Chanel No. 5 is one of the biggest perfumes in all of history. What’s its lure? Is it the name, the legend, the marketing, the juice? Take a look at the illustrious past and present of Chanel No. 5 to understand what people love about Chanel perfumes and what other aspiring best-seller perfumes can learn from this marvel.

Chanel No. 5 was selected by designer Coco Chanel from perfumer Ernest Beaux’s lab. Drawn by its unique character, Coco said she wanted to release a perfume that was completely different from natural floral perfumes. The perfume was supposed to make women smell like women, not like a flower. Indeed, compared to the regular slew of perfumes in the 1920s, Chanel No. 5 debuted as a wild synthetic romp.

What made Chanel No. 5 completely unique was the profusion of aldehydes, which are molecules that are responsible for the sparkling character that reaches high towards a citrus-like composition and descends down into a tinny, metallic quality. Today, Chanel No. 5 is advertised as an abstract perfume, the first modern perfume, made completely with synthetic chemicals.

But there are a few hidden secrets that Chanel hides about its most magical, longest selling perfume.

Chanel No. 5, behind the dazzling sheen of aldehydes, presents a soft floral mix. Whatever Coco said about Chanel No. 5 can’t be taken for complete face value. Ernest Beaux added a dash of soft rose notes. And some scent pyramids actually go as far as to attribute more than one flower—including jasmine, lily, ylang ylang and neroli—to this scent. And to ground the sparkling combination of citrus and florals, Chanel No. 5 includes favorites like oakmoss, amber, vanilla and patchouli. Perfume critic Chandler Burr explains that the result of this avant garde blending make Chanel No. 5 smell “like a bank of white-hot searchlights washing the powdered stars at a movie premier in Cannes on a dry summer night.”

Another secret behind this market dominating perfume is that there are many formulas circulating. If you’re like me, and you think that Chanel No. 5 smells a little different every time you smell it, you’ll be surprised to find that there’s actually a rhyme and reason behind all of your confusion. Luca Turin points out in an NZZ Folio essay that there are currently 3 types of Chanel No. 5 at large. Chanel No. 5 Parfum, says Turin, is “the 1921 original, and smells fresh as paint and changed from day 1.” Eau de Toilette under the same name, is “all soft and peachy, a fifties mom in a fur coat coming to tuck you in bed before going to the theatre.” Turin goes on to completely dismiss the Eau de Parfum formula, calling it “an eighties lapse of judgment.” So if you’ve smelled one Chanel No. 5 and didn’t enjoy it, Chanel ensures that there’s a Chanel No. 5 out there that’ll suit your style.

Beyond its legendary birth and its chameleon like character, Chanel No. 5 has been bolstered over the years by its star-studded marketing. In the 1950s, Chanel No. 5 was most infamously said to be the only thing that Marilyn Monroe wore to bed. After the dreamy-eyed blonde, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman, and Audrey Tautou were all featured alongside this famous fragrance. Also through short-form story-telling, the glory Chanel No. 5 and its association with these glittering women has been immortalized on film by talented film directors.

Above all, Chanel No. 5 was released and marketed with Chanel’s image in mind. Coco Chanel always said that elegance was defined by simplicity. Accordingly, Chanel No. 5, captured in a simple stylized flacon, presents sleek drops of sheer elegance and remains absolutely stylish in every era. Each time Chanel No. 5 is marketed the stark simplicity is always emphasized. The beauty of Chanel No. 5 is that it brings out the glamour in every women with such a simple concept—sparkling aldehydes. 

Chanel No. 5 remains legendary, and women often wonder who has worn Chanel No. 5 before them. It’s a celebration of femininity, when you think of it, because it seems that at some point in every woman’s life, a dab Chanel No. 5 has been splashed.

