I am a creature of habit. To this day, I prefer Roger Moore to Sean Connery because Roger Moore was the James Bond I grew up with. Sean Connery may be better, but he'll never be Bond to me because I didn't see his movies until later, and by then, well, he just didn't look like Bond. Forget about the Bonds who came after Roger Moore, they're not even worth discussing.
So it is with Cristalle. Chanel introduced the Cristalle fragrance as an Eau de Toilette in 1974. It was developed by perfumer Henri Robert. It was (and is, if you can get your hands on the Eau de Toilette) light, crisp, and sparkling, just a little veil of lemon, fresh herbs and oakmoss with lots of green and a few flower petals thrown in for good measure (other notes include bergamot, jonquil, jasmine, honeysuckle, rosewood, hyacinth and vetiver). I started wearing it in the late 1970s and I adored it. The first spritz was always so bright and sharp, it cut right through the heat and humidity of a Washington, DC summer. The lasting power was negligible, but you can't get that kind of light, crisp and sparkling and staying power, that is just how it is.
It smelled like summer, and therein laid the problem for Chanel: women only bought it in the summer, and Chanel much preferred that it sell year round. In 1993, in the hopes of reversing this seasonal trend, they introduced the Eau de Parfum, created by Jacques Polge. Polge took the original light chypre fragrance and turned it into a deeper, more complex fruity floral. Mandarin and peach softened the impact of the lemon, the green notes were toned down, and the jasmine and other floral notes (including lily of the valley and iris) became the focal point. The base notes are warmer and richer, and as you might expect, it has much greater lasting power than the Eau de Toilette.
The Eau de Parfum is probably a lovely scent. If I had smelled it before becoming accustomed to the Eau de Toilette, perhaps I would adore it. For that matter, if it wasn't called Cristalle, I might be able to approach it with a more open mind, but as things stand, the Eau de Parfum strikes me as something of an imposter: it not only doesn't smell like Cristalle, but it seems to me to miss the entire point of Cristalle, being neither light nor crisp nor refreshing. Of course, if you hated the original, the Eau de Parfum might be more to your taste.
Chanel Cristalle Eau de Toilette has become harder to find. Many department stores carry only the Eau de Parfum, and more than once, I've been told by a Chanel sales associates that there is no such thing as the Eau de Toilette; they haven't made it in years, etc. In fact, it is still in production, and hopefully, someone besides me is still buying it: I live in fear that it will eventually be discontinued.
Note: image via Images de Parfums.
Wanting something light, crisp, sparkling and classy, this spring I drove 40 minutes to the nearest place I could sample Cristalle. I was positive I would be returning home with my own bottle because so many people had favorably compared it to no. 19, but with more sparkle. Quelle disappointment. It smelled like a rotting swamp on me. A real scrubber. But now your review has me wondering if I what I encountered was the EDP………Generally, given the choice, I will try sample the EDP over the EDT, so even if the store had the EDT, I would have snubbed it. Well, off to investigate, and thanks for the tip!
Hmmm….do you know if you like oakmoss? Because that seems to be the most likely culprit for “rotting swamp”, and if so, it is actually heavier in the EdT than the EdP.
Hard to say what you tried though! If it was very lemony and light, it was probably the EdT, if it was a sweet floral, probably the EdP.
Well, I did blame the oakmoss. It was neither lemony-light, nor sweet floral. Just rotting swamp. However, I've learned from my experience with Jicky that one shouldn't give up too soon.
Tsk tsk tsk. Sean Connery is The Bond! 🙂
Fear not. When my little bottle of Cristalle EDT is empty, I will be buying a big bottle. So that would make at least two of us 🙂
Oh dear – the EDT smelled HORRIBLE on me – can you imagine that? I actually found a bottle at Nordstrom's a few weeks ago and returned it for the EDP. If only I had known…I could have offered it to you. They even had the lotion, which I did not buy.
For me this wasn't a matter of like of one over the other…it was my body chemistry yet again. The EDP worked and the EDT didn't. C'est la vie! Thanks for the great review. As for Bond – I agree – Roger Moore!
Well, then hope it will grow on you eventually, one concentration or the other 🙂
I do know he is better. He just isn't my idea of Bond 😉
Pierce Brosnan didn't suit me either, and the new guy whose name I've already forgotten doesn't look at all Bond-ish, although perhaps he will by the time the movie is released.
