Luminous Eau de Parfum

I am obsessed. I never really buy the perfumes at Bath & Body since they are usually overpriced for the quality but this one went on sale for a deep discount at the SAS. Of course I bought 3 of them. The body mist performs like a perfume so I had a feeling this would be a powerhouse. It's everything that the body mist is but 10 times stronger. I can smell it on my wrist from yesterday. I sprayed La Vie Est Belle on my other wrist to give them a proper comparison. My brain used to tell me that these 2 smelled the same, but they don't smell anything alike until they both dry down. Nowadays Luminous smells more like Flowerbomb to me. I prefer Luminous to LVEB. Luminous is much sweeter, warmer, deeper, and richer and LVEB is more earthy and herbal. Smelling them side by side shows me how different they actual are. I still love LVEB, don't get me wrong, but it isn't something I want to buy a full bottle of as much anymore, at least now that I've found this one. You can smell the patchouli and jasmine overpowering the notes they share in LVEB. Luminous is strictly the 3 notes that it has. The praline is a lot more pronounced, like a warm pecan pie. The ruby currant is more tart and juicy. It's almost gourmand. The drydown is powdery and very sweet while LVEB's drydown has the same powdery iris, mixed with patchouli and some pear peeking through. Luminous quizzically makes me feel warm and cozy yet makes me want to go out dancing to obscure goth music on a dimly lit floor. You can wear it going out or you can wear it to the grocery store. I think I'll use the perfume for going out to dinner or goth night and the body mist for work or running errands lol. I'm so stoked that I found this for 15 dollars! The ruby gem bottle is beautiful, comes in an elegant red box with gold on the inside, and opens up with the bottle mounted up like a diamond in a jewelry box. It makes the experience feel really special! I hope they bring this one back around in the future. I think I have enough backups in many forms of this scent to last me a few years but I don't ever want to stop smelling this. I am crushed that they didn't keep it in the permanent lineup. I always wonder why they keep bringing back JCB and Sweet Pea after diluting and reformulating them to shit. The amber in Luminous reminds me so much of OG Sensual Amber before they reformulated. I think I like Luminous more. It smells so distinctly similar but with a lot of extra sprinkles on top. It brings forth a huge wave of nostalgia and feel good memories. This lasts on my skin and clothes for hours. There is something about it that makes it a lot more likeable than LVEB. I wholeheartedly disagree with the person below that finds it to be a badly executed version. This is beautiful all on its own and has its own unique scent going on, even though it was most certainly inspired by her or Flowerbomb. I like Flowerbomb a lot more than LVEB, but I no longer have a tester to compare them side by side. I am simply gagging that I was able to get this beast mode banger for 75 percent off because it performs like a 100+ dollar juice. You can't go wrong with the pretty bottle, either. Some may find it gaudy or kitschy but that's right up my alley.

At first, I wasn't a fan but I let the scent sit. I love it now. It reminds me of Estee Lauder and YSL from yesteryear but with a modern twist. I am not a gourmand or strong vanilla fan so I get excited when I see BBW release something that is not in those categories. This is not a mild fragrance so I can understand the love and hate folks have for it. For me I LOVE this since, to me, it is a true perfume fragrance. I enjoy both the FFM and the EdP. When layered with matching lotion/cream you easily get hours of scent!

It's been a while since I smelled La Vie Est Belle, but I remember it smelling like a generic sweet powdery old lady perfume. Given the comparisons, I'm surprised by how much I love this perfume. I think without the patchouli, orange blossom, and tonka, the black current and praline are able to shine through a lot more. Younger, brighter, sweeter, and a bit less powdery, without coming off as completely juvenile, I can see myself wearing this regularly throughout the winter.

I love this edp. Smells like La Vie Est Belle and Flowerbomb had a Lovechild with the Best of both perfumes! Sweet, Floral and almost gourmand and with decent projection. I recommend.

I've done something with Luminous that I haven't done with a fragrance in many years--I've worn it over 4 or 5 days. I've worn it layered with other fragrances and scented oils. Also, I've worn it alone, as a complete set--bar soap, body cream, body mist, perfume, and hand sanitizer. The reason being, I purchased different parts of the set at different times. I had an extreme desire to really test Luminous--and, I must say, I am not at all disappointed. Luminous has wonderful silage and longevity. The fragrance dries down slightly powdery, but is very present with moderate silage. Luminous is not a bold, powerhouse--but you will be smelled. It is airy, modern--yet mature. It is sweet, but not a gourmand. The amber in Luminous is delectable, and pairs nicely with Bath & Body Works'--Sensual Amber. Luminous also has an earthy element. This allows it to pair well with other earthy scents and oils--like Nag Champa. Luminous is a very wearable fragrance. It can be worn lounging around the house, doing chores-- or it can be worn during most daytime activities such as: working, shopping, or brunch. If you are fond of Vicktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb and/or Lancome's La Vie Est Belle--surely you may enjoy Luminous. I've already given it out as a gift--It is the perfect addition to any collection.