I'd like to start by saying that, as a beauty editor with a particular penchant for fragrance and perfumery, I don't believe in gendered scents—not in 2024, anyway. In fact, I consider some of the best fragrances for me, a woman, to actually be marketed far more towards men. I like fresh scents but ones that have a punchy longevity to them. Personally, I have found that some of my most complimented fragrances ever are traditional 'men's fragrances'. Tom Ford's Oud Minérale is one. Another of my most complimented? Bleu de Chanel.
I have long considered Bleu de Chanel to be one of the most notable fragrance feats in history. It is fresh and citrusy, but there's a woody depth that gives it that Chanel-esque je ne sais quois. You know what I mean—that intricate warmth that binds to the skin and runs through every fragrance Chanel touches. As a fragrance house, Chanel has the ability to make everything smell luxe, expensive and one-of-a-kind.