Hold the phone, it’s no longer attractive to smell good. Good in the normally accepted sense, that is. And scientists aren’t joking. They have long speculated that natural smells and pheromones played a part in attracting the opposite sex. And surprise, surprise: scientists recently discovered that these theories are correct! Lucky for you, bottled B.O.  and pheromone perfumes have been long been available. So run, don’t walk, to your nearest discount perfume e-tailer to snatch up your bottle of au naturel aromas.

Animalic perfumes are perfumes that maximize the natural musky smell secreted by animals. Civet, musk, ambergris—these are common scents that you could find secreted by animals. While musk is quite light and common, civet is a little more difficult to swallow. Ambergris, in its true form, is now difficult to access. Original ambergris and soft amber (a synthetic scent that mimics this precious aromatic material that’s excreted from whale’s glands by mixing resinous labdanum and vanilla) are warm, earthy, resinous scents. The soft, sweet glowing amber is a popular basenote in most woman’s perfumes. Popular musk scents are Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, her upcoming B.O. perfume, and Kouros (a popular Yves Saint Lauren cologne). The daring civet scent is prominent in Jean Patou Joy, Guerlain Jicky and Paco Rabane La Nuit.

But if a natural smell is not enough to get you feeling sexy, try pheromones. But who the heck bottles hormones that aren’t perceivable by the sense of smell? Well, loads of perfumers have recently jumped up to brave that fourth dimension of scent. Realm by Erox (also known as Human Pheromone Sciences) and Paris Hilton Women are the popular leaders in this category. What you get with these perfumes is a typical enjoyable perfume, minus the screeching of animalic notes. Underlying all the aromatic chemistry, another type of chemical attraction is brewing. These added synthetic pheromones mimic the strings of natural attraction.

Have your doubts about natural body odors and pheromones playing a part in attraction? Well, a recent study revealed that men found the T-shirts of fertile women more pleasant smelling than those of non-fertile women. Dr. Miller of this experiment says this demonstrates that men’s testosterone levels are kicked up when they smell a woman natural odors. Another recently released study declares that pheromones pump up the “baseline frequency in romantic attention.” Glynis Gould, a researcher on this project explains, “According to the research we’ve done, pheromones will lure someone to you even more powerfully or at least as powerfully as appearance.”

So next time your looking for a perfume that attracts, consider some natural smelling options or some pheromone-filled fragrances. Scentiments.com carries all the above-mentioned natural and pheromone perfumes at great discounts.

Celebrities and high-profile models create an esoteric world of beauty where the fragrance they endorse is the center of the universe for thirty seconds. During that point in time, the world revolves around the perfume and nothing else.

Designers, in particular, feature the most attractive and sensual models to represent their fragrances. A string of beautiful faces and sculpted bodies will tease you into buying the products with the promise of experiencing the same olfactive memories these perfumes will induce upon application.

Giselle Bundchen is the face behind Dolce&Gabbana’s The One. She portrayed a glitzy and glamorous celebrity in the ad. All eyes (and cameras) were on her and suffice to say, she was the center of attention. She was The One.

Dolce&Gabbana The One is dubbed as the fragrance with character. It conveys the exceptional beauty of the modern woman who knows fashion and beauty like second skin. The scent is delicate and sensual. The creamy-powdery vanilla pairs nicely with the floral-fruity undertones.

Another beauty from Dolce&Gabbana is the fragrance house’s modern take on the rose. A flanker of the original The One, Dolce&Gabbana Rose The One explores more of the floral side with focus on rose, what else? The perfume is both luminous and intoxicating  or shall we say, very Scarlett Johansson?

Rose The One’s pink juice is reminiscent of YSL’s Parisienne and Baby Doll. Aside from being pink, these fragrances center on the rose accords. The composition is quite abstract and yet straightforward. To appreciate the entire fragrance, you have to take it in as a whole and not selectively probe on each individual note.

Dolce&Gabbana The One fragrances are nicely done mainstream perfumes. The faces of Giselle and Scarlett as well as the marketing campaign amp’ed up the “must-have” perfume scale of most perfumistas. But to the trained nose, the ad is just a teaser. The actual fragrance is what really matters. Don’t you agree?

