other    

I got a sample of this amazing fragrance and I am in love. I had to buy the 200mL bottle. it takes me somewhere else as soon as I smell it. Clean, sharp, however it is still soft and alluring very mysterious fragrance

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* rnornan on 9/18/2008 12:48:00 AM more reviews by rnornan

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

No good. Disappointment. I smell iris but it's stale, and earthy but not moist earth like after a rainstorm but thick, dense clay earth rather than loamy rich soil. A bit like fertilizer actually. There is at once dankness and sterility and sharpness in this scent. It is confusing to me. I don't know that it should even be classified as a perfume, more like 'an experience gone wrong.'

7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* babydials on 9/15/2008 6:25:00 PM more reviews by babydials

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This has iris as a component, but does not scream it. There is plenty of green too. It is a very pretty spring and summer scent. Unlike Apres l'Ondee (which a few people here have compared this to) this does not end up a hyper sweet mess on my skin.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

debrsl on 8/16/2008 12:42:00 PM more reviews by debrsl

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Starts out like Apres l'Ondee but then seems like a weak imitation of it. Too bad. The thing about it is that it is delicate and refined smelling. That's pretty great by itself.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* UrbanSkies on 8/14/2008 7:58:00 PM more reviews by UrbanSkies

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Hello, indoles. I didn't expect to find you here.


This is a freshly fertilied iris garden where the irises have yet to bloom -- all rhizomes, dirt, and fertilizer. No, thank you. Good thing it lasted less than an hour on my skin. But Chanel fragrances don't ususally work with my chemistry, so that's the key.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* LipstickLil on 5/20/2008 10:02:00 AM more reviews by LipstickLil

Age: Unknown   Skin: Normal, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I am surprised by the number of bad reviews 28 La Pausa has had as I found it subtly beautiful and refined. It does open in a similar way to Apres l'Ondee, although without the anise note, and then the perfume turns very rooty and vegetable-like on my skin. Thankfully this phase does not last long and from then on this is a linear scent on me - cool, clear iris and rose, slightly green and stemmy and staying very close to the skin. Needs reapplying as it only lasts a few hours.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* reikigoddess on 5/1/2008 more reviews by reikigoddess

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

When I first tried this I thought it smelled just like band-aids! However, I've recently tried it again and thought it quite nice. It's light, delicate and I think soothing. I also think it smells pretty "real." I cannot stand synthetic smelling perfumey scents...although there's synthetics in here to be sure. I need to spend some more time with it to see if it's really full bottle worthy, especially since we're talking a LARGE bottle here!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Gingerbreadgirl on 11/11/2007 10:59:00 PM more reviews by Gingerbreadgirl

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

First impression: New car smell! With leather interior! And a manly Mediterrenean chauffeur wearing some kind of spicy bay rum aftershave at the wheel. And then you open your eyes. Ah, well. It was nice while it lasted.

Second impression on the drydown - a pot of iris in rich black loamy earth - and thus it stays until it's gone.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No