Yves Saint Laurent

La Nuit de l’Homme vs. Sauvage EDT Comparison

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Today, I am going to be taking a closer look at two of the best selling men’s fragrances out there, and comparing what sets them apart. The two contestants? La Nuit de L’Homme vs. Sauvage EDT. Which smells better? The Dior or the YSL? Which cologne lasts longer? Has better sillage? Is the better buy? I have tried out and reviewed each of them, now it is time to see which is the winner.

Tale of the Tape: La Nuit vs. Sauvage

Sauvage EDT

Notes include: Bergamot, Ambroxan, Sichuan Pepper, lavender, pink pepper, and more

Click here to try: Sauvage by Chrisitan Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Sauvage EDT Review

La Nuit

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

Try it out: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Read my review: La Nuit de l’Homme

Opening

The opening of Sauvage EDT is a spicy citrus blend of bergamot and Sichuan pepper. It is strong and fairly sharp, but is quickly joined by a calm lavender, and the ambroxan note. The ambroxan will become more prevalent as it settles on the skin.

La Nuit de l’Homme kicks off with cardamom and bergamot. It is also a somewhat spicy citrus blend, but the spice is fresher, smoother, and the bergamot is lighter in this YSL. La Nuit is warmer than it is spicy and the lavender note here, eventually takes over most of the citrus.

Which is better? I think that I prefer the start of La Nuit versus Sauvage. Sauvage can be too sharp at the beginning for my nose and I like the cardamom note better than the Sichuan pepper.

Edge: La Nuit

Projection

La Nuit starts off pretty moderate with its sillage, before becoming a much lighter cologne. Actually, newer bottles are fairly light for the entirety. It was never a heavy fragrance, but now it’s got even less punch.

Meanwhile, Sauvage EDT, starts off with a powerful burst and gradually becomes more upper moderate. The sillage is an easy win for the Dior.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

La Nuit will last in the 6-8 hour range, on my skin, but it’s usually more towards the six hour end. Update: newer bottles of this YSL don’t hit that 8 hour mark anymore. I can still get six, usually.

Sauvage will go 6-9 hours, but usually towards the nine hour mark. Sometimes, they’ll be equal, but more often than not it’s Sauvage winning.

Edge: Sauvage

Versatility

Both of these fragrances have a lot of versatility and can excel in a variety of situations. I think that the distinction comes in, with the climate. Sauvage can work year round, better than La Nuit, which holds up in cold to moderate temperatures but not so much in heat.

Also, Sauvage is better suited for the night club kind of environment. They are pretty equal in other respects.

Edge: Sauvage

Overall Scent

As you can see, Sauvage performs a bit better and is somewhat more versatile, than is La Nuit. However, I have to say that La Nuit de L’Homme smells better than Sauvage EDT.

Sauvage starts out with that intensity, that I’m not too fond of, and it becomes smoother over time with its lavender and ambroxan note. It is warm, spicy, and crowd pleasing with its citrus.

La Nuit is very clean and masculine with a lavender and cardamom blend, leading the way. Under that, you get woodsy cedar and vetiver. It is fresh with a really nice aroma.

I’m going to give La Nuit the win over Sauvage, because I do think that it is better smelling fragrance. It’s performance is good enough, to make up for lagging behind Sauvage in area, by just having the better scent.

Update: The performance has suffered with Nuit recently. It still smells like a better fragrance. I wouldn’t pay full price for either, but I enjoy La Nuit much more.

Remember though, I’m talking about the more popular EDT version of Sauvage versus La Nuit. I would actually go with the EDP version over either. This is how I’d rank them: 1. Sauvage EDP 2. Sauvage Parfum 3. La Nuit 4. Sauvage EDT.

If it’s between just these two, go with La Nuit. Otherwise, I’d pick Sauvage EDP. If you want EDT, there are plenty men’s perfumes like Dior Sauvage.

Winner: La Nuit

La Nuit de L’Homme Eau Electrique by YSL

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On my way out of El Prat airport, I once again stopped into a duty free shop to explore the fragrance selection, and came across a newer offering from Yves Saint Laurent…La Nuit de L’Homme Eau Electrique. The blue color and the name caught my eye, so I figured that I would try this one out and wear it on the flight home. In this post, I am going to give my initial impressions and opinions about this cologne after a single wear.

