Yves Saint Laurent
Eau de Parfum · Women's · 2019
Bold lavender-floral with a sweet vanilla glow, confident and modern
lavender · floral · warm spicy · sweet · musky · vanilla
Top (first impression): Lavender · Mandarin Orange · Black Currant · Petitgrain
Heart (the character): Lavender · Orange Blossom · Jasmine
Base (the dry-down): Madagascar Vanilla · Musk · Cedar · Ambergris
Season: fall, winter, spring · Occasion: date night, night out, everyday, special occasion
Longevity: long (8-10h) · Sillage: strong
YSL launched Libre in 2019 as its first major feminine pillar in years, positioned around the idea of freedom and a tension between cool masculine lavender and warm feminine orange blossom. It was composed by Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm, two highly regarded IFF perfumers, and fronted by Dua Lipa in its advertising. The fragrance was a commercial success and quickly became one of the best-selling women's perfumes globally, spawning numerous flankers including Intense, Le Parfum and Libre Eau de Toilette. Its signature move was making lavender, long coded as a masculine note, the heart of a feminine fragrance. It is frequently cross-shopped against Black Opium as YSL's other modern feminine blockbuster.
A standout in the modern feminine market for putting lavender front and center, balanced against orange blossom and a creamy vanilla drydown. Loud, sweet and very long-lasting without tipping fully into gourmand territory.
Nose: Anne Flipo, Carlos Benaïm
Mugler Alien · YSL Black Opium · Lancôme La Vie Est Belle · Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir