Help! Chanel 1957 is my comfort scent! That's too much!

I own a small bottle of Sycomore. For some reason, it reached out to me with its earthy, smoky, grassy tendrils and drew me in. When I got it, I also got two samples of 1957, which intrigued me at the time but I wasn't so sure it was for me. 

Well, crap. It was for me. Now, during days when I know some big moment is approaching and I'm nervous as all getout, that's what I wear as these little vials run thin. It's comforting to me - cozy with all the bright white linen-esque but also somehow creamy white musk, abstract enough to not scream one flower or another but still somehow floral, just a little bit of wood at the end of it. Like staring at the most beautiful brutalist building in just the right sunlight. You know, *before* the water damage happens, lol. 

I cannot get another fragrance at that price, nor use something that expensive as generously as I'd want to use a comfort scent. Chanel loves to ensure that samples aren't available to just purchase outside of like one or two wildly overpriced sites. What else is out there that could fit that musk / abstract white floral / wood / modernism-and-concrete profile but without having to donate a kidney to get it? Something that isn't overly traditionally-feminine (a lot of ylang-ylang, tuberose to the max, abundant sweetness). Something more in the unisex/I'd almost say "neutral" in a complimentary way/vein. 

Things I know about: JHAG NaP/Superdose (eh not quite), MM Lazy Sunday Morning (the sweet stuff isn't for me), the mostly-iris stuff (I love Infusion d'Iris, I miss Infusion d'Homme, but this isn't quite it), Molecule 01 (sadly I'm hypersensitive to it).

Chanel does make it difficult. More so with the Les Exclusifs. BTW, my SOTD is Sycomore (2016) Eau de Parfum . For a while I was able to order the Les Exclusifs from Harrods and, with shipping, still save money compared to ordering from Chanel in the US. That doesn't appear to be the case now. If you're willing to trust it, there are people selling samples of 1957 on ebay.

Hopefully someone more familiar with Chanel or the specific flavor profile you're looking for will find this thread soon. But in the meantime, may I interest you in some... tangentially related suggestions to try out?

L'Eau Serge Lutens may interest you if you're looking for something bedsheets forward. Clean. Cozy, fluffy, musky. Floral, but subdued. The "bright white linen-esque" you described made me immediately think of this one.

Le perce-vent is just musk and clary sage, but dialed up to 11. A thick powdery fog infused with a herbal florality. It isn't as abstract, but the florals here are neither very sweet nor traditionally feminine, so if you enjoy L'Eau Serge Lutens, but feel that it's not avantgarde and unsettling enough for you – feel free to try this one ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ )

Now, on the concrete side of things... Sorry to go for the low hanging fruit, but have you tried:

Concrete? Unfortunately, it lacks the abstraction on the floral side of things, if that's important to you – it has rose and jasmine listed, but I mostly feel the rose. It's prominent, it's vibrant, and it's surrounded by musky concrete. I don't know how exactly CdG managed to do it, but it really does smell like a memory of concrete. It's pretty fun!

Amazingreen? This one goes in a different direction. It has no floral side. But it's super green, just a little woody, has a peculiar musky backdrop and is my immediate first thought when it comes to "most beautiful brutalist buildings". Though it's more on a *after* the water damage happens side of things.

Thanks so much to both of you for the advice! 

Hmmm… what if I dialed it back and just said “good old plain white musk?” Just clean and soft. Are there some options out there for something that simple? Even oils may help.

Hi!

so you seem to enjoy a soothing combination of musk+ Iris.

The most beautiful I know you can find in Iris des Champs Eau de Parfum , but maybe you will consider it to be too feminine.

Also, Pontevecchio W Eau de Parfum . This one I can see being worn by a man. Beautiful, nostalgic musky Iris, but you have to also like coriander. There îs actually a male version of this, but it's much fresher, not that musky, with lots of geranium.

For a "good old plain white musk", I never thought till recently that I will ever own a "white" perfume, not to mention a middle eastern one. And then I met "Musk pour Narcis | Khadlaj / خدلج" and I was smitten. Smells like fresh snow with just a bit of gentle sweetness, like the cheek of a child who stuffed his mouth with candies and îs happily playing in the snow.

Not a clone or something, I have never smelled anything like that.

