Description
Rive Gauche was created in 1970 by perfumer Michel Hy. Its name – ‘Left Bank’- stands for the left side of the river Seine, an intellectual, hip and slightly more bohemian side of Paris, where YSL boutique is situated. Rive Gauche is a fragrance for free and independent women, a gracious inhabitant of the city who likes the sun and wind more than anything but who is also quintessentially metropolitan.
The well-known and much loved composition of floral aldehydes was enriched in 2000s with clear woody and aromatic accords. The aldehyde note is now surrounded by pelargonium and rose absolute, which somewhat softens the sharp metal note of the original composition, ending with a comfortable combination of oak moss, vetiver, musk and balsamic notes.
And yet those changes leave the fragrance very recognizable – all the way to the arty flacon. It is a great addition to any perfume lover’s collection due to its true versatility and impeccable, ‘very French’ taste. Rive Gauche was launched in 1971.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SZ4uxednqo&rel=0
leska – :
There’s not many perfumes that I actively dislike but this is one of them. My best friend wore it in the 80’s and I thought she was so cool taking this out of her handbag. However, no matter how many times I tried it, on me it just smelt metallic, bitter, fusty and frankly like cat’s pee. Unpleasant in the extreme. Still love the bottle design though.
sweetboy – :
Love the aldehydes, oakmoss, rose and the woody and green notes. I totally adore adore the bottle. I remember my grandmother had This when I was a child. I remember that I looked at it thinking that This way really grown ud and exclusive. The scent is absolutely feminine and wonderful. Sophisticated, classy and ladylike. Longevity and silage are moderate on my skin, but on clothes it lasts forever. This one has a lot of memories and nostalgia and will always have a place in my collection of perfumes. A truly work of art.
mvprok – :
i would so much like to wear this, bt similar like another poster, it does not play well on me. i might buy it later and wer only on clothes because there is something addictive to this scent, and i absolutely love tha bold design of the flacon
Xeroxobfhr – :
Was first introduced to this by a man in my life. He chose it because our first romantic encounter was on the left bank of the River Meuse! A lovely fragrance, not overpowering and I wore it for many years, but found it suited me less as I got older.
lereppoisk – :
I really like this, though I’ve only worn it twice.
It smells quintessentially boho/ French and classy rather than sugary and meant for young girls. I get green, powdery and the dry down has something civet-like and almost addicting. The base notes remind me of Deneuve which isn’t really around anymore. But my son is 11 and he liked it.
I could totally picture certain French actresses wearing this…
I got this in gift thanks to the lady who have me the sample.
Edit I’ve worn it a few more times and I really enjoy the retro classy feel.
РОМАН16 – :
Edp version :
In the EDP version rive gauche is delightful to my nose, but then I’m well in lorrrve with the edt already! !
I been on a real obsessive streak with this Fragrance, desperately trying new versions, older versions , parfums , edt Vs EDP etc . This stuff is yummy , not since discovering Chanel no 5 have I fell so hard for a scent !!
My edt is 2013 so reformulated version but lovely, a powdery cold fresh floral aldehyde.
The EDP skips some of the brigher top notes of citrus that give the edt is wonderful start. EDP is deeper and richer , but not bright like the edt is.
Instead base notes are deeper and it’s less powdery than edt.
I think it’s got richer musks too in the EDP.
So this version is definitely a bit different at first but 20 mins in and they smell very similar, it’s as though you go through a cold bright burst of Aldyhides and slowly the edt takes you to the mid notes and some white flowers , musk ,powder and rose start to come through.
With the EDP What Aldyhides there are are more muted, and don’t last as long.
Once both perfumes settle ( I’m testing EDP on one wrist and EDT on the other) they actually smell very close , like sisters. The edt darkens up a bit and those cold refreshing early notes fade away , becoming very like the start of the EDP.
So EDP is dark resinous and deeper more grounded and oily . Edt is far more refreshing and powdery but eventually goes 85% same way as the EDP it’s just not quite as dark or rich and is more zinngy and floral at first, EDP more jammy& aromatic , musky, bit herbal and licorice like ( not sure if there’s any licorice it may just be other notes giving that feel)
I noticed this in Chanel no 5 edt is powdery bright , pure parfum is deeper richer , but basically the same Fragrance.
