Chanel: Le Baudruchage

Bonsoir, mes amies!
I was fortunate enough to be invited to Chanel's Le Baudruchage event, and I brought Cheryl along with me.

The baudruchage technique is reserved for Chanel No. 5 parfums, where the bottles are sealed by hand.
It consists of placing a fine membrane of natural origin, called baudruche, over the neck of a bottle and holding it in place with two rows of black or white pearl-cotton thread. This creates an airtight seal for the bottle.
The technique was first used in the 17th century for pharmaceutical purposes.
The bottle is finally sealed twice with molten wax, making it tamper-proof.
Training takes 6 months, and a seasoned baudrucheuse can seal 100 bottles an hour.

Madame Sylvie Gavet is one of the only 8 baudrucheuses at Chanel, and has graciously demonstrated her craft.
And I got a chance to seal a bottle ;)






Cheryl took this photo ;)






Of all the fragrances from Les Exclusifs de Chanel, my absolute favourite is Gardénia.

The baudruchage demonstration was definitely an eye-opener.
We were taken on journey to discover the four versions of Chanel No. 5 (parfum, eau de toilette, eau de parfum and eau premiere), which takes appreciation for fragrances to a whole new level.

Now I can't wait to get a bottle of Chance Eau Tendre (because Gardénia is out of my budget... for now)
Did you know that Chance's composition actually causes the fragrance to change scents a few times a day?

Here's a video on baudruchage: