Lui

I finally got my hands on this and here we go: To begin with, I will state that this is my first full wearing, and I may feel the need to come back and update. The first time I sprayed the fragrance was in the store while making the purchase, and the sales associate had just got in the shipment with only one box of LUI. Along with the SA, and a customer at the Guerlain counter(Neiman Marcus, Denver) we were all eager to smell it. Now don't get me wrong it smells great, however, I will second the notion that a spray on paper, or a judgement of the top notes does not due this gem any favors. I will spoil a bit early that I love the fragrance, but did not get the wow first impression I was hoping for from the listed notes, I needed a bit of time with it to understand her(though it is "unisex" and I am a man.) Please, please everyone, wait for the dry-down. This is where, IMO, the fragrance really expresses itself. All of the remaining comments are to be read understanding that the entire scent lives relatively within an elbows length to the skin, but ebbs and flows constantly. I am writing this after almost 8 hours of spraying Breakdown: In the opening I am enveloped in an almost powder like feeling, which I come to realize is actually more of a fine ashen dust than it is powder like you would get from iris. It most certainly is not that. It is an ashen dusty spice that is giving you textures through your nose. I see here that pear is listed in the top notes, and we'll get to that, but to start with I feel I am experiencing the mealiness of it as a texture in the ash. What is beautiful, is that the fragrance keeps hinting that it's not done yet revealing itself, and this seems to come on quickly so you don't lose patience. Next you will get the most beautiful carnation, and for those of you that really like benzoin, I will tell you that the way these two elements play off of each other, is a hint of the magic you will get through the life of the fragrance. It is absolutely gorgeous! That same base, for me, is what revealed the leather, just when I was falling into the softness of the carnation-resin treat... All of the rest of the notes start pouring in, but in traditional Guerlain fashion, they are all blended so smoothly. A soft leather and deep woods, incense, more ash, now the freshness from the pear, clean musk, back to the spice, and then some vanilla. This scent is awesome! As I said this was now 8 hours ago, and while it is now a skin scent, when I started writing this, I was reminded to leave the review by the wafts I was still getting of the leathery-carnation-benzoin-incense that was still floating around when walked back in from the cold. I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Habanita! That's the first thing that came to mind when smelling this fragrance. Has the same leather notes that tickle my nose like Habanita does too. The vanilla accord is also strikingly similar. Whereas Habanita is heavier, this is airier, lighter, yet also deeper and more mysterious. There's also a freshness from the pear that is unexpectedly delightful. It's beautiful! It also has great silage and longevity – indoors. Outside in the cold it all but disappeared, which I found odd considering the composition lends itself more for winter and fall than any other time of the year. I won't go further into the notes as everyone has already done that – beautifully, I might add – but I do want to mention something I absolutely adore about this fragrance - That Bottle! OMG! What a classy little piece of art this is. So simple, understated, and elegant. That black lacquer bottle is, to quote some of the teens in my family “the bomb!” I love it! What I don't love is the exterior packaging. It does not match the Oriental aesthetic of the bottle or perfume, and is ridiculously large and unnecessary. A Chinese box design would have been more in character, where the bottle is placed on a dais in a box, and placed inside another box, in keeping with its size. A design like that would have showcased this bottle beautifully. I would have loved if the exterior box was a vivid Chinese red with gold lettering, and the interior box black. That would have really fit the bottle and been the icing on the cake. Oh, but I'm just day dreaming here. That aside, fundamentally I'm really more interested in the juice than the packaging, but still, seeing that bottle made my heart beat faster and set my imagination on fire. Overall, I'm very happy with the perfume and think it's a beautiful, though not necessarily a unique composition. It does remind me not only of Habanita, but to a lesser extent some other heavy benzoin vanilla fragrances I already own. I also agree with some of the other reviewers' comparisons too. Despite all that, I still consider it a worthy addition to my perfume wardrobe and am enjoying it so much that if I didn't have so many perfumes already, (that I'd need at least 2 bodies to wear all of them just once in a year), I would seriously consider a back-up. Oh, and that bottle!!! That alone was almost worth the purchase price. I love it! It just hit me – If Guerlain can make such a simple yet elegant bottle for this perfume, why can't they do the same for their other fragrances? Those bee bottles are getting tiresome.

