IrisOpens with
JasmineHeart
AmbergrisDries down to
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
Le 1940 Beige de Chanel
A woman stepping into her evening wear in a dimly lit boudoir, where the crispness of iris and jasmine mixes with the comforting richness of ambergris and oakmoss.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Le 1940 Beige de ChanelPremium · $100–250
48%Similar accords, often for lessGaultier2 · Jean Paul GaultierMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares jasmine and ambergris8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 1931 by Chanel, Le 1940 Beige de Chanel is a Floral fragrance crafted by the legendary perfumer Ernest Beaux. This composition features iris as its top note, blending seamlessly into jasmine at the heart before settling into the rich warmth of ambergris and oakmoss at the base. The scent embodies the elegance and sophistication that Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel introduced to fashion, creating a fragrance that is both lasting and deeply evocative.
Apply one or two sprays to pulse points for a subtle yet lingering effect. The fragrance develops best close to skin, making it ideal for intimate settings rather than filling a room.
Fig. 01 — Le 1940 Beige de Chanel, 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)
Designer Chanel
More from the house · founded 1921 · France
You Might Also Like
Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalLe 1940 Beige de ChanelChanel · Premium · $100–250Jean Paul Gaultier · 2022Gaultier2Shares Jasmine and Ambergris$40–100★ 4.33 (321)45%Match
Davidoff · 2025Cool Elixir WomanShares Jasmine and Oakmossunder $40★ 3.55 (47)48%Match
Zara · 2019Surrounding ThreadShares Iris and Jasmineunder $40★ 3.65 (17)
With Zara Blue Temptation Fresh
Adds citrus, green and aromatic; shares two accords.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Still under the radar: loved by 43%, disliked or hated by 43%.