Gabrielle Essence EDP by Chanel

Gabrielle Essence is the follow up release to the popular Gabrielle by Chanel. It came out in 2019 and has enjoyed a good deal of attention itself. I purchased a sample of this scent, with my latest batch, in order to test it out and review it for the site. How does it smell? What’s different? Is it even worth a try?

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What does Gabrielle Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: tuberose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, jasmine, coconut, peach, citrus

Click here to try: Gabrielle Essence by Chanel Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz / 100 ml (Women) 

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My Full Review

Gabrielle Essence opens up much better to my nose versus the original EDP. With that one, it seems harder to distinguish between notes, at first.

Essence doesn’t have the same sparkling brightness as the original, but the fruity notes are better and juicier overall. Not sharp, but smoothed out by the white floral notes, that make up the Gabrielle DNA.

This is a blend of peach and citrus, with a bit of coconut that becomes more noticeable deeper into the wear.

While the fruity opening is better here, it also is shorter lived to my nose. This one gets down to the floral notes rather quickly, but I actually like that phase of Essence.

The main difference with the floral notes for me is, Essence has a stronger emphasis on orange blossom and jasmine, at first. With the EDP, it was jasmine and tuberose. The tuberose in Gabrielle Essence doesn’t play that big of a role.

Eventually, the jasmine, orange blossom, and ylang-ylang are sharing most of the duties. That’s what I get for most of the rest of the wear. It’s a bit sweet and has a nice, but not thick creaminess about it.

Light musk and woodiness, at the base, but this is mostly all about those floral notes. Nothing overly complicated, just a variation of what you’d expect.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Gabrielle Essence is pretty moderate. It does project itself better than the original, but it isn’t a massive difference. Not super powerful and dries down fairly softly.

There will be a scent trail left behind you for that first hour or so. After that, it’s going to be more noticeable in a 3-4 foot radius from where you’ve sprayed Gabrielle Essence on.

I also get just over 8 hours of wear on my skin with Essence. Yes, it stays as a skin scent for a good chunk of that time, but it is still there…just not in full force. That’s about what it consistently seems to be. Maybe it’ll get to 9 hours, at times.

Seasonally, it’s at its peak in the spring. Summer and autumn are great, but the spring is where the Gabrielle perfumes shine. In the warmer air, this Chanel really hangs beautifully and you catch whiffs of the full floral array.

Gabrielle Essence is a versatile daily wear, just like the original. It isn’t super formal and can actually serve better as a casual or semi-formal scent. It’s a lovely and attractive scent, just not a super sexy club beast.

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Overall Impressions of Gabrielle Essence

Overall, do I like Gabrielle Essence? I really do. It’s a beautiful perfume and better than the original (which I liked). Essence is a very well balanced and well put together floral. The fruity opening is great, without being over the top.

Also, I like how the floral notes are weighted in this one when compared to the original. It’s performance is a bit better, but that could’ve been bumped up somewhat. It’s not bad, by any means, just not outstanding. Both longevity and power are above average, however.

This is more than just a solid entry from Chanel. One that does everything well and has the versatility to become a daily wear for many women. More modern than some of their past releases, even if it’s not entirely unique.

It’s not their absolute best, but I enjoy what they’ve done with this Gabrielle series so far, and Essence in particular.