What does La Nuit Eau Electrique Smell Like?

Notes include: cedar, vanilla, tonka bean, cashmere, vetiver, lavender, apple, geranium, bergamot

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’Homme Eau Electrique Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3oz

My Full Wear Review

OK, so, going into this test I had zero expectations or notions about Electrique. In fact, I’d never even heard of it. I think that’s the best way to do a review of this sort, since my mind won’t be clouded by what I ‘wanted’ the cologne to be, and can simply judge it based on merit.

I sprayed this one twice on my arm about an hour or so before my transatlantic flight back to the US from Spain. Update: I’ve since had a travel spray size of Eau Electrique and am updating my thoughts throughout this post.

It initially struck me as smooth with a creamy/powdery offering of tonka bean with a woody base and some fruit thrown in to boot. Electrique was really fresh and drew me in from the very jump and I could smell it on me as I walked to my boarding gate.

That’s a very simple test of whether or not I think something is worth my while, is it an enjoyable addition to the background of my everyday life? For Electrique, I vote that yes, it is.

Eau Electrique opens with a noticeable apple and some citrus notes. The apple, tonka, vanilla, and lavender are really present up top with the main tonka bean note. Really, apple and tonka bean.

Then, the second wave brings in geranium paired with that lavender sitting under a tonka/vanilla combo.

The notes in Electrique have some overlap with Versace Eros, but, I think they are two different fragrances and the similarities aren’t that noticeable.

Eros is a much louder and has more of a citrusy aroma than does Electrique, though, the tonka bean and apple notes are shared.

Update: I could also compare this to Montblanc’s Legend Night, but noticeably lacking the heavy cardamom note.

Electrique is understated and while it has some sweet elements, it never becomes overbearing. I think the prevalence of the cashmere was a nice touch and gives Electrique some more separation from the original La Nuit.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Electrique was good during my one off test. It was noticeable during the wear and even kind of heavy at first. It isn’t a complete beast or anything but it is getting close to crossing that line.

I got 7-8 hours of use out of it. The last few hours it was more of a skin scent. However, I can’t really say for certain how it will perform with just one wear but it seems legit enough. Update: Yep, 6-8 hours, consistently.

Electrique is more suited toward cold weather wear. It worked fine in an air conditioned environment but I’m not sure that’ll hold up in the heat. Update: Not great in high heat, but moderate springtime temperatures, it is fine.

It does seem to have some versatility as both a casual fragrance and one which will work as a date night type of cologne.

Overall Impressions of Eau Electrique

Overall, is La Nuit de L’Home Eau Electrique worth a buy? I actually really liked wearing this fragrance. It’s nothing Earth shattering; but it is very good. It gives good performance and has a very attractive scent with a tangential relation to the original La Nuit.

It’s a good bet as an Eros alternative, if you don’t like the lemon note there. Also, the geranium can come across a bit like mint. It’s not a dupe, but they do have a very similar style.

Eau Electrique has now been discontinued, so, grab a bottle while you still can for cheap.

Electrique is a smooth and fresh fragrance with a powdery finish and a woody heart. It’s not super outstanding or ‘special’ but it is really damn nice.

L’Homme Libre by Yves Saint Laurent

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I recently got a hold of a sample sprayer of L’Homme Libre by YSL. Now, I really enjoy Yves Saint Laurent fragrances for the most part and especially some of the other scents in the line of L’Homme titled colognes that they have put out.

So, I was quite excited to try out Libre for myself and see if it would take a top spot among YSL’s catalog of colognes. In this post, I want to take a closer look at Libre and give my opinion on whether or not it is worth checking out.

What does L’Homme Libre Smell Like?

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Notes include: violet leaf, basil, leather, pink pepper, star anise

My Full Wear Review

Libre opens with a slightly sweet and mellowed spice aroma on top of a leather note.  Immediately, it is dominated by basil, violet leaf, and the aforementioned leather. I can also detect the pink pepper which adds to the spiciness of the fragrance.

It really is a rather unique cologne in a sense, as it is an earthy/woodsy scent with a spice such as Burberry London, but has a sweetness to it like Opium Pour Homme also by YSL.