F, hey, who let you out? Get back to work…j/k.
I am sure many people prefer the EdP. If you don't like sharp citrus, you aren't going to like the EdT. I wouldn't have pegged you for either version, actually, but glad to see you are still helping to keep Chanel economically viable, LOL!!
The new one is so un-Bond-like, it is just ridiculous. He looks like a thug. Where is suavity, where is class? End of rant. 🙂
I really like the lemony top notes of Cristalle, but the drydown turns a bit musty on me. I could have sworn I tried the EDT, but maybe it was an EDP instead. I will keep trying it, because it is one of the few Chanels besides 19 and Allure that I find wearable with my chemistry.
Oh, this is one of the small, yet continuing disappointments of my life! Back when Roger Moore was James Bond, this was my best friend's signature scent. It smelled glorious on her; it reminds me of her to this day. But it never did, and still doesn't, smell like that on me. It smells fine — just Not Like That. But I am not sure I have ever tried the EDP! Now I will.
URK — rereading your notes!!! REALLY — the one in the stores is the EDP?!? I will have to pay attention. I'd assumed it was the EDT. Huh. Now I am really baffled. I was so sure it was the EDT my friend wore — it has that sparkling quality.
Um. I wish I could delete comments. Given the dates you outlined, yes, clearly my friend was wearing the EDT. Sorry. Will refrain from commenting until I've had more coffee.
Hi Robin — you grew up in Washington, DC, too? So did I, and I'm back here now (after a long stint in NYC and thereabouts).
My cutting-through-the-summer-sweatfog has been and still is Diorella — very similar to Cristalle, but with more lemon and herbs and longer-lasting.
I also discovered — today in fact — that Chant d'aromes EDT serves the same purpose and gets me to the land of dry and cool, if only in my head!
Have only seen one picture of him — the one when they made the announcement. Can't remember it now, and for that matter, can't remember his name 🙂
But I'll see whatever Bond movie they make eventually, even if only on a Bond marathon on TV.
As I responded to the person above who mentioned “rotting swamp”, would guess that what you find musty is the oak moss…many people do find it musty. If that is what bothered you, you probably did try the EdT, since the oak moss is much less noticeable in the EdP.
LOL!
Anyway, *most* stores only have the EdP, but some seem to have the EdT in the summer. It just depends on where you are. But the last time I was in the Chanel flagship in NY, even they didn't have the EdT, and it was full summer at the time.
I did, and wish I was back in that area, despite the nasty summers. They are nearly as nasty here in eastern PA anyway. And yes, Diorella is perfect too, although I didn't discover it until much much later.
L, trying to decide if I think you would like it or not. And surprised you never smelled it in the 70s? I might remember wrong but thought it was very popular when it came out.
I wasn't a perfume nut back then. Still had one foot in hippiedom.
Tried, but can't, imagine you as a hippie. I wasn't a perfume nut then either, but I did wear it. Just didn't care much about it. Was probably better off that way, no?
Oy! Been away but now I just have to poke my head in to defend my beloved Cristalle against the rotting swamp cruelty! 🙁 I loved this ever since I was a teeny bopper whose allowance could only afford Loves Baby Soft or whatever the hell that bubblegum thing was. I've since gotten wild and now am mixing it up with the Hermes bunch but Channel remains my first love. I couldn't find the EDT once when I was out, and you know what a fix that could be. So I bought the EDP in that vat size, and am regretting that purchase ever so much. I can't wait to run out so I can once again run into the arms of that fresh sparkly young thing the EDT.
Re: new Bond. Ick ick, and ick. Did I say Ick? I mean, super-ick. He looks like a punk fighting a severe bout of malaria what with the moist skin sheen and watery disposition. “I will have a vodka and quinine tonic, shaken, not stired.”
Ah, glad to see another fan show up! If you want the EdT, you've just about got to buy it online.
Went & looked up the new Bond again since I had forgotten his name — it is Daniel Craig, and he promises to make Bond “more fallible & human”. What is the point of that? I can get fallible & human at home, thank you.
Hi there! This is my first post and it is delightful to see the detailed reviews for my fave perfumes, Cristalle and Diorissimo. The Cristalle EDP came out when I was 14 or 15 so I remember it as the scent I wore back in high school, while I only started wearing Diorissimo two years ago. Took me so long to find a decent lily-of-the-valley scent.
I have been wanting to try the EDT version of Cristalle but not sure if I will like it. The oakmoss can be quite an acquired taste..
Glad to see another fan of 2 of my favorites! If you are already used to the EdP of Cristalle, then yes, you might not like the EdT. I completely agree that oakmoss in concentrated quantities is not universally loved, as witness some of the comments above 🙂
Yes, Cristalle and Diorissimo are truly wonderful. I can't decide which one I like better but friends from different stages of my life will identify me with different scents I suppose.
My experience with the Cristalle EDP is that it is sweet and floral, as someone described. Actually it is more sweet and floral, as the mandarin and the peach are really pronounced on me, and it tends to smell predominantly mandarin and peach until the whole thing fades away. But it is not that sickly sweet smell, a la Escade LEs. I expect the EDT to be very different.
Anyone has the bath and body line for Cristalle? There are no testers in the stores here for them (in fact, not every counter carries them) and I wonder whether they are worth the money, just to make my Cristalle last longer.
Sorry to say I have never tried the bath line. I do know that the bath products for Chanel no. 5 are wonderful, so perhaps that carries over to Cristalle…
I just discovered “Now Smell This” and I wish I had known about this site before I fell victim to the annual Nordstrom perfume extravaganza for Mother's day. I hadn't purchased Cristalle in a long time and decided it was time again. For the last two months I have been puzzling over why it doesn't smell like I remembered it and I just checked the bottle after reading your review. Lo & behold, it is the EDP. I can't return it at this point because I have used too much of it. Now that I know that original was tampered with, I will always be on the lookout for the EDT. Do you know of any place that takes a used bottle of perfume? :>)
Oh, that is too bad! But the EdP is lovely, perhaps you can find a friend to take it off your hands? And check Gloss.com or Chanel.com for the EdT!
ROBIN,
You were so right about EDT vs. EDP.
I am in my early 20's and I just fell in love with the Cristalle. When I first smelled it, I didn't know it was a EDT. After reading your article, I went back to SAKS and smelled both EDT and EDP.
My choice? =) EDT, of course.
I didn't open the box yet. I am going to wait for the right day to wear it.
Thank you for your sharp and candid opinion.
Hey, I'm surprised they had testers of both — usually I just see the EdP. Glad you snagged a bottle, but wear it now…summer is almost over! And thanks for commenting 🙂
=0
Actually, I live in Texas.
I will probably have a bit longer summer here.
And, is it so bad to wear Cristalle in the fall???
One of the reasons that people turn to heavier fragrances in fall and winter is that very light fragrances just don't seem to stand up quite so well, but it is one of those rules (like no white shoes after labor day) that is meant to be broken. I find that I'm less likely to reach for things like Cristalle in the fall, but then in deep winter I start wanting to wear them again to cheer me up. In Texas, you can probably wear whatever you want whenever you want.
Based entirely on this thread, I ordered the Cristalle EDT, despite never having smelled it before. I was craving crisp and green and citrus and took a gamble. Fortunately, I love it!
Right away, I was reminded of Gucci Envy, which I loved and wore ten years ago, despite occasional complaints from friends.
I do love the Cristalle. Now if it would stop snowing in NYC and become spring already, I will wear it every day!
Kate
K, so glad it worked out and you love it! I think we're supposed to have lovely weather on the east coast by the end of the week 🙂
I first encountered Cristalle at prep school in 1985. A French classmate gave me a sampler of the body powder – glorious! It was lightweight, with a sheer crystalline finish that caused the air to sparkle while applying with the pouf, and my skin to glisten radiantly. I immediately went in search of the accompanying scent, and discovered the original eau de toilette. Instantly it was my signature fragrance.
Years later, it was reformulated, and I tried the eau de parfum – still a magical smell, but not quite the crisp sexiness of the original. Today I have 4 bottles of the body lotion stock-piled in my refrigerator after learning it was being discontinued, and a solitary bath powder canister and shaker saved for VERY special occaisions.
Over the years, many friends have attempted to wear Cristalle, but it never quite had the same impact for them as it did for me. As I have fairly oily skin, I think that helps it last on me while it fades for them. (Secretly, I am pleased – as Cristalle has come to be known as “my” scent.)
Men (and women) who have known me for years express disappointment if they encounter me without a veil of Cristalle, and over the years I have come to learn that nearly all men find it irresistable. Quite a potent weapon in a woman's dating arsenal…
I wear Cristalle year round, day and evening, (adding Must de Cartier in the dead of winter), and have found its crisp, clean scent to be one of the few perfumes appropriate for the office as well. I've searched in vain for another scent to compliment my beloved Cristalle, as I fear it will soon go the way of the Chanel No. X scents…
What a lovely story, thanks for posting! I do hope the EdT won't get axed — and Chanel doesn't cut things as quickly as some companies do, so there is some hope.
Uh oh. I must admit that despite this great review I'm terrified of the honeysuckle note. Honey always tends to smell horrible to my nose if it's in the foreground… it smells, to me, like… hot wax and baby powder, for lack of a better description. I am seventeen though, and falling in love with all of the Chanel perfumes as women have been doing at my age for decades, so I'm praying that the honeysuckle is a supporting role here and won't amp once it hits my skin…
I don't find the honeysuckle that prominent, but if you really hate it, perhaps it will stick out to you? Ah well, there are lots of other Chanels to love, right?
Where I live (tropical climate), both EDTs and EDPs are available at every Chanel cosmetics counter. There are even testers for both and I have tried and owned both, so I am shocked to read that some of the reviewers have been told the EDT is no longer in production.
Right now I am using Chanel No. 19, and it is a really green, light and romantic scent (to me). I tbink it is the oakmoss and vetiver base that makes Cristalle and No. 19 appeal to the same people.
Lucky you — for both the tropical climate and the ready access to either form of Cristalle 🙂
I like No. 19 but have never fallen head over heels for it, although I do love green.
Robin,
I feel axactly the way you do re: Cristalle. I was so upset when it was changed in 1993. I have been searching everywhere for the original. Do you know ofany reputable sources to purchase from?
Thank you,
Robyn
Do you mean where can you get the Eau de Toilette? Chanel.com has it on their website right now; oddly enough, they don't seem to have the EdP at the moment.
Cristalle was my late wife's signature scent when I met her and during our courtship and the early years of our marraige. She later changed over to Jo Malone's Lime Basil Mandarin. I always take a spritz of one or both as a way of helping me remember her whenever I'm walking through a department store fragrance section. I never understood why the Cristalle never seemed to do the trick. Now I know why. I will search out the EDT, as that sounds like it was her fragrance, not the EDP which I guess is what I've been spritzing. Thank you for showing me the way.
That's a great argument for a signature scent or 2 — it's so nice that you have those olfactory memories. Hope you'll recognize the EdT!
It was indeed the EDT that I remembered and not the EDP. I actually bought a bottle this morning to have near me. Thank you Robin…
So glad you were able to find it!
I know this isn't one of Chanel's most popular scents, but it's definitely my favorite! It's actually the only one I can wear. I love how Coco Mademoiselle and Allure smell on others, but my skin chemistry just does not work with these scents. But Cristalle is a winner for me! It goes on a little funky, with really blatant lilac overtones. But within ten minutes it settles into an intriguing mix of floral and fresh. It may take some getting used to; I've heard from others that it is an acquired taste to like Cristalle. I would strongly suggest trying it. Perfect for everyday wear, since it is very light and subdued, yet an extremely interesting scent and far from commonplace.
Other than Bois des Iles, it is the only Chanel I really love as well.
Robin, I forgot to add that evidently Ian Fleming said in an interview that Roger Moore looked exactly how he had envisaged James Bond when he was writing the novels.
I still prefer Sean Connery, but also liked George Lazenby as Bond and feel he has been harshly treated by history.
Coincidently, a pal of mine – a well-established Irish actor – made it to the short list of possible Bonds at one point. I think it may have been at the point when they hired Moore. He got so close to becoming Bond that they actually filmed him in the opening sequence, where he walks onto the screen, turns and shoots and the “blood” flows down the screen. Talk about “so close, and yet so far away…”
Do you know, I've never even seen Her Majesty's Secret Service so can't comment on Lazenby. But nice to know Roger Moore pleased Ian Fleming, and how cool about your friend!
