L’Homme’s Composition
Firstly, despite the name L’Homme is a relatively delicate fragrance. Nevertheless, it features a distinctively aromatic blend composed of both wood and citrus notes. These hallmarks are all quite common and can be found in a number of other men’s fragrances in different concentrations.
Head Notes
- Bergamot
- Ginger
- Lemon
L’Homme starts on an overtly refreshing and balanced opening of bergamot, ginger and lemon. It’s quite breathtaking a features a minor bitterness. This grows into the white pepper, which becomes much more apparent in the heart.
Heart Notes
- Basil
- Iris
- White Pepper
As the white pepper emerges as a distinctive note, it’s accompanied by an accord of basil and iris. The floral aromatic pairing offsets the pepper’s bitterness but both work together for an overall sharp experience.
Base Notes
- Tonka Bean
- Oak Moss
- Vetiver
- Sandalwood
Once the heart notes have faded, they’re replaced by a green woody blend. Earthy tonka bean and moist oak moss contrast with powdery sandalwood. Meanwhile, leathery vetiver works to create a slight leather sensation.
L’Homme’s Life-Cycle
Overall, L’Homme’s life-cycle is pretty short-lived and can be experienced within five minutes of applying it. The head and heart both come in waves, which die down to let the base take precedence.
Unfortunately, as we will discover in the next section, the fragrance loses momentum by this time. By the time the base comes to play, it’s a somewhat faded reflection of the previous notes. In fact, YSL L’Homme’s head and heart as quite reminiscent of Armani Code. However, Armani Code comes across as much more outgoing than YSL L’Homme, which is a little subdued by comparison.
Wake & Strength Of YSL L’Homme
As a whole, YSL L’Homme suffers from a very weak longevity and projection. After applying the fragrance, you’ll be lucky to experience more than 3 hours of it. In addition, the projection’s sphere is very tight and only really noticeable when up close.
However, the sillage is surprisingly good. It gives off a solid trail, which can be intermittently detected by others. This suggests that between the sillage and projection, it makes for a very intimate fragrance.
When Should You Wear Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme?
Although people tend to like the fragrance, there are very enthusiasts among them. Indeed, those who tested the L’Homme found it to be overall pleasant but were left wanting. Women tended to prefer it over men. However, young men in their late teens tended liked it more as it wasn’t as overbearing as more mature alternatives.
Nevertheless, both those who loved it and those who weren’t blown away found it was too fleeting.
Either way, this is a fragrance that tends to suit younger men best. YSL L’Homme can be comfortably worn by men in their late teens but works best with those in their twenties.
In terms of seasonality, this comes across as a fragrance that performs well all year yet piques during milder months. Given that the blend is broad without edging towards any particular notes, it is best suited for spring and autumn.
Similarly, l’Homme seems to be an all-day fragrance in that it there is no discernable fixed time of day for wearing it.
Despite being a very subdued fragrance, L’Homme makes a great fragrance for dating. After all, it is far from overwhelming and features a very mild projection with short longevity. Therefore, men can wear this and be in close proximity with someone without fearing that it makes them uncomfortable.
Indeed, some couples have noted that it’s their preferred fragrance for “snuggling” for its comforting cedarwood note.
Finally, the masculinity is on the low side and is remarkably faint. It would be hard to imagine a woman wearing the base. However, the head and heart could almost be considered conventionally feminine. Nevertheless, it is certainly one of the mildest overtly masculine fragrances out there.
Presentation and Value For Money
Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme comes in a visually interesting glass bottle. Much like the contents, it has a modest , subdued aesthetic. The cylindrical glass bottle features small silver lettering in the brand’s standard font.
Like other fragrances from the Homme range, the cap is a large hexagon with the YSL initials stamped on the top.
The atomiser performs relatively well. There is a slight spray inconsistency in that thecone’s centre is disproportionately thicker than the edges. However, it gives a decent dispersal.
With regards to the packaging, the design merges Yves Saint Laurent’s 1960s pop heritage and its contemporary values. Smalls swirls dress the box outside of a hexagonal shape with the YSL initials.
Finally, YSL Homme’s value for money is average at best. As a designer fragrance, it comes as no surprise that it is quite expensive. Nevertheless, given its weak longevity, daily usage will be even more costly in the long run. As more needs to be applied throughout the day, you may run out relatively quickly.
Nevertheless, despite an RRP of $77, it can be found for $70 on Amazon.com. However, it’s much cheaper through FragranceX with prices starting around $50!
Closing Thoughts
As fragrances go, YSL L’Homme is a reliable choice. However, beyond using for dates, it seems to be a bit weak for daily wear. Furthermore, as some may find it a little bland, there may be more distinctive alternatives available.
Nevertheless, this is a great fragrance for dates. Being something subdued, it’s a very safe choice. Additionally, a modest projection means that it won’t risk being an off-putting factor.
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