I wish I discovered Lui earlier. The bottle design never spoke to me, but the scent grew to a love after sampling it a few times. What a shame it got moved to the L'Art & la Matière collection under the new name Oeillet Pourpre and became considerably more expensive now. I won't buy a bottle from an exclusive line when the fragrance was widely available on the grey market before. To be honest I find the new name and color scheme more appealing and fitting to the scent, both set the mood for this beautiful, mysterious carnation scent. But of course that is not worth paying so much more. Carnation and clove are pretty close to each other scent-wise, at least for a flower and a spice. They even share a name in many languages, for example my native German. I often find fragrances that are supposed to be carnation too clovey and spicy. Here I can smell both notes equally. It's neither a typical spice oriental, nor a soliflore or floral bouquet. I haven't smelled anything quite like this before. The pear top note sticks to the base of leather and benzoin. Together they have a texture I'd describe as chewy and thick, which makes for an interesting contrast with the powdery notes of carnation and Guerlain's characteristic vanilla. Smoky, woody and spicy accents keep it from becoming really sweet and add an air of mystique. On my skin I find this quite feminine, but I could imagine that I'd find it interesting on a man, too. I don't get a lot of similarity to Bois d'Armenie. Maybe a little bit, as they both have Guerlain DNA and share a few notes, mainly benzoin. But I find Lui more complex with all the contrasting notes. Bois d'Armenie is more of a cozy cashmere scarf of a scent to me, while Lui would work with a fitted black leather jacket, if that makes sense to you.

Lui Guerlain (Batch from 2017) Perhaps "The Last Perfumery Carnation" I know. Carnation is concoction of Vanilla Coumarin base with Clove and a drop of rose or something to create red flower feel, It an ancient formular for classic context carnation. It is also another drying scent, bygone era. As I am drowning in Carnation in last few months. Perhaps, it is a last attempt to reconstruct a modern Carnation. It is pretty much Guerlain by how Vanilla move and how perfume dial perfectly sweetness to assist this mute red carnation feeling. but the base of this particular Lui is very balance by how flowery it is with that coumarin vanilla powder base. Lui was later renamed to Oeillet Pourpre and transfer to L'art & La Matière. Where smoke and rose are more dominant with that sweet benzonin base, feel more luxurious. Still same old Lui. You feel clam, feel warm and tender. It is not really "I am well put together" and perhaps raise a question by current standard what this scent is aim for, I do ask too. How does all these Carnation perfume supposed to make me feel. Perphas, a classic cleanliness scent of bygone era or people of older generation just so profound with carnation. That's endless way to think. But for me, well Carnation is my flower. I really like Lui, well it is Carnation.

OOOOOO MMMMMMMM GGGGGGG! Thierry Wasser & Delphine Jelk are REALLY on a roll right now and easily for me THE power-duo of the fragrance world!! CHANEL has just launched THE BIGGEST disaster in the history of perfume, so it is with greatest pleasure for me to announce that GUERLAIN is standing proud and loud and going from strength to strength and I AM LOVING IT! (Disclaimer: I am not working for either, nor in this industry) Beautiful art deco black weirdly shaped bottle that is neither feminine nor masculine (that was obviously the idea). But gorgeously unusual and daring. Same goes for the scent that reminds me a bit of warm vanilla rubber a la BVLGARI 'Black' which is sadly discontinued. This one here is the former plus a licorice, musky, peppery twist (the former did not have) and it just feels and smells modern, directional, forward, yet not too alienating and welcomingly warm. I am totally sold and WANT IT SO SO BAD! That Coca-Cola note from Roja Dove's "Enigma" is also a somewhat there, but not too literal, yet more in an abstract French 'je ne sais quoi' kind of way. Verdict: (almost) MODERN MASTERPIECE! 9/10 Wished it had more development and was a bit louder (stronger) but then again, I am a stifler! LOVE LOVE LOVE GUERLAIN! (hate, hate, hate CHANEL)

Lui sits very close to my skin, not projecting a whole lot. I detect mainly the carnation, subtle leather, a little smoke, and some vanilla/almondy Guerlinade. I almost feel as though this could be a flanker for L'Hommme Idéal, but there are no cherry notes. Surprisingly, I get a waft of it from time to time and it's really quite pleasant; kind of like wearing Escentric Molecules 01. It's there, and then it's not there. Then it's back again. Nope, gone again. Wait, there's more... I'm still debating how badly I need this. But that bottle... Okay update: 11/12/2017 I don't know what was so sheer about my decanted sample, but I splurged on the full bottle and, while it's not a loud fragrance, it's certainly distinctive and expressive and I'm seeing less and less in common now with L'Homme Idéal. I still stand by my previous description of a smokey, cherry-almond accord, and you can definitely tell this is in a similar vein of L'Homme Idéal, but it's a more distant cousin that I originally had imagined, and the development and dry down take different paths. I would say the main distinction is that Lui is a tad spicier and more refined.

