Chanel No. 5 vs Glossier You

104 facts in comparison

Based on 522 Reddit opinions. Close race—Glossier You edges ahead.

522 opinions
Glossier You leads by 2pts
Chanel No. 5
62%
C
Based on
535 Redditors

Chanel No. 5

~$169.99
226 opinions

tldr; Chanel No. 5 is an iconic, recognized fragrance, though some find its scent unpleasant or associate it with specific, sometimes somber, memories.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
Glossier You
64%
C
Based on
627 Redditors
Winner

Glossier You

~$32
296 opinions

tldr; Glossier You is a subtle "my skin but better" scent, characterized by high ambroxan, which some find barely there or polarizing, while others love its clean vibe.

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Scent ProfileLongevityProjection & SillageVersatilityUniqueness
💨SCE
⏱️LON
PRO
VER
UNI
60
Points
58
Points

Score by Category

Scent Profile
37%44%
Longevity
88%26%
Projection & Sillage
50%
Versatility
50%86%
Uniqueness
100%80%

Why is Glossier You better than Chanel No. 5?

  • Higher Reddit score (64% vs 62%)
  • Better scent profile (44% vs 37%)
  • Better value (62% vs 25%)
  • Better versatility (86% vs 50%)
  • ⭐ Described as a "my skin but better" scent
  • Contains a high amount of ambroxan, which can
  • users find the original scent "barely there"
Based on 1,162 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Glossier You

Winning by 2 points (64% vs 62%)

Better scent profile
Better value
Better versatility
High confidence (1,162 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,162 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

No. 5
6.2/10
535 mentions
Glossier You
6.4/10
627 mentions
SCENT PROFILE
No. 53.7/10
Glossier You4.4/10
VALUE
No. 52.5/10
Glossier You6.2/10
LONGEVITY
No. 58.8/10
Glossier You2.6/10
UNIQUENESS
No. 510.0/10
Glossier You8.0/10
VERSATILITY
No. 55.0/10
Glossier You8.6/10
PROJECTION
No. 5N/A
Glossier You5.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

No. 5: 2|Glossier You: 4
Scent ProfileGlossier You
No. 537%
Glossier You44%
ValueGlossier You
No. 525%
Glossier You62%
LongevityNo. 5
No. 588%
Glossier You26%
UniquenessNo. 5
No. 5100%
Glossier You80%
VersatilityGlossier You
No. 550%
Glossier You86%
ProjectionGlossier You
No. 5N/A
Glossier You50%
No. 562%
Glossier You64%
Close race - Glossier You edges ahead by 2 points

Key Specs

SpecChanel No. 5Glossier You
Fragrance Type
Floral Aldehyde
Top Notes
Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli, Bergamot, Peach
Pink Pepper
Middle Notes
Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley
Base Notes
Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Vanilla, Patchouli, Vetiver
Ambrette, Ambrox
Perfumer
Ernest Beaux (original), Jacques Polge (EDP)

Key Highlights

Chanel No. 5
⚠ Can cause instant sickness for some users.
⭐ Recognized as an iconic perfume w/ a distinct
⚠ May evoke strong, sometimes somber, personal
⭐ Described as having a vanilla scent.
Glossier YouWinner
⭐ Described as a "my skin but better" scent
⚠ Contains a high amount of ambroxan, which can
⚠ users find the original scent "barely there"
⭐ Often compared to other popular skin scents
⭐ Considered non-intrusive, suitable for

Topic Battles

No. 5: 2|Tied: 0|Glossier You: 3
💨Scent Profile
Glossier You wins
No. 5
37%
Glossier You
44%
⏱️Longevity
No. 5 wins
No. 5
88%
Glossier You
26%
Projection & Sillage
Glossier You wins
No. 5
Glossier You
50%
Versatility
Glossier You wins
No. 5
50%
Glossier You
86%
Uniqueness
No. 5 wins
No. 5
100%
Glossier You
80%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Glossier You

Best Praise
+235 pts
I was in an Uber recently and my driver started going on about his good I smelled. It was Glossier You 🤣
r/fragrance
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Top Criticism
+36 pts
I have a similar experience with Glossier You. I wore it while I was working 3 jobs. I love the scent on me, but it immediately makes me think of being in my car between shifts and feeling stressed and tired. It's funny, because at the time I think I found a lot of joy in the scent and felt it was calming. But now that I'm out of that time of my life, I can never wear it again. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I'll never not be amazed at how strongly scent is linked to memory!
r/fragrance
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Chanel No. 5

Best Praise
+29 pts
Chanel No.5 the timeless floral aldehyde that changed perfumery forever.
r/fragrance
View
Top Criticism
+86 pts
I blind bought Chanel No 5 and immediately gave it to my friend. Expensive mistake.
r/fragrance
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Chanel No. 5
Glossier You
$50$100$150$200Jun '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26May '26Low: $147.78Low: $32Current: $169.46Current: $32
Chanel No. 5
All-time low: $97.88(2020-10)
Glossier You
All-time low: $32(2026-02)
$1 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Glossier You Wins
64%
You
vs
62%
5

Close race, but Glossier You edges ahead by 2 points based on 1,162 Reddit opinions.

Why Glossier YouWinner
  • Better Value for Money (62% vs 25%)
Why No. 5
  • ⚠ Can cause instant sickness for some users.
  • ⭐ Recognized as an iconic perfume w/ a distinct

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

30%Positive
Positive
30%
Neutral
52%
Negative
18%
Based on 627 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

25%Positive
Positive
25%
Neutral
58%
Negative
17%
Based on 535 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Glossier You or Chanel No. 5?
Based on 1,162 Reddit comments, Glossier You has a slight edge with 64% positive sentiment vs Chanel No. 5's 62%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Glossier You or Chanel No. 5?
Both have similar approval ratings (64% vs 62%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Glossier You?
Reddit users highlight: Described as a "my skin but better" scent. Contains a high amount of ambroxan, which can. users find the original scent "barely there". With 627 mentions and 64% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Chanel No. 5?
Reddit users highlight: Can cause instant sickness for some users.. Recognized as an iconic perfume w/ a distinct. May evoke strong, sometimes somber, personal. With 535 mentions and 62% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,162 Reddit comments: 627 about Glossier You and 535 about Chanel No. 5. Data was sourced from Perfumes & colognes community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

522 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/7/2026