Rive Gauche pour Homme (2003)
by Yves Saint Laurent

Rive Gauche pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent - Initially, one is treated to a brisk melange of bergamot, with its tart, citric dimension, rosemary, with its cooling, camphoraceous slant, and star anise, with its smoky licorice. This burst of freshness is fleeting, and the refreshing opening transitions rather quickly to the waiting middle. Here, in the herbal heart, a mixture of clean lavender imparts its soapiness, invigorating clove provides a slight smokiness, and crisp, geranium leaf bestows its lemony greeness. This barbershoppy concoction meanders to the awaiting base. A robust medley of earthy and musty patchouli, lemongrass-like greeness and clumped dirt from vetiver, as well as waxy and faintly smoky guiacwood commingle to present a sensual and somewhat dark drydown. This masculine composition has average projection, basically a skin-scent, and good longevity, 7-10 hours. Conjuring an illusion of shaving cream, this wonderfully original and unique scent should be had!

18th January, 2012.

The two big Hommes of the early twenty-first century, Rive Gauche (2003) and Dior (2005), are both housed in striking bottles – the former tall, cylindrical and intriguingly opaque; the latter cuboid, proudly squat and invitingly transparent. While the Dior vessel offers a premonition of its ethereal fruity-iris glamour, the sombre aluminium canister of Rive Gauche Pour Homme – a kind of Liquorice Allsort baton that alternates nearly imperceptibly between jet black and inky brown and is striated with silver, Barnet Newman-style zips – speaks of the reserved charisma within.

RGPH is an aromatic fougère with successive phases of spiciness (anise, geranium, clove), nuttiness (peanut), and woods (patchouli and gaiac), that weave increasingly mellow elaborations of its central lavender-coumarin accord. It has a unique knack for making me feel freshly-shaven, not merely because of its Barbasol associations, but because it smells considered, as if it’s giving me the once-over in a mirror before I leave the house. It reigns supreme as the most balanced of the star fougères, with less lavender than Azzaro Pour Homme, fewer cloves than Le Troisième Homme, and a restrained soapiness as compared to Grey Flannel, all of which sometimes imperil these scents. RGPH is a marvel of excellent proportions, endowed with an ideal shoulders-to-waist ratio and terrific persistence (the drydown soothes any worries about the radiance of its anise-heavy opening).

Finally, and to return to the bottle, there is the pleasure of being able to let Rive Gauche Pour Homme stand nobly in the bathroom, impenetrable to the sun, a handsome tribute to sprezzatura and good taste. This is confidence in a can.

28th December, 2011.

Classic style and of antique barbershop style but softened and reinterpreted in the French way. The secret? Intense, persistent, yet cool and comfortable. The gem of any wardrobe worth its salt.

13rd December, 2011.

I love this fragrance and my wife does too, which says a lot. At first you smell lavender, rosemary and clove and later some light woods. Very classic and easy to wear. I didn't get it at first and thought it wasn't that great, but I tried it a couple of times and it really grew on me. I can definitely see how this smells like shaving cream. I highly recommend Rive Gauche Pour Homme to anyone that likes lavender and woody scents.

2nd December, 2011.

Initial impression: only very slight rosemary immediately after spray, along w/ nice, clean lavender; maybe a little anise, reminiscent of Azzaro pH;

@ 10" maybe geranium, no clove; @ 20" still no clove, but something a little sweet;

@ 30" faded, close to skin, not much projection. Don't get the vetiver, gaiac wood, perhaps a note of patchouli.

@ 50" no change. Does not seem to project much on me. Very nice, classic, smooth dry-down, pleasant to wear.

3rd November, 2011.

I did not get this fragrance at first. What was all the hype about?

I get it now. Light yet deep/Fresh/Creamy/Barbershop Clean.

Any time I am waffling over what fragrance to wear, Rive Gauche is what I wear.

23rd October, 2011.