As a guy that usually prefers floral and/or citrus-centric scents and avoids notes like leather, tobacco and cocoa (Pure Havane is my nemesis), I found this surprisingly enjoyable... almost bottle-worthy, were it not for the outlandish price. I almost scrubbed this after a couple minutes, but I'm glad I didn't because after the sweeter top notes burn off, you're left with something that smells like how a watered down fountain Coke tastes (like when there's a little too much soda water). This is a great transition into the more masculine-leaning oriental/gourmand type of fragrances for somebody like me who usually stays away. The masculine side is presented with great restraint, which I appreciate, since I actively avoid appearing like I'm overcompensating for a lack of manliness. Maybe in a couple years the price will come down and I'll consider a bottle, but for now, the cost alone is the hold-up on pulling the trigger.

Wow! The opening..... I was a bit surprised but, I like it. The words that come to mind are: dry, spicy, smoke, slightly animalic, transparent. Lui is a very unusual perfume in my collection. It is not feminine but, not heavily masculine either. The longevity is good for more than 6 hours (on clothes) but the projection is minimal. Lui is an intriguing perfume that is not crowd pleasing but, interesting for the connoisseur who wants something different in their collection. Lui makes a great signature fragrance because, even on this 90 degree day, there is a transparency to this perfume which keeps it spicy, smoky, unsweetened but feather light. This could be my perfect, sophisticated, summer spicy perfume. Lui also makes an excellent layering perfume. To make spicy chai, I layer a tea perfume on top. To make lemon custard, I layer a citrus on top. Very versatile and a little goes a long way.

A deconstruction of Guerlainade, Lui is smoky, warm, and dark, but not brooding. The cloves and carnation provide a texture and dimension that lifts it just enough for it to hover over the skin (anything more than that would make such a composition stifling). I detect damascones that give the slightest hint of rosiness and there is the suggestion of poached pears in the periphery, but it is really the benzoin and vanilla that form the crux, cloaked in smoke. In the base, the myrrh comes to the forefront. This is not a obstreperous oriental, it is kind and reserved, but it is beautiful, and I am glad I have it in my possession. I do have one bone to pick, though: the gigantic presentation box. I mean, its nice, but it sort of takes up too much room for such a small bottle. It's a bit much, am I right?

While I find the marketing ploy here a bit silly and a bit late to the party (as if many of Guerlain's fragrances aren't already gender-bending marvels), Lui is a masterful fragrance. The core structure is a smooth, luscious blend of vanilla, benzoin, and worn leather—the Guerlinade is already making itself known. Add smoke for depth, carnation for powder, clove for spice, and a little twist of pear for that final sweet note. Then wrap the whole thing in a subtly neutral musk, and voilà: a warm, complex, sexy little smoky licorice bomb with outstanding performance. The bottle—unlike any other sold by Guerlain—is chic as hell. Best in cooler weather, and in the evening/night.

For me I get smoke, resins, leather, spice and vanilla in that order, no pear or carnation. An overtly dry linear composition, but the opening is slightly sweet, maybe from a short lived pear note. A dark and brooding scent, not inviting nor gourmand but not off putting either, good for those who want to exude an air of quiet and calm confidence. It’s very nice but not worth the $150 for a 50ml this was going for when it launched, thankfully the prices have come down quite a bit. Longevity is great put projection is on the intimate side. Bottle is simple and kinda cheap feeling in hand.

If anybody is familiar with the smell of sour plums then this smells exactly just like it, not that it's bad in anyway but generally that's the first thing that comes to my mind when i tested this today. I got mostly the cloves and benzoin combo with the vanilla sitting quietly in the background. A unisex scent definitely as it's neither masculine Nor feminine (why named it LUI then). It's a good one for me along with santal royal that i bought along with this. Looking forward to getting Arsene lupin voyou next as it smelled nice on paper which the SA let me try.

