Bois des Îles Chanel (2007) Eau de Toilette

Bois des Îles (Eau de Toilette) by Chanel

Bois des Îles (Eau de Toilette) (Chanel)

8.2 / 10 314 Ratings

Bois des Îles (Eau de Toilette) is a popular perfume by Chanel for women and was released in 2007. The scent is woody-floral. The production was apparently discontinued.

Perfumer

Jacques Polge

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Bergamot, Mandarin
Heart Notes	Sandalwood, Ylang-ylang
Base Notes	Tonka bean, Vanilla

Ratings

Scent

8.2 (314 Ratings)

Longevity

7.1 (227 Ratings)

Sillage

6.0 (222 Ratings)

Bottle

8.2 (210 Ratings)

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 23.11.2019.

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Reviews

10/31/2019

9.0 7.0 10.0 10.0/10

Duftsucht
0 Reviews

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Duftsucht

Greatly helpful Review 14

Good morning, beautiful..

May Maxie Wander forgive me for appropriating the title of her wonderful book - a work as timeless as this fragrance. And what's more, for me personally a text that has made it easier or perhaps even possible for me to gain emotional access to my current place of residence.

Bois des Îles reminds me again and again of the title of this book, which I discovered only late in my life. The scent is like an awakening morning, like slowly opening flowers in the morning sun. It awakens in me the feeling that sometimes fills me on beautiful days, when I, still lying in bed, enjoy the first rays of sunlight falling into the room. I relax, cuddle deep into the pillow once more and enjoy the anticipation of a day that seems to offer endless possibilities again and again.

Antilles? Caribbean? Exotic islands? I must confess that these are no longer necessarily places of longing for me. When I was young, perhaps already, but rather driven by the desire to discover and experience the world in its fullness. In the meantime I have come to the reassuring realization that the fullness of life is very close to us and to a certain extent in our own hands - completely independent of where we are in the world.

Bois des Îles is for my nose - contrary to its name - more flower than wood, and that in a wonderful symbiosis of warmth and freshness, of sweetness and citric. And although the wood in my name may not really fit, it is still the island that I can believe. A hint of salt lies in the fragrance, like a light breeze that carries the clear, slightly bitter smell of salt water from the sea - and Bois des Îles reminds me a little of Embruns d'Ylang of Guerlain.

To the quite exotic, but neither oppressive, nor sultry floral scent gradually come sandalwood with delicate unsweet vanilla and golden amber, yet it remains on my skin rather floral than woody. Freshly sprayed and close to the spray area, it is a full, overflowing fragrance, with a pure floral sweetness, present and demanding attention. A little further away, the result is a wonderfully harmonious, elegant impression - and the fragrance reveals its full beauty.

Bois des Îles is one of the few fragrances in my possession that I can wear to almost any occasion and season. It invites me to dream, surrounds me sensually and with subtle eroticism at romantic dinners, lets me indulge in its enveloping warmth on cold days - and yet is always reservedly elegant. With style he accompanies me through long working days or luxuriously sweetens an autumn walk through the heath.

I was very lucky to buy a bottle of eau de toilette here in the souk, which I like a lot better than the eau de perfume it replaced. I also find the Extrait beautiful, complex and perhaps a little deeper and warmer, it will be my choice when the contents of my precious little bottle come to an end. But until it is so far, it certainly still says many times: "Good morning, you beautiful one!"...

9 Replies

02/19/2019

6.0 6.0 7.0 8.5/10

DonJuanDeCat
0 Reviews

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DonJuanDeCat

Greatly helpful Review 11

Exotic fragrances from distant countries

Good evening, fragrances :D
Today I come to one of the exclusive Chanel fragrances, Bois des Îles, the discontinued EDT. But don't worry, there is also the newer EDP of it, in how far the EDP differs from the EDT however, I cannot say at present, because I have here only the EDT at the disposal.

Be that as it may, the fragrance here was originally inspired by the then exotic African continent. According to Chanel or Chanel's website, many things were inspired by Africa in 1926 (when the first Bois des Îles appeared), such as jewellery, pottery etc... and the fragrance here was Chanel's attempt to evoke the aura of distant countries with a fragrance. With precious woods and exotic flowers.

