Rive Gauche pour Homme Yves Saint Laurent for men

a springtime day strolling through Paris feeling happy!

This is a fairly odd statement....but when I smell this stuff, I think of hot, sweaty sex. To me, it smells like what pheromones should smell like. It's odd but in a unique, enticing way. This is also a unique fragrance because at first smell, I'm turned off by it but then keep coming back for more as weird as it sounds. Strange, mystical, and masculine is the best way I can put it.

Don't ask me why, but I imagine this what gay porn stars with tan lines smelled like in 1979.

Awesome fragrance!

Very masculine, this is a masterpiece for sure.

Anise, lavander and rosemary is the most pronounced notes to my nose.

As said this has a barber shop smell, which is wonderful to my nose.

Classic yet modern, this is an all-year-around scent.

If you like Azzaro, Chanel Platinum Egoiste, you'll love Rive Gauche.

Sillage, lasting power and projection are good.

A masterpiece and something that should be in any fragrance lover's collection. It does have the barber shop vibe going on, but it's extremely smooth with the blending of the anise and patchouli.

Rive Gauche is fantastic for masculine, confident men; good old-fashioned, reliable men. I know only a few guys in their late twenties who really could wear Rive Gauche well. If you are one of us you can wear it for pretty much every occasion: Nights out, dates, work, trench warfare.

If you're 22, wear a flannel shirt, some fancy wristbands, converse shoes and such, Rive Gauche probably won't match up with your style over all.

The scent is long lasting and it's projection is great. I generally use one or two sprays. Strong stuff. It's funny though I can't point out the star anise, maybe I've grown "immune" to it via Opium PH.

I've garnered a few compliments with Rive gauche, though usually in intimate settings - or in the form of ladies squirming and blushing during casual conversation.

Finally got my hand on that old stripped bottle !

Although not my type of fragrance, I find Rive Gauche richer and deeper than the reformulated Rive Gauche "la collection". It smells more authentic for sure.

I agree Rive Gauche would smell beautiful on a man that I won't be, since I simply can't pull off the anise note.

Shame it was discontinued, a truly great fragrance.

This is quite simply the smell of a beautiful man.

A really pleasant and good classic fragrance.
The opening of this fragrance is a sharp semi fresh, spicy and herbal scent.
It's really interesting for me beacuase the opening remind me of my childhood and a hair shampoo that I was using it those days.
This fragrance smell like shampoo and also soaps and yes, that barber shop that people keep talking about. yes!
It's not a stunning smell but definitely it's a classic fragrance.
In the dry down the semi fresh smell is gone and that spicy herbal note become stronger.
It's sharp and spicy and you will realize that you need to watch out and don't use it in high heat and you should be easy on the sprayer!
It's almost linear so the smell didn't change that much in the base.
A nice clean, herbal and spicy scent which remind you of soaps and shampoos back in 80s and 90s.
Projection is good and longevity is above average.
يه عطر كلاسيك خوب كه شما رو ياد بوي اون شامپو تخم مرغي هاي پاوه قديمي ميندازه
بوي عطر گياهي، خنك و البته تند و تيزه و بويي دقيقا شبيه به شامپو و ميشه گفت تا حدودي صابون داره
بوش البته پيچيده تر و تند و تيز تر از شامپو هست اما در هر حال بوي شامپو و صابونهاي قديمي رو ميده
آدم ياد دوران بچه گيش ميوفته
پخش بو و ماندگاريش خوبه و مشكلي از اين نظرا نداره

A Masterpiece....Just wow....Expected nothing less from Tom Ford,the man who releases signature only scents like M7 and gucci pour homme.
The opening is absolutely fantastic and it reminds me M7 a bit.Rive gauche could be a distant brother to M7...
The drydown is more herbal with toned up the patchouli and oakmoss.
I just cant continue with this review im speechless with rive gauche
*Taking a deep breath*
Longetivity is 6 to 7 hours on me but i have dry skin so i can imagine this on other people reaching 8 to 10 hours easily.
Projection is above average the first hour,the second hour average and 3rd hour a skin scent...
The only negative (which is not really a negative) is that it contains evernia prunastri extract which can be bad to few(really few)people...

Overall Score: 9.5/10

I'm a 45 yo female & have worn this fragrance for years, long before i fell in love with the female version...which by the way....is a supreme classic aldehydic chypre, & still wear both fragrances today.

I love it on the days i dont want to project 'girly' or even 'womanly'. To feel fresh, calm & clean neutral but elegant & somewhat....mysterious.

i believe it is a masterpiece scent. Timeless. Gender non-specific almost.
It screams loads of sandlewood in it's base to me.
Has a somewhat 'hippy' vibe but maybe that's just a scent-memory thing going on.
I'll always own it in my fragrance library.

