YSL Libre perfume is the 2019 floral that pairs French lavender with Moroccan orange blossom and a musk accord. Here are its stronger and newer versions, the hair mist and three other YSL fragrances to compare it with.
YSL Libre Perfume, the Lavender That Took Eight Years
Anne Flipo first sketched Libre in 2011, and by the time it launched in 2019, she and Carlos Benaïm had worked through 1,570 versions. That patience shows, because nothing about it smells rushed or random. YSL Libre perfume takes lavender, the herb of traditionally masculine fougère scents, and pairs essence of French lavender with Moroccan orange blossom and a musk accord, so it reads crisp and warm at once. The launch campaign starred Dua Lipa, and the message was freedom. Yves Saint Laurent's first fragrance, Y, was a green chypre in 1964, and Libre carries on that habit of mixing codes. The eau de parfum is the balanced one, the Intense adds warm vanilla, and Le Parfum brings in saffron for a deeper, spicier version. Vanille Couture is the gourmand one, ambery and sweet. I wear it on the wrists and the back of the neck, where it warms up slowly over the afternoon. Start with the eau de parfum, because every other bottle is built on it.
Four versions of Libre
Libre Eau De Parfum with Orange Blossom & Lavender
Yves Saint Laurent
$185
Libre Eau de Parfum Intense with Warm Vanilla & Orange Blossom
Yves Saint Laurent
$190
Libre Le Parfum with Orange Blossom & Saffron
Yves Saint Laurent
$172
Libre Vanille Couture Eau de Parfum with Vanilla and Orange Blossom
Yves Saint Laurent
$155
The newer Libres
The second row shows how far the idea stretches. Flowers and Flames adds a coconut palm tree flower accord and lily, a sunnier version, and Berry Crush is fruity with raspberry. Libre Santal is the first woody floral in the family, with warm sandalwood alongside the lavender, and it is the one I would pick for colder months. The hair mist is lighter than any of the sprays and gives you the scent without the intensity, which makes it good for the office. I like layering the mist over the eau de parfum on days I want the scent to last. Each of them keeps the lavender, so they feel related.
Other YSL bottles, and the skip
The first bottle in the last row is the eau de parfum in a pocket size, and a travel spray is how I would buy Libre the first time. Black Opium is the coffee and white flower scent, Mon Paris is red berries and patchouli, and the last bottle, from the men's side of the house, is citrus and woods with bergamot. They are useful to smell alongside Libre, because they show what the house does without lavender. What I would skip is wearing Black Opium and Libre Intense on the same day. The vanilla stacks up, and both lose their shape.
A travel Libre and three more from YSL
How to wear Libre
Spray the eau de parfum on your wrists and collarbone and let it dry without rubbing. Add the hair mist later in the day if it fades. For evenings, switch to Le Parfum. Libre took eight years to make, and it still smells like someone thought about every note. Store it away from light so the florals stay bright. If Libre has you curious about the rest of the shelf, I explained the YSL perfume lineup, including Black Opium and Mon Paris.