Today, I wore my Lui in this 84F rainy day. Immediately, my little daughter exclaimed "Uummhh!!! I smell delicious cinnamon eggnog." Sure enough, Lui has transformed into a creamy delicious gourmand which does not project very far but, has thickened into a creamy, comforting, delicious, dessert that lasted for many hours and gave us holiday season feelings. For an even more sumptuous experience, try layering this with some tea perfume (like Arden Beauty, yes there is tea in it). The result is a gorgeous spiced chai.

A very interesting and boundary pushing Oriental from Guerlain and one of their first unisex offerings, this is a classy uplifting scent. The perfume opens with notes of cloves and pear. The heart is geranium and benzoin. The perfume settles into a powdery base where one can detect woody notes, vanilla, musk and a hint of leather and smoke. What makes this one interesting is that it seems so familiar but so new as well in many regards. Unisex with moderate to strong projection and good longevity. Enjoy!

Agree with polaroidcaesar's review a few below mine, almost word for word, main difference is for me this isn't a skin scent, it's decently strong. I've got an issue with clove in scents but this one is a-ok for me. I think it is because it's soft spicy, kind of like the original few Lempicka scents, and sweet but not cloying. Bois d'Armenie is straight up magic. This isn't that good, not so subtle and atmospheric. But I can see the resemblance. And I rate Lui highly.

Guerlain Lui (2017) - spicy benzoin - one of @thierrywasser ‘s best work for the house. Though people don’t see it that way as this isn’t a projection bomb. Resinous Benzoin, Vanilla, fruity Pear, Clove and Carnation. But instead of a heavy monster, he creates the accord akin someone being scented by swirls of smoke and incense vs. dabbing extracts. There is such a high level of technical mastery here that could only be learned through generations of masters.

Wow! After the hundreds of thousands of perfumes I have tested and the many I have owned I think I finally found my signature scent ! I found the scent I want to smell of for the rest of my life! I can’t believe it! I want all the bottles of this! I want to bathe in the fluffy “only for me” cloud that is this beauty! It just sort of melds on my skin & it doesn’t wear me or vice versa we are just one! I can’t explain it! I am head over heels for this yessssss!

You could say this is Bvlgari Black without the florals and instead, more vanilla and smokey accord with clove spice and pear-apricot type of note. Some people say they don't smell the pear: I do not understand it. The pear note, or rather osmanthus-like note, is pretty present throughout. Great longevity, poor projection (similar to Bvlgari Black). Overall, not a bad scent but is missing something. Not for everybody but worth giving it try.

Lovely. This feels familiar but oh so special. Warm with the peppery carnation note, lovely vanilla/Tonka vibe, smoky with a birch tar note. This is new to my collection and I'm in love. This is not the generic fruity/floral/oud fodder that is like a tsunami of fragrance. This is a delectable treat, a combination of sexy, familiar, delicate and demure. Divine. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I wore this a bit around the holidays in 2018, I really love this scent. Opens with an almost aquatic pear, then veers straight into smoky vanillic cloves with lush resinous benzoin, and a touch of well-loved leather. It's so inviting, and for a scent so 'heavy' it never becomes cloying, at least not on me. Definitely unisex.

I love the scent...very ambery, with a little sweetness, spice, and woods. But it's incredibly light and I can barely detect it even after 10 sprays. It lasted less than an hour on my skin. I certainly hope that Guerlain has amped this fragrance up a bit before charging hundreds of dollars for its new iteration.

Seriously? No one else picked up on the "hot dog" note? Lui opens with sweet smoke. After just a few minutes I picked up lots of smoke and a bit of a sour hot dog note. Not to worry. Within an hour it's soft smokey vanilla. Gender neutral in the best of ways where no one feels like they are walking the line.

Found this for at a great clearance price. I absolutely love this reminds me of childhood, pleasant, unassuming and not offensive in any way. My best words to describe this, candy cigarettes! If you ever had those as a kid you’ll know what I mean. I also agree with the previous comments on root beer.