Again, Libre is wholly different from those fragrances, since the spice isn’t very sharp and it is a very fresh cologne. It sort of reminds my of Uomo by Zegna, if you replaced the heavy citrus notes.

The opening 10-15 minutes of this can seem kind of strong and may turn people away but I think that the fragrance really begins to shine in the drydown period.

The sweetness of Libre begins to take on a more prominent role, it’s a great fruit influence into the main heart of the scent. I really liked Libre at this point, it feels really masculine yet clean and unique from many other scents.

Libre becomes super smooth, refreshing, and the violet leaf note sits perfectly on the woodsy base. This is a very different animal from the other L’Homme fragrances in the lineup. Really, it doesn’t resemble any of the others, in my opinion.

There’s lots of basil and star anise, among other things, to give Libre a refreshing, but herbal green sort of spice. The warmth of the pink pepper is still there and there is also a bit of pachouli thrown in to rough the composition up a little.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d say it’s moderate bordering on heavy at first and then lightens up a bit as it transitions into the drydown.

The sillage overall is good and much better than what I’ve ever gotten with YSL L’Homme.  It becomes this semi-sweet green fragrance highlighted by a pink pepper spice and leather.

Libre does also seem to last for a long time, as well. All work day in most situations shouldn’t be a problem. It is one of the better performing flankers from this Saint Laurent line of fragrances, somewhere in the 8-9 hour range

I would wear it on days with a moderate temperature, I think it would buckle in hot weather and might be somewhat out of place during the dead of winter.

Libre is sort of an odd duck in that way. I generally wore this stuff during the later spring months, but did throw it on at night, during the summer a few times.

Is it attractive? Yes, it is an attractive scent, with its own masculine sexiness. This is a good cologne for work and something non-intrusive to wear out at night. Would be a good date night fragrance or to a lounge type setting.

L’Homme Libre isn’t a night club monster or anything. It generally handles it business and fits in a lot of different scenarios without demanding anyone pay attention to it.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme Libre

Overall, is it a buy? I definitely like it a lot. Is it my favorite? No, but it is really enjoyable to me. I don’t think it’s an amazing cologne, rather, it is one that is very good overall.

It also might not be every guy’s cup of tea, especially if you don’t like earthy/green/woodsy scents with a spice to them.

Yves Saint Laurent makes some great colognes and I actually think some of the other scents in the L’Homme line are better than Libre. So, that fact may prevent me from purchasing a full bottle of Libre. But again, I do think it is a cologne worth wearing.

I know that it has been discontinued as of this 2021 update, so, if you want a bottle…better start grabbing them up. It’s gotten pretty expensive, but don’t overpay for this.

Y by YSL vs Dior Sauvage EDT Comparison

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In this comparison post, I want to take a close look at two men’s fragrances that have been released over the past four years, Y by Yves Saint Laurent vs. Sauvage by Christian Dior. Now, this will be a comparison of the eau de toilette versions of both of these colognes. The ultimate question is, which smells better? I will come to this conclusion by comparing them in different categories before declaring a winner.

Tale of the Tape

Sauvage EDT

Notes include: Bergamot, Ambroxan, Sichuan Pepper, lavender, pink pepper, and more

Click here to try: Sauvage by Chrisitan Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Sauvage EDT Review

Y EDT

Notes include: bergamot, ginger, aldehydes, violet leaf, geranium, sage, cedar, musk, incense, ambergris, fir

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3oz

Review: Y EDT

Opening

Y opens with a very fresh aroma that is cool, crisp, and super clean. It has a nice top note of bergamot, which is light and juicy. The aldehydes provide a bright and sunshine-like feeling and that is met by a warm ambergris note. Later, ginger and violet leaf enter the picture.

Meanwhile, Sauvage EDT, also opens with a bergamot note but this one is really sharp and quite intense. Sichuan pepper and lavender are also there. It is strong and sometimes harsh to my nose at first, but ultimately settles down.

Which is better? I think the opening of Y smells better than Sauvage. Sauvage can be overbearing at first, before really hitting its stride, but Y EDT is very pleasant right out of the gate.

Edge: Y

Projection

Sauvage starts off quite powerful and has a sillage that projects far. Then, it becomes more moderate, as the wear moves along. Still, it is above average with its projecting ability for almost all of the time it’s on your skin.

