1957 Eau de Parfum by Chanel

Very brief: it is the most incredible musk I have ever tried. That blend of citrus, aldehydes, and a floral touch that evolves, all crowned by a powerful musk that never stops surprising. Elegance at its finest. I deduct a point from its perfect 10 because on my skin, the dry-down becomes sweeter than I prefer. It lasts about five hours with a low sillage, but it fulfils its purpose. An incredible aroma, simply perfect.

It is true that it carries the DNA of Chanel and the craftsmanship of its master perfumers means words almost fail to describe how good it is. It is clear that it is one of the best. For me, what matters are the declared notes to know if it is mine. Always test before buying, because every nose is a unique world. From my experience, I am a great lover of perfumes and fell into that mistake before. Now my opinion: I have liked it; it is a clean, energising, and quite unique fragrance. It feels fresh, even cold; the musk is subtle. The lily-of-the-valley root, which smells similar to iris, is the flower that stands out most, although the pepper is a little too prominent for my taste. It is lovely and elegant. The perfume changes from a fresh, sparkling opening with twists to a classic dry-down.

1957 is modern yet masterfully blends classicism with modernity. Its proportions make it suitable for anyone seeking lightness and vitality, but also serenity. What captivates me is this duality: few fragrances possess this sublime and necessary quality right now. Its opening with aldehydes defines its name lightly without losing freshness, adding creaminess as the musks work from the very beginning. They help soften the aldehydes and bergamot. What a bergamot and what a lily root. The orange blossom gives it a feminine or non-warrior character. I know musks on my skin tend to be intense, but with less dense flowers they become volatile and less aggressive. I don’t see it as sweet, but over time the creaminess of the musk, without detecting vanilla or honey, neutralises the citrus and floral opening. I love 1957 to death, but I miss that they mention it has a low sillage. It lasts more than eight hours on the skin, yet the trail is discreet; with many sprays I don’t feel as weak as others in the line. In spring or early summer it may expand better, but in very humid or hot summers it can alter. I recommend it if you aren’t looking for overpowering or Martian scents, but the concept of a person freshly showered all day. Smelling clean and neat is sexy, natural, and relieves the bad mood of the day. Is there anything more elegant than feeling freshly showered? If we add Chanel’s elegance, we get this creature, a newborn between white sheets.

Reading the previous reviews, it is curious how the perfume changes on every skin. For me, it turned into something sweet, tender, and powdery, like Flower by Kenzo but more adult and subtle. It must be that the musks blend with me and only stand out if they are very marked. In the opening, I note pepper, bergamot, and cedar, fresh and dry at the same time. There is also an ozonic-green touch from the aldehydes, nothing invasive. In the second phase, it becomes a young orange blossom, honeyed and very talcum-like. It lasts about ten hours with a soft projection.

It smells like Shalimar, but I’m disappointed they didn’t list leather. The musk is so animalistic that it lacks both cleanliness and sensuality, instead giving a carnal, dirty vibe that doesn’t suit me. The bergamot and aldehydes try to add freshness, but they’re in the background. The blend of musk, honey, vanilla, and cumin makes my stomach turn. It becomes more floral and soft as it dries, but obviously, it’s not for me.