Woo hoo! I finally ran out of the dreaded Cristalle EdP. I went back and re-read my old post, was there a time when I hated Daniel Craig as Bond? Wow! Quel changement! I now think he is the best Bond evah. I was looking on the web for the EdT because in the cobwebby corners of my memory I remembered that you said to look online. And lo-and-behold, your old review, which is still a pleasure to read.
You know, like you, I admired No. 19 but never loved it enough to buy it. And you know the draconian law of Only-Five which I live under. Bel Respiro, which I recently got, is an almost perfect amalgamation of the green of No. 19 and sparklingness of Cristalle, with an overtone of of No. 22, albeit very sketchy floral. To me it's almost a more perfect Cristalle. On your rec. I'm going to buy Vent Vert sight unseen because I totally LOVE the sweet green dry-down of Bel Respiro, and I hear there's some DNA there relating it to Balmain's VV.
HA — I eat all my own previous words about Daniel Craig. He was superb, and that was the first JB movie that actually made me curious to go read Ian Fleming (which of course I haven't gotten around to yet). Looking forward to the next one.
ONLY FIVE. That is cruel and unusual. I can't even think about it.
From my teens into my twenties my two favorite fragrances were Cristalle and Caleche. I had quite a collection of scents back then, and these were the ones I always reached to.
I moved from the city to the country and gave my perfume collection away. Now I am really mad at myself!
So, I went out and bought the Cristalle EDP because I wanted instant gratification and the only store within 200 miles of me had only that.
At first sniff, I loved it, and it brought back some nice memories, but those were gone after wearing it for about one hour, when I wanted to wash it off. Oh well.
I was in the store yesterday and tried some No.19. I exclaimed to the saleswoman, “Now, THIS is IT!” I spritzed quite a bit on me and walked around the mall for a few hours. Alas, the scent was totally GONE.
Does No.19 EDP smell the same? I presume it has more lasting power. I need advice, because I'd have to order it untested!
I have not compared the No. 19 EdT & EdP, so can't be sure, but would certainly guess the EdP would last longer. You might want to check the reviews at MakeupAlley and see if anyone mentions it…
Thank you so much for the suggestion. It sounds like the EDP is more floral. So, I don't think I'll be getting any.
I was thinking perhaps I'd layer the EDT over my dumb purchase of the Cristalle EDP. Or try it again, and spray ALOT on!!! I LOVE this scent!
WHY, oh why, do they have to ruin perfectly good fragrances? I want my old bottle of Caleche. . . boo hoo. Funny thing, I don't even remember what it smelled like. It was just my FIRST bottle of “real perfume” and made me feel very grown up.
I love Caleche too — and what a great first perfume!
I have also liked Cristalle and No. 19. A nice perfume store recommended also “Quartz” by Molyneux, which was my favorite for quite a while. It was really hard to find, but I now notice it's readily available on the internet. I hope the ones offered are fresh.
I hear good things about Molyneux Quartz, but have never tried it.
Cristalle is definitely a change from a lot of Chanel scents. It does have a sharpness about it that makes it unique but it also detracts a bit from the femminity of most Chanel's perfumes. While it's an interesting alternative for Chanel wearers, I prefer their softer perfumes such as No. 5 and No. 22 or Allure personally.
Jenny
Sorry you don't like it!
It's not that I don't like it. It's just that I found it a stronger less sensual scent than what I expect from Chanel perfumes. It is interesting but I think it should be toned down a bit because it is almost sour, a quality I found also in Number 19. Both of these perfumes are ok but they need just a touch of something sweet to balance them out.
Jenny
I read this review a while back. I dismissed it because it was a Chanel fragrance. Which most of them I find totally thick and poofy and “old lady”
Then I read this again, it came up. And I read the first reply to the post saying “rotten swamp” and I thought “WOW! I really want to try this…a swamp of oakmoss made me so excited!
So I was at Nordstrom today and there's the big Chanel area – I walked over…found Cristalle, made sure it was EdT! And spritzed it – OH MY GAWD! It's glorious! Better then I could have imagined. I can't stop smelling myself. It's heavenly. Exactly what I was looking for.