Still ysl were mad to discontinue this EDP and pure parfum , why ?
I’m putting mine in the safe , in case I get a fragrance aware burglar !
Only kidding I don’t have a safe , and I’m skint from buying more perfume than I could ever possibly wear it’s a sickness what can I do ? 🙂
My bottle says ysl parfum corps on back batch number 61411 AL
Anyone know when it came out ? So far I’m thinking late 90s early 2000s.
Edt and EDP are both Very enjoyable…..
Alright their both friggin scrumptious 🙂 🙂
Smaylik.ua – :
Dear Alex1984,
Thanks kindly for your comment.
So you found 2002 Dior perfume in 2018 , blimey lol!
Maybe it’s genuine sometimes, slow sellers etc I guess we will never know if it’s genuine or bait and switch!
I’ll ask to buy the tester lol 🙂
By way excellent review of rive gauche down bellow 🙂
spider199765 – :
@camden-girl; unfortunately this happens all the time, especially with slow sellers, or older fragrances that don’t usually sell. It even happens with modern ones sometimes. How many times have I heard, when seeing ancient testers that people who buy it know the scent and don’t try it on. Last time was with a 2002 Diorella, in 2017! I wonder what people think, when they buy a perfume they’ve used for years and it changes dramatically, I guess many think it’s just their idea…While most testers are usually empty and replaced often, the fragrances that are more controversial due to reformulations usually have older testers. Bottom line; it’s a losing battle all the time.
mulik – :
Boots in London , 2 different branches were using batch code bottles as testers from 2012 ! Full bottle in one store , how ? What nobody tested this in almost 6 years !! ??
Yet for sale were newer weaker versions !
I know because I wrote down the batch number and checked outside the shop on my phone.
Bait and switch is flipping illegal yet it seems
It’s going on in the perfume industry.
So if you’re going to try this check the batch number on tester as you may be walking out with a wishy washy version of rive gauche.
kbm603speagoessenda – :
Fake 2013 bottle or new cheaper bottle ??
I bought a 100 ml of this online, it’s from 2013
Batch is 62k61d Al
I wanted a bottle that lasted and finally found a bottle I was hoping would last a bit more…. However….
Is it fake ?
Only instead of being a smooth metal all over alliminum bottle with printed on details, it has a sticker or stuck on label all around covering whole surface area for the stripes / words.
we’re it goes around the bottle covering most of surface there is a gap
( not huge maybe 3 milimeters , this is how you can easily notice it’s a sticker as it’s blue metal underneath , the sticky label is thick enough to stand out).
This could have been a way to introduce cheaper packaging ? It may not have gone down well and they ( L’Oréal/ ysl) may have gone back to smooth non label bottles ? as my 2015 is not like this )
It’s not a great look but scent seems good to me !
Anyone else got one like this ? Can anyone help put my mind at rest ?
Or maybe it’s a fake ?
Please let me know if you have any ideas 🙂
Thanks in advance….
Edit:
Been wearing this bottle with the sticky label surrounding it for months now ,
There’s no way it’s fake. It lasts ages and goes through lots of stages, yummy.
So if you are unsure as long as the batch number makes it a few years old it should be fine.
carpinteyrogpy – :
I’m reviewing this perfume purely because it is my absolute scent nemesis. I remember my mother being gifted a bottle of this around 15 years ago. I found it such an appalling assault on my senses I had to ask her not to wear it in my presence! It’s a blunt and overpowering scent akin to being smacked in the face with an anvil. My nostrils shut down and it gives me an immediate headache. Perhaps it’s overly aldehydic for me?
adgjm13 – :
I really really wanted to be able to wear this.
The first time I have smelled it was on an elderly Russian woman in a concert hall. I kept getting waves of this scent and I was enchanted. She told me it was Rive Gauche and I had to try it.
Unfortunately it just does not work the same magic on my skin. On me it’s more like wilted/fermenting rose petals in metal bowl next to some ancient lipstick and wood shavings.
On her it was creamy and heavenly complex. It’s just to show how different things can smell on different people.
МирОв – :
Also a debute scent for me..don’t completely understand why it stayed with me as long as it did maybe I just did not know any better not that it is a bad scent but very smack in the face and heavy..come to think..if that is why it took me so long to get a boyfriend.
