Out of Over 130 Chanel Perfumes, These Are the 11 I Rank the Highest

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Peony accord, passion fruit, vanilla

Slightly warmer than your typical floral (thanks to the mellow additions of cosy vanilla and shimmery mandarin), this Chanel masterpiece was created by Jacques Polge in 1996. I'm partial to it since it's been my mum's signature for as long as I can remember.

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Jasmine, orange blossom, Grasse tuberose, ylang-ylang

Consider Gabrielle your classic floral fragrance with kind of a fairytale twist. Famed perfumer Olivier Polge crafted this scent to represent an imaginary flower. It's equal parts rich, green, and elegant. 

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Grapefruit, quince, rose accord, white musk

I may be biased, but Chanel's lush, fruity take on florals is my all-time favourite fragrance from the brand. Classic bouquet notes like rose and jasmine are modernised with fresh hints of quince and grapefruit while the warming comfort of musk keeps the finish smooth and enveloping.

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Orange, patchouli, Turkish rose

If you're a fan of warm, earthy notes like patchouli but want something that still feels light and floral, then famed Chanel perfume Coco Mademoiselle will probably be your poison of choice. The mix of delicate rose and jasmine is brought to life with vibrant hits of orange and patchouli to create a robust and memorable scent. It's lively while still chic and sophisticated. "I could write a thesis on the one-of-a-kind scent profile, but I'll try to keep things short," says Who What Wear UK beauty director Shannon Lawlor. "While the light freshness of orange dances over the skin and a zingy hit of bergamot tickle the nose at first, I want to make it clear that Coco Mademoiselle is not a fresh perfume. It behaves as a warm, enveloping, velvety cloak of sparkling brilliance," she says. "It possesses that iconic Chanel shimmer (that I often compare to a chilled glass of Dom Perignon Vintage) that smells undeniably luxurious, with a heart of musky, warming, sweetly enticing florals that ooze elegance."

Fragrance Family: Floral

Key Notes: Aldehydes, jasmine, neroli, sandalwood

You knew this was coming. Chanel N°5 will always be perhaps the most iconic perfume of all-time (and that extends beyond the scope of just Chanel, folks). Though this is a true, classic floral fragrance, it's powdery and full-bodied thanks to trademark notes of aldehydes, along with earthy anchors like neroli, bourbon vanilla, and sandalwood. It's truly a forever classic beauty staple.

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Iris, heliotrope, cherry blossom accord

Comète is a favourite of Eleanor Vousden, Who What Wear UK's beauty editor. "Part of Les Exclusifs De Chanel, this line of fragrances are a little-known secret that you would normally only find in Chanel's boutiques," she says. "Gabrielle Chanel, known for her fascination of astrology, drew inspiration from the stars when designing her first jewellery collection. One standout piece was a diamond-covered necklace shaped like a shooting star, which served as the muse for Comète, a fragrance that evokes stardust and nods to the form-fitting necklace with its skin-like musk. The scent is powdery, sparkling, and breathtakingly pretty as it melds with your skin—think heliotrope, powdery iris, cherry blossom accord and a smooth, musky base. While it’s a skin scent, its projection and longevity are really impressive; the dry-down lasts for hours and has gets me compliments whenever I’ve wear it. On the first day I tried it, I sprayed it in one room and even the next day I could still detect the lingering, sparkling scent in the air—it's like perfume stardust."

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, jasmine, patchouli, musk, vanilla

"The original Chance fondly reminds me of my mum, who religiously wore this scent during my teenage years and I associate it with grown-up glamour and sophistication. Now, I love and wear it myself—I've actually just finished my bottle," says Vousden. "It's both musky and earthy with sparkling florals that are instantly recognisable in Chanel's fragrances. It has an almost glowing golden radiance to it. I come back to it time and time again, not just because it's a classic perfume, but I find it lasts really well in comparison to other fragrances I own. One or two sprays lasts for hours on end and it always draws attention whenever I wear it."

Fragrance family: Woody-floral

Key notes: Lemon, tangerine, rose damascena, pink pepper and patchouli

"As soon as spring arrives, I return to this floral, woody scent every year, which was inspired by the fiery spirit and elegance of Parisians," says Vousden. "Each fragrance in the Les Eaux De Chanel collection in inspired by a city that Gabrielle Chanel treasured, and one spritz of Paris-Paris captures the feeling of stepping into a luxury Parisian florist a sunny spring day. There's a twist of fresh lemon and tangerine in the opening before it paves way to dewy, velvety rose petals and it dries down into an addictive earthy patchouli and ever so slightly spicy base that makes you want to nuzzle your nose into your wrist. While Les Eaux De Chanel fragrances are all eau de toilettes, they stand up well throughout the day but are light enough to refresh throughout the day for a light splash of fragrance."

Fragrance family: Citrus

Key notes: Lemon, cedar, citron, water hyacinth, pink pepper, jasmine, white musk, patchouli, vetiver, teak wood, iris and amber

"Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche is a must-try if you like the original Chance, but want something lighter and sparkling for the spring and summer months," says Vousden. "As the colour of the bottle suggests, it's fresh, dewy scent that douses you in a halo of bright lemon and a splash of breezy florals before settling into a woodsy base of earthy patchouli, vetiver and teak wood. Despite it being quite a light and airy scent, I find that this particular variation of Chance really radiates from the skin and is noticeable by others nearby, so you really don't need much of it each day."

Fragrance family: Floral

Key notes: Lemon, mandarin, orange, aldehydes, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, vetiver, cedar and white musks

"A modern take on the classic Chanel N°5, Chanel's N°5 L'Eau features the same DNA as the original but with a softer, lighter and more transparent take," says Vousden. "This is more citrussy and sparkly in comparison, almost with a sherbert fizzyness that paves way for fresh, glassy rose and jasmine. It's clean, floral and a little soapy before it dries down into clean woody vetiver and cedar, which kind of reminds me of pencil shavings in the chicest way possible. If you find the original Chanel N°5 a little too grown-up, this its cooler, younger sister that I find is a lot more wearable when you want something more pared-back without missing out on all the brilliant aura of the original."

Fragrance family: Musk

Key notes: White musk accord, bergamot, iris, neroli, cedar

Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor, considers this one of her most cherished perfumes. "If you like fizzy, fresh perfumes like I do, you will go weak at the knees for 1957. It smells like a freshly washed white shirt before it has been dried—it is crisp and mouth-watering, sure, but there is a notable aquatic fizziness that tickles the nose with every inhale but remains comforting, subtle and delightfully human. It smells as though cool, sparkling water has been misted over warm skin. This is the daily perfume I reach for when I want to feel like my best, richest self."