I Can Learn Much About Someone Through Their Fragrance, and This New Chanel Scent Is Radiance Captured in a Bottle.

      While I approach every aspect of my job with the utmost seriousness, before we delve into the launch of the new Chanel Chance Eau Splendide, I feel it's important to clarify something: I take my reviews of perfumes very seriously, particularly when it comes to Chanel. Chanel is a leader in the fragrance industry—and I do not make this statement lightly.

      Throughout my decade-long career as a beauty journalist specializing in fragrance, one thing I've learned is that Chanel establishes the olfactory gold standard. From Chanel Coco Mademoiselle to No5, the house has produced some of the most beloved perfumes in history. Consequently, it goes without saying that the launch of a new Chanel fragrance is one of the most significant events on my calendar. I've been marking and highlighting the launch of Chanel Chance Eau Splendide in my diary since early December.

      For the last five months, I have dedicated much of my working time to thinking about this perfume. Finally, last month, with no prior knowledge of the new Chance's fragrance profile (though I assumed it would share the same floral DNA as the original), a bottle arrived on my desk, granting me a four-week preview before its official launch.

      In the coming weeks, Chanel Chance Eau Splendide will be prominently featured in various outlets. Chanel is known for its expansive marketing efforts surrounding fragrance launches. Angèle, the singer, is the face of the perfume, and I am noticing advertisements everywhere. Additionally, Chanel has organized a two-week pop-up on London’s Chance Street to celebrate the launch, and the purple-themed venue is already trending on my TikTok. (It’s free to visit and runs until May 5, for your information.) However, before you dive deeper into details about this highly anticipated fragrance launch, I encourage you to read this review...

      Chanel Chance Eau Splendide, Reviewed

      Chanel

      Chance Eau Splendide Eau de Parfum

      Key notes: Raspberry accord, rose, violet, geranium, cedar, white musk, iris

      If it were a bag: A washed denim Chanel 22

      If it were an outfit: A pink bouclé mini-skirt suit

      If it were a drink: A raspberry sling

      My years in the fragrance industry have taught me to avoid reading anything about a perfume before experiencing it myself. To provide you with the most insightful and honest reviews, I prefer to limit any subconscious bias I might develop before smelling it. While I truly had no idea what Chanel Chance Eau Splendide would smell like, I did have a few expectations.

      For starters, Chanel fragrances are known for their long-lasting qualities, they possess an expensive scent profile, and each one tends to attract compliments. Moreover, Chance fragrances are among my all-time favorites—they are, in my opinion, elevated, Chanel-infused skin scents that skillfully balance fresh and musky elements. They evoke the image of smooth skin adorned with diamonds and champagne. So, although I wasn’t aware of the precise aroma of Chance Eau Splendide, I had a general idea of its intended vibe.

      When I first spritzed the lilac liquid onto my skin, I hesitated. Although jasmine and musk are central to every previous Chance fragrance, providing that luxurious, powdery foundation, the initial scent of Eau Splendide is quite different—it’s fruity. While what I’m about to say may initially sound like a downside, I ask that you bear with me: Chance Eau Splendide is fruity in the way that most fruity perfumes are. It’s sweet, fresh, and bubbly, which doesn't seem particularly remarkable by Chanel's standards. However, after about 30 seconds, something extraordinary occurs, transforming this seemingly ordinary perfume into one that is not only impossible to dislike but also impossible to resist.

      When Chance Eau Splendide interacts with the skin, it distinctly smells like sugar-dusted raspberries basking in the summer sun—nothing more. It’s syrupy, similar to juice in warm weather, and it doesn’t stand out among other sweet, youthful fruity fragrances. But as soon as it settles, in just a few seconds, it morphs into something incredibly impressive. It transforms into something resembling water—aquatic and airy, like clear blue skies on a sunny, brisk day. Before you can even process this change, you’re enveloped by the signature richness of Chance—that luxurious aura reminiscent of bubbly Dom Pérignon, Harry Winston diamonds, and a little black dress.

      In essence, Chanel Chance Eau Splendide is the fun, cooler, more self-aware little sister of Chance. It isn’t pretending to be something it’s not. It starts as a fruity scent, but it doesn’t concern itself with opinions on that front. Chance Eau Splendide doesn’t aim to play dress-up or disguise itself as a powerful fragrance—it’s an unapologetically joyful summer scent. It’s the fruity perfume for those who want their presence to bring comfort and smiles to those around