TL;DR: Chanel covers both ultra-accessible best-sellers (Bleu de Chanel, Coco Mademoiselle) and more demanding, less consensual compositions (Chanel No. 19). The right choice mostly depends on whether you want an "easy" perfume or something more distinctive.
Bleu de Chanel: the house's masculine best-seller
Launched in 2010, Bleu de Chanel has established itself as one of the most-worn men's perfumes across all houses. Its fresh-woody structure, opening on citrus and mint, makes it a deliberately consensual perfume: easy to wear every day, appreciated by young professionals and older wearers alike.
Coco Mademoiselle: a safe bet on the feminine side
Often cited as one of the safest choices for professional use among the house's feminine perfumes, Coco Mademoiselle combines oriental and fresh notes in a widely-liked composition, without being as polarizing as some of Chanel's older classics.
Chanel No. 19: a more demanding profile, worn proudly
Unlike the accessible best-sellers, Chanel No. 19 opens on green, slightly dry notes (galbanum, neroli), before revealing a heart of iris and rose over a woody-powdery base. It's regularly described as "intellectual" and clearly not made to please everyone — the opposite of the more recent best-sellers' commercial logic.
The men's/women's boundaries are more porous than they seem
Although Chanel markets its perfumes under "men's" or "women's" labels, several of its compositions are regularly worn by both: Coco Mademoiselle's patchouli base is enjoyed by some men, just as Bleu de Chanel's fresh-woody profile also appeals to part of the female audience.
Where to start with Chanel
- For risk-free everyday wear: Bleu de Chanel or Coco Mademoiselle.
- To discover a more classic, assertive profile: Chanel No. 19, accepting that it isn't a consensual perfume.