I do not favor adjectives as perfume names in general, and use of color names feels even less inspiring, though I like, own and wear Amouage Gold, Puredistance White and Bvlgary Black, to name a few. I might have considered perfumes with some of the names Vanessa (Bonkers About Perfume) came up with while discussing a related topic, but as a rule when I see those “Happy,” “Guilty” or especially “Young Sexy Lovely” (don’t start me on punctuation!), I wince.
I read people complaining about Chanel’s choice of the name Beige for that perfume many times (those weren’t objections to the part of the speech, though). And I could never understand it: maybe it’s a “language thing” but in my mother tongue (and culture, which doesn’t exist any longer, so it’s just a recollection) this word and color had a positive connotation. Somehow, it was more noble and superior than, for example, “pedestrian” brown. Also, it might be that in two different countries the color named as such was slightly different. “Beige” I think of is probably darker than the one those who find it too plain imagine. By the way, according to Chanel’s booklet I have, “[Mlle Chanel] loved all shades of this color, which evokes natural elegance and grace.”
So, when I was trying Beige for the first time, I had no preconception about that perfume: my positive feelings towards the color must have neutralized the negative attitude to the adjective use. I immediately liked Beige and bought it.
I’m not sure if my cropping skills have fooled anyone, but just in case I want to clarify that what I bought was just a 4 ml mini (Chanel makes them extremely appealing). While being cute, those minis are not the best format for EdT concentration. For the most of Chanel Les Exclusifs, those splash bottles are nice for a discreet re-application on the go but not for wearing. I should have probably bought a bottle of EdT while I could. Instead, I participated in a split and got a 10 ml decant. I still have some perfume left in both. Once it’s gone, I’ll see what I think of the new EdP formulation.
Years ago, I published “Perfume Purrfect?”, in which I introduced my cat for the first time on this blog. Among other cat-and-perfume-related bits, I shared that Beige was one of Rusty’s favorite perfumes.
In conclusion I wrote:
While I was writing this post, I came across an article in a Beauty on the outside blog about the same phenomenon. After reading comments there, I realized how lucky I am: my cat at least doesn’t steal my clothes. Well, not yet – as far as I know.
Many years forward… Rusty does not steal clothes per se, but if any article is left where he can get to it, he’ll surely spend some quality time sitting or even sleeping on it. Knowing about it, I recently “donated” to him my old beige cashmere sweater. When he sleeps on it, I wrap it around him. He seems to enjoy it.
I presume most of you have tried Beige and do not need any reviews, but I want to share with you what one of the commenters (Petunia) recently wrote on the NTS’s SOTD thread:
We started off the day overcast and gray. We had minor snow storm,
just a few inches. I put on Beige earlier because it feels like liquid sunshine.
And I agree with her and hope she doesn’t mind my citing it here and in the title: Beige brings up that feeling for me to.
Images: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
Now, where is my Beige? I know I had a little bottle somewhere, and I need some liquid sunshine after all the rain we have had here! It’s an odd name, as the juice doesn’t smell “beige”, but I think you have hit on the reason it’s named thus – CC’s love of the colour!
My cat Casper adored my dressing-gown – it was purple velvet and he took every opportunity to steal it and would drag it around the house (it must have been hard work for a little cat). It got pulled up and down the stairs at least twice a day, and when I went out I would hear him howling and pulling it out of the bedroom before I even got through the front door ….
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What a great story about Casper! It made me smile. Cats are like that. I can almost see that picture :)
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Loved this post! And the image of liquid sunsine! And the sight of Rusty slumbering in your cardigan. Cats do absolutely love sitting on stuff. I am also a fan of Beige the perfume, although it is at the sweeter end of what I like in a scent. I wrote about it on Bonkers (27/8/10 if that was before we ‘met’ and you are curious), in an attempt to fathom this antipathy we Brits have against beige, and how ‘ecru’, say, has had a much better press. I have a small decant left if you run out!
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Ha! In my native language There is one word for both beige and ecru colors :)
I will search for your post, but in future, please, just post a link (if you check, I suggest my commenters do exactly that in the prompt next to the comment box ;)
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Here you go!
https://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.com/2010/08/eclipsed-by-ecru-scent-strategies-to.html
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Any perfume that makes you think of liquid sunshine is well worth owning.
Fingers crossed the edp version is as good as the edt.
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We’ll see. I don’t want even to try the new formulation before it’s time to decide on the next purchase: who knows how many times they’ll change it until then ;)
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I love the photos of Rusty with “his” Beige! I haven’t tried it; will have to make a rare visit some time to a boutique. Liquid sunshine sounds irresistible!
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It is not an earth shattering perfume, and I don’t know if I even would like the current EdP, but perfume that I’m wearing now is a very classy Chanel worth trying (for free!), even if you end up not liking it.
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Rusty is so beautiful! I’m not really a Chanel person and Beige is not my thing, but I have a friend who wore it as a signature scent for a while. I believe she stopped because she didn’t like the reformulation.
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Bad news on the reformulation. Well, another couple of years and I’ll check it out :)
I’m surprised you’re not a Chanel fan: we have many favorites in common, and I like many Chanel perfumes. Well, tastes differ.
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It’s not that i don’t own any Chanel – I have 31 Rue Cambon, Coromandel, Misia, Coco and Coco Noir – it’s just that I rarely reach for them and it doesn’t feel like « my house ».
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I love the honey note in Beige. It’s a beauty for sure and it is light and sunshiny. I like the Beige pure parfum the best on my skin.
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I haven’t tried extrait. I’m not sure I even knew Beige was available in that concentration.
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Beige is definitely not my color as I have, what we call it in Poland, a winter type of skin complexion. Meaning that dark or cold colors make me look better in terms of clothing.
As for Chanel Beige I don’t have any specific memories of liking or disliking it. I have 1 sample of EdT that I got years ago so perhaps after your post I should revisit it. I don’t think it’s going to dethronize Boy though ;)
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Since EdT isn’t available any longer, it would be quite an academic experiment, if you find the sample. Now I think that I need to re-visit Boy since I have almost no recollection of it. I should have a sample somewhere. I think :)
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Yeah, I only have EdT samples of Les Exclusifs so I have no idea how much new EdPs differ. Only heard the comments that most of them got worse
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Beige was beige and I do not recall my impression of it. “Liquid sunshine” is worth investigating. I may actually have an edt manufacturer’s sample hanging out and can easily try out the EDP. And Rusty looks good in beige 🤣
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Rusty looks good in any color, even the first thing in the morning :)
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You’ve reminded me that I really liked this years ago when I tried it. Is it not available now? I can’t keep up!
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Chanel has discontinued all EdTs in their Exclusiffs collection and re-issued them as EdPs.
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I’ve always loved the name of this scent because the juice is anything but beige. A lovely read, Undina.
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Thank you, Richard.
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