Translated, however, according to Parfumo, the fragrance means "Antillean wood". Since you probably don't know where the Antilles are (and you've only heard the name of it), I'll tell you first that the Antilles are an archipelago in the Caribbean. And where is the Caribbean now? Hey hey, I trust you to do this, and if you don't know that, then at least I trust you to find out for yourself. Why the fragrance was named after woods from the Caribbean, but olfactorically inspired by Africa, I can't say, but if anyone should know, then tell me :) Maybe I have researched also only badly and tell times again simply only nonsense: D

Anyway, I'll come to the fragrance description.

The fragrance:

For me, the fragrance begins with an aldehyde-like scent, then there are beautiful mandarins, which smell of the slightly sweet flesh of these fruits, as well as some roses and ylang-ylang. Only a short time later, soft sandalwood is added, as well as a sweetness that smells like amber. The Ylang-Ylangs will get a little stronger in the next few minutes. The fragrance also has a rather soft aura, which should be due to the benzoin resin, and it is also powdery, so there is probably iris with it, even if I can't smell the iris directly out.
Later, the fragrance is even softer, because the Ylang-Ylangs don't get more sultry as fast as I thought at first. The benzoin resin mixes to a generally resinous fragrance, presumably consisting of several resinous notes, which makes the fragrance appear particularly soft together with powdery notes, although the powdery notes no longer seem to come from the iris, but more from fragrances such as tonka bean and vanilla. In the background the scent is flowery, but apart from the ylang-ylang I can hardly tell what I smell. So the fragrance stays and smells pretty nice, is a little more mature, but is definitely recommended!

The Sillage and the shelf life:

The Sillage is quite okay, not particularly strong, but at least some time at a reasonably good smellable. It starts stronger, but as the fragrance becomes softer and softer, it doesn't seem that strong. The average shelf life is about 8-10 hours, which I think is pretty good.

The bottle:

The bottle is filled in the typical, exclusive flacons of this Chanel fragrance series and is therefore quite high-quality, but also quite simple. It's rectangular with slightly inflated sidewalls and has an extremely simple label on the front, which looks almost self printed for its simplicity... The lid is black and cylindrical and carries the Chanel logo on the upper side. Well... even though many of you think these bottles are great, they are just too puristic for me. It's a matter of taste.

Okay, I really love the smell of that fragrance. Who'd have thought? Despite Ylang-Ylang this is a fragrance that I liked very much. However, that's because the fragrance becomes softer and softer as described and the ylang-ylang isn't so heavy and sultry, which would normally overwhelm me. Although the fragrance has a more mature touch due to this (and the aldehydes as well) and may not be suitable for the very young girls, it certainly smells really great with you ladies. And I think that the scent is not only good for the day, but also a nice (albeit slightly weak) night scent. Usable actually like an all-rounder, because I think that you could use Bois des Îles at any time of the year.

Since I am just a little tired, I save myself my typical phrases with gentle, beautiful women's fragrances like tasty, biteable, cuddly, bum ... uh ... Well, you know what I mean :D
But instead, I'm saying you should really try this fragrance. It may have been discontinued, but with the EDP there is now the new version of the fragrance and most of the time the differences between EDT and EDP weren't that high, so I think that the EDP should be a very nice fragrance as well... yes I don't know the EDP as I said, so I should test it on occasion.

Well, I'm done with that again and wish you all a nice evening :)

2 Replies

10/28/2018

9.0 8.0 8.0 9.0/10

IrisNobile
0 Reviews

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IrisNobile

Greatly helpful Review 28

to the islands under the wind

not so long ago I raised the EdP to the status of my favourite companion - - my new signature scent -
quasi subsidiary for the EdT described here, which unfortunately is no longer produced and which is simply even more beautiful, even brighter - - the more fragrant older sister - which this is about.