Well anyway it was my early path to heavenly scents. Thank you RG and YSL.
lunya77 – :
I wore this when it first debuted in 71, and also Calandre, but somehow in my memory (which we all know, fails), I remember RG coming out first, before Calandre… I’m not going to quibble …. as I’m reading all the reviews, other scents are coming to mind that seemed to smell very similar. There was another Fab (and I do mean fab) scent the eponymous Mary Quant — which also came in a brushed aluminum canister, which was very bold (innovative), sharp and provocative. Also does anyone recall Ma Griffe? I think it proceeded the other two by maybe a decade (will have to research this), but it was in the same family — wild, green and finishing with a warm drydown.
Vasjan – :
i got a part used sealed pure parfum of this but it
smelled of almost nothing/ like gone off oil out the kichen cupboard but
sweeter a bit. not nice at all 🙁
maybe age had affected it ? same with all the vintages i get top notes often affected even in sealed bottles.
anyone bought the pure parfum
and found it nice with strong scent etc ?
please say as im unsure if i should try again from different seller or not ?
what should it smell like ? thanks…
By way YSL please bring back EDP or parfum version as only having edt is a bit of a tease !
makei023 – :
Hiya littlebunnyfoufou,
Thanks for that information , I actually don’t mind the reformation (2003) but I guess anything after 2014/15 will be watered down due to the new EU regulations 🙁
I’ll look out for boxes you described and try to get batch numbers off sellers, too, thanks sooooo much for all the info !! Nice one Hun , cheers 🙂
Бродяга 1996 – :
@camden-girl To find a vintage Rive Gauche, you just look for ones WITHOUT black blocks on either side of the name. The most vintage ones don’t have upc codes but as long as those blocks are not there, you should be good, and yes, vintage lasts way way way longer than the current stuff =)
Pure parfum is divine. Edp is a recent invention and I wasn’t impressed. An older bottle of edt will blow away an edp. Honestly the best bottles for you would be from the mid 90s to early 2k, it will say “Parfum Corps” with the manufacturer info. You can go older than that, the manufacturer will just be Yves Saint Laurent or even Charles of the Ritz but while those cans smell great – they are mostly pressurized and can be very problematic, get clogged etc. If the manufacturer info is Neiully BRI, which is L’Oreal, you’ve gone too modern.
mahirderya – :
hahaha i just read wickly funny comment on another perfume site, from a lady called Lauren /2007 i felt need to re write it in her name hope she dont mind:
“ I wore the original ( rive gauche) in 78, everyone hated it on me but i LOVED it noneheless , the new rive gauche is awfull, prehaps Tom ford should stick to sniffing mens crotches and not stinking up womens perfume ! “
( pmsl… maybe i need to try vintage ? )
Serge1488 – :
Having worn the original 70’s formula, I can say I actually like this formulation. It is “cleaner” than the original. Try mixing Calandre with it, very nice and more like the original!
ivanka – :
oh my goodness this stuff in the latest formular ( 2016 bottle) has me enslaved !
i really love this perfume soooo much.!
Powdery rose mmmmmmm
Something I noticed over time , at first it’s lovely ( directly after spraying)
Then 5 mins later it’s a bit , erm, weird , not nice , porta potty even, then 15 /20 mins later it’s amazing again. So this goes through a weird patch on my skin, if it happens to you don’t scrub it , wait just give it a little longer as you may find any weird notes go and it settles down nicely in the end !
nazarchik-beers – :
If you are looking for a very close dupe of the original Rive Gauche, you must try Paco Rabanne’s Calandre. Same nose on both, with Calandre coming a year or two earlier than RG.
SteelLion – :
rive gauche edt, new formulation ( 2016) aldehydic floral….
OOOOH BABY ITS FREEKIN AWESOMENESS 🙂
firstly something i found out was was that Chanel in house perfumer Jacques polge worked
with michel hy on this creation in 1970 , before he worked for Chanel !!
Suddenly it makes sense as this has a chanelesque vibe….sorta!…( Tiny bit).
Also, I read a short comment on another site saying calandre Paco rabanne was out just b4 this rive gauche but the calandre perfumer felt that rive gauche was a blatant rip off of calandre and a court case may even have been started ?? If anyone knows more please message me. Also is calandre very similar ?
Back. To miss gauche…
To me this is sooooo refreshing , snow cold , and i read somwhere that there is like a ‘hologram of a flower ‘ in this , yesss tthats it !
you gotta lurve powder too like friggin bundles of it and fresh white soap..
Dated ? No way !! Classy ? yesS !!
The silver and blue bottle captures this fragrance perfectly ,cold fresh aldyhides, rose, leafy greens , orris give this a sharp,bold, bright start, but it doesnt stay cold or aloof, the tonka and vetiver and sandalwood and musk give this some warmer notes,i think of springtime…
….there is a sheer quality in dry down and its soft… to me this is mostly orris and leafy green with a musky base and a shy green rose and a little honeysuckle, some beautiful woody notes too. The metalic rose is haunting and fresh, it’s not nearly as metallic as the vintage.
.
To me this is chic and feminine, soft and lush, maybe this new version is a little less herbal than vintage ? I wonder how good and different the pure parfum is ??( Anyone with ideas email me please).
Rive gauche is a classic french perfume, it’s made its way straight to my no2 spot ( no5 Chanel parfum is first) it flew past Dior,s and 50 other greats and made me sit up and take notice, I’m falling hard for this lush stuff!
~~~Wow~~~~~wOw~~~~Wow~~~~~~mmmmmm…
I had to find a rare powder for bath instantly and it’s on way to me , can’t wait to Try that as I love no 5 bath powders and soaps , I’ll update you on that 🙂
This fragrance is soooo ADDICTIVE and im really enjoying it…
floral aldeyhides are amazing!! I cannot stop sniffing my wrist RG is just sooo blinking wonderful! Ahhhhhhh.
edit : got BATH POWDER was sealed new in celophane.
its probably quite old though. sadly i felt a bit let down , unsure if its how it should smell but this is not much like the edt. its very soft no aldyhides no metalic rose notes no citrus, more a soft powdery rose, talc based so very powdery. very soft powdery version i guess, layers nice with scent of edt. i wont be buying vintage powders again as im sure they loose notes over years. nice enough though and i still enjoy it as it was a gift… 6/10
In fact I use it all the time as the little scent it has is scrummy.
Will I like Paco rabanne calandre ?
rumenner – :
It’s pretty good if u want oldies 70’s strong scent
And aweful.if u want new feminime sweet seduvtive scent
Dont blind buy it or any of its reforms
beethebest – :
I wore this in the 70s. I was in college and it cost me a pretty penny. Still, it was my sig frag for a long time. I even had the pure perfume, the one that came in a glass bottle with the striped cap. Compliments galore! I was heartbroken when I heard they reformulated it (stop the reformulation chicanery already!).
I looked it up on EBay, but if course, they want the earth for the original. Sigh.
pze006InsuffBooni – :
Something has happened to the composition- I have a client who attends my surgery who wears this and I’ve always loved it as a classic feminine fragrance. Today she came in wearing what I thought was a new fragrance but sadly it’s a new incarnation of Rive Gauche and whilst it’s nice, it doesn’t have that unique edge of the older formulation. Obviously a reason to seek out older stock (which she is going to try and do..)
stragauga – :
In A 1000 000 mln years it is still gonna be
CONTEMPORARY
IT IS JUST AMAZING AND FUTURISTIC
padik904 – :
Roses soured by aldehyde. Chic retro vibe. The rose is addictive. If you like roses, aldehydes, old-school chypres, I recommend sampling this. It’s all that. Perhaps not what it was in the past (nothing is anymore…) but worth getting a decant. Nice stuff.
tikonl – :
In the last two years, I’ve bought twice this fragrance and twice, I was disappointed. I’ve been not able to find any vintage bottle, and the current formulation is not worth it. The original formula could easily be my signature scent, but this? noway…
The oakmoss is subdued to the chaos of a mix of chemicals and the vetiver is so sinthetic that it can’t develop itself. I recall when I tested this metallic and loud juice at the end of the 90’s, featured in my mind like an old lipstick settled on an art déco boudoir. But it is in the drydown, my favorite stage, where I can’t recognise the scent anymore. In the past, the sillage was amaizing, nowadays it is impossible to catch any compliments.
It was fresh and dark, with a lot of roses, oakmoss, vetiver and iris. Today it has been reduced to an ethereal and dusty acid smell, zero sillage and less personality. Sorry, but this is what I get. I’m glad for all of you(thanks to a suitable skin chemistry) who can wear it decently with no regretments
Sometimes you have to take on that a beloved perfume is tragically gone, though
Auf wiedersehen little 70’s gem!
Nikolasha – :
Vintage (1978) vs recent (2013) Rive Gauche.
First of, I gotta say; in my opinion this is the best reformulation L’Oreal has done with an YSL fragrance. Actually, the only one that hasn’t completely butchered a perfume. Rive Gauche is still itself, for better or for worse. Main difference lies in the opening and long drydown.
I already really like the current one, but I simply adore the vintage.
The original opens with soaring metallic aldehydes, the ones that sting your nose and give you an instant high. It smells like hairspray in the best possible way, so if you dislike them, stay away. If you love them, like I do, this is heaven! There’s a beautiful tarry quality that further enhances them. Imagine hairspraying a vial of poppers and sniffing. Stunning!
The current one has 0 tar, 0 metallic effect. It’s plain aldehydes with a hint of peach. C14 aldehyde? It will still scare those who loathe them even though the impact is muted compared to the original.
The heart is where the similarities intensify; geranium, Iris, a very French floral bouquet of rose and jasmine, that feels like a finely milled bar of white soap. Blindingly white, in a marble bathroom. Stark and cold, silver bathroom fittings. Vintage has them in spades along a ray of light in the form of lemon and LOTV. Current one dials them down, adds more peach and citrus and feels like a minimalist version. But as a whole, the feel and smell isn’t all that different.
Now the drydown, that’s where you find all the good and heavy stuff.
In the vintage.
Oakmoss galore, vetiver, all smoothed by amber and musk. The new one relies on vetiver mostly, with tonka bean adding a slight fougère effect. Drier, less oakmossy (it still has treemoss), more powdery.
Less green, more grey. The vintage feels more herbal, more full, the oakmoss really shines. The Iris still rocks in a sublime way, the feel is of smoothing body powder on heated skin. Cooling.
With both versions, I get all day longevity and strong sillage. While the new is different, and years of restrictions and reformulations have taken its toll, it’s still very much itself. The controversial aspects have been eliminated or toned down, but it’s a miracle it’s been kept so ‘vintage’ smelling. Fresh, cold (while I never thought of Chanel n°19 as an ice queen, Rive Gauche is definitely a cold hearted one), powdery, green.
It just happens that the 1970’s version gets me high in a way the current one does not. Silver hairspray poppers!
Current? Big like.
Vintage? Absolute love!
SEOWEB – :
Rive Gauche.. a perfume I used in the early 80s when I was young, travelled to Paris for the first time and went to Rive Gauche, a beautiful area in the city.
It captures the spirit of the bohemian, artistic ambiance of the left bank of Seine.
I can still smell it!
The scent is so unique, so strong, so different from everything else I’ve had! I have not tried it for decades but yes, my nose still remembers it.
It would not be my choice any more, but I think this is really a masterpiece, including the unique bottle.
Scarfais – :
I only like this scent because its one of my moms signature scents
qwqwqw – :
Powder! This made me Want to clear my throat when I sniffed baby powdery type, clean like after a shower cleanness, old school a bit?? That’s not a bad thing, but a generational thing.
I think this would make a great base fir layering, no way could I spray this on and wear all day on its own.
It could be unisex I feel
SKIN TEST
unisex
bathroomy clean
talcum powdery
woody
powder fresh
slight bitterness creeping in after several hours.
sprayed on hand so i think it would have better longevity elsewhere on the body. I wouldnt go blind buying this if you are new to perfume, this is what you try after youve tried alot of perfume that you both like and dislike to get a feel for what perfumes can do.
UrsuS – :
Even though revamped, the original scent is distinctively there, resonating nostalgic, its still a beautiful, classic feminine smell. To me its a staple that I will always have in my collection.
axa – :
In my opinion they really missed the mark with this reformulation. It’s rather flat and cloying and smells a little cheap. The original lovely metallic quality is still present in the drydown, but the scent sadly remains one-dimensional to my nose compared to older versions.
