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Does Gris Clair smell weird on anyone else?

post #1 of 44
12/16/10 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
I received a sample of Gris Clair by Serge Lutens from a fellow Basenoter, and as soon as I spray it on my skin, all the pleasant notes are blocked out by an unpleasant charred/burnt fat smell of some sort. This lasts for up to an hour, maybe even more. Does this happen with anyone else?
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post #2 of 44
12/16/10 at 10:12am
I haven't really tried many Serge Lutens frags, but Gris Clair is probably the best one I've sampled so far. I'd say the other ones I've tried are, if anything, more "weird". I'd say Gris Clair is almost as easy to wear as some designer scents, although it is still different enough to warrant a niche label. It;s a bit warm because of the incense,but not as warm as other incense scents I've tried. I'd say overall, it's maybe worthy of my top 10 alltime favorite niche frags.
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post #3 of 44
12/16/10 at 10:16am
Smells fantastic to me. But than again, I like weird.
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post #4 of 44
12/16/10 at 10:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Smells fantastic to me. But than again, I like weird.

Well, I mean the "bad" kind of weird.....
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post #5 of 44
12/16/10 at 11:07am
It is a bit smoky but I don't feel it smells weird in a bad way.
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post #6 of 44
12/16/10 at 11:17am
You mean a loud, high pitched, rubbing alcohol smell?
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post #7 of 44
12/16/10 at 11:20am
All of Serge Lutens' colognes smell weird lol, but that's me.
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post #8 of 44
12/16/10 at 12:07pm
I can't even imagine ever trying it again. From a (new) sample tried at least 5 times - to my nose it's terrible.
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post #9 of 44
12/16/10 at 12:43pm
Thread Starter 
It's like a Cinnabon, a dessert - that's the pleasant part, but on top of that is some strange "rubbery" smell, kind of like rubber, or a bowl of cereal that's been left out all day....sweaty socks, moldy bread.

I don't even know how to explain it, someone would have to smell me
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post #10 of 44
12/16/10 at 1:19pm
I like the idea of a smokey incense plus lavender frag... I'm not quite sure this is the one I'll end up getting though but it was interesting. There is something in the opening I find a little 'off' but I will say this, give it some time to settle down. I found that 5-6 hours later it was a much different scent. warmer, richer, sweeter and that smokey rubbery opening was long gone.
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post #11 of 44
12/16/10 at 1:35pm
I agree! I have always preferred Serge Lutens Encens et Lavande over Gris Clair as a lavender fragrance. However, so many people on Basenotes seem to love Gris Clair that I have decided that it is simply one of those fragrances I don't get. It smells very harsh on me and I agree with you - it's a little weird or harsh for my taste.
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post #12 of 44
12/16/10 at 1:58pm
Yes. Gris Clair is harsh, ashy lavender, not specially unpleasant, but nothing special in my opinion.
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post #13 of 44
12/16/10 at 2:47pm
It smells like a damp cotton shirt burned with an iron. I don't dig gris clair. Encens et Lavende is a much better lavender.
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post #14 of 44
12/16/10 at 3:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

It smells like a damp cotton shirt burned with an iron.

This.
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post #15 of 44
12/16/10 at 3:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

It smells like a damp cotton shirt burned with an iron.

This.
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post #16 of 44
12/16/10 at 5:28pm
I find a hard edge to Gris Clair up close but nevertheless, when applied lightly, it sings - a sparkling, uplifting lavender that works perfectly in tropical heat (30c + serious humidity) where others, Caron, Guerlains etc. would be unthinkable. In that sense if you see lavender as a tonic, then GC is an extreme scent for extreme conditions
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post #17 of 44
12/16/10 at 11:56pm
For some reason Gris Clair smells better on me dabbed than sprayed...
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post #18 of 44
12/17/10 at 12:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

I don't dig gris clair. Encens et Lavende is a much better lavender.

My sentiments exactly!
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post #19 of 44
12/17/10 at 3:10am
Encens et lavande is my all time favorite lavanda scent (and a wonderful incens too). I only get compliments when i wear it :-)
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post #20 of 44
12/17/10 at 5:00am
Good God! GC wears like a divine melody on me.
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post #21 of 44
12/17/10 at 6:01am
Gris Clair is the only fragrance I have sampled that initially smelled like onions to my nose. I do need to experiment more with it, though.
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post #22 of 44
12/17/10 at 12:04pm
This one smelled very weird on me, in a chemically sort of way.....I had to keep it separated from all my other samples as it was all I could smell when I opened the box. I eventually kept it outside on the balcony in a glad bag, in a box. It scared me. I think it's still there. Waiting.
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post #23 of 44
12/17/10 at 12:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by morrison74 View Post

This one was smelled very weird on me, in a chemically sort of way.....I had to keep it separated from all my other samples as it was all I could smell when I opened the box. I eventually kept it outside on the balcony in a glad bag, in a box. It scared me. I think it's still there. Waiting.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Wear Vetiver Oriental while you're sleeping tonight for protection!
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post #24 of 44
2/13/11 at 9:13am
It's classy, dark, spicy. I like to wear strange and weird fragrances. 19/20
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post #25 of 44
2/13/11 at 8:09pm
Oh you are not the only one Grottola, I had the same reaction as you when I smelled it years ago and then later grew to love it.

