Yves Saint Laurent • Rive Gauche • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* Brid1 on 5/13/2013 1:21:00 PM more reviews by Brid1

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I never liked this fragrance in the past! I sprayed it recently on a trip to Boots where I often try something that I have never tried before and for some reason this caught my eye. I was pleasantly surprised and will agree with another reviewer that it is what I wish Chanel 5 was. It is fresh and not cloying. Staying power is good and it has retained it's freshness yet at the same time having some depth. It reminds me of a remodelled fur coat, something that has been reincarnated into something better! Yum!

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mrgeebee on 1/25/2013 12:53:00 AM more reviews by mrgeebee

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

What on earth has L'oreal done to this perfume!
This new formula smells so bad that i gave it away.
Still have some of the older stuff [2 years ago]
which i am rationing out..The YSL brand is DOOMED.

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Meshmmesha772000 on 12/30/2012 6:21:00 AM more reviews by Meshmmesha772000

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I remember having "Rive Gauche " as a present back in 1994,I was a teen then and having an Yves Saint Laurent perfume was like having dreams come true ..but once I sprayed it I got sooooooooo disappointed , it's a very "artificial " scent ..In fact the bottle itself was a huge disappointment ! a Tin Can ..That's it . No luxury about it at all ...Some reviewers here mentioned , it was the older formula back then , and it has been improved to show its middle tone ..I am glad to hear that but won't look for it again ...I agree it has very "avant -garde " idea to it ..but I like pop -culture in music and films , not in fragrances that I would wear ...

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*TOP REVIEWER* danai on 11/3/2012 9:41:00 AM more reviews by danai

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Ah the memories; my mom used to wear this a lot in the 80s, she even gave me an empty bottle to play with when I was a little, Barbie crazed kid. So just looking at the bottle makes my heart all warm.
That being said, this is a very strong scent which is indeed very 80s. This may be a good or bad thing, depending on your taste. I am not an 80s person unfortunately. The fashion, the makeup, the music, none of those elements that other people adore seems to do it for me. But if they do it for you, this may be your fragrance.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* glitteradi on 11/2/2012 6:31:00 PM more reviews by glitteradi

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Other, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I always loved the name and the bottle of Rive Gauche, but when I tested it for the first time, it was way too sharp and bug spray on me. Then I tested it again, and now it is a beautiful, long lasting super elegant smelling fragrance, what I wanred Chanel 5 to be. Now I think Rive gauche has turned to more wearable fragrance and I am going to purchase it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

flowerof59 on 1/30/2012 2:19:00 PM more reviews by flowerof59

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Abs goregous...this is the perfume that the 'Lilly Marlaine' black velvet rose should smell like...as its the most beautiful rose ever created..& when I smell Rive Gauche this is what I see... I've just got the 100ml reformulated edp ..& its softer more lucious than the one I used to wear back in the 80's this is a reformulation for the better..hurrrah!! the metalic note that used to first dominate this fume has now gone ..for me this is a blessing as....as much as I loved the smell of Rive Gauche on other people... on me I had to get past that annoying metal smell for about a good hour before it started to smell like I wanted it to smell....now it does from start to finish...Love it and on me its the abs dupe to my Amouge Dia for women at 1/4 of the price....

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Floradanica on 7/29/2011 10:25:00 PM more reviews by Floradanica

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I still love this fragrance, although I prefer the original formulation. Still, it evokes classic French chic, understated elegance. Seductive without being obvious, never boring!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LadyPenelope on 6/3/2011 9:35:00 AM more reviews by LadyPenelope

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I met a guy last night who smelled divine. Turned out he was wearing the women's Rive Gauche without even knowing it was a women's scent.

Just wanted to suggest that the guys out there looking for something different might consider this.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* elfriede on 4/4/2011 11:21:00 PM more reviews by elfriede

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Smelled promising at first--I began to see what Luca Turin meant by "the goddess Diana's bath soap." It does evoke a bar of white, rose-scented soap. Accented by a citrusy bite on top, greens, soft white flowers, synth sandalwood and musk, to my nose. And LOTS of aldehydes--soapy, powdery, very clean. Aldehydes diffuse the other notes like frosted glass. But whereas in Chamade, the other "powdery-white" aldehydic Turin compares this to, the drydown eventually reveals the tender charm of real flowers, woods, orris, vanilla--lovely, true naturals, melting into the skin--this smells synthetic throughout. It smells cheap, like a body spray, and gives me a stuffy nose! Ecch. The composition is very fine, but the execution smells cheap--at least in the current formulation.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* rpolisk on 2/14/2011 6:21:00 PM more reviews by rpolisk

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

If Strange Invisible Perfumes didn't already have a scent called Aquarian Roses, I think this would fit YSL's iconic little number perfectly. Of course, Rive Gauche is a perfect name for this beauty, but when I think of it I think of watery roses. Now this is a case where I really believe reformulation was actually a GOOD thing -blasphemy in these parts, I realize. I happen to have lived surrounded by the *real* thing. This was my mom's signature frag in 1970's Paris. I remember the short black and white plaid coat which went along with the look. The fact that TF orchestrated a reformulation where the aldhehydes were lightened and more of the middle notes show up is actually for the better. The edginess/metallic aspect of this scent is still there. There is a faint, watery (NOT ozonic, but more of a transparent feel to this composition reminiscent of looking through an old windowpane where things are blurry and slightly distorted) overlay above a gorgeous bouquet of roses- but this is no wimpy shrinking violet scent.The vetyver and oakmoss of the base are still there. They provide a beautiful backbone to this fragrance which really is as sophisticated, hip, loose, and carefree as the corner of Paris for which it is named. Lovers of dry, sexy rose based scent should run to try this. EDT strength is all you can find is these days, but the lasting power is beautiful.