I’d joke about this scent having turned gauche, but to be honest, it’s still recognizable as Rive Gauche and a hell of a lot better than any of the cupcake-in-a-bottle stuff they now sell to women by the boatload. La vie isn’t that belle at the moment.
C.O.P. – :
My mum wore this in the 80s and I remember the sleek, cold can and the powerful gust (of what I now know to be aldehydes and oak moss) when she first applied it. I hated getting in to the car with her too soon after she sprayed – migraine-inducing!
It eventually calmed down in to a cool, metallic floral musk and I remember thinking my mum was so beautiful, sophisticated and so damn modern in her shoulder-padded black dress, stiletto heels and rocking that early Princess Di hair-do 🙂
The reformulation has knocked a little of the wind out of its sails, but Rive Gauche is still a supremely cool classic.
7777777 – :
One of my mums scents of the 80s,she moans she would never wear it now because it’s not her type of scent ,however she always seems to be trying it on her when ever we are in a perfume store !
This is a lovely rich ,deep tangy floral perfume with beautiful soft woody notes in the dry down !no wonder it’s
A best seller !
Nikan2317 – :
This was my first *real* perfume. It was bought for me for a Christmas present from my brother. When I was 17 years old. I felt so grown up and so trendy and loved the smell and the bottle.Before I had my own bottle a lady I worked with would wear this to work and she told me to spray it lightly. She was right! I now wear this to work and it always receives compliments from patients. The only other perfume I wear that receives compliments in the same way is Eau Ressourcante Clarins! I will never be without this clean classic beautiful perfume. Yes it has changed! It’s seems that some of the metallic note has been removed. I love the way this brings back so many memories. This smells sophisticated – just don’t overdo it!!
Meixl276bedyWelty – :
I am in mourning! What happened to Rive Gauche? I loved this in my 20’s and 30’s and owned the EDT and EDP. Sadly the new reformulation doesn’t compare! Sooo disappointed.
Molotarum – :
I have always loved YSL Rive Gauche when I first ever smelt it on my Manageress as a young girl of seventeen year’s old!! & I basically asked her “Bernie what is that gorgeous perfume your wearing?” Bernie always was a very glamorous lady,perfect blonde fixed hair,immaculate make-up & excellent choice in her perfume!! Her other perfume she wore was Oscar by Oscar De La Renta which smelt gorgeous on her as well + YSL Opium & YSL Y!! One very classy lady indeed!! Anyway that Christmas I got my parents to buy me my first ever bottle/can of Rive Gauche & indeed it was the start of a real love affair with it,& like my Manageress Bernie it also smelt Devine on me!! So much so that I even wore Rive Gauche on my Wedding Day,& my Husband always makes sure im never without it as he also adores it on me too!! I must be using Rive Gauche now a good twentyseven year’s & not once have I ever tired of it!! It is also very much loved & wore also by the beautiful Joanna Lumley,& like my Manageress Bernie,she always is immaculate to!!
Yes it’s very sad indeed what has happened to all the Oak Moss based perfumes of old,& personal I feel that the rule regarding it’s use is just so dumb!! Yes the newer version of Rive Gauche has deffo changed & Yes it is deffo different to the vintage one I first fell in love with!! The New version deffo doesn’t have the omp/impact of the vintage one due to the lack of the Oak Moss in the formulation,but YSL really have done an exceptional job in trying to preserve it to the vintage Rive Gauche we all adore!! & personally the New version of Rive Gauche isn’t that bad once you wear it & get used to it!! & personally I would feel absolutely lost not having it on my dressing table or in my handbag!! Rive Gauche has played such a massive part in my life & helping me become the woman I am today!! Even there beside me as I walked up the Aisle to take my Wedding Vowes!! & Indeed till death us do part!! Xx
assar – :
Finally I bought a 3 ml vintage of RG on ebay. Now I truly understand why people are so upset about the reformulation. However, I think if there was an acceptable reason why the old formula must have been changed, the problem is not with the new fragrance itself- that is beautiful on it’s own, in my opinion –
but that they sell an entirely different perfume under the same name. So vintage edt and current (2017) edt are different perfumes on my skin, although they are close relatives to eachother. If they were standing next to eachother on a shelf most people would buy the vintage version for sure. Its opening is not so appealing but the heart notes are gorgeous metallic and the drydown is beautiful, green, very soapy and well rounded. Current edt is much sharper not only at the beginning but all the way it settles down, it’s much less soapy, less green, and it’s more edgy. This current edt doesn’t smell good on my wrist at all, only behind my ears where it warms up, while vintage edt is beautiful on my wrist, too. There is no better and worse among these two, they are just not the same fragrance.
