L'Homme Libre

Benaim and Polge are some of the biggest guns in popular perfumery, and it is encouraging to see that even the ground zero of mainstream fragrances; that is, the mens "aromatic", can still be reinterpreted in a unique and high-quality way. The trick here, then, is not only to avoid the standard "fresh-gere" fare: aqueous notes, citrus, resinous woods, and bitter "greens" like pine and cypress; but to build a bold, distinct fragrance using a sharp and full bodied note to give character. In this case the perfumers didnt have to reach very far. It is the unmistakeable hit of violet leaf that first springs out of this fragrance; at once green, wet, floral, almost vegetal in a way (fruity, cucumber-like notes are frequently mentioned). For one reason or another, Violet Leaf is not a dominant force in mens perfumery. Perhaps it is too floral or too strong/rich, but it is one of the few notes that is unmistakeable, even in lower quantities. Today's reigning king of violet leaf is (of course) Dior Fahrenheit, but even 13 years prior the note was heavily featured in Grey Flannel (but GF mixes violet leaf and violet flower, different from the violet "kick" we are accustomed to today). Scan the Grey Flannel reviews and you will see that it is more often compared to the younger Dior, instead of the other way around. For fun, open tabs for prominent violet leaf fragrances in the database, and then search for the keyword "fahrenheit" in the reviews to see just how powerful and rock-solid this association is. Even in fragrances with ostensibly unrelated pyramids, even a moderate use of the note will immediately have people drawing comparisons to Fahrenheit (perhaps this is a factor of ignorance, but the impulse must be acknowledged). So how similar to Fahrenheit is L'Homme Libre? Truthfully; not by much. The "petrol leather" duality is entirely missing here, and it is a big component in Fahrenheit. There are no real spices or woods or florals to speak of; the violet is front and center here. A much closer comparison would be Aqua Fahrenheit, which has strong notes of mint and basil (also present in L'Homme Libre) on a bed of patchouli (as in the YSL). A comparison to Narciso for him would be a bigger stretch. For what it is and what it does, L'Homme Libre is excellent. The violet has free reign of the structure; at the opening there are powerful grassy, chlorophyllic elements, fruity, juicy, watery cucumber and vegetable-like notes, and the subtle sweetness of unique floral signatures (no sugars here). Mint and basil add even more wetness and body. Citrus adds moisture only, but does not otherwise make itself known. I could not place star anise and nutmeg by name. The middle becomes more rounded, and this is where the fruit and cucumber notes really start to come out. They are fleeting and partial; you cant name them because they arent actually there, it is the Violet Leaf throwing shadows and playing tricks. Here the basil starts to overtake the mint. The base settles into a green patchouli, without the heavier earth and chocolate notes that come up when the note is amped up. Relatively linear, this is a great starter fragrance or everyday wear, or even a signature. In terms of its competition, it is very unique. Short of comparisons against other violet leaf powerhouses, you can't really do an apples-to-apples with other entries in this category. It is easy to wear, excels in all seasons, and projects and performs very well (4 sprays lasted 9-10 hours for me). It is sophisticated, classy, and youthful. For some people the fruitier aspects may be too "immature", but there is little that could be said negatively about this fragrance.

Love love love Libre! This was my 12th or so bottle in my collection and I was enamored on the first encounter after receiving a sample along with my La Nuit purchase from Macy’s in 2012. I wore the sample for a couple days at work and kept thinking, “I need to buy a bottle ASAP” after almost obsessively taking the vial out of my pocket and putting my nose to the cap every couple hours. My boss asked what I had on with almost a panicked demeanor. When I told her what it was and that it was only a sample she practically ordered me to go out and buy a bottle... if you say so haha. That was all the excuse I needed, especially considering she was a beautiful, very trendy/classy woman, the type many men would like to attract. She had good taste all around, so I trusted her enthusiasm for the scent. The rest is history. I’m on bottle number 4, the first 2 were 3.3 oz and the last 2 have been 6.7 oz purchases. I note this in almost all of my reviews; the purpose being to provide context and establish credibility. I own nearly 140 bottles in my collection, most of which I’ll never go through a full bottle of and it’s not because they’re not great, some I just gravitate toward more frequently. I have most of the classics, the crowd pleasers, deep ones, light ones, flankers, and hype beasts. This one though, for whatever reason, is in my personal top 10. It’s versatile, it’s sexy, and it’s unique. Scent: 9:10 Longevity: 8/10 on me, lasts a full work day. Projection/silllage: 7/10 It projects well, definitely not a skin scent yet still nowhere near being cloying Versatility: 8/10 It’s both classy and casual. I’d wear it to work, a social gathering, a day around the house, and a warmer night date. Works well in all seasons though I prefer it in the spring and summer months. It’ll still cut through the autumn and winter cold. Very refreshing. Value for money: 7/10 This can be found on discounters for around $55 on any given day for a 3.3 oz- totally worth it IMO. Overall: 8/10 I’m in the camp that refers to this as an UNDERRATED GEM. Cheers!!

I FINALLY found this for a relatively good price. Not cheap, but doable, so I picked it up before it got sold and it's everything that I'd hoped it'd be. I owned the Dua version of this, actually, and Dua does it justice I'm not gonna lie but the opening and certain nuances of the mid are just a lot better. Dua's version lasts eternally though, so definitely I'm gonna keep that one in my rotation but this one will get some use. Unfortunately, it's only a 60ml. It's almost full, but 60ml can go fast if you start using it every week. This has violet as the main player, you can't mistake it. If you really like Dior's Fahrenheit and you like the violet leaf in that, then this will give you a more modern interpretation of it. Fahrenheit is a lot darker than this, whereas this goes somewhat aquatic and it's sweeter as it seems to have some of the original L'Homme DNA in it, but the violet leaf just makes it so different from either of those and it also makes it more challenging. To me, this is my favorite of all of the ones I have so far - Ultime, La Nuit, the OG and now this one. I have the Le Parfum version coming in soon, and I'm sure I'll like that one a lot as well, but I'm such a big sucker for violet leaf and any fragrances that utilize it seem to be high in my rotation. I think this is a good signature scent for someone 30+, I don't think younger people would like this, but a guy in his 30s or 40s would probably get a lot of compliments from more mature women who might appreciate the more mature aspects of this fragrance. It's office friendly, so far I'm getting the sense that this one is going to last all day. Violet leaf fragrances always seem to last FOREVER on my skin, so I wouldn't be surprised if the 4 sprays I used last 6+ hours and then if I went a little heavier I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't get up to 8-10. This is gonna be really versatile too. I'll have to come back and post updates as I get more wearings, but my first impressions are very, very positive.

I haven't reviewed a fragrance in over a year. I feel like I must come back and defend this fragrance! I really don't see how this fragrance is being bashed so much! I mean, look at the vote columns, majority is "love"! and I'm apart of that column because i fell in love with l'homme libre at first whiff! Is it fresh? Yes. Is it sporty? Yes. Youthful? Yes. Cheap smelling? Hell no! This is *my* perfect daily wear cologne. It instantly became my favorite when it hit my nose. it's so light, refreshing, and masculine all at the same time. The bergamot stays so fresh throughout all the stages of drydowns and that pink pepper is oh so complimentary. i also feel Libre tells its drydown stories well because it seemed like i was wearing something different every couple hours. I had to keep checking my arms to see if that AMAZING fragrance was still me. LOVE IT! Check out the advertisement video for this. It describes the scent perfectly. A man dancing down a busy city street in a suit. It's a fun fragrance! It smells like Chanel Bleu no doubt infused with the original l'homme which is a great thing if you ask me! It's like a daytime version of Bleu. Heh, i tried to recreate that combo buy spraying both one on top of the other and it was a huge fail. Just doesn't work! I actually kept smelling both colognes separately. Please give this fragrance a chance. It may not be a super complex fragrance but it sure as hell smells fantastic. I do think this juice will get praise in the future. Once upon a time we all hated Bleu... did we not?

In my opinion, one of the most underrated fragrances, currently. I really can't stress how much I love this stuff. I think they really should've just called this "Libre", and gave it a different bottle design. It's so good, I think it deserves to be a fragrance of it's own. The opening is very spicy/peppery. I can understand why some people may find the opening a little offensive, but I personally love the spiciness the opening brings. The opening is definitely very fresh, & very masculine. In my opinion, the drydown bears a slight resemblance to the opening of Carolina Herrera's "CH Men", which is possibly why I love this scent so much. The drydown is very soft, sweet, and alluring, which could make this a great date/night out scent. I think this scent is very unique in that the opening has a fresh, sporty edge to it, and as it dries down it turns into a dark, alluring, sexy fragrance. I would say this works great as an all year scent. In terms of performance, I get about 6-7 hours with this. I definitely recommend l'Homme Libre. It's highly underrated, and I don't believe that too many people currently wear it. It's not a familiar fragrance to most people, which will make you feel unique, and make you stand out of the crowd. It will garner compliments, and will last on your skin for a decent while as well. This is what I like to classify as a "hidden gem". I could be getting a little ahead of myself, but I can totally see this fragrance developing a huge following in the future.