Skip to main content

Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

Lavender, Amber, Tonka Bean, Iris, Wood, Incense.

It's always amusing reading reviews of The Serge's creations. His appeal is apparently enough to warrant a prodigious output, yet the opinions cover the entire spectrum.

Why should Gris Clair be any different? The "house feel" is evident in the opening and I get this somewhat weird chewing gum-lavender shaving cream vibe. It is extremely short lived and quickly transitions to a more conventional lavender. There's also a grainy quality assimilated with the dominant lavender note. This could be attributed to some resin and woodiness, but with The Serge, who's to say for certain? One thing is for sure and that is that Gris Clair isn't your run of the mill lavender frag.

The next transition exposes Gris Clair as the lavender woody it really is. A smokiness gradually becomes more pronounced and reveals a charring that isn't from a recent event. It's akin to something burned in the past and you are smelling the remnants.

There's a lack of warmth in Gris Clair. I feel as though I'm inside a stone cavern that's dry, stark and littered with campfire debris from years ago. Lavender is strewn about and these aromas are all mingling with the body talc I happen to be wearing. Strange but good and definitely in keeping with the Lutens mystique.

The drydown of Gris Clair is where the money is. The presence has lowered enough to state that it is now a close fragrance. The dissipating lavender, resins, smoky woods and subtle powder make for some eclectic bedfellows. I have to say I like it since I seem to be constantly sniffing during each wearing.

Sillage is good at the start and then morphs into a personal space scent. The longevity however is quite good even though the volume is low. Gris Clair leans more masculine than shared on me, but not so much that women would be disinterested. Thumbs up for Gris Clair and The Serge's Lavender Woody.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

DK Men by Donna Karan

Citrus, Juniper, Pineapple. Ambergris, Almond. Sandalwood, Lavender, Musk. I felt compelled to revisit DK Men ( Fuel for Men ) after perusing through some older samples and then reading my previous review from 2009. Wearing DK Men again has caused me to revise my original post. I liked it three years ago and have a new found appreciation for this extremely smooth fragrance. My perception of it has changed slightly, but my opinion is still extremely favorable. This time around, I get less of a petrol vibe and much more of a fruit and suede theme. The pineapple note is integrated so well that I am surprised I couldn't previously esteem its deft implementation like I can now. The magic of DK Men is in the blending of chosen notes. The citric opening is very good indeed in spite of its quick dissipation. The pineapple and amber quickly pick up the slack. They are rich, full bodied and manage to keep a respectable presence while offending no one. The volume is intelligent. ...

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...