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zheka – :
Liu by Guerlain, has been relaunched in a luxury box, with a vintage style spray to attach separately and in a concentration of eau de parfum.
It is now so strong that I hesitate to attach the pump spray.
A dab of the stopper is plenty!
It belongs to Guerlain’s Exclusive collections, Les Parisiennes.
Absolutely adored by my skin!
lobachovNik – :
Yup, it’s Lui, not Liu. Thanks for putting me straight. Interesting that they are marketing this as unisex – that’s what th pack said – but the name means “Him”.
CBN – :
@ LizzieDee You are looking for LUI, not LIU. That new unisex scent has been launched, I tested it in the Champs Elysées Guerlain store in Paris this summer.
In French, LUI means “him”. LIU is a character from Turandot, an Opera.
The bottle looks gorgeous when you are an Art Deco admirer. In hand… It’s light and a bit cheap…
LUI:Posh, pricy, forgettable IMO.
LIU: a watered down masterpiece, perfect if you don’t want to buy Chanel N°5.
programi – :
I cannot find it anywhere on this site (or even on Guerlain’s own site) but Guerlain has launched a new fragrance under the Liu name. It is not a reissue of the classic Liu being reviewed here but a unisex eau de perfum with notes of carnation, benzoin and woods available in the UK only from Harrods and Selfridges. It is in one size (50 ml) and one strength only for £140. If you are attracted to woody incenses, you should try it. I loved it but I have to say it didn’t last like an eau de parfum on me. After 4 hours it had virtually disappeared from my skin. Sillage is very, very moderate too.
If there’s a way to add a new scent to the Fragrantica database, I haven’t found it. If there is a moderator reading this, perhaps you could look into adding Liu 2017?
Noittyboovish – :
Classix soap … closed in fancy bottle if you like 5 … you will love… Liu … smells great on men … and women….. of course master piece
HurtMe69Times – :
This is a baby powder. Citrus baby powder, elegant, and sensual to be honest, i’m not being pervert since it’s baby powder but it’s just sensual and clean 😀
It has that vintage feeling of the modern French riviera in the “Kingdom of France” era! it’s quite impressive to be specific but not a long lasting essence, hope it is.
тыны – :
I tried a vintage decant of Liu today and I felt a wave of pleasure flow over me and a sense of well being and balance. This was followed by sadness over what is missing in the modern perfume industry. The original Guerlains were true works of art.
Gatarrito – :
I hate Chanel. I love Liu. A lovely powdery floral aldehyde. But it does not last long.
abracsus – :
I have some of the current Les Parisians edition of lovely Liu and it is wonderfully warm, woody, and rosy-floral. It is nice to wear to meetings because it is such a pleasant, gentle fragrance and I don’t have to worry about overwhelming anyone. I long to try some vintage eau de cologne but have’t found any that I could afford, yet. I have some vintage Chanel 22 which smells similar and some of the current version of Joy, also nice with some similar notes, but I love Liu so much more.
andrei3184 – :
Guerlain Liu – For years I only had a tiny sample that I cherished like no other one in my huge stash of samples. I never thought that I would be so lucky and own a BEE BOTTLE of Liu! I feel so honored, happy and in awe, to have my own Liu. It’s so regal and feminine, the best aldehydic fragrance beside Chanel no.5, with the most crisp and sparkly feeling that’s so perfect for Spring! I feel like I have to dress up to be worthy of wearing this beautiful perfume!
SoftoRix – :
The aldehydes don’t agree with my skin. I see the Chanel #5 similarity.
andreys – :
Reminds me of Chanel no5, only better. I couldn’t wear no5 because I never connected to it. Liu on another hand is the right balance. This works for me. Definitely worth trying.
Oleg111 – :
If this review causes you to want to smack me, I can understand. It’s going to sound pompous and know-it-all-ish, and I do apologize. But here goes anyway…
Not long ago, I was lucky enough to make one of my dreams come true. There I was, upstairs at the Guerlain flagship shop on the Champs Elysees. I had sniffed and sampled many fragrances. Some old, some new. Time to make a decision (DH says). One scent, above the rest, kept stalking me. Liu. It would catch me unaware, all of a sudden with a citrus jasmine animalic wallop to the nose. And then turn-around and play very nice, with that gorgeous trademark Guerlain base and vanilla spiked with Rosemary. This is the one, I said.
Does it remind me of Chanel No. 5? Yes and no. It does in the way that the floral notes are perfect. There is that bit of growl that both share. I adore No. 5 and feel that it is probably the most recognizable and distinctive fragrance on Earth. But the one thing it lacks (with all due respect) is that certain character that only belongs to the best Guerlains. Some intrinsic Magic.
I love Liu.
motoblock – :
This aldehydic white floral remains sparkling when all other floral aldehydes have fallen flat. The best.
Aerohopleneriyoj – :
Liu is a curiously shape-shifting fragrance on me — on first impression, the starchy-crisp aldehydes are at the forefront. After a little while, a bright lemon-inflected jasmine note is revealed. Just as I think I know what this fragrance is trying to do, I begin to catch whiffs of the Barbasol I used to steal from my dad to shave my legs with. For a long time, Liu almost smells like two different perfumes. One is that sunny aldehydic jasmine, the other is the dense creamy foam of that barbershop classic. They never really seem to coexist entirely, rather I will smell one and then the other, alternating on and off, for most of the day. The final effect calls to my mind a smiling, idealized couple freshly showered and shaved going out on a fancy date.
Liu has similar notes to Chanel no. 5 but ultimately I think they are completely texturally different. With the older Guerlains, you get a few movements which can be wildly different from each other. They are almost like little films. Liu is in this mode. Chanels don’t really do that, imo. They make one very coherent statement right out of the gate and stick to it. Such is the difference between Liu and no. 5 — it ends up being a matter of which style you prefer.
qq – :
Liu, you have stolen my heart! My sample just arrived and I”ve dabbed it on my arm; tomorrow I shall wear it properly and report back. I am just so happily surprised that I wanted to comment right away! I am indeed one of those people who cannot wear Chanel No. 5 (or any of the Chanels, except for Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie, so I am left not too desolate), and I have actually pouted because none of the Chanel Nos. or Coco or Chance are compatible with me. This Guerlain beauty Liu is the Chanel I have wanted to have and love since…well, forever! Liu has aldehydes that I can stomach (which is why it is hard for me to wear other brands with aldehydes as a main note. For example, I tried Arpege, and was very sad to have to pass on it because on me, it smells like feet), in fact, I love Liu’s aldehydes! This radiates class, it sparkles, it has a bit of everything! A bit woody, a bit spicy (almost like a cafe au lait with cinnamon note, which is captivating), a bit floral, and a bit on the dry, crisp side. A masterpiece! My sample is the Liu from Les Parisiennes line. I am SO excited! I’ll wear this tomorrow and report back, and I promise not to ramble on too long!
Next day: I wore this all day, and I love it! It is going on the wish list. I have a Chant d’Aromes edc from the 1960s that reminds me of the aldehydes in Liu, but of course they are two different, separate beings. There is a wee bit of soapiness added beautifully to the sparkle of the notes, and it makes me feel like there ought to be a splash of a very dry white wine hiding in there somewhere! Again, a bit of woods, a bit of floral, but always the addicting aldehyde and someone please tell me what this absolutely divine creamy spice note that pops in and out is! It dances effortlessly with the other characters. It smells like if you had just made a batch of some whipped cream, sweetened with a bit of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. I wonder what this is? Could it be sandalwood? Is it the rose and vanilla playing off the aldehyde creating this effect, somehow? I think a perfumer would know, but probably might not tell 😉 It wore very close to the skin and I pretty much walked around with my nose glued to my wrist, all day. I love this. It will be mine!
gvshapkins – :
If Chanel No. 5 and Arpège are studies in the aldehydic style, no. 22, is an essay in it, and Guerlain’s Liu is a PhD dissertation in it. For the record, I think this is closer to no. 22, but let’s not quibble.
