“A woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed” were the words from fashion extraordinaire, Coco Chanel.
And maybe that’s why her brand’s range of fragrances has taken the perfume industry by storm, scenting the wrists and necks of women the world over.
Take Coco Mademoiselle for instance. The perfume was launched as part of the Chanel collection in 2001 to appeal to a younger audience and since then famous spokesmodels for the fragrance have included Kate Moss and Keira Knightley.
The perfume, although a lot less intense and long-lasting as Mademoiselle, is a very close match. Put it this way, if you were blindfolded and unsure which was being sprayed on your wrist, there’d be very few differences.
So what’s the secret behind that signature alluring scent? Well, it’s said to be the two characteristic ingredients; Jasmine Absolute and May Rose Absolute. Mademoiselle epitomises femininity with its pale pink bottle, floral overtones and ‘boudoir’ feel. A classic from Karl and co that surely couldn't be emulated by low-budget supermarket brand Lidl?
Coco MademoiselleNow, I have always been a big fan of Lidl – I personally believe it’s a food haven for us poor students. However, while it would definitely be my go-to place for tins of soup, I wouldn’t necessarily go for a bottle of perfume. Would I?
My mum handed me a bottle of Lidl’s ‘Suddenly Madame Glamour’ recently and I’ll admit I was dubious at first.
“It’s almost an exact match to Mademoiselle”, she reassured me. I wasn’t convinced. But you know what they say, never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, its manufacturer.
I have never been lucky enough to own a bottle of the luxurious Mademoiselle, yet I felt in order to compare the two properly I’d have to hop along to Boots to do some testing. I wasn’t armed with goggles and a lab coat, but this was a valid way all the same.
My verdict? Quite a brave move to be pitching your perfume against powerhouse Chanel, yet an utterly excellent one.
Suddenly Madame GlamourThe perfume, although a lot less intense and long-lasting as Mademoiselle, is a very close match. Put it this way, if you were blindfolded and unsure which was being sprayed on your wrist, there’d be very few differences.
Madame Glamour is definitely a more mellow and lighter version, perhaps more suited to the day time and definitely more of an eau de toilette (you didn’t think you were getting actual parfum for £3.99 now did you?), yet it definitely has the same notes as the pricey Chanel original.
I noticed the citrus notes a lot more too, so it would be a perfect summer fragrance. And 90 per cent of a panel of 150 women were just as impressed as me. In a smell test, the huge majority turned their noses up at Coco Mademoiselle (£65 for 50ml) in favour of Lidl’s fraction-of-the-price version (£3.99 for 50ml).
The Chanel perfume may last a couple of hours longer but with Lidl’s being cheaper than a Big Mac, you can afford to be spray happy. Well, it just goes to show you don’t necessarily need to buy big brand names to feel (and smell) like a million dollars...
Follow Rebecca on Twitter @bexxie1306