Discount perfume retailer, scentiments.com, features Dolce&Gabbana fragrances including The One and Rose The One.

For some, celebrity arrives on a silver platter. And this is the image to which the young female market aspires. And that is what the perfume industry knows this too well.

In 2009, the perfume market has witnessed a rise of princess-image laden fragrances. Since the release of the overly fabulous and intensely popular Vera Wang Princess in 2006, everyone else has now jumped on board to grab a piece of the princess pie.

Vera Wang Glam Princess

Young starlet Zoe Kravitz, famous for doing nothing at all but be the loin-fruit of Lenny Kravitz, fronts the campaign of Vera Wang Glam Princess. Starry-eyed and straggly-haired, this modern-day princess reminds young girls that they too can experience the lavish life with just a spritz of this new perfume. Vera Wang Glam Princess includes notes of guava, pear, honey, vanilla, orchid, marshmallow accord, and cedarwood.

Michael Kors Very Hollywood

Featuring red carpet stars showered by the flashing lights of paparazzi, Michael’s Kors ad campaign for Very Hollywood wants you to feel like the center of attention. Independent of any merits or skills which may have awarded stars this very popularity and a spot on this velvety rouge path, Michael Kors Very Hollywood makes celebrates celebrity simply for the sake of celebrity. Fame is the name of the game, and it can be yours with the notes of mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, ylang-ylang, raspberry, gardenia, orris, amber, soft moss and vetiver.

Miss Dior Cherie L’Eau

Innocent abandon, discovery and play all merge together in a delicious little Parisian pied-a-terre. Enjoy all that the world has to offer in the most beautifully constructed, candy-coated Miss Dior Cherie commercial thrown together by Sophia Coppola. To the tune of Bridget Bardot’s Moi Je Joue, delve in the flirty, carefree life of modern-day princesses, complete with vintage bicycles, king-size beds, and remarkably pink taffeta. The newest Miss Dior Cherie L’Eau features the lighthearted bubbly notes of strawberry leaves, pink jasmine, caramelized popcorn, strawberry sorbet, and patchouli.

Dolce & Gabbana Rose the One

The talk of the town. The daring diva. The one and only. That’s what Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One is all about. Once featuring the lean and leggy Giselle Bundchen, primping and pouting like a grade-A diva, the ads of this top-notch Dolce & Gabbana perfume now present the poutier, primped-up Scarlett Johansson. If you ever wanted to be the one and only, this fragrance is for you. Roes The One includes notes of pink grapefruit, mandarin, peach, muguet, Bulgarian rose, peony, geranium, Madonna lily, plum, ambrette seed, vanilla, amber, and musk.

Anna Sui Rock Me

For aspiring princesses with a darker edge, there is Anna Sui Rock Me. If you often fantasize being loved by fans, standing center-stage… at a rock concert, then this fragrance is for you. When a fairy-tale life is not enough, and you’d rather the happy-go-lucky pop was substituted by a rock-and-roll soundtrack, Anna Sui has got your number. Anna Sui Rock Me is filled with pear, green orange, peach skin, honeysuckle, jasmine, water lily, cedarwood, amber, and vanilla.

So it seems while young girls have been taking a cue from the up-and-coming Hollywood elite, the perfume industry has been busy taking notes. The results: the current selection of princess-inspired perfumes grants young ladies their every wish.

It starts out as fresh, a green-floral kind of freshness, then develops into something tropical – a mix of freshly cut grass, wet flowers, some coconuts and ambery-musk undertones. The notes are bamboo leaf, yuzu, freesia, Sicilian bergamot, orange blossom, rose geranium, mimose, star jasmine, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk, oakmoss and atlas cedar.

Deseo is almost (but not quite) comparable to Versace’s Crystal Noir. The depth and the sexiness parade itself effortlessly. You can sense its olfactive allure but it’s not in any way overwhelming. It’s the subtlety that makes it attractive. The warm woods in the dry down are aplenty. This somehow brings out the distinct mature appeal it promises.

