With over a century of experience creating incredibly sophisticated scents, Chanel has some of the world’s most famous fragrances in its collection. The best Chanel perfumes for summer combine delightful floral notes with seductive woods, spices and musks.
Synonymous with classic chic and the iconic CC logo, Chanel is one of the best-known fashion and fragrance brands in the world. Founded by Coco Chanel in 1920, the brand has dominated the fragrance industry, creating exciting, yet classic fragrances that still exist today.
- 10 Best Chanel Perfumes For Summer
- 1. Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette
- 2. Chanel Bel Respiro Eau de Parfum
- 3. Chanel No 5 L'Eau Eau De Toilette
- 4. Chanel Gabrielle Eau de Parfum
- 5. Chanel Chance Eau Vive Eau de Toilette
- 6. Chanel No 19 Poudre Eau de Parfum
- 7. Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte Eau De Toilette
- 8. Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum
- 9. Chanel Eau de Cologne
- 10. Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Parfum
- Conclusion
- Further Reading
10 Best Chanel Perfumes For Summer
We’ve chosen the best Chanel perfumes for summer to pair with hot days, clear nights, outdoor socialising and light linens. Chanel specialises in clean, fresh scents that are easy to wear while still capturing attention in a chic and understated way.
1. Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette
Review
Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette is a sparkling chypre floral fragrance created by perfumer Jacques Polge.
This fragrance opens with a zesty citrus note sparkling that leads to a heart of sweet jasmine and luscious water hyacinth. A rich woody base adds maturity and is supported by patchouli and musk.
The scent lasts around 4 hours with a moderate sillage that sits on the skin. As with most Chanel scents, it isn’t overpowering and is probably more of a daytime fragrance that’s easy to wear.
The round bottle complete with Chanel logo is typically understated and classy – the perfume is the main attraction with this one, although the simple bottle looks great. It also comes in both pencil and hair mist format.
Top Notes:
Lemon
Mid Notes:
Pink Pepper, Water Hyacinth, Jasmine
Base Notes:
Teak wood, Amber, Iris, Patchouli, Vetiver, White Musk
Price & Reviews
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2. Chanel Bel Respiro Eau de Parfum
Review
Chanel Bel Respiro Eau de Parfum is part of the stunning Les Exclusifs de Chanel collection and is named after her countryside retreat in the outskirts of Paris. This fragrance was created by Jacques Polge.
The scent is soft, romantic and light and veers slightly towards being unisex with a hint of dryness. It aims to evoke the delicateness of spring through its green, aromatic fragrance that consists of grass, galbanum and rosemary.
Overall Bel Respiro Eau de Parfum is a fresh, floral fragrance that suits daytime wear, probably in spring, as well as summer, to match with the season.
It lasts around 4 hours or so on the skin and has soft sillage, so if you like bold, punchy scents that linger long after you’ve moved on, this might not be for you.
The pared-down minimalism of the bottle works well with Chanel’s brand and the crisp, clean scent of Bel Respiro.
Top Notes:
Crushed Leaves & Aromatic Grasses
Mid Notes:
Rosemary, Thyme, Rose, Lilac & Hyacinth
Base Notes:
Green Tea, Myrrh & Leather
Price & Reviews
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3. Chanel No 5 L’Eau Eau De Toilette
Review
Chanel No 5 L’Eau Eau de Toilette was launched in 2016 and aimed at a younger, more millennial audience than the original No 5 fragrance. It’s a lighter and fresher version of Chanel’s first perfume – so much so that Chanel describe it as “the fresh one”.
It radiates citrus top-notes that soon collide with floral jasmine and ylang-ylang in the heart. Upon dry-down, undertones of cedar and musks add balance to create a modern and inviting scent that’s easy to wear.
I find this fragrance lasts around 4 hours on my skin and has moderate sillage. It works well for everyday wear and has an airy, refreshing scent that’s absolutely perfect for spring and summer.
As with many Chanel fragrances, the packaging is unfussy and minimalist with the iconic silhouette of the fragrance embossed on the cardboard case. It has a bright, simple bottle made with heavy glass.
Top Notes:
Lemon, Mandarin, Orange & Neroli
Mid Notes:
Rose, Ylang-Ylang & Jasmine
Base Notes:
Cedar & White Musk
Price & Reviews
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4. Chanel Gabrielle Eau de Parfum
Review
Chanel Gabrielle Eau de Parfum is a delightful floral fragrance that’s luminous and airy. it is named after Coco Chanel (whose real name was Gabrielle) and created by perfumer Olivier Polge.
This fragrance opens with sharp grapefruit that is soon soothed by a bouquet of tuberose, ylang-ylang, jasmine and orange blossom. A light woody/musky base adds a touch of elegance.
Gabrielle Eau de Parfum is a great spring and summer fragrance; sweet and creamy with floral freshness. It has soft-medium sillage and lasts around 4+ hours on the skin.
The square bottle and packaging were designed by Sylvie Legastelois. It’s jewel-like but still simple and in line with the classic bottles of Chanel. The bottle reflects the light and the sunny character of the fragrance.
Top Notes:
Mandarin, Grapefruit & Blackcurrant
Mid Notes:
Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine & Orange Blossom
Base Notes:
Sandalwood & Musk
Price & Reviews
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5. Chanel Chance Eau Vive Eau de Toilette
Review
Chanel Chance Eau Vive Eau De Toilette is a crisp, floral and zesty delight that explodes with the freshness of spring and summer.
Opening with sparkling notes of grapefruit and zingy red-orange, sweet jasmine and white musk add a later of femininity. A delicate trail of vetiver, cedar and iris are revealed in the dry-down.
It’s an undoubtedly feminine spring/summer scent with underlying energy and elegance that comes through from the zesty/floral combo. Lasts 4+ hours with moderate sillage and projection.
