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Libre by YSL has become a pretty popular lavender based fragrance. Another such option, is the even more popular Mon Guerlain. Due to their similarities, they often can get compared and become the final two options that women are deciding on to purchase. In this post, I want to give my comparison of these two perfumes, and go through why I think one is better than the other.
Quick Overview
Mon Guerlain is the better overall fragrance in this comparison, offering a sweeter, smoother, and more balanced blend of lavender, vanilla, tonka bean, and jasmine.
Libre has stronger projection and a bolder floral character, but its orange blossom and lavender combination feels less deep and refined.
Libre is still a solid choice for someone who wants the louder, more youthful option, while Mon Guerlain wins for overall scent quality.
| Category | YSL Libre EDP | Mon Guerlain EDP | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Opens with citrus, orange blossom, and a strong lavender presence. Bold and heavily floral from the beginning, with the lavender becoming dominant. | Starts with sweet vanilla and tonka bean, creating an almost caramel-like scent. It later shifts toward a smoother combination of lavender and vanilla. | Mon Guerlain |
| Projection | Strong and well above average. It projects clearly and has the louder presence of the two fragrances. | Moderate projection that remains noticeable without becoming overpowering or filling an entire room. | YSL Libre |
| Longevity | Lasts just over 9 hours during testing, with dependable and consistent performance. | Usually lasts at least 8 hours and can exceed 10 hours. It has a lower floor but a higher performance ceiling. | Mon Guerlain |
| Versatility | Works well for everyday and casual wear through much of the year, but has a somewhat younger and more playful character. | Also suitable for daily and casual wear, but fits a wider age range and can transition more easily into dressier or formal occasions. | Mon Guerlain |
| Overall Scent | A bold lavender and orange blossom fragrance that becomes creamier as the vanilla develops. Pleasant, but not especially deep or balanced. | A smoother and more balanced lavender-vanilla fragrance, with jasmine, tonka bean, and an appealing caramel-like opening adding extra richness. | Mon Guerlain |
Tale of the Tape: Mon Guerlain vs. YSL Libre
Mon Guerlain
Notes include: jasmine, vanilla, lavender, sandalwood, tonka bean
Click here to try: Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.3oz
Read my review: Mon Guerlain EDP
Libre EDP
Notes include: lavender, white musks, orange flower, vanilla, orchid
Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 90ml/3oz, clear
Read my review: Libre EDP
Opening
Mon Guerlain starts things off with a sweet aroma of vanilla and tonka bean. Though, the way that the fragrance mixes with other notes in its composition, it starts to develop a caramel-like scent.
Then, Mon Guerlain will shift and become more about the lavender and vanilla notes, striking a somewhat similar smell to Libre.
Libre begins with citrus, but is already heavily floral from the start. Orange blossom is paired with the lavender early on, but the lavender will take on the much stronger role between the two.
Which is better? I prefer the start of Mon Guerlain. You still get the lavender note like YSL Libre, but you also get that sweeter and delicious opening. I think that it smells better and also more interesting.
Edge: Mon Guerlain
Projection
Mon Guerlain has a moderate sillage overall. It’ll be noticeable and project itself fairly well, but isn’t going to overtake a room with a normal amount of spraying.
Libre is firmly in the strong camp. Not the most powerful scent that I’ve come across, but it is well above average, especially among most popular designer scents. Both have nice performance, but Libre is a notch above.
Edge: Libre
Longevity
During testing, Libre would last on my skin for just over 9 hours. While it does have the stronger sillage, I actually get better performance most of the time from Mon Guerlain.
So, Mon Guerlain will do 8 hours at the low end, but it does go over 10 hours. It has a higher ceiling, but lower floor when compared to the Saint Laurent perfume.
Edge: Mon Guerlain
Versatility
Both of these scents can be worn for much of the year, outside of the summertime. So, seasonally they are about equals.
They are both very versatile, being daily wears, that can also be worn casually. I’d say that Mon Guerlain has the edge, as it can venture closer to formal wear and doesn’t skew as much to the younger age range as Libre.
Edge: Mon Guerlain
Overall Scent
Libre is an interesting fragrance and has it merits, but I’m not in love with it. It’s a bold lavender fragrance, that dries down into a creamier scent, with its vanilla note. Not a very deep scent and has an emphasis on the floral notes, including that opening orange blossom.
Mon Guerlain is just better to my nose, overall. It also has the lavender and vanilla, but feels more balanced, especially when the jasmine comes into play. Beyond that, the opening sweetness is a great touch, and Mon Guerlain is smoother/creamier.
Mon Guerlain pretty easily wins this one. Libre isn’t a bad perfume, it just doesn’t reach the same level as its competitor.
Since I first wrote this post, YSL has launched a slew of different Libre variants. The best that I’ve come across is Le Parfum…which is actually better than Mon Guerlain.
Winner: Mon Guerlain
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I’ve owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally test out and written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!