If vintage and current edt were women and sisters, vintage would be the perfect beauty from tip to toe who is ALWAYS nice, always pretty,always happy, etc. Someone who is too perfect, but in a good sense. Current edt would be the sister who is not ugly but not always pretty either, she would be sometimes nice and rude on other days, her face a little bit uneven, her mood a little bit unbalanced.
The former sister would be the one who most men would ask for a date but there would be at least one man who would fall passionatley in love with the latter sister.
I’m very happy to have this vintage edt in my wardrobe. However, I won’t go for another vintage bottle and will be very happy with my current formulated edt. It’s not as pretty and perfect as the vintage but somehow has more faces, more moods and it actually fit’s better to my personality.
UPDATE: after about 8-10 hours of spraying current edt on one wrist and dapping a drop of vintage edt on the other, the current edt is entirely gone, while its vintage sister is still there and still potent even after taking a shower! BUt…. strangely enough, it started annoying me a little bit.It’s just too soapy, too obvious for my taste. However, the drydown of the sprays of the 2017 version behind my ears are still lingering around as well, hugging and comforting me like no other perfume. I’m really surprised.
saper – :
I treated myself to some new perfume samples for Christmas and my birthday this year. This one has been on my ‘list’ for a few years and I can’t believe I have waited this long to even smell it. I’ve never smelled the ‘original’ version, and probably will never have that pleasure. But the current version is absolutely beautiful. It isn’t like anything I have ever smelled. I did spray a little into the cap, which was a mistake as I didn’t like the scent at all. You must apply this only to your skin to test it. I believe it is truly different with each body chemistry. On me, I get a beautiful floral note, then a woodsy, spicy, gorgeousness. I find it hard to describe! I am excited to see how it wears during the day, and what kind of dry down I will get. The best part for me was when I went outside, the breeze blew across my skin and it was the most incredibly amazing scent! Being outdoors really magnifies this beauty!!! You must try it!!
rust102 – :
Unfortunatelley (or maybe fortunatelly enough, depends on one’s point of view) I never knew the original version. I guess I missed something that is uncomparable, but at least I’m not longing for something that will never be mine. this being said I enjoy Rive Guache in it’s current fromulation very much.
It is a developing perfume that is rare amongst nowadays mainstream and even designer perfumes. It is strange and one must have kind of courage to wear it, it requires some time to spent with to show all that beauty it has.
I don’t recommend to sample this one on paper, not even on your wrist, because it’s not a kind of fragrance you should sniff right from the beginning and not from very close. But if sprayed behind ears or on neck or chest it will bloom and develop beautifully, and you wil able to detect it’s gorgeous, comforting smell all day, or even on the other day.
On my skin, it opens very harsh, edgy, dated, gives me some citrusy-aldehydic-metallic feeling, maybe with a hint of bitterness, too. After an hour or so, it transforms into a powdery-green, somewhat dry floral. Sillage and longevity are excellent.
Absolutely beautiful, classy, chic French fragrance for the open souls.
Alina05081976 – :
Of cause I had this perfume as well, I was a bargain at the airport to Mallorca back in 1984. We didn’t got the chance to smell it, and it has never been my favorite. Also I gave it to someone else.
romabespaly.ru – :
This is one of those crazy 1970s ‘herbal’ compositions (such as Lancome Magie Noire, Clinique Aromatics Elixir and the likes) which is now totally dated. YSL Rive Gauche is all about aldehydes, oakmoss and vetiver. Forty years ago it was perfectly acceptable for a woman to smell like she has just returned from a rainforest and stepped into the big city smog and lit up a cigarette; but nowadays most people would find such a scent intolerable. Times change, tastes change.
svbykov29 – :
I want to bathe in this perfume. Maybe a little over the top, but every time I g