The often incomprehensible habits of the perfume industry - to reformulate the most beautiful perfumes over and over again in order to then present us with a more arbitrary creation - more common, adapted to the supposedly more general taste -, according to the motto eat or die -, has already been dealt with pertinently here with regard to some formerly fantastically composed perfumes.
And as you can also hear here, I am not the only disappointed member who painfully misses this special island wood.
A b e r .......... does not want to say that the EdP is not also a great smell, not immediately however with same attributes and evenly not by chance momentarily also my prefered companion.

Slowly I notice myself that I very often comment scents, which are not to be had any more or only with difficulty.
Sei´s drum! .... they are worth a comment ..... and the infatuation carries the heart on the tongue .... :))

---*---*---*---

The bottle is already a beautiful appearance, the form of noble-modern straightness ....... And while the first sprays go through my nose - I perceive this aquatically underlain scent - the limbic system is literally ad hoc put into ecstatic excitement ;)) ... and then - - - - - I grow wings :p
From now on I think I'll be like a giant bird with a mild warm wind ......

On ...
over land and sea
far away
to the islands under the wind
its aquatic breath
the fruits of the southern hemisphere
and the warmth sun-dry silvery weathered island wood with me carries ...
to crawl under my wings and into my soul
---*---*---*---

The fragrance begins with the light fruitiness of citrus top notes - led by the Mediterranean freshness of the mandarins - whose radiance is immediately absorbed in dry warm wood and enveloped in delicate ylang-ylang flowers. Through this also quite discreetly a lovely flowery Duftaura fits into this community.

It is the mandarins of the top note that, according to my research, are decisively responsible for this truly perceptible aquatic note and subtly weave in the impression of southern coasts surrounded by the sea.

The seductive base notes with their fine vanilla components give the final aromatic touch. Their own natural sweetness acts like a delicate veil and is absolutely pleasant and unobtrusive.
The beautiful silvery light chord, which the aquatic events bring with them, remains over the entire course of the fragrance and makes the fragrance experience of the perfume bright, light and fine like a friendly summer day at the sea ...... and men and women can enjoy it for at least 6 hours .....

The "synergetic effect" of the rather clear ingredients generates a fragrance in a class of its own - an elegant wonder of noblesse - a fragrance with a large wingspan ... ¶))

18 Replies

04/21/2018

7.0 7.0 7.0 8.0/10

Thatsmr2usir
61 Reviews

Thatsmr2usir

Timeless Classic!

This is for review is for the vintage EDT!

Bois Des Iles is a wonderful Sandalwood fragrance. It is marketed for women but it is very much unisex. I get a blast of sandalwood off top with some floral arrangements & that beautiful woody/ginger cookie note.

This could ALMOST be gourmand but it falls short. It is delicious & wonderful in spring & fall weather. I personally think it is to thin to wear in winter. Much better options for that.

A draw back is that the lasting power is only around 5 hours or so... Not good considering the soaring prices for the vintage juice. The new version is still good, but lasting power is about the same, tho I would say, if you can live without the vintage juice & its real use of sandalwood, than by all means get the new version because it is a better option for your money as you will get more juice.

This is a classic for sure.

06/08/2016

8.0 4.0 4.0 10.0/10

Oriane
99 Reviews

Oriane

Helpful Review 2

Utterly Beautiful---Ernest Beaux Was a Genuis

This review is for the contemporary Eau de Toilette.

Top Notes: Aldehydes, Coriander, Peach, Bergamot, Neroli, Mandarin Orange.

Heart Notes: Iris, Lilac, Orris Root, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Lily of the Valley, Rose.

Base Notes: Amber, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Opoponax, Musk, Benzoin, Vetiver, Vanilla.

I have always loved Coco EdP, and I like No. 5 EdP well enough, but none of Chanel's other mainstream fragrances ever impressed me enough to purchase any of them. Thus, I began to look at the Les Exclusifs line. Several of the Les Exclusifs looked very interesting to me including No. 22, Coromandel, and Bois des Iles. Bois des Iles especially looked good to me, so after reading many reviews and watching a few video reviews on YouTube, I decided to blindly order the 2.5 oz. bottle of EdT. I was chagrined that only EdT and extrait were available as I normally purchase EdPs. I was also chagrined by the price for a 2.5 oz. EdT! Nevertheless, I seemed unable to resist placing the order. (I have heard that Chanel will stop producing the Les Exclusifs line in EdT formulation after September 2016. Allegedly, the Les Exclusifs line will be produced in EdP formulation in future.)