The bottle is quintessentially Chanel, with clean lines and a circular shape with minimal branding, that proudly displays the perfume contained within.
Top Notes:
Grapefruit & Red Orange
Mid Notes:
Jasmine & White Musk
Base Notes:
Vetiver, Cedar & Iris
Price & Reviews
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6. Chanel No 19 Poudre Eau de Parfum
Review
Chanel N°19 POUDRÉ Eau de Parfum is a floral/green fragrance that is feminine, soft, and powdery. Perfect for the summer if you want something incredibly elegant!
Opening with green and bitter galbanum that blends with powdery iris and sweet neroli. A breeze of vetiver and underlying white musk create a smooth and silky scent with bold undertones. Very refined.
This fragrance lasts 4+ hours or more on the skin, longer if you spray your clothing. Sillage and projection are both moderate.
The bottle is the classic Chanel shape and with lid, in clear glass that reveals the perfume contained inside. The metallic writing and Chanel branding on the front is in keeping with the classy, grown-up appearance of the rest of the packaging.
Top Notes:
Galbanum, Iris, Neroli
Mid Notes:
Vetiver
Base Notes:
White Musk
Price & Reviews
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7. Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte Eau De Toilette
Review
Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte Eau De Toilette draws inspiration from Coco Chanel’s love of the great outdoors and her natural, sophisticated femininity.
It’s a transparent chypre floral fragrance touch of green notes and delicate, subtle magnolia accord. Citrus tones spring through the freshness and floral scent.
In terms of intensity, it’s best described as soft and subtle, lasting an average amount of time (around 4 hours on the skin). It’s definitely a spring or summer scent because of its lightness and fresh, floral and fruity fragrance.
The bottle is a different shape to many of the other Chanel perfumes on the market, it’s tall and slender with a silver lid, and the branding takes up most of the front of the bottle.
It actually looks a little more reminiscent of some of the Chanel make-up products rather than the other perfumes on offer. However, it is still an attractive addition to any collection.
Top Notes:
Magnolia, White Flowers & Jasmine
Mid Notes:
Bergamot & Sicilian Lemon
Base Notes:
Green leaves
Price & Reviews
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8. Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum
Review
Chanel Chance is a chypre floral fragrance that consists of a top note of pink pepper, middle notes of jasmine and iris with base notes of patchouli, vanilla and musk. It was created by Jacques Polge for Chanel in 2005.
It’s sometimes described as the “ultimate preppy-girl” perfume; light-hearted, uplifting and easy to wear. It definitely gives off more of a daytime ambience and suits bright summer days and early spring far more than autumn or winter.
Chanel Chance is a long-lasting fragrance with moderate sillage and a musky undertone that does come to the surface once it dries down a little. The bottle is very distinctly Chanel, with a circular shape, subtle Chanel branding and gold accents across the bottle and perfume cap.
It looks classic, expensive and understated on a dressing table, great for those who agree that less is more.
Top Notes:
Pink Pepper
Mid Notes:
Jasmine & Iris
Base Notes:
Patchouli, Vanilla & Musk
Price & Reviews
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9. Chanel Eau de Cologne
Review
This simple, elegant and citrus Eau de Cologne features the lively freshness of mandarin, bergamot and notes of neroli. It’s a soft and light fragrance that’s eminently wearable. It brings forth the scent of wildflowers and green fields peppered with colour. It’s a modern scent with a musky undertone.
Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Cologne is a soft fragrance, that isn’t overly long-lasting so is more suited for someone looking for a subtle, wearable scent to wear rather than something bold and attention-grabbing.
Described as the scent of summer afternoons due to its floral tones and light fragrance. Although a unisex fragrance and has been spotted on the bathroom shelves of none-other than renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, it has a soft feminine side.
The bottle is simple with clean lines and clear glass on a neutral palette of black and white.
Top Notes:
Mandarin
Mid Notes:
Bergamot
Base Notes:
Neroli & Herbs
Price & Reviews
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10. Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Parfum
Review
Chance Eau Tendre is a dazzling floral-fruity fragrance with a heart of jasmine absolute and rose essence. It’s unashamedly girly and delicate with full and tender femininity expressed from the scent with every spray. It’s a rounder and more floral take on the original soft fruity-floral composition of Chanel Chance.
Created by Olivier Polge in association with the Chanel Laboratory of Fragrance Creation & Development it combines the jasmine and rose scents with creamy white musk for a cottony effect illuminated with a grapefruit-quince accord.
The longevity of this fragrance is moderate, as is the sillage. This is another excellent daytime, everyday perfume from Chanel that’s wearable and light for day time events and suits more spring and summer wear.
Chance Eau Tendre’s packaging is unequivocally feminine and romantic too, the light pink bottle paired with gold lettering aligning perfectly with the fragrance within.
Top Notes:
Jasmine Absolute & Rose
Mid Notes:
Grapefruit, Quince
Base Notes:
White Musk
Price & Reviews
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Conclusion
The best Chanel perfumes for summer lean more towards the more floral, yet lighter, fresher and cleaner side. Every woman should own at least one Chanel fragrance to display on their dressing table, in homage to Coco Chanel’s contribution to the perfume industry that we know and love today.
The fragrances that Chanel produces are iconic, distinctive and perfectly encapsulate the vision of its founder Coco Chanel. Wearable, classic and luxurious, most of the perfumes that they create are light and suitable for every day.
Love Chanel? Then you may be keen to check out my 7 best Chanel Perfumes Of All Time article.
Further Reading
Below are some additional articles from Viora London’s blog. We write articles on a number of interesting lifestyle topics such as fragrance, beauty, designer handbags, luxury accessories and more.