Maybe you could try Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum Very clean/soft, almost 'fluffy' scent, comforting and calming, modest (but noticable, people love the subtle wafts they smell when I wear it) it gives me the feel of wearing terrycloth

Edit: Oh and if you miss Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette, you could try Prada's latest release of Infusion de Cèdre. Prada claims this is the same as Infusion d'Iris Cèdre and that the latter is now named 'Infusion de Cèdre' - so without Iris mentioned in the name or as a note- (and only available - in the Netherlands at least - as such in their newest bottles). I think their claim that it is like Infusion d'Iris Cèdre, is not trustworthy because of the lack of Iris.

Ooh! These all sound good!

@Systemshaak definitely Musk Therapy Extrait de Parfum !

What?? This Little Guy of a post has been visited by the famous Gourmandgrl?? Whoa! Thank you!

Now that’s one I can very easily sample or decant too. Thanks so much!

@Systemshaak always happy to help, but definitely not famous haha!! 😂 And yes, totally easy to get a sample of - or not sure if you have a Neiman Marcus near you, but they have tester bottles of the Initio brand to try for free there too. Hope you enjoy, keep us posted if you find anything you like in your hunt!

P.S. Not sure if juniper berry is off limits (read your profile to see what notes you like/dislike and saw "berries" as a no), but Gentle Fluidity (Silver) might also be up your alley. The notes are misleading - it's a clean white musk-forward blend to me, juniper that brings a slightly "chilled"/metallic effect, and subtle woods that become greener in dry-down (I personally don't get the vanilla listed, or anything gourmand/sweet)!

Thanks! Yeah, surprisingly enough, juniper is a main component of one of my favorites, Much Ado About The Duke. I guess I’m just not much into, like, your average strawberry / raspberry thing. Something bit me when I was trying out Fine’ry at Target or something…. don’t quite remember why I went that way.

@Systemshaak I hear you, the entire Fine'ry line at Target definitely bites me too - so you're not alone! And not surprising about juniper since it's much more green/"cooling" than a traditional berry; it's a great note. Best of luck sampling, hope you find a new favorite! 

A bit of Musk Therapy is on the way. 

In very silly related news, Bath and Body Works just got a Book Loft mist out there and yes, of course, of course I just rolled up and grabbed that. I've been wanting to smell like Book Loft since I lit that candle.

@Systemshaak not silly at all, loved the smell of the Book Loft candle too and have seen the mist is being compared so far to L'Eau Papier Eau de Toilette and Paper- - BBW has some impressive blends! How does it smell?

Hooray for ordering Musk Therapy Extrait de Parfum , please keep us posted on what you think!

So Book Loft is exactly the room spray, but on skin, which is what I wanted!

@Systemshaak glad to hear it's the same - sometimes the bodycare line is tweaked a little from the homecare line of the same scent, hate when they do that haha. Can't wait to get my nose on it too!

Have you tried N°5 L'Eau Eau de Toilette ? It’s very similar to 1957. Sparkling, clean musk with that signature aldehydic Chanel DNA. I’d layer it with some woody fixatives with Iso E Super to add more depth: Iso Gamma Super or something similar could work too.

Yep! A little more on the citrus side to me, but I like it. I was close to getting it.

Huh! Okay, so Musk Therapy is predictably a different thing because the top’s fruity, it comes off more warm and fuzzy than 1957’s modernist, sharp comfort (I know, it’s weird!)

But I’m digging it. It’s like “Creamsicle luxury detergent, complimentary.” There’s just a little tiny something that pushes it in a mature direction - a bit more berry and less (floral?) and it would be This Could Be A Kid’s Shampoo, but it totally isn’t. Maybe that’s the magnolia note or the jasmine-ish hedione? Not sure. It’s neat.

… you know, it’s almost like I’ve found a substitute for Infusion d’Homme instead, which is great news!

@Systemshaak not weird at all, the differences you're describing make total sense!

I'm not really sure what would be a closer match to the 1957 "modernist, sharp comfort" vibe - since that does seem to be more of a "classic/vintage" profile.

But I'm so glad you're enjoying Musk Therapy Extrait de Parfum still, even if different (and I agree, the magnolia is the magic for me in this one) - thanks for sharing your experience, fun to hear how it went for you!!

It is indeed the magnolia! Lol, I cross-checked it with a row full of Home Goods candles today and sure enough, those magnolia candles had the same note:

Too bad you're not in Europe because i would be glad to give you the samplers of 1957 I own as i don't like it.

Ahh, dang! Too bad I’m not in Europe any day of the week, honestly. 

Wild how the top notes alone can shift a fragrance from 'minimalist concrete' to 'luxury detergent' in seconds.