Crossword Genius

Fixative used in perfume has a light colour: French grey (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ambergris

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'fixative' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'colour french grey' is the wordplay.
'colour' becomes 'amber' (amber is a kind of colour).
'french grey' becomes 'gris' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'amber'+'gris'='AMBERGRIS'

'used in perfume has a light' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

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(Other definitions for ambergris that I've seen before include "Substance from whales used in perfumes" , "Perfume ingredient from whales" , "Sperm whale product used in perfumery" , "substance floating in sea" , "Sperm whale secretion used in perfume manufacture" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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