Rive Gauche Intense

Had been so looking forward to getting this! I am a lover of the original. I smell nothing green to be honest. This is like a gritty, grimy, grungy Gauche - initially I didn't recognise the smell but in the drydown along came the familiar waft just more 'intense' as it says on the can ... !!! I love this - the aldehydes hit you first (inasmuch the same way as the original) then I get the rose, vetiver and myrrh! It still has the softness of the original but with a bit of oomph! As with the original very good silage and a long-lasting perfume. It's virtually impossible to find here in the UK so I am going to treasure my refill bottle that I managed to acquire!

A darker, richer version of Rive Gauche. As is typical with YSL "Intense" does not necessarily mean longer lasting or more powerful, although I have no complaints in that aspect. It does however mean a darker, woodier profile which turn this fragrance even more unisex. It is not redundant to have both versions, although they are similar. This is more suited for evening wear or if you want a Rive Gauche less focused on the aldehyde blast and more focused on the woody + myrhh drydown. Super well balanced and high quality. I love it, and find it easier to wear compared to the original, which I have a bottle of the original formula.

I love this perfume. It is elegant, feminine and long lasting.

I bought this one by mistake when I intended to buy the original. Seriously, no idea where my head is half the time. Let this be a learning experience to me. Well, Rive Gauche Intense has been interesting. I've never smelled anything remotely like it. For lovers of the original, Intense might be your cup of tea. Black black tea. All the notes that make the original so confident and signature have been amplified in this version. At first bite, metallic. Sharp sharp metallic. From the cold metal of the bottle to the sting of the spray on my tender skin to the assault on my nose . . . !! Whew! Once you've smelled it, you'll never forget. Not necessarily unpleasant, but very very alien. It does soften down after a bit, but I find the natural elements side-by-side with the prevailing metal character to be off-putting. The image I have is of a clammy hand sweating on the metal knob of a door it doesn't want to open. I don't have the confidence to open that door and pull this one off. Plus I was never a fan of myrrh. So final verdict, this is something everyone should at least *try*, and for the lucky few that are chosen, they'll have a scent out of this world. Think spaceships.

I love the original and bought the intense and I can't even test it. It's just way to much for me. Perhaps I will try to test it again in the future.