Liu does what the others don’t: perfects the aldehyde blend in an austere, dry, yet sensual and deeply womanly manner without inducing sneeze fits, all the while never being powdery, dusty, or chalky. The Vetiver gives it a dry, vaguely smoky, temptingly masculine edge, while the Guerlinade speaks softly of and hints at sensuousness and womanly wiles, while at the same time the aldehydes rein it in, keeping that Guerlinade from radiating the sumptuous warmth and exoticism is exhibits in the house’s more “Guerlainish” compositions.
When I smell this I picture a beautiful black haired, grey eyed woman dressed modestly in a subtle moss green Indian silk garment. When a perfume conjures imagery like that, you know it is quite special.
langford214 – :
This is a review of the Les Parisiennes version, which I had a chance to test today. Mind you this is the only time I’ve smelled it, but from this first impression I can say that yes, it is reminiscent of Chanel N5, but in a distinctly Guerlain way. The first burst is almost undeniably N5, but also, I feel, a bit more effervescent. As it dries down there’s a hint of Shalimar, a hint of L’heure Bleue, but it remains very much itself. Right now I’m having trouble keeping my nose away from my arm.
psihomitka – :
As a Guerlain fan and collector, this is my FAVOURITE Guerlain!
This is a beauty! Aldehydic, not too sweet, and a slight bit animalic. Compared to No.5, both have the aldehydic opening however I find that No.5 is much sweeter and warmer while Liu is more animalic, drier and not very sweet. Reminds me more of Cuir De Russie mix with No.5, that’s how I would describe Liu.
Perhaps vintage No.5 without the decaying of notes may smell like this, who knows, however what I described above was compared to the modern No.5 (2013 batch).
I have a vintage bottle with trace amounts remaining of Liu and I have written this review based on the Modern EDP as part of the Parisiennes range, I would so love to get my hands on a bottle however at $300, theres a lot to think about for me before splashing my cash.
ansevell – :
Liu is definitely similar to Chanel #5 in that the aldehydes feature prominently, especially in the opening. However, Liu evolves into something much drier, woodier and less sweet making it a little more unisex. There’s a slightly darker and more mysterious thing going on in Liu and I think it’s the hint of oakmoss (which is not included in the list of notes) that I’m picking up on as the scent dries down. Liu lies very close to the skin. I wish it lasted longer and projected more, but it I still find it beautiful and one of the most underrated Guerlain scents.
sar167 – :
The dry down reminds me so much of Une fleur de Cassie…
Andrei 28 – :
This review is for the new eau de parfum from the Les Parisiennes collection.
Now, this is a very interesting beauty we have here, let me just say!
I acquired my bottle today, and as of yet have not been able to test it directly on my skin.
I only dabbed the stopper on a piece of paper as a little test run.
While Still wet on the paper card, Liu sure does remind me quite a bit of Chanel’s iconic N5.
Sooner than you might think however, the warm and resinous guerlinade accord kicks in and I’m instantly reminded of yet another huge classic: Shalimar.
Liu is like a calmed down version of Shalimar smothered by a big dollop of N5.
This phase doesn’t last very long.
It swiftly dries down further, leaving the N5 and Shalimar notes no more than supporting backbones in the shadow of a glorious fusion between moss, wood and dried rose petals.
It now seems to have taken on a much “darker” approach all of a sudden.
Together, all of the different phases makes the lovely Liu come across as a mix between N5 for the aldehydes and flowers, Shalimar for the warm vanillic touch and something akin to Vol de Nuit for the woody/mossy tones.
Still, it’s mostly N5’s aldehyde sparkle top gradually shifting into a dark green mossy/herbal (rosemary)? dry down with traces of the opulent guerlinade holding it together.
Compared to N5 though, Liu is definitely the “darker” one.
Liu may very well include some of the elements belonging to these other classics but as Liu begins it’s transformation in the dry down, you will begin to see how unique and complex Liu’s beauty is.
This is one dry down worth experiencing!
When placing the two next to each other, Liu comes off as quite a bit more dry and mysterious than N5.
Liu is also very unisex smelling to my nose, much more so than what N5 is.
The notes pyramid doesn’t really do it any justice either.
Liu is a very complex scent to me, with many layers.
I can’t wait to see how it will evolve with my personal chemistry and I’ll be back to update when I find out.
PS:
Luca Turin apparently labeled Liu as one of the dullest of the Guerlains.. Pfft!!!
