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When it comes to designer brands that produce fragrances, there are few that carry the type of prestige that Chanel enjoys. Chanel began producing fragrances in 1921 when they launched their famous Chanel No. 5 perfume, which was composed by perfumer Ernest Beaux with creative direction from Coco Chanel herself.
Since then, Chanel fragrances have become popular as some of the highest-quality designer fragrances in the ever-expanding Fragrance and Beauty market. While Chanel initially created perfumes exclusively marketed towards women, they eventually began producing fragrances for men – with the launch of their first men’s fragrance, Chanel Pour Monsieur, in 1995.
Since then, Chanel has produced a variety of different fragrances for men, although none have enjoyed the level of popularity and fanfare enjoyed by the Bleu de Chanel collection, which was launched in 2010. The first fragrance in the line was the Eau de Toilette, followed by the Eau de Parfum in 2014. The most recent fragrance in the collection released is the Parfum version, which was launched in 2018.
In this article, we’ll be exploring the Bleu de Chanel collection of fragrances and describing the differences between the different versions of the popular Bleu de Chanel. This way, you’ll be able to make the best decision when choosing which concentration of Bleu de Chanel is right for you!
Bleu de Chanel EDT vs EDP vs Parfum: What’s the Difference?
So far, three different concentrations have been released within the Bleu de Chanel line of fragrances: Eau de toilette, Eau de Parfum, and Parfum. These terms are used to describe the different levels of perfume oil concentration that each version contains
Perfumes are created by mixing fragrance oil with perfumer’s alcohol to create liquids that you can apply to your skin or clothing by spraying them. Eau de toilettes typically contain 5-15% fragrance oil, Eau de Parfums contain 15-20%, and Parfums contain anywhere from 20-40%.
However, when it comes to Chanel, these terms are merely used for marketing purposes, and the different versions of the fragrance contain similar levels of fragrance oil in them. Conversely, the terms are used by Chanel to describe the different ways each version of the fragrance smells – with the higher concentrated version having a stronger, richer smell.
Bleu de Chanel EDT is the lightest version of Bleu de Chanel, and smells strongly of citrus notes, like grapefruit and lemon. The EDP version on the other hand has more prominent incense and amber notes, giving the fragrance a deeper, richer smell. Lastly, the Parfum version contains a prominent note of sandalwood, giving the fragrance a deeper, more masculine woody smell.
Bleu de Chanel EDT
The first version to be released in the Bleu de Chanel line, Bleu de Chanel EDT is the lightest and freshest of the three different versions. This version has the most prominent citrus smell of the entire line, with the grapefruit and lemon taking a prominent position in the blend of the perfume. Additionally, this version has a prominent ginger note, which gives the fragrance a spicy touch and makes the fragrance smell slightly fizzy and effervescent (think of an ice-cold lemon-lime soda).
Bleu de Chanel EDT is a very versatile fragrance, that can be worn during the daytime or night, and can be worn in all seasons.
The fragrance was created by famous French perfumer Jacques Polge, who worked as the head of Les Parfums Chanel from 1978 – 2015.
Notes
Top Notes
Grapefruit, Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper
Middle Notes (or Heart Notes)
Ginger, Nutmeg, Jasmine, Iso E Super
Base Notes
Incense, Vetiver, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Labdanum, and White Musk
Longevity and Projection
Because this version is the freshest, it also suffers from having the least amount of longevity and projection when compared to the other two concentrations in the line. When wearing Bleu de Chanel EDT, you can expect to enjoy between 6-8 hours of longevity, with a moderate to strong level of projection, due to the prominent grapefruit note. When it comes to fresh fragrances, Bleu de Chanel EDT lasts longer than most others on the market.
Bleu de Chanel EDP
Bleu de Chanel EDP was the second concentration released in the Bleu de Chanel line and was marketed as an “aromatic, woody musk”[1] fragrance. When compared to the Eau de Toilette, the Eau de Parfum features a more prominent incense note in the base, which is accentuated by the notes of amber and cedarwood. Overall, this gives the perfume a more seductive, sweet, and sensual smell, as opposed to the fresher smell of the EDT.
