Ernest BeauxThe nose · 18 fragrances · also made Cuir de Russie Parfum (1924)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Chanel · Sold as feminine
Chanel No 5 Parfum
The moment when a crisp evening transitions into a glamorous night out, where understated sophistication meets lasting charm.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Chanel No 5 ParfumPremium · $100–250
60%Similar accords, often for lessArpège · LanvinMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares 6 of its 21 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
TopOpening
HeartThe Soul
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 1921 by Chanel and crafted by Ernest Beaux, Chanel No. 5 Parfum is a landmark fragrance that redefined perfumery with its use of aldehydes to create an abstract scent rather than replicating a single flower. Marilyn Monroe's famous quip that she wore 'only Chanel No. 5' to bed became one of the most iconic endorsements in history, cementing its place as a symbol of Hollywood glamour. The composition opens with aldehydes and citrus notes like bergamot and lemon before transitioning into a heart of jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, and lily-of-the-valley. The base layers of iris, civet, musk, sandalwood, amber, moss, vanilla, vetiver, and patchouli ground the scent with earthy warmth.
One spray to the wrists and neck is sufficient — the aldehydic top notes are immediate but fleeting. The heart and base notes bloom over time, so it's best applied about an hour before you leave. This fragrance reads well close to skin rather than from a distance.
Fig. 01 — Chanel No 5 Parfum, Chanel
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Ernest Beaux
The man who invented modern perfumeryErnest Beaux is the perfumer who changed everything. Born in Moscow to a Franco-Russian family, he served as an officer in World War I before entering the laboratories of A. Rallet & Co. in Grasse.
“I went to present her with my creations – two series: 1 to 5 and 20 to 24. From these she chose several, including one labelled Number 5.”
Ernest Beaux · Beaux, "Souvenirs d'un parfumeur", Industrie de la Parfumerie, Oct 1946 (trans. via Bois de Jasmin)
The Chanel No 5 Parfum line
3 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Chanel
More from the house · founded 1921 · France
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
ChanelChanel No 5 Eau de ToiletteEDT · ★ 4.01Wearers say it smells similar
Yves Saint LaurentRive GaucheEDP · ★ 3.92Loved by the same people
LancômeClimat Parfum ExtraitExtrait · ★ 4.43Loved by the same people
Estée LauderWhite LinenEDP · ★ 3.73Loved by the same peopleStill deciding?Try the Scent Finder →Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalChanel No 5 ParfumChanel · Premium · $100–250Lanvin · 1927ArpègeShares 6 of its 21 notes$40–100★ 3.97 (4,760)81%Match
Swiss Arabian · 2019A Whiff of FiveShares 6 of its 15 notesunder $40★ 3.00 (5)56%Match
LanvinEau ArpegeShares 6 of its 11 notes$40–100★ 4.48 (31)
With Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche Eau de Parfum
Adds aromatic and vanilla; shares lemon and bergamot and 2 more notes.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 37%, disliked or hated by 33%.