The deceased Frenchman, Yves Henri Donat Mathieu Saint Laurent, was an inventive fashion designer who was regarded as one of the greatest personalities in the French fashion industry during the 20th century along with the timeless Coco Chanel. The Frenchman co-founded his eponymous luxurious fashion brand, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), in 1961 with his fellow compatriot and partner Pierre Vital Georges Bergé.
The popularity and dominance of the fashion house are incomparable. Although they were hit with a financial crisis in the early 1990s, which forced them to sell the brand to Sanofi (a French multinational pharmaceutical company) in 1993, they continued to work with the brand. As a result, they successfully conquered the financial crisis and reported US$ 1.21 billion in revenue in 1996. Moreover, with the aid of prominent established actresses and models, the brand reasserted its dominance in the European fashion industry. As a result, it slowly established itself as one of the leading fashion houses worldwide.
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I got acquainted with this brand in my teenage years due to my parents’ obsession with YSL. Years later, I was an ardent follower too. From shirts and belts to bags and shoes, I have used it all. But, of course, I did not spare the sunglasses or the perfumes either. Speaking of fragrances, the one that stands out from the crowd is the La Nuit de L’Homme for Men by Yves Saint Laurent. The iconic masterpiece was released in 2009, a year after the death of its founder.
Price
I was a very proud owner of the first batch of this perfume. You can call it my first love. The two variants currently available online include the 3.3 fl. oz. (100 ml) bottle worth $86.98, and the 2 fl. oz. (60 ml) bottle worth $61.80. Although it may seem like a steep price, it is certainly worth it.
Packaging
Once you order it online, you are going to be in awe of the simplistic packaging. First, it is worth looking at the rectangular cuboid shape of the smooth black box. The front side of the box has the “YSL” logo, the perfume and brand’s name, and the quantity mentioned on it in glossy silver. It also has Eau de Toilette on it, suggesting a 5-15% concentrated perfume. The backside contains a precautionary note written in ten diverse languages. It also has the list of ingredients and the UPC Barcode on it, along with the address of YSL. The top of the box also contained the “YSL” logo, while the other three sides remained empty. Once you get over the box, you find the prized fragrance inside.
The small cylindrical bottle steals your heart right away. The gradient of the liquid is brownish yellow, and it gets darker as you go from top to bottom. The stem inside the bottle is black. This is something we usually do not see in fragrance bottles nowadays. So, it is quite a welcome change. The bottle had the perfume and brand name on it, while the product code was engraved on the bottom of the bottle along with the date of manufacture. Perhaps, the highlight of the bottle is the hexagonal black cap. This knob is quite sturdy, so you can pick up the bottle with it without worrying about breaking the bottle. Although the original 2009 bottles had a heavyweight knob, the modern ones are made of plastic, which is equally sturdy.
Ingredients and features
The now-deceased Frenchman Pierre Wargnye, a celebrated legend in the industry, collaborated with compatriot master perfumers Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo in 2009 to invent this sexy, masculine fragrance for men. The six-ingredient mixture is one of their perfect creations.
The top note only contained Cardamom, while the middle notes consisted of Lavender, Bergamot, and Virginia Cedar. Lastly, Caraway and Vetiver wrapped up the base notes.
Cardamom, the warm, rich, and spicy element, rocks you with the first couple of sprays. As soon as it sets in, the Lavender strikes in to provide the masculine depth to the fragrance, which is helped with the aromatic Bergamot. The herbal woodsy smell of Virginia Cedar is pretty faint, though. The dry smoky Vetiver and the bittersweet aromatic Caraway entice you in this oriental spicy flavour. The scent of every element is evident in it as each one perfectly balances the other.
The bold enticing scent is suitable for work or parties. Its powerful performance will bring in a lot of compliments from men and women alike.
This perfume is hugely popular in the nightlife scenes in metropolitan cities around the world. This is my go-to fragrance for work since I work with many high-profile clienteles. I have received my fair share of compliments and exciting dates throughout the years because its alluring aura is certainly dominant and undeniable.
Although everyone loves its smell, the recent reformulations of this seductive beauty have cost the fragrance its upper hand. Whereas it used to last from 5-8 hours a day, now it only manages 4 hours at most. The bold, striking silage is a thing of the past now. There was a time I could smell the fantastic perfume in my rooms after returning from a long day of work. Now, I barely smell it at home. The powerful silage is gone. I remember the days I would happily recommend it to everyone, but now, I have my reservations. Although the fragrance is perfect, the longevity and silage have dipped well below my desired levels.
Read more: Review: Trussardi Riflesso for Men
Summary
Here are my preferred ratings for the extraordinary perfume:
Fragrance 9/10
Bottle 8.5/10
Longevity 6/10
Silage 3/10
Overall 6.5/10
My ratings would have been higher for the original version. But, the low ratings is based on the new version after its many reformulations.
Here is a quick overview of my review of La Nuit de L’Homme (2009) made by Yves Saint Laurent to cut a long story short.
Pros:
- A masterpiece from a globally prevalent brand
- It still has a loyal customer base even after the unwanted changes
- Appropriate especially for the fall and winters
- Strong presence in upper-class socialite or business meetings
Cons :
- Reformulations have caused silage to deteriorate
- It does not last long enough
- Not very suitable for spring and summers