Chanel has spent the past month teasing its latest women’s perfume launch, Coco mademoiselle crush absolu, and it’s now finally available to buy. The new scent is a sweeter take on the brand’s much-loved Coco mademoiselle eau de parfum (£80, Boots.com), but after all of the build-up, I had to wonder whether it can live up to the original.
Chanel already has plenty of fragrance icons in its lineup, from the legendary Chanel no. 5 (£82, Boots.com) to Coco mademoiselle, which has become a modern classic in its own right. For me, the latter has an especially nostalgic place in my fragrance wardrobe: my mum has worn it for as long as I can remember, so its bright blend of orange, jasmine and rose is instantly recognisable.
Now, Chanel has revisited that familiar scent with Coco mademoiselle crush absolu and, because everything Chanel produces typically has unique ties to its founder, the new fragrance launched on Gabrielle Chanel’s birthday (19 August). The new scent introduces a sweeter profile, with lychee and grapefruit among its key notes. I got my hands on it more than a month ahead of its release, so now that it’s finally on sale, keep scrolling to find out how it compares with the original fragrance many of us know so well.
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Chanel Coco mademoiselle crush absolu eau de parfum
Why we love it
- Day-to-night and winter through summer versatility
- All notes permeate through as the liquid dries down
- A younger take on the original Coco mademoiselle
Take note
- Not as unique as Chanel no. 5 or the original Coco mademoiselle scent
The crush absolu perfume has a distinctly different scent. Much like the original, the aroma is citrusy. While crush absolu swaps mandarin and orange for grapefruit and lychee, that same zingy, back-of-the-throat punch remains (in a good way).
As it melds with the oils and heat of your skin, though, the lychee focal point and amber-vanilla base notes really begin to sing, making for a more sugary surround.
In terms of who the new scent is best for, I’d say it skews younger than the OG, with a less aromatic finish – largely, this is down to the removal of bergamot. The result is something that’s just as suited to daytime wear as it is to evenings. Likewise, it has excellent seasonal versatility.
I spritzed my wrists and neck around 11am, and by 4pm I could still smell the ambery notes without pressing my nose fully against my skin. It’s not in-your-face strong, but I think that less is more when it comes to perfume (so long as it’s not undetectable entirely, that is).
If we’re splitting hairs, I’d caveat that the crush absolu eau de parfum feels a touch less unique than Chanel’s wider fragrance library. It’s not that it mimics any other fragrance, but rather that its sexy, sweet-floral-amber combination is by no means an untrodden path.
That said, I’d recommend crush absolu to fans of YSL libre, Lancome la vie est belle (no surprise there), Prada paradoxe and anyone who loves sweet scents without the marshmallow, ice cream shop cloud, or floral scents without the sneeze-inducing sparkle.
Key specifications
Buy now £160, Boots.com
Is Chanel’s Coco mademoiselle crush absolu as iconic as the original?
If you're expecting a replacement for the original Coco mademoiselle, this isn't it, nor is it trying to be. Crush absolu retains Coco mademoiselle’s signature citrus-floral DNA but takes it in a sweeter, fruitier direction, making it feel deeper and more playful. I'd still give the edge to the original for its timelessness and unmistakable character, but if you've always found it a touch too grown-up, crush absolu is a worthy alternative that deserves a place alongside, rather than instead of, the icon.
How I tested Chanel’s Coco mademoiselle crush absolu
I got my hands on Chanel’s new Coco mademoiselle crush absolu perfume the week it was announced in July and spent a full afternoon wearing it, applying it to my wrists and neck before monitoring how the fragrance evolved from initial spritz through to its dried-down finish.
I compared it directly with my longstanding memories of the original Coco mademoiselle fragrance, considering carefully whether it retained the collection's unmistakable je ne sais quoi while offering something new and unique. Specifically, I considered the following criteria while testing:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As the author of The Independent’s guide to the best women’s perfumes, Lucy Smith has quite the nose for fragrances and has penned reviews on the best Marc Jacobs daisy perfumes, the best perfume dupes and, regarding Chanel specifically, the brand’s chance eau splendide perfume. Not only has she spoken with Chanel’s perfume experts at the Harrods salon de parfums, but she has a personal fragrance library of more than 20 scents – so she knows her spicy scents from her green, fresh ones.
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