Rive Gauche pour Homme Yves Saint Laurent for men is simply a majestic scent! likewise the 70's cologne! just awesome to wear it and go to date!

When I was first contemplating which fragrance I wanted to buy for myself, it was between this and YSL Opium for Men. I couldn't decide which one to get between the two. I ended up getting them both! I wore the Opium a few times and while I did like the scent, I found it to be too strong and overpowering to my nose. I ended up giving my bottle away. I finally got around to wearing Rive Gauche. Right away I liked it. Not too strong, perfectly blended, smooth and soothing. The lavender and soft spices in this are so beautiful! One of the best men's colognes I've smelled in awhile. It's unique and different with a personality all its own. I can see myself reaching for this quite often. Smells clean and masculine without being too over-the-top macho. Perfect for any occasion. Every man should have this in their collection.

I always wanted to buy Rive Gauche for men, but I always put it off, until now. I just got it in the mail yesterday. WOW!!!!! I put it on this morning for work and I already got 4 compliments. It smells so refined and masculine. This fragrance is on the top of my list from now on. Another great fragrance by YSL.

*I do not have a nose that is well trained - this is my rudimentary opinion of this scent*

This is truly a great cologne. If you just came out of an old timer's barbershop just having had a haircut and a clean shave, this is what you'd smell like. A lovely & long lasting cologne that is very much akin to Barbasol. This is really a delight for me to wear that works well in the spring but excels in the fall & winter. I would avoid wearing this in the heat, that has sometimes given me the rare whiff of rotten eggs that some have mentioned on other sites/reviews.

This is not a kid's scent, this is for any confident 21+ who carries himself well. I especially love wearing this just having had a shower & shave and am either going to lounge around the house or heading out to run some errands, it really feels invigorating for some reason.

Rive Gauche PH makes me a little sad, because it is the last of the great aromatic fougeres, and represents a sort of retrospective of the genre. Thankfully, it smells terrific, very crisp and "blue" on top with heady notes of lavender, rosemary, star anise, and patchouli, and it dries into a fresh, powdered-patchouli/coumarin aura of great distinction. Clean, light, and never inappropriate, it displays a skillful versatility and timelessness that few other masculines have. That said, be prepared to catch lucid glimpses of Drakkar Noir, Azzaro PH, Cool Water, Brut, and Paco Rabanne PH during RGPH's evolution. It's disconcerting to find so many similar elements working together in a unique form, but then again it suggests the nose behind it all is a genius. Best worn with love.

Quick side note: sometimes when wearing RGPH, I get a feeling that it's an "AINO" - as in, "AINO aromatic fougere," or, Aromatic In Name Only. It's just a feeling. This fragrance is most certainly an aromatic fougere. However, it has a very old-fashioned citrus peel/lavender/powder structure, reminiscent of traditional fougeres like Brut and Canoe. It's not a million miles away from Brut in this regard. It's just beautiful, beautiful stuff. Not to be missed, please guys, go for this fragrance.

I never start a review by saying this is a must have in a man's fragrance collection - but this is a must have.
Any man knows the smells, feelings, sensations of a good clean shave and splash of cooling aftershave. This fragrance captures that experience for me.
I won't go into the notes because they are so well elaborated by other reviewers. I will just say that this fragrance gives me the sense experiences of cleaning myself up for a special night. The first spray is like splashing my face with water right after a shave. It reminds me of how cool the aftershave feels as I splash on my just shaved face. That wonderful whiff of the shave cream scent mixing with the skin cooling cologne. Then in the dry-down the classic fougere scent begins to swim in. It's like I have just put on my freshly ironed white dress shirt for a special night out and am ready to step out with a loved one. It's that wonderful mingling of the cool freshness after a good shave lingering after you spray on some manly fougere cologne scent.
It's all about the sensual, optimistic and enjoyable experience of getting clean and ready for a special night out.

It is a merciless seducer and a timeless and silent conqueror. Right said ericrico: “it recreates a sense of nostalgia while staying a step ahead”.
For me, the one and only surprise is the date of his birth – 2003! Why? Cause this jewel don’t smell like the new millennium – but much, much better! On the other hand, that detail gives me hopes: if the last, vain-promising & chaotic decade gave us something so good, we are entitled to have (at least some) optimistic expectations for the future.
RG is one of the best scents a man can cross in his mature life. It’s not a complex or “philosophical” perfume – on the contrary, it is neat and clear, clean and efficient. The current formulation (the first one, I suppose) is marvelous. Pour two or three drops/shots on your skin and the aroma will keep you alive for the rest of the day.
Every – I repeat: every – human being around you will notice it.
A deserved 9+/10

My review for Rive Gauche Pour Homme (Original formulation - from the 4.2oz/125ml 'shaving foam can' flacon):

A step back to the time of classic, old-school barbershops but with a great twist of modernity. Yves