And although I can see myself wear it in the summer, it was much more a winter fragrance to me. It felt like it should be a holiday kind of scent…very sensual, attractive and something that you want to cuddle up to. I'm finding a bottle ASAP.
So glad you love it — it's a great scent, and needs more fans.
I now have only the edp, but I hope to soon have the edt for comparison. Cristalle edp is exceptional, very cool, crisp, I love it both winter and summer. It is very persistent on my skin. I like the fragrance of lemon and violet leaf. An exceptional Chypre!
You will not find the EdT so long lasting, unfortunately…
Do you think it will be discontinued or it is discontinued already?
No, it isn't discontinued.
With you on DC as the Bond! I didn't think anyone would top Connery, with his ferocity contained by manners (can you guess I read the books first?) — but I was Wrong, with a capital W.
Just tried No. 19 EdT for the first time today, and Love it. Normally I'm a floral girl, with some forays into that incensey spicy thing, but I adore 19 already. Samples of No. 22 and Cristalle, both EdTs, sit awaiting me in my sample box… can't wait to try them, will post my reaction to Cristalle later.
Okay, tried the Cristalle… got the citrus sparkle, got the floral… nice, I thought, but not as sharp or as green as I expected it to be. But when it moved into drydown (WAY too fast) it became utterly lovely, and instantly recognizable as the fragrance worn by my mother's elegant British friend, the one who's survived breast cancer and two divorces. She moved back to the UK several years ago, but I was so glad to smell her on my wrist this evening. Cristalle is so sparkling and lovely that I was very sorry it left me so soon: completely gone 3 hours from application. I won't be buying it, but I already snagged a vintage mini parfum of No. 19 on eBay. (only 2/3 full, so maybe 2.5 ml, but I only paid $11 for it.)
My thoughts on No. 19: I Am Woman, Watch Me Kick Your Butt. (In a good way.) EdT seems to last on me for about 6 hours. I am hooked.
3 hours sounds about right…hard to get something that sparkling & light but also have it last all day. I can live with it!
3 hours is not unreasonable, exactly… it's just that I only really like about the last hour of it, and Chanel's pretty pricey to only love an hour's worth per application.
I will admit to having recently bought a mini of Petite Cherie, which is similarly fleeting… but that one is a fragrance echo of a favorite childhood memory: sitting on the grass in my grandmother's orchard, which was flanked by rosebushes. I'm slightly embarrassed to be so delighted by something meant for a very young person, but I find it utterly comforting. And I agree: three hours of an experience you adore and want to repeat is well, well worth the cash.
Yeah, waiting through 2 bad hours for 1 good hour is not worth it.
Petite Cherie is lovely — and the lotion's nice too!
Hi Robin! How long has it been since you last tryed cristalle?
I bought yesterday 100 ml of it and found it to be paler than it used to be few years ago.
And also in fear of new regulations how much is it endangered? A there ingredients forbidden and if so is it smart to buy every single bottle I can this year? I just realised I can’t live without it 🙁
Thank you.
A couple years ago, so yeah, it’s probably different, and I assume (but am not sure) that the new regs re: oakmoss & citrus will ruin it entirely.
Have you tried the newest Crystalle? its called Vert. I tried it at Selfridges the other day and was a bit disapointed to be honest. Ive used Crystalle since I was 18 and I still love it today.
Hi Caterina, working on it…have only tried it once so far, and it’s nice but can’t say if I love it yet or not. Have a feeling not, but we’ll see!
In Perfumes the Guide it says that Edmond Roudnitska also worked on Cristalle (EDT). I have always assumed that this was a Robert creation. Does anyone know what exactly what Roudnitska’s involvement consisted of regarding this (absolutely gorgeous) fragrance?
Thank you.
Sorry, no idea, but it’s not unusual for a fragrance credited to one person to have been worked on by several people.
Thanks for replying, Robin.
Dr. Turin wrote that, I am assuming he would know. Do you smell any similarities between Cristalle and Diorella? I think they belong in the same fragrance group ( green chypre).
It doesn’t really matter; I love them both. I recently got a tiny sample of Diorella parfum ( via TPC). It is unbelievably beautiful, I just sniff the bottle, that way it will last longer.