As with the EDT, Bleu de Chanel EDP is a versatile fragrance that can be worn during the daytime or night. It can also be worn season round, due to the very balanced smell between the fresher top notes, and the richer base notes. This fragrance is also more suitable for wearing on a date compared to the original EDT.
This fragrance was also created by Jacques Polge.
Notes
Top Notes
Grapefruit, Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper, Bergamot, Aldehydes, Coriander
Middle Notes (or Heart Notes)
Ginger, Nutmeg, Jasmine, Melon
Base Notes
Incense, Amber, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Labdanum, and Amberwood
Longevity and Projection
If you’re wearing Bleu de Chanel EDP, you can expect to enjoy 7-9 hours of longevity, with a moderate projection. Since this fragrance is less fresh than the EDT, it lasts longer, though may project less during the later stages of its scent development. This is because the EDP is less sharp than the EDT, and is more balanced with a stronger emphasis on the incense and amber notes of the perfume when compared to the EDT (which focuses more on grapefruit).
Bleu de Chanel Parfum
The newest and latest from the Bleu de Chanel line, Bleu de Chanel Parfum is the darkest and richest of the three fragrances in the collection. Chanel describes this fragrance as “intense, powerful”[1], which we would agree with. Despite being the richest, however, it is less sharp than the previous two fragrances in the collection, due to having fewer citrus notes.
Instead, Bleu de Chanel Parfum focuses on a prominent sandalwood note (highlighted by the pineapple and lavender), which gives the fragrance a softer, woodier smell. This one is most suitable for nighttime use, compared to the EDT and EDP.
This fragrance was created by Olivier Polge, who took over as head of Parfums de Chanel following his father’s (Jacques Polge) retirement in 2015.
Notes
Top Notes
Lemon Zest, Bergamot, Mint, Artemisia
Middle Notes (or Heart Notes)
Lavender, Pineapple, Geranium, and Green Notes
Base Notes
Sandalwood, Cedar, Amberwood, Iso E Super, and Tonka Bean
Longevity and Projection
If you decide to wear Bleu de Chanel Parfum you can expect 7-9 hours of longevity, with a moderate level of projection. When compared to the EDT and EDP, this version features a similar level of longevity to the EDP, although the projection is slightly less due to having even less of a citrus-forward smell than the EDP.
This lower level of projection makes it even more ideal for a date night setting, as whomever you’re trying to impress with this fragrance will be able to really enjoy it when they get close and intimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which version is best for everyday wear?
When it comes to everyday wear, we typically recommend the EDT version of Bleu de Chanel. This is because this version is the freshest, and as such has the least seductive smell when compared to the EDP and Parfum. This makes it suitable for everyday wear and makes it more appropriate in settings such as the office or school.
Which version is best for special occasions?
For special occasions, we’d definitely recommend the Parfum. This is because this version of Bleu de Chanel has the most sophisticated smell of the three, making it perfect for special occasions such as high-class parties, or dates. It is also the newest in the collection, making it the most contemporary smelling of the three. When it comes to special occasions, you want to be sure you’re impressing the people around you with the most unique fragrance possible, and we believe the Parfum achieves that.
Can women wear Bleu de Chanel fragrances?
We think so! When it comes to perfume, any fragrance can be worn by any gender. Some fragrances are simply more suitable for one gender over the other due to the strength of the notes. The Bleu de Chanel collection definitely smells masculine, but overall, it is a fresh-smelling line of perfumes, so women can certainly pull it off in the right settings. We recommend testing the perfumes before purchasing them if you’re a woman because you might find that the collection smells a bit too manly for your tastes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you really can’t go wrong with any of the three concentrations of Bleu de Chanel. The line has been incredibly popular and successful for Chanel, which is a testament to the quality of each perfume within it.
Whether you decide on the EDT, the EDP, or the Parfum, you can be assured that you will be wearing a well-blended perfume made from nice ingredients. We hope that this article gave you the information required to choose the concentration that best suits your needs!