Well, the EdT finally arrived the other day, and after my evening bath, I spritzed it on my decollatage and on my wrists. Oh woe was I! I immediately fell completely and hopelessly in love! It was like a narcotic! I could not believe how gorgeous it smelt! I was totally smitten! I plan to add the extrait to my collection soon.

Having now tried BdI, I cannot imagine not having it in my fragrance wardrobe for as long as I live. Ernest Beaux was a genius, and I only wish I could have lived in his time and have met him. Without Beaux, I find it hard to believe that Chanel would have become what it became with him. I cannot help but wonder how many more spectacular fragrances he might have made if he had lived longer.

Some have said BdI is best suited to autumn and winter, but I think this is a fragrance that can shine beautifully all year long. It is utterly divine! It is sexy, warm, and so very beautiful. Do you want to seduce someone? I wager Bois des Iles will seduce any man you wish!

BdI is also very well blended. Thankfully, the (for me) dreaded aldehydes are very subdued. I perceive gorgeous sandalwood, amber, iris, ylang-ylang, tonka bean, vanilla, benzoin, opoponax, and a bit of vetiver and musk. From the top notes to the deep dry down this is one of the most breath taking fragrances I have ever smelt. If you like orientals, florientals, and/or woodsy fragrances, I think you will love BdI. I think everyone should at least give it a try. It not only smells delicious, it also smells incredibly well-bred and expensive---and it IS expensive! At this price point especially, this is one fragrance you will not smell on others very often if ever, and I like that fact, too. Bois des Iles is not only full bottle worthy, it is signature worthy, too. If people who know me would always remember me by the smell of Bois des Iles, i would be very flattered and happy indeed.

There are two main drawbacks to the EdT, however. Firstly, it is not very long lasting (three to four hours maximum); and, secondly, it is quite expensive, especially for an EdT. The 2.5 oz EdT currently sells for $160+ tax, and the 6.8 oz. sells for $280+ tax. The .5 oz. extrait costs $200+ tax, which means that a full 1 oz. costs $400+ tax. There are so many wonderful fragrances on the market that cost so much less than the Les Exclusifs fragrances, and I always said I would never pay more than $150 for a 3.4 oz./100 ml bottle of EdP, yet I was unable to resist Bois des Iles.

Please note that BdI turns into a skin scent on me about an hour after application. It lingers pretty well for a total of about three hours maximum, and then it begins to disappears altogether. After four hours, I can no longer smell even a trace of it, but I so much want to continue smelling it that I reapply it---hence the analogy to a narcotic substance!

Fragrance: 10/10

Projection: 6/10 (first hour)

Sillage: 6/10 (first hour)

Longevity: 4/10

05/19/2015

9.0 7.0 8.0 9.0/10

Fanny
62 Reviews

Fanny

Helpful Review 3

Lost and Found

Whenever I wear this, I realize again and again it is not such a very difficult task to find a Holy Grail in perfume -as I often think it is...
Being comfortable, mesmerizing, unique and of great quality, BdI not only thrills me with it's sheer perfection, it brings me home.

02/07/2014

Platinum1
59 Reviews

Platinum1

Helpful Review 6

~ BdI Class & Gingerbread ~

~ After a friendly suggestion and reading many reviews I just had to have this one! So I ordered a large ml. bottle and rolled the dice on BdI. And as suspected I was not dissapointed with yet another classic Chanel masterpiece. Some say this is what Egoiste should have been and if that is the case I now understand its loyal following. This to my nose opened with a familiar Chanel aldehyde vibe much like Cuir de Russie but with a very clean sparkling soap added. A couple years ago I could not have appreciated this for what it is being the perfect blend of sandalwood, florals, vetiver and yes I get the faint gingerbread appeal. This may be labeled for a woman but also like Coromandel fits the well groomed man. It is amazing how a nose can mature when exposed to new discoveries such as this well crafted Chanel Exclusif line. ~
Kind Regards, Platinum1
Score ~ No number fits this scent just wear it with your best gown or suit and smile inside.

