I was expecting more....

Great lavender opening but dries down to a sweet powder. Actually i feel disappointed with Gris Clair... i did expect more from a Lutens. It's more suitable for a woman in my opinion.

Lavender-Iris Ambergris

Lavender and I are not the closest of friends when it comes to perfume. For some reason the note often strikes me as harsh and sharp. My favorite lavender scents have been smoothed out, but even the best of the best I consider for the most part to be aromatherapeutic inducements to sleep. I also bathe HRH Emperor Oliver in lavender bubbles because it seems to calm his nerves.

Given my attitude toward lavender, it might seem that I would not take very well to Serge Lutens GRIS CLAIR, which opens with a pretty powerful blast of an ink-like dark purple lavender. It's strong enough to evoke vague memories of the essential oil concoction offerings from the house of Lush. Fortunately this composition is not intense and caustic as are some of those--I don't feel my nasal passages burning!

A rich iris note comes forth with more force as the perfume dries down, but the lavender in GRIS CLAIR really covers everything up in the opening, and remains dominant throughout the duration of a wear.

After the somewhat strong, almost lavender-oil opening, GRIS CLAIR swiftly settles down to a smooth ambergris lavender layer. I thought initially that the base was musk, but apparently it is ambergris. In any case, the texture coheres with my concept of ambergris: similar to a supple metal mesh.

While wearing this creation earlier today, I thought of Gandini LAVANDA ED AMBRA ORO, so I decided to compare them side-by-side. Despite the vast differences in the other notes listed in the official hierarchies of these two creations, the lavender and the amber are dominant in both. Where GRIS CLAIR features "old wood", LAVANDA ED AMBRA ORO features patchouli. They are closely enough related compositions that anyone who likes GRIS CLAIR would probably like LAVANDA ED AMBRA ORO, and vice versa.

GRIS CLAIR is better, I believe. There is something appealing about this rich layer of ambergris and lavender embellished with iris, and I understand why so many people love this composition. For me, the inky lavender is a bit too strong, but GRIS CLAIR is nonetheless more appealing to me than some of the other perfumes from this house. It's definitely one of the best lavender perfumes I come across in recent times.

Oh No, Powdery Lavender And Iris -- Near Scrubber...

I'll go somewhat against the grain in saying that the clean lavender opening of Gris Clair is the best part of the scent, IMO. It is a refreshing menthol mixed with a nice natural lavender that led me to think for a moment that Gris Clair was a rare exception to my "no lavender scents" rule. Unfortunately the top notes disappear in seconds, and then a powdery iris note (another note I can't stand) appears in full force and mixes with the lavender making the scent near "scrubber" material for me. The iris continues to build even further as the scent develops, making it more and more powdery and less to my taste. Finally, amber adds a touch of sweetness to the iris/lavender combo to finish off the disappointing development. Sillage is average, and longevity is well above average.

This one started off with a lot of promise with its uncommonly appealing lavender rendition, but in the end the iris ruined it for me and made it a mild thumbs down overall. I could see iris fans enjoying this scent plenty though, so please do try it if iris and lavender are notes you enjoy. In my case they are two of my least favorite notes, so the odds of me liking Gris Clair were low to begin with. Oh well. 2 stars out of 5.

Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

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.