This is a very unique scent. Many would say this is the ultimate masterpiece from Thierry Wasser. Resins, clove and benzoin, plus a touch of smoke but just to make things interesting. The pear is subtle, but certainly a fresh contribution to the artwork.

I agree with an earlier review that Lui gives off a bit of a root beer vibe. I'm a sucker for scents with a clove note and this one doesn't disappoint. But the vanilla and carnation soften it, so it is less clove-y than Costume National homme. A winner.

I got this perfume years ago after they discontinued. Paid fair price from Fragrancex. The reviews said it's very similar to Bois d'Armenie but it's not even closer, this is more sweeter. I am wearing it some times very pleasant smell.

One of the best scents Ive ever smelled. It is pretty delicate and this burnt pear with clove reminds me Fruit Flambé. I have no words it just reminds me my grandma cooking a cake while we were drinking tea in the wintertime.

I love how unique this smells, almost like a creamy sweet egg tart with a faint incense backdrop but it doesn’t project or last long. I love it so much but idk if I should get a full bottle because of the performance

On me its soft spicy cream with leather.I feel leather but very feminine and seductive.Very complicated and beautiful fragrance.Silage moderate and longevity 7-8 hours close to skin.Very beautiful.9/10

Well godking I’ve a better one for you. Instead of calling others out for asking “silly” questions, how about actually sniffing it out yourself and give an input based on YOUR findings. Cheers

و باز هم یک شاهکار خفن از حضرت گرلن بسیار ترکیب غریب و عجیب و نویی بود برای من و بسیار لذت بردم از این کار حقیقتن کسایی که این عطرو دوست ندارند درک نمی کنم به هیچ وجه

I have a full bottle of Lui Full presentation - I’m looking to swap it for Oelliet Pourpre which I prefer a bit more. Message me if interested (Conus only)

I have a bottle up for grabs. Only sprayed a few times for swap if you want. Just message me.

IMO Lui is Chergui 2.0 but softer, delicate and carefree. I won't pay retail price for.

A nice fragrance, but ultimately too light. First, let me dispel a myth about this fragrance - namely, it's similarity to Bois d'Armenie, which I own and consider to be a masterpiece and one of my all-time favorites. Though I guess you could say that they're in the same genre, they absolutely do NOT smell the same, at all. Bois d'Armenie has an almost liqueur-like vibe which dries down to a smooth, silky, and dry blend of benzoin and woods with a powdery touch. By comparison, Lui is waaaaay spicier. Yes, Bois d'Armenie has coriander and pink pepper, but they are far in the background. In Lui, the cloves are front and center, folded into wisps of smoke. There's also a big carnation tone, and a big old dollop of musk. In addition, there is a dominant vanilla note, while Bois d'Armenie draws its sweetness from the benzoin. Smelling them side by side, in the drydown they start to become a little bit similar. But to me it's like apples and oranges. Bois d'Armenie is not just about the notes, but the feel, the aura, the texture. Lui is a Guerlain, and so I was bound to like it, but if you're looking to get Lui as a replacement for Bois d'Armenie, I'm sorry friend, but they're just on the same level. Despite clearly favoring Bois d'Armenie, though, I still enjoy Lui, and often wear it to bed. Like BdA, it is a beautifully blended fragrance, so smooth that nothing in particular stands out. This is an atmosphere, a mood, not anything so quotidian as "Vanilla Tonka" or "Incense Leather". To me, Lui is a particularly autumnal fragrance. When I smell it, I imagine a shop full of curiosities that you stumble into off a side street in a European capital choking on golden leaves. The shop owner is burning benzoin resin in a brazier, and the sweet but musty scents of moldering books and dusty curios and teak chests that still retain the residues of its long forgotten contents. But then I imagine that shop as being somehow sexy. Yes, I think that Lui is quite a sensual fragrance. I think it has something to do with the musk combined with the vanilla. It holds onto the skin in a very alluring way. Maybe there's some dark eyed beauty wandering the shelves. If I had to group them together, I'd classify Lui as the autumn version of Bois d'Armenie, which to me is a strictly winter perfume. It's for wearing with a black leather jacket and a black turtleneck and being artsy fartsy and classy on a crisp autumn evening. Bois d'Armenie is far more regal, more opulent, fit for the most lavish occasions. If you can get it for what I got it for, which was around $60, get it. But now that they've repackaged it into the new bottle with a new price tag? Mmmm no. The performance, unlike Bois d'Armenie, is way too light. Skin scent is putting it mildly. 7.5/10