1 Replies

02/27/2013

7.5 5.0 7.5 9.0/10

Miaw2
339 Reviews

Miaw2

Very helpful Review 4

Outstanding sandalwood based fragrance!

I have to agree when people say that who uses Egoiste soon will upgrade to Bois des Iles.

As said, BdI is more creamy, softer and more refined than Egoiste. Both are outstanding fragrances, but since i knew Bois des Iles, i have been using only it.

To have an idea, it's like SL's Borneo 1932 and Chanel Coromandel: Coromandel is more refined while Borneo is more raw. Bois des Iles is more refined than Egoiste - it's lighter and creamy.

The opening may smell a bit dated, but it does dries down to something outstanding: Bois des Iles has a sweet sandalwood base that lingers for hours. I would say this is one of the best sandal-based fragrance that i have ever smelt.

The longevity is okay, around 7/8 hours, with a good projection and gentle sillage.

Unisex for sure.

So if you like Egoiste, Heritage and other sandalwood based fragrances, Bois des Iles is a must have!

Updated January 2014

03/03/2012

10.0 7.5 5.0 9.0/10

Callas
53 Reviews

Callas

Raisedly beautiful

Have get awake memories of a flowery smell, mine used mother.
I have the fashion style of the twenties in front of eyes; 'Changeling' with Angelina Jolie who must have borne this smell sees film parts from. And of course Coco Chanel.

I understand the idea of the 'sacred Gral' meanwhile of which the talk already fairly often was.
The first thought when applying was 'a characteristic Chanel smell'. I feel similarity to Chanel No. 5.
But a great floral warmth but also simultaneously dry, tasty freshness immediately develops here. I then go to the woods. I love these wood notes; I am so well.
Noble, not swanky or exaggerated - being warm, raisedly beautiful.
I must have this smell . . . . . . . .

A great 'THANKS' to my bearer !!!

02/06/2012

5.0 7.5 7.0/10

Missk
1165 Reviews

Missk

Very helpful Review 7

Buttery sandalwood and smooth florals

The Bois des Iles I am reviewing is from the Les Exclusifs line in the EDT concentration.

In every article I've read on this particular fragrance, Bois des Iles is hailed as being the first woody fragrance ever created for women. While I do agree that Bois des Iles has some woodsy qualities, I'm more swayed into placing it into a floral category. A floral woody musk tends to be more true to describing the scent itself.

Bois des Iles opens like a classic Chanel fragrance, soft aldehydes and sparkling, clean soap. For a while it smelt like a cross between Chanel No.5 EDT and Allure EDP. However, once settled on the skin, Bois des Iles becomes quite buttery and 'golden'.

This fragrance smells expensive and unusual, despite its rather predictable composition. I honestly could not detect any hint of the peach or bergamot in the opening, so on my skin the florals tend to dominate.

The heart consists of oily florals that smell rather like a floral-scented lotion on the skin, rather than a perfume. This interesting quality had me sniffing my wrists for hours trying to determine why the scent felt so buttery and soft.

The rich, buttery florals do not dissipate from the skin throughout the whole composition. Even with the arrival of the sandalwood, vetiver, benzoin and musk, Bois des Iles has a very distinguishable smoothness.

I do believe that Bois des Iles is a bit of an acquired taste. While I enjoyed wearing this fragrance and revelled in its amazing lasting strength, ultimately this fragrance just wasn't me. I found Bois des Iles to be a fragrance better suited to a pretty, rather conservative and tame young lady which is far from my wild self.

1 Replies

01/17/2012

SystemeD
58 Reviews

SystemeD

Greatly helpful Review 4

Swanky sandalwood

Bois des Iles is swanky! You can tell it is a Chanel right away, because of the slightly citrusy and very aldehydic opening, typically Chanel. The heart is floral, and I detect iris and jasmine most prominently, but they pass rather quickly, and Bois des Iles becomes all about the base.

Ah, the wood. A very rich sandalwood. I understand amber and vetiver and tonka bean are also there, but the sandalwood speaks to me. Vivid and delicious.