What does he know, right?!
Liu is a gorgeous beauty!
Right up there with the other classic Guerlain staples.
One more thing, just because Jaques Guerlain MIGHT have been inspired by Chanel N5 to make Liu does not automatically make it bland, unworthy or exactly the same scent!
Do every single aldehyde scent smell similar? I think not.
Not everyone can be a true original!
At least Liu is a great representative of the aldehyde group.
Besides, Jaques made sure to put his signature Guerlain stamp all over his creation.
Liu and N5 might be related in many ways belonging to the same olfactory group, still I would surely never confuse one with the other!
You can just tell that N5 is a Chanel and Liu is a Guerlian!
Liu, Vega and Vol de Nuit (all containing aldehydes) are my three fav “classic” Guerlains, so there!
Decent lasting power, it’s been well over sieven hours and Liu is still here.
Sillage is comfortably moderate.
Anvarsho – :
The drydown is much like some vintage fragrances of mine, notably Antilope, My Sin, and Miss Dior. Don’t tell me there’s no oakmoss. Whatever it is, it’s nice to have in a contemporary fragrance and I’m sure Guerlain’s not telling (;
asterix71 – :
(EDT in vintage Black & Gold Box)
This fragrance is incredibly lovely. It’s not as spicy as Mitsouko or L’Heure Bleue. With my chemistry this scent is very comfortable, sort of like an old friend who really understands you.
There is nothing loud or powerful about the EDT. It has great longevity but wears very close to the skin. There is something crisp and fresh in this juice that is lacking in Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue. The sibling status is very recognizable though
Unlike some others here, I can’t wear Chanel No 5 in anything but pure extrait and don’t find any similarities to the Chanels at all. This fragrance gives me a really nice vibe, sort of sympatico maybe.
mussa91 – :
Intense aldehydes in classic form with strong woody notes.
The opening of the green juicy citrus and neroli, is very similar to Chanel 5. It has also a strong presence of the rose which makes it somewhat different.
As it dries, woody nuances govern over all other notes …it has a deep and dense base composition.It’s strong and long lasting.
Classic , elegant and timeless fragrance.
This year’s Celebration edition in a bottle with pump and an ethereal fragrance with shimmering aromatic body powder looks amazing!
It will be released as a limited edition.
(((HeroN))) – :
(Current EdP review)
Its opening is quite similar to Chanel No5, but the drydown is cleaner, woodier than No5, and also can feel guerlain’s vanilla in the drydown
viktoriya – :
( Reissued 2009 Review )
This is by far the best olfactory reinterpretation of Chanel N5, so much better than a lot of n5’s wannabes fragrance out there, like Le Dix, First by Van Cleef.. And the List goes on…
Jacques Guerlain cut all the heavy stuff (Sandalwood, Civet, Patchouli and oakmoss) and slow down the aldehyde levels from the original N5, this makes liu more tender and wearable fragrance.
You will experience an obvious comparison between Liu And Chanel N5 Eau Premiere. In my own personal opinion I see Liu a little more true to the original N5 than the Eau de Premiere.
Overall Eau de Premiere and Liu smell similar but there are important differences. On one hand there’s liu placing more emphasis on Neroli, hints of soft Woody-Vanilla, and the typical Guerlain Orris note. And in the other hand ylang Ylang, vetiver, neroli and lemony notes shine more on Eau de Premiere.
This beauty is definitely recommended to Chanel N5’s lovers.
yustas133 – :
(Second review)
I pulled my first review because i’ve now sampled this for a month.
This opens heavy, which I was not expecting (with the aldehydes and begamot); and stays heavy throughout. I suspect rosemary is the reason, which tends to sink on me.
I’m not sure I would call this a floral green, but an ‘herbal’ green. I had a similar experience with Miller Harris’s Fleur du Matin, which also has lots of herbs.
I like Liu, and wouldn’t mind owing a small decant of it. I find this scent helps with concentration and works well on a cold, winter day.
I can’t see this being mainstream popular, though, its too different. I’m tempted to say this would smell better in a potpourri jar than on my person, becasue it sits right on that line. It’s only because I like everything going on outside of the rosemary that I can recommend it.