Y, on the other hand, starts off as a moderate and then becomes a skin scent or thereabouts for much of the rest of the wear. Y EDT isn’t a strong scent, not awful, just not great.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

Sauvage lasts anywhere from 6-9 hours on my skin. When the heat and humidity are low, it lasts longer, but during summer it’s much closer to 6 hours. Some people seem to get better performance than me with this cologne, but it’s still a fairly good performer.

Y is pretty consistent with close to 7 hours of wear. It doesn’t seem to go beyond that. Pretty good, but it never goes to an extreme extent.

Edge: Sauvage

Versatility

Both of these colognes are highly versatile. They can be worn casually, dressed up, at the office, or out for the evening. Sauvage is probably better for nightlife, with its greater sillage, and sexier nature.

At least when compared to the EDT version of Y. Nonetheless, I would give Sauvage a bit of an edge versus the YSL scent.

Edge: Sauvage (slightly)

Overall Scent

Y EDT from Yves Saint Laurent, smells really good, but it isn’t anything special. I really enjoy how fresh, clean, and simple it is. It also doesn’t have any of the harsh intensity that Sauvage does and is much more low key.

Also, while it doesn’t have great projection, the longevity is solid and doesn’t disappoint. It just isn’t a beast and it’s not designed to be. It is very balanced with light qualities of sweetness and spice from the ginger.

However, Sauvage EDT is better. Even if I’m personally not a huge fan of it. Once it settles down it can be quite nice and catches attention. It is highly popular for a reason, after all. The performance is better than Y and it has the added dimension of being a nightlife wear, while Y EDT, is more of a simple daily wear.

Between the two? I’m picking Sauvage EDT. Though, I’d really prefer the Eau de Parfum version to either.

Winner: Sauvage

Best Vanilla Scented Colognes for Men

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Vanilla is a popular note used in fragrances for both men and women. Frankly, I love the way it can add a sweet smoothness when used correctly in scents. Vanilla can be a very seasonal type of note when it is predominately featured in a fragrance and I think you’ll find most of the colognes on this list would probably best serve you during the cooler months of the year.  I have included 8 selections on this list and of course there are more out there but I feel that these are the best of the bunch.

Vanilla Colognes: What are the Best Perfumes for Men?

Top Luxury Vanilla Fragrance

Creed Sublime Vanille Cologne for Men 8.4 oz Eau De Parfum– So, let’s start out with this hyper-expensive entry from Creed. Sublime Vanille has one of, if not, the best vanilla notes that I have ever smelled in a fragrance. It’s fantastic.

It’s sweet and creamy, mixed with tonka bean during the dry down period. Sublime Vanille opens with citrus notes, which gives it a nice orange creamsicle vibe.

The citrus note fades a bit as it moves on and there is an emergence of a soft musk note which adds depth to the composition. Sublime Vanille is more of a unisex scent and once it gets going, it’s pretty linear in its aroma throughout the rest of the wear.

This Creed is soft and airy, good for casual or dressed up styles. Again, this one is a high end scent, but the vanilla doesn’t get much better (if at all) than what’s in here. Here is my full wear review.

Best Overall Cologne with a Vanilla Led Blend

Giorgio Armani Code Absolu EDP Eau de Parfum For Men 3.7oz– Code Absolu has become my favorite issuance from this Armani line. The vanilla, comes along heavier later in the wear, and is joined by a host of smooth and spicy ingredients. 

Code Absolu opens up with nutmeg, rum, suede, and tonka bean. There is also a hint of citrus and crisp apple, in the background. The spice of the nutmeg is dominant for a few minutes, before the suede and tonka bean really take over.

The fresh spice here is great, nutmeg and rum, are surprisingly great together. The fruit notes, are also just strong enough, to prevent it being a completely dark fragrance.

This one is fresh, warm, with a nice sweetness from vanilla and tonka bean. The projection is strong, but not absurdly so, and the longevity consistently hits 10+ hours, on my skin. Code Absolu Full Review

Top Nightlife/Youthful Vanilla Blend

Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male Eau de Toilette Intense 40ml Spray– Originally, I had Le Male, on this list. However, that was before the release of Ultra Male by Jean Paul Gaultier. This flanker fragrance to the original, takes what was great about it, and does it even better.