Yes, stylistically they do seem related, although maybe I see more similiarity with Eau Sauvage, and I have a feeling that the Diorella you smell today is only vaguely related to the original.
I now see I typed what twice, sorry!
Tried Cristalle today for the first time ever (in the eau de toilette formulation no less). Unfortunately my skin chemistry can cause perfumes to be a little “off” so I got no sparking lemon & bergamot, no jasmine, just straight up oakmoss (at least I think that’s what it was, it smelt mossy and earthy to me anyway. I have to say, and I know Robin will be thinking Blasphemor, but I must preferred Cristalle Eau Verte. I am on a mission now to try and get a spray of No. 22 but it’s only sold in one shop in the whole country and it’s 2.5hrs away from here so it might be awhile. Am waiting impatiently on a decant of Beige, can’t wait to try it out.
Sorry you didn’t love it, but hope Beige will suit you better!
Not at all. And seeing as you’re on the hunt for the eau de toilette, if you’re ever in Ireland, they stock it in Debenhams.
Hi,
I love Chanel Cristalle Eau de Toilette, I have been wearing it since 1987…I was shopping for a new bottle and I noticed / am having a hard time finding it… I will go to the nordstroms site and check there thank you for the help. I also love Jessica McClintock it also has a light crisp lemony magnolia scent. I live in Southern California so I can wear both scents pretty much year round. I always get compliments when wearing either one, by both men and women!
If you don’t find it at Nordstrom, check Chanel.com — they have it!
I totally thought of you when I pre ordered the EDT for a Fragrance Event at my local Nordstrom!!! They had one bottle left that they kinda had to dig for, but they knew there was one!!!
Oh cool, and congrats!
A quick question, on hopes that someone will read this:
I purchased a bottle of Cristalle EDT (not the Verte version). I smelled it on someone else, fell in love with it, tested it at the store, loved it, got home to open my little package to find it smelling like… paint stripper.
It’s awful. It doesn’t matter whether I spray it on my hair, clothes, skin, paper – it just smells off. It’s not mossy or earthy, it’s… I’m struggling to describe it, but let’s just say my sister asked who’d been taking their nail polish off last time I wore it.
Of course, it’s been months since I purchased and I don’t have a receipt or anything, but it’s only recently dawned on me that perhaps I’m not the one who’s off, but the perfume is…
Would it be worth emailing the lovely folk at Chanel? Has anyone found themselves in a similar situation (not necessarily with this perfume, of course)?
Oh, that’s a shame. I’d still see if the store would be willing to exchange it — they might well! But also in the future I’d never keep an unopened perfume for that long.
Not sure how it would help to email the corporate Chanel site, but you never know, so if the store doesn’t take it back it’s worth a shot.
Thanks so much for your reply! That was quick!
I had opened it a while back already, but I figured it was winter and my nose was off (and I probably tried to ignore the fact that my expensive Chanel purchase was a dud – I honestly thought it was me, until very recently), and I didn’t think the store would take back an opened bottle. However, I’ve since got quite friendly with the staff at my local store of preference, so I might just explain the situation to them and see if there’s anything they can do. Perhaps they can take it up with their Chanel representative or something.
It’s just… there’s no lemon, there’s no jasmine, there’s nothing but oakmoss.
Wow…if there’s nothing but oakmoss, I’m tempted to have you send it to me, LOL…but oakmoss does not smell like nail polish remover 🙂
Good luck!
Haha, well, you’re free to have it, it’s no good to me. I don’t know anything about perfume, but it smells decidedly mossy, only instead of earthy, it smells like something rotten. And a little nail polish remover on the side.
No, I was just kidding. Do try to return it!
Hi Robin ,
I bought myself a big bottle of Cristalle and it’s Devine ! Totally beautiful. It to me brings to mind a stunning bouquet of flowers in a vase. Cool and crisp , I love that subtle dirtiness from the oak moss , I’m still trying to sniff out the vetiver , but over all it’s simply amazing , and it really lasts for me . The original edt must have been something special ! As for the swamp water comments I can see how some draw that conclusion , this is why I like it ! It’s not pretty . So fragrant right now !
How lovely! Enjoy.