I tested the £145 for 50mls (urrghh my stomachh,,) bottle at Selfridges only yesterday expecting yet another 1 of those fads 'retro masculine scents with that 2018 edge' waiting for me to to wail and hate on. Like - another green-herbal zombie with that arbitrary lick of cognac, oud or rum a-la Penthaligons the deer-man, the dog-head, the stallion-head, the bear-head, etc etc bottles. Yet on 1st spray; something so different yet familiar, and most important of all, pretty safe and, good-smelling!! The fragcomm always stuns me; we have the ghastly Musc 'Cat-pee' ravaging ravageur kicking up an awful pong of a rabid animal fur-flexing breakdance - yet the community go gagagooo and melt all over it. Then we have this: a scent a million miles more polite, chic, modern and downright sexy spiced-vanilla oriental. It is a bit feminine yes, and quite a few will get 'powder'. But honestly, I get more (and a more offputting one) in DG The One 'Baby Lotion' (the cheapy-blue coloured one) This exudes that post-modern class and hip yet borders on classy, incensy and powdery hits of yesteryear - there's a very carefree yet feel-good factor about this gem. It's like Guerlain taking Dior and Chanel to the cleaners saying; this is how you really do it, not some bland aldehyde / powder bombe with a dash of pine cones and rum on top. So; I did not see the notes then but cloves makes a lot of sense, but they are mellow; I get more a light vanillic-inscene at the start; already imo better than Dior's Bois d'Argent. This goes down sweet, cheerful, a touch mysterious oriental (some benzoin resin definitely at the start too for me) Bois d'argent is annoying airy-piney honey; something puts me off with that one, even nauseates me. This has no honey; it's more oriental for sure with the benzoin. It's nice. I'll give a generous score, ignoring the price (which I really really shouldn't becasue we don't live in a world where CO2 can be converted into banknotes for free yet sadly) - so definitely in the real world, knock 1 or even 2 points off becasue £145 full retail for this is still the stuff of circus acts A fair warning though; this very unusually has been designed to be a bit top-heavy - the scent does dry down to become a bit too much with the powder, but even here it's definitely higher-end stuff I so wish they added their famous Tobacco/hookah note from SDV and more woods in the base; definitely would have scored this 9 if so. My rating: 8/10

I'm getting into different leather scents and its a Guerlain-worthy approachable unisex leather. I'm using dabber sample so can't speak about longevity, but can guess its leaning towards moderate/intimate. Not a strong hitter. Leather (soft and powdery like suede) is the most obvious note I get, and slight booziness thats not listed. In my mind could be apple or brandy with less fruit and more brandy, but it can also be the effect of benzoin-vanilla. This boozy resin is tame, but I love it here, and it lasts. Seeing pear as a note, I can imagine boozy pear-syrup, just a hint. I can also smell something saffron-like, dry very comfy leather with touch of spice. Not obvious clove- I'm not good with dominant clove-scents, thankfully clove and carnation are very tempered here, not in your face, so I could wear it easily. Incense is also wonderful and vanilla is a bit rubbery in combination with leather and incense, but not nearly as much as in Bvlgari Black or even Luna Rossa black. Beautiful blend. For me, there is no similarity with Tom Ford Tobacco Vanilla thats far sweeter and linear fruity. Also, not like quite Bois d'Armenie that is more woody. This is more like some powdery orris-leather skinscent but with more interesting resins. Not masculine on me- there is undeniable sweetness so Feve Tonka is a bit similar indeed. Elegant and signature-worthy, working across the seasons.

I just had a chance to try this at the Guerlain Champs Elysees boutique in Paris. Overall it does remind me strongly of Bois d’Armenie, since both are based on benzoin as a main topic, but Lui feels less “finished” than BDA. Of these two, BDA is for me certainly way more appealing. Lui is definitely meant to be a skin scent, as confirmed by the sales assistant. And indeed it is. It does not create a cloud of noisy fragrance around the wearer, however it is quite long lasting. I could still clearly smell it around my wrist about 7 hours after the application, which is pretty good if you happen to love the fragrance. If it’s not the case, it has the potential to be annoying, so test well before you buy. Considering all of the above, the obvious puzzling question arises: why make a poorer version of an existing fragrance that has already justified its existence on the market for many years? As a Guerlain fan, I can only thank God that the house has so much more to offer, than this strange concoction. Edit 2/13/18: Ok, now I get it! This works perfectly for me now in cold/frosty weather. The warm smokiness works its charm, supported by the spicy carnation/clove and everything suddenly makes sense! When I first tried it last August it was on a hot and humid day, and it simply didn’t reach me. But now I ended up buying a bottle.... Go figure!