A warm and spicy aroma highlighted by vanilla and pear notes, which gives it a sweet and candy-like edge. I have a full bottle of Ultra Male and it is a fragrance that I wore pretty much all winter in 2018.

The mint and cinnamon combination adds a very nice spice to the uber sweet arrangement. This JPG scent delivers very good sillage and I’ve always gotten around 9 hours of solid wear from it. This is a colder weather scent, that is sexy, and built for the nightlife. Ultra Male is great, upbeat, and a worthy successor to the original Le Male. Ultra Male Full Review

Best Vanilla and Tobacco Blend

TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum 50 ML(1.7 OZ)– A high performing giant in the world of fragrance. Tobacco Vanille is obviously highlighted by those two notes, but it’s excellent blend of sweetness and spiciness is what really sets it apart.

Expensive? Yes, but it delivers an experience that is all its own. This is masculine, refined, and a fragrance that really shines in the winter time.

This is another one, like Sublime Vanille, that features an absolutely divine vanilla note. It’s very realistic and smells utterly perfect to my nose. Add to the two main notes, you get a lovely cacao, fruits, and creamy tonka bean.

The scent is also quite dry and doesn’t have a ‘juicy’ fruit sensation. Overall, it is super sweet and spicy, while being a performance scent that will last and project for ages. Tobacco Vanille Review

Best Daily Wear Designer Vanilla

Pi By Givenchy For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces– A sweet yet woody fragrance with vanilla and almond notes. It has a fresh and somewhat powdery dry down with the tonka bean note and a resinous benzoin.

Pi can be a great go to fragrance for a guy who wants something affordable that can be worn every day (outside of the hottest months). What I really like about this Givenchy cologne, is it’s subtle earthiness and herbal qualities that lie just underneath the vanilla sweetness.

Pi is a rich and very cozy scent to wear on the coldest days. It’s sensual powdered dry down and that great little almond addition, always seem to draw complements. It has been around for a few decades at this point and still has legions of fans, who swear by the power of Pi.

pi

Great Exotic Use of Vanilla

Opium By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces
A spicy and oriental type of fragrance which is soothed by the vanilla note that plays a supporting role to the anise and peppery elements. Solid performer and one of the first colognes I ever bought.

There are those warm sort of smoky elements that create an interesting take on the usual, sugary kind of vanilla colognes.

It’s profile overall, is that of the orient. Opium is mysterious and has a sort of ancient charm to the aroma, its resinous and spicy. The whole thing envelopes you skin and the vanilla note is in the heart of it all. I wish that I had more of my vintage bottle of this Yves Saint Laurent classic. My Opium Pour Homme Review

opium

The Easy to Wear, Crowd Pleaser

Hugo Boss Men’s Boss No. 6 Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

A moderate fragrance with woodsy notes that is great for casual wear. The apple, cinnamon, and vanilla give Boss No. 6 a sweet yet crisp aroma. This is a good one for those who want a vanilla based scent that is blended with other notes and can be worn as an everyday sort of cologne.

Boss No. 6 is a fairly inexpensive choice and has a gourmand sensability. Its sweetness is like that of baked goods: warm and tasty. The wood notes emerge led by sandalwood and mahogany to give this Hugo Boss scent, more masculine depth.

It all comes together as light, a bit powdery, and spicy cologne with that lovable vanilla note sitting in the thick of it. Boss No. 6 Review

Awesome Sweet Smelling Vanilla Perfume

Acqua Di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Mandorlo Di Sicilia Eau de Toilette Spray, 5 Ounce–  Almond and vanilla are paired to create a warm and lightly enveloping aroma, that has a sweet candy-like quality. Mandorlo di Sicilia is a unisex scent, but can be a great colder weather wear for men.

This one reminds me of these little root beer candies, that I ate sometimes, as a child. Orange, almond, and the vanilla come together to give it a sweet, somewhat nutty, fizziness.

Akin to carbonation. Mandorlo is fresh and dries down, mostly as vanilla, with a powdered sugar quality. The sillage is fairly light, but it can last for 6-7 hours, on my skin.  My Full Review is Here