We discussed it in this thread from '07: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/201...tf-!?p=1238974
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post #26 of 44
2/13/11 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Oh you are not the only one Grottola, I had the same reaction as you when I smelled it years ago and then later grew to love it.

We discussed it in this thread from '07: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/201...tf-!?p=1238974

Thanx, Mike! Now that I think of it, it could possibly the camphor note. But yes, a medicinal/burnt smell. I guess I'll have to visit this one later on down the road.
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post #27 of 44
2/14/11 at 12:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by morrison74 View Post

This one smelled very weird on me, in a chemically sort of way.....I had to keep it separated from all my other samples as it was all I could smell when I opened the box. I eventually kept it outside on the balcony in a glad bag, in a box. It scared me. I think it's still there. Waiting.

I did this with my Muscs Kublai Kahn sample, mine went in the garage.
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post #28 of 44
2/14/11 at 4:56am
I love Gris Clair, but it can be a bit strident and it certainly has atomic lasting power.
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post #29 of 44
2/14/11 at 7:07am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

It smells like a damp cotton shirt burned with an iron. I don't dig gris clair.

I've try many times to test Gris Clair but I can't really love it. The smokey lavender at the top note is awesome but when the fragrance dries down it smells exactly as you describe on my skin. Very unpleasant!
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post #30 of 44
2/14/11 at 7:28am
There is indeed a burnt ash note, but not burnt fat. At least not of the horrendous diathermy variety...

I'm out of Gris Clair sample so I can't do the comparison, but can anyone verify if this 'ash note' similar to the one in Serge Noire?
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post #31 of 44
2/14/11 at 8:09am
Where did people get that lavender would smell like ash? Anyway an eye-opener for me. Could that explain the distasteful topnote that I get in the highly aromatic Guerlain Héritage? But then again where is the ash in Mouchoir de Monsieur, another lavender bomb?
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post #32 of 44
2/14/11 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

I'm out of Gris Clair sample so I can't do the comparison, but can anyone verify if this 'ash note' similar to the one in Serge Noire?

No not alike. The one is Gris Clair is more of a hissy, metallic/steam note. The one in Serge Noire smells more like flint, sort of like the John Galliano room spray by Diptyque.
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post #33 of 44
1/12/12 at 2:34am
very very wintery fragrance, unwearable in warm climate. I like it, albeit perhaps it is a bit too strong, lasting and boozy for a female skin...
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post #34 of 44
1/12/12 at 3:10am
Yes I get a bit of a burning metal smell initially, like a cheap frypan left on a camp fire for too long, once it settles down I like it though.
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post #35 of 44
1/12/12 at 7:13am
I would not say wierd, but not my favorite lavender scent
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post #36 of 44
1/12/12 at 7:17am
On me it smelled thin, sour and cheap.
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post #37 of 44
1/12/12 at 8:13am
Smells delightful to me.
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post #38 of 44
1/12/12 at 10:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

Smells delightful to me.

To me too.
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post #39 of 44
1/12/12 at 10:27am
This one is easy to ruin by over-application I have found. One or two sprays are enough.
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post #40 of 44
1/12/12 at 1:13pm
I hated GC when I first got a sample of it, it was so different from any other lavender fragrances. It's very smokey and has a good bit of iris, it was just so different. I did grow to love it though, and picked up a bottle this Summer. I remember wearing it out to dinner one night and it was just so sensual on a warm night. In the Winter the lavender seems muted to me. I get a nice smokey vanillic incense drydown. It's an acquired taste, but I'm glad I have it.
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post #41 of 44
1/12/12 at 2:33pm
Another one from SL that intrigues me. Def an aquired taste, as with others from this house
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post #42 of 44
1/12/12 at 3:57pm
At first, Gris Clair smelled like an electrical fire, so much so that I didn't even identify it as a lavender scent-- but I loved it nonetheless. After my third or fourth time wearing it, it became much smoother with only occasional overpowering ashiness. In terms of lavenders I much prefer it to Jicky or Mouchoir de Monsieur, which are both a bit too oily for my taste. It's quite similar to By Kilian's A Taste of Heaven, but ATOH is far more restrained (a bad thing, IMO).
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post #43 of 44
1/12/12 at 3:59pm
I like the opening of Gris Clair, but I understand 100% of what you mean. I get a fatty oily sort of smell that smells like foody cooking oil residue, don't like it
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post #44 of 44
1/12/12 at 4:05pm
I still struggle with Lavender fragrances. I just can't shake the old woman associations it seems to conjure for me. Great frag though GC.
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