When it comes to beauty, there are some products that we can cycle through (another day, another moisturiser) without getting too attached. Fragrance, on the other hand, is a whole different story. 

For many, the search for a signature scent is a time-intensive pursuit; it can take weeks, months or even years of trialing and testing fragrance after fragrance until you find ‘the one’. When you do, eventually, find your signature scent, you’ll know. Our instincts are never wrong: the right combination of base, middle and top notes can calm your nerves, lift your spirits or put a spring in your step. In some instances, this scent can become connected to a person, a place or a moment in time.

There’s a scientific reason for this visceral reaction. The olfactory centre of our brain (where all sensory input is processed including smell) is connected to our hippocampus, which forms our memory. French author Marcel Proust once famously spoke of how scent can trigger a rush of memories as he drank a cup of tea with a madeleine – now, this sensory experience where a scent triggers a memory is called a Proustian moment. 

While our reaction to fragrance is unique, some iconic scents, including CHANEL No 5, have universal appeal. A signature scent for women across the globe, CHANEL No 5 is both delicate and powerful. Created in 1921, Coco Chanel broke all the rules – this opulent bouquet has no dominant notes. Perfumer Ernest Beaux created a rich blend of May rose, Grasse jasmine and aldehydes, amongst others.

The reality is there’s something special about CHANEL No 5. (It’s a cult-classic for a reason; 2021 will mark the perfume’s 100 year anniversary.) After that initial spritz, it has found its way into the hearts of many women – which was Coco Chanel’s intention as she wanted to create “a woman’s perfume with the scent of a woman” – as their go-to fine fragrance for special occasions. That’s why CHANEL No 5 is often associated with nights to remember; one spritz can elevate any outfit.