Lumiere Blanche by Grès

Exquisite perfume. A blind buy that I’m delighted with, and I’ve purchased another bottle just in case. I put it on and it makes me feel beautiful. It has moderate longevity and sillage. It’s refined, discreet, and comes across as very original compared to the gourmands that are all the rage.

Finally found a tester here. I was torn between a white floral with a powdery, fresh vibe like Kenzo Amour Florale, or a sweet, creamy, perhaps indolic scent in the old style. I lean towards the latter. The opening is sweet jasmine on a classic, creamy, rounded base. Then it shifts to a medium-sweet freshness, not typical for white florals. It reminded me hugely of Natura’s Intuition from 1998. What a great surprise! The dry-down is very similar, as if there is a touch of green petigrain among the creamy flowers. Sometimes it is more powdery, sometimes more fresh-green. It is hard to describe; you never know what to expect. Perhaps for our times it feels a bit formal, but the green base keeps it more everyday. I won’t buy it as I already own the Intuition, but I am glad I tested it on card. I will try it on skin and if it changes significantly, I will add more details.

It seems absolutely exquisite! The neroli and orange blossom are very prominent at first, then on my skin it turns directly into musk. The longevity is about two or three hours, without much sillage, but I love it even though I have to reapply. It smells floral yet different from many others. Value for money: it’s worth having in your collection.

It’s a very sober scent, a safe choice for looking elegant without drawing too much attention. On my skin, it feels more citrusy than white floral. I can’t smell it after a few hours, but when people walk into my office they always compliment it, even hours after I’ve stopped wearing it (which slightly annoys me and I doubt I’ll repurchase). I’ve been told it reminds them of a Dolce & Gabbana fragrance.

Gres is a specialist in making horrible perfumes wrapped in beautiful bottles. Once again, I’ve been bitten by this brand because the good price is a hook that catches the eye. The elegant, coquettish bottle and the name Lumiere Blanche do not presage the dreadful fragrance inside. It gives me a whiff of a fifty-something woman in a fur coat. It’s an outdated fragrance that smells musty, save for a slight herbal aroma at the start. The same thing has happened to me with other scents from the brand, such as Cabotine or Cabochard. Furthermore, like the previous ones, it lasts a long time and has good projection. I certainly won’t be buying again.

White flowers and orange blossom. Lasts a long time for under €10. The Gres house has not disappointed me.

A beautiful fragrance; you can detect creamy, sweet orange blossom alongside neroli, giving the impression of amber, though I’m not sure if that sweetness comes from the peach. It’s a unique scent on the market for lovers of white flowers—very refined, feminine, and romantic, versatile across ages, and seems far more expensive than it is. My only criticism is that it doesn’t last long; with my dry skin due to the climate, it seems to perform better in the heat. I tried it in winter and the neroli and peach were more noticeable, but applying heat makes the orange blossom explode. Edit: I tried it in summer and the humidity changes it completely, turning it into a slightly powdery vintage scent with a prominent musk where the peach dominates; orange blossom and neroli linger in the base. It no longer feels as versatile and would suit a middle-aged woman more.