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

theodoradb on 1/30/2011 4:22:00 AM more reviews by theodoradb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Damn reformulations! I used to love the original, this one just vaguely reminds me of it. Such a shame. I don't know if this is supposed to be a more up to date version or they have just substituted some of the original ingredients for financial reasons, but I just think that some classic perfumes should be left alone.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Angela1013 on 10/30/2009 3:55:00 AM more reviews by Angela1013

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

when I first tested this I was disappointed. It smelled very musty and heavy. I usually give the classic fragrances a chance so I bought a small bottle. Well, I guess the tester bottle was old because after trying some at home I really like Rive Gauche, Its classy, clean and subtle with great lasting power. I have never smelled the original but I do remember smelling this fragrance on many a classy older women through out my life, so it must be very close to the original, I just never knew what it was. It was Rive Gauche

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

kborda on 10/29/2009 11:13:00 AM more reviews by kborda

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Oh, how I long for vintage Rive Gauche!!! Wore it in the early 80's and loved it. Revisited it recently by purchasing a bottle from YSL. Yes, it's similar, but not the same. Yet, it's still amazing. I would even go so far as to say that *IF* I were to have a signature fragrance, this would be it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* hollyc01 on 10/28/2009 3:58:00 PM more reviews by hollyc01

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is a nice rose fragrance and I'm sure I detect violets as well. This is very, very flowery and quite sweet. It has great lasting power and projects fairly well also for an EdT. However, I found, after a time that it was simply too one dimensional and unrelentingly sweet. Had I never smelled Chanel No. 19 with its austere and musky rose bouquet, I probably would have sprung for a bottle. But having No. 19, this doesn't even come close and how Turin and Sanchez can rate Rive Gauche more highly than 19 is still twisting my brain. If you've tried neither, I strongly suggest sampling each (I prefer 19 in EdT form, less vegetal, tons of lasting power and great sillage). Rive Gauche is cheerful and pleasing and I'm sure it deserves a loyal following, but I'll continue to march behind my beloved 19. To each their own.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Dagney on 6/11/2009 8:19:00 PM more reviews by Dagney

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My comments are based on the post 2003 edt formulation. After trying Rive Gauche, I'm kind of disappointed after reading all of the great reviews. Rive Gauche is a straight up oriental fragrance with an aldehydic opening. I don't smell any rose at all. Dries down way too quickly to a dirty civet note. Definitely would not be opposed to smelling this on someone else but there are better orientals out there imho. Love the tin cyclindar container.

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Moonpetals on 3/8/2009 7:39:00 AM more reviews by Moonpetals

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Very powdery and soft. Elegant and not something everyone wears. For some reason men love this so much.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rhondaaa on 3/7/2009 9:58:00 AM more reviews by rhondaaa

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I would give this just one lippie if it weren't for the lovely packaging. my father worked for YSL and Chanel fragrances when I was a teen, so I grew up bathing in their fragrances. To me, Rive Gauche always smelled SO harsh and bitter...it still smells that way to me; I just don't get the appeal (except for the pretty packaging!)?!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Melloney on 1/10/2009 9:03:00 AM more reviews by Melloney

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

This is a wonderful classic scent . I love it .

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CandyApple85 on 8/9/2008 12:42:00 PM more reviews by CandyApple85

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

i like this one, but i don't love it! firstly, the bottle - i dont dislike it as an object per se, but as a perfume bottle? im not that keen on it. i think its a bit gaudy and i prefer something a bit more classic. i also think the bright, arty packaging clashes with the scent, which is so romantic and feminine... but my biggest issue with the bottle was that its opaque and i cant see how much is left... i say 'was' because my bottle actually broke, apparently quite spontaneously, and i can now lift out the glass vial and see exactly whats left... The perfume itself, is intoxicatingly feminine... not sweet and girly, but elegant and.."womanly" ! Its the most wearable aldeydic scent ive ever sampled, it smells classic and timeless, tasteful and very expensive. Lasting power is good but not great on me.. (i can still smell it mid afternoon but it stays pretty close to the skin)... i can smell a lot of roses, a liquorice-like note, and a soft powdery edge, offset by a mossy, earthy tone. its very pretty.

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bethd44 on 7/15/2008 3:23:00 PM more reviews by bethd44

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

OK, I'm old but my DH is older and he loves this one on me. I agree with a previous reviewer - it probably does remind him of the 70s when we were both a lot younger and friskier. That said, I prefer the newer version. It just smells more modern to me. FYI, I'm layering the EDT over the body cream. The packaging is excellent and I love that the cream comes in a tube. So handy for the gym bag. This one's a winner.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No