Lumiere Rose by Grès

If you like distinctive perfumes, this is a good option. It is super-spiced and sweet, with the pink pepper and licorice being very noticeable. I bought it blind and loved it, but I recommend trying it first as it is not for everyone.

But who on earth thinks this is a perfume? It always happens with Grès. So far, none of their fragrances have appealed to me. The bottles, however, are works of art. This scent smells of plastic and doesn’t make me feel well. I dislike it entirely and won’t be repurchasing.

It’s feminine and elegant. It has spices and white flowers that give it a creamy touch. I’ve worn it in the heat and it lasts quite a while; it starts sweet and then evolves as I mentioned in the second paragraph. I would buy it again because it’s pleasant and good value.

I found it by chance at Burlington and loved the bottle. I read the notes and liked it even more, but there was no price tag, so I went to the counter ready to buy it at any price and… absolute surprise, I took it home for just $14.99. Once home, I tested it on my skin; it’s a wonder. It lasts about 7 hours on me, and I can smell it all the time. I highly recommend it.

Lumière Rose is the first piece of the Les Conceptuels line by Grès, inspired by the daily facets of Paris, embodying the mechanics of dawn. On the brand’s website, they describe: ‘The sun rises over the Grès Workshop, bathing it in soft pink glows. It illustrates the dawn of the day in Paris, a moment of intense aesthetic emotion.’ The notes are: top of pink pepper, bitter orange blossom, and pear; heart of rose, violet, and peach; base of licorice, sandalwood, and musk. On the first spray, one perceives a thick, ‘syrupy’ emanation of rose and licorice, like a cough syrup (think of the fruitiness of the nineties). Almost immediately, that syrup gives way to delicate, spicy pink pepper, diluted in pear (I warn that this is one of the few that doesn’t corrupt its pear note, which tends to become ‘plasticised’). Then, the fresh, juicy fruits are interpreted by sighs of peach with bergamot (violet also emerges, vaguely powdery, as highlighted in previous reviews). As the heart dries, licorice returns to dominate with hints of rose and a soft, woody resin, at which point it bears an impressive resemblance to Lolita Lempicka’s Le Premier Parfum (the difference is that the latter uses ivy instead of rose, and it is much more potent and long-lasting). Lumière Rose has somewhat withdrawn intentions and almost fails. In trying to honour elegance, luxury, and love, it falls short by remaining in an embarrassing blush of tenderness and reproachable opulence. It suffers from a lack of passion and intensity, with limited power and medium longevity. It is a pleasant fragrance with enormous conceptual potential that was hamstrung by its own sentimental limits; it would steal the show from few. It is agreeable, comfortable, and nothing challenging, but something better could have been achieved.

A highly seductive perfume, a very fine scent. To me, it also smells of delicate violets, not dense ones. This component does not appear in its composition. Markedly feminine and sensual, it is a complete success.

I tried Lumière Rose today and find it very feminine, delicate and sensual, with a classic rose touch reminiscent of old colognes but updated with oriental and sweet blends. It brings to mind Estée Lauder’s Pleasures Delight, Lancôme’s Tresor and the discontinued Miss Dior Cherie. As I usually seek out less popular perfumes to avoid smelling like everyone else, I loved its originality, and my husband enjoyed it greatly too. It is romantic, but its longevity is very light. Nevertheless, I give Lumière Rose by Grès 10 points.