This one is ...interesting. From the notes and reviews I thought it would be a spicy and smoky amber bomb, maybe even reminiscent of Coco Eau de Toilette Chanel . Instead it's just plush, smooth, and rounded, and so very different from my expectations. Anyways the clove is definitely the spice that comes out in the beginning and the carnation doesn't read as floral but just enough greenness/freshness to balance out the clove. The leather comes in as a whisper, though it's definitely present, but it's a kind of plush soft gentle leather. I do get lots of resins and gentle woods in it as it moves past the open but again, everything is just so smooooth. The dry down is that lovely yummy vanilla Guerlainade all the way. The fragrance as a whole is more of a soft aura around you and definitely NOT a beast or a bomb of a fragrance. I'd find it appealing on somebody of the opposite gender as well, it definitely would be something I would lean in for a closer sniff if somebody was wearing it. I think it would be fine for daytime or nighttime for most seasons except those hot summer days. Definitely a like for me!

I have been trying to get my hands on a decant of Lui for some time now, and having finally sampled it I must say that I don't really agree with the general opinions I see being repeated here. To me Lui is less so a direct descendant of Bois D'Armenie, but rather more of a spicy barbershop-y vanilla, aka a non-gourmand vanilla bordering a more of a powdery accord with some of that dry caramel-like benzoin flavor, with a smoky woody slightly leathery outline to it. I definitely get a good amount of clove and some floral notes too. Lighter, easier to wear and slightly more masculine compared to BdA, still a bit too sweet and powdery for me, but probably one of the nicest benzoin heavy fragrances I have tried so far. If it wasn't exuberantly priced I would probably buy this regardless. Plus points for the stunning flacon.

A beautiful, smoky, spicy vanilla—but the kind of fragrance that you could forget you’re wearing. Maybe that means I’m going nose blind with it? Anyway, I find that I need to go a little heavy on the trigger in order to enjoy it. The next day I can still pick it up on my clothes, so it’s probably my nose. I’m guessing a significant amount of synthetics might be causing the problem. Still I’m impressed that Guerlain released this as Lui does not feel like a typical mainstream scent. I’ve always been curious about this perfume because I’m a sucker for the bottle design and typography...but after wearing it twice, I like it but I’m on the fence. My sample is a 5ml decant, though I would never pay retail ($185 for 50ml) but if it turns out to be your cup of tea it’s possible to find Lui for around $50 on the grey market.

Smells like illegitimate child of Bvlgari Black (aka The Puck), Midnight in Paris Van Cleef with a little of Bois d'Armenie. That's it! I get leather, vanilla and woody smoke with cloves and benzoin secondary in the background. I agree,this is unisex, probably slightly leaning masculine. Decent longevity but becomes skin scent almost instantly (sits very close to the skin from the start). Might be an option for office or formal wear where strong projection is not welcomed but would I pay full retail for it? Not a chance. To me this is your higher end designer quality with $50-60 price tag for this 50 ml bottle. Guerlain struggles to come into 21st century, so this in't a bad attempt but they need to try harder:) Kudos for trying though: this is the best I smelled from their entire collection so far. Promising!

This is mostly benzoin and it is not an easy fragrance to instantly take to. It takes a bit of patience and an open mind to appreciate it. The benzoin is of the plastic band aid variety and it is a little off putting at first. Its smoky and sweet but I kept getting the band aid rubbery vibe from it. At the same time, there is nothing like this anywhere and you will def a stand out with this on. Its 100% masculine in my book and not unisex in the least. While it's really interesting, after a good test run (4 sprays), I think I had my fun with it. Not one of those scents where I have to get a bottle or can see myself wearing all the time. But with the endless flankers and run of the mill scents in an over crowded market, this one stands apart. And for that, I give it a mild thumbs up.

One word: eugenol. And it goes on and on and on... eventually this dominant clove-carnation darkens to a solid and linear benzoin-vanilla as a somehow more manageable camouflage, still... eugenol it is, peeking through this resinous veil. At some point the pear appeared as well, adding more sweetness. Thank God I was reasonable enough to test it first! And thank God I live in the Middle of Nowhere - not being able to see this gorgeous flacon/presentation in person for I would surely give in and impulsively buy it! Although I don’t like it enough to buy it, I still think it’s a fine fragrance that will appeal to many Guerlain fans. Also, it has this wonderful presence in a form of finest aura that wafts comfortably around the wearer as a form of lightweight, pure olfactive luxury.

Parte strano in un primo momento,un po' balsamico,piccante,con chiodi di garofano in primis mescolato con la pera fresca ma cosmetica per nulla naturale o gourmant. Il territorio è piu maschile che femminile e l'aggiunta di muschio lo trasporta in toelette limpide e pulite e colletti di camicie costose e ben inamidate con ferri da stiro bollenti. Lo trovo piu adatta di giorno con il bel tempo. Il sillage sembra deciso ma' vicino e sulla mia pelle e' durato a lungo. Non possiedo nulla di simile,tuttavia rimane un profumo gradevole,di un eleganza semplice,brillante,luminosa e mai offensivo che apprezzo inspirare pero' ad una certa distanza dal mio naso. Direi...un moderno deciso in un classico del pulito. ahime'... non e' scattata la scintilla.

The more I wear this one the more I’m able to appreciate it for what it is. I compare it to attending a play. You take your seat and look at the stage and see the set before any of the actors have come out. There is a bustle in the crowd and a general good feeling and excitement for the show that will begin any moment now. A thick fog slowly rolls in almost unnoticed until it has covered the entire area with the power to hold back time. That is Lui to my nose. The set and atmosphere, not the story, captured. A moment in time that has been paused so that it can be enjoyed for an extended period. A moment extended, wow is there anything sexier than the ability to have that effect inside your own personal scent bubble?

I smell pepper and cloves into resins, mostly benzoin. If you could slot the peppery bubblegum of Vitriol d’Oeillet on to a lighter version of Bois d’Armenie – or even Prada Candy – you’d have Lui. It’s neither too heavy, nor too sweet, but it lasts well, if softly. It’s one of Guerlain's better releases this decade, but with the caveat that I find most post-millennium Guerlain both too sweet and often lacking in substance. Lui feels a bit empty and cipher-like, like a beautiful concert hall lacking music. I could wear this every day and not mind it, but I can’t see myself craving this fragrance. If they make a flanker with a bit more going on inside, I’d be just the audience for that.

Received my bottle today. Kinda of a let down for me. Not really what I expected. Not a "bad" scent... I get a gingery/pear opening...light clove vibe...a musky light leather attempt..a small touch of carnation/soap..hello barber's chair... The drydown is pretty ok...something underneath is satisfying. But..... there is just a "flatness" to this scent....something missing...the notes are a mish-mash on me. I see where they wanted to go with this one...but.........??? I also get a kinda/sort of "Jicky-ness" floating around. Hate to bash one of my all time favorite houses...Sorry for that. I feel that the L'Homme Ideal Cologne puts this to shame....just sayin....

Smokey Dr Pepper. It’s one of those barely there scents like Dior Bois d’Argent or Byredo Gypsy Water. Out of these three, I like this the best. I would never have purchased this at retail price, but as a cheap blind buy, it wasn’t a bad purchase. This is not the sort of fragrance I would pick for myself, but it’s so versatile I’m sure I will get plenty of wear out of it. Edit- so I bought some papier d’armenie and was surprised to recognize some aspects of this fragrance! If you like papier d’armenie you will like Lui.

The package is really great, but the scent is not equally mindblowing if you have had a bottle of Cartier La Treizieme Heure XIII . The opening reminds me of Chanel Sycomore EDP / Lalique Encre Noire a L'Extreme, a dull woody note with annoying Iso E Super nuance. Soon it gets to a unusual stage a la Cartier XIII that mimics the smell of raw Pu'er tea. Think about a more rounded iteration of the Cartier by introducing a stingy touch of benzoin (or even not necessary). That's it. Rating: 7.5/10