Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Decant

Eau Tendre is the softest of the four Chance variations and the one that sells best. Grapefruit and quince open it with a fruity tartness that never becomes sugary, and a jasmine-rose heart keeps it recognisably floral. The base is where its reputation comes from: a clean, slightly powdery white musk with iris that smells like very good laundry and expensive skin at the same time.

It is quiet by design. Sillage stays within a personal radius and longevity in the EDP concentration runs six to eight hours, which is a real improvement on the older EDT. This is the fragrance to wear when you want to smell lovely without anyone identifying what you are wearing.

Because the four Chance flankers are genuinely different — Eau Tendre soft and fruity, Eau Fraîche green and sharp, Eau Vive citrus, and the original spicier — this line is one of the best cases in the whole market for buying a set of small decants instead of a bottle.