The bottle is like a diamond in the rough. Even if the shape of the flacon looks as though it’s tilted, it is able to stand on its own as opposed to Thierry Mugler’s Angel and Kenzo’s Unidentified Fragrance Object where it’s impossible to make these fragrances stand.

Deseo’s sister, Deseo Forever, was launched in the same year. The flanker is a lighter version and the notes are the same. Coty should have instead, created an EDT variant than release a flanker that doesn’t do much justice to the parent. The sillage is also weaker which is not surprising at all. Having said that, it appears that Deseo is a better choice over its flanker, Deseo Forever. It has  richer base and a more powerful sillage to boot.

Amber Fragrances

Most recently Prada launched a duo of amber-inspired fragrances. Prada Amber pour Homme, launched in 2006, was paired this year with Prada L’Eau de Ambree. These fragrances call upon the richness of amber gris, a long-treasured perfume ingredient. For centuries natural amber has been treasured for its fragrant properties. Previous decades saw the proliferation and celebration of amber notes as it was combined with other heady compounds to create ostentatious and darkly mysterious scents. Prada revives this legendary note by letting stand alone. Prada creates a modern fragrance centered around the singular amber note, and the effect is both quiet and stunning. Amber pour Homme comes across like suede. Creamy textures of earthy sweetness mix with crisp, clean notes of soap. In L’Eau de Ambree, the amber is said to be tempered with smoky patchouli and soft woods. Overall the fragrance is creamy, light, ambery and feminine.

Infusion Fragrances

Capitalizing on its excellence in delicate minimalism, Prada creates

fragrances that are infusions of treasured fragrance notes. Fine notes that were celebrated a century ago are now taking center stage in the line of Prada fragrances. Miuccia Prada, a designer of quiet elegance, crafts fashions that evoke the refined forms and graceful lines of decades past. As a designer who revives timeless beauty using pieces of fashion’s past, Miuccia would only naturally select historically significant and prized perfume notes on which to center her fragrances. These unassuming fragrances speak worlds about rich elegance and refined tastes. Infusion D’Homme is a fusion of powdery irises and smoked frankincense. The effect is like a puff of air from late 19^th century gentleman’s barbershop. Infusion D’Iris celebrates that same iris note, but this time with a natural twist. This perfume brings to mind a delicate English garden tangled with wild ivy and flower bouquets. Infusion D’Iris presents a fleeting portrait of a freshly planted iris bulb. The fragrance is slightly sweet, slightly rooty and it peaks slightly with the lemony crispness of crushed leaves. The newest infusion fragrance from Prada is Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger. This fragrance is centered around a classic cologne note—neroli. This the citrus-filled neroli presents itself as sweet, powdered, and softly rich. This fragrance is a wonderful feminine counterpart to the classic neroli-centered cologne Versace Pour Homme.

Classic Fragrances

Prada also maintains a range of classic fragrances that represent

the core values of this brand. Underneath the look of polished distinction, Prada is all about an understated, contemplative energy. Prada fashions and fragrances are all about power that is not stated outright, but it remains as a strong undercurrent. This power is capable of holding its own against other ostentatious competitors. The original Prada perfume is soft, quiet and creamy. But on closer inspection, this Prada perfume reveals a formidable blend of patchouli, rose, vanilla, labdanum, sandalwood and bergamot. The fragrance holds a complex beauty, while only presenting itself as simple. Prada Intense simply amplifies this complexity so that the sweetness, the darkness and the basenotes are more prominent. On the other hand, Prada Tendre is a toned down version of the original Prada perfume. Prada Tendre is said to evoke a mix of misty iris and wood. Prada pour Homme is a classic effusion of expensive shaving cream from traditional barbershops, fougere notes and warmth.

Be sure to read more reviews of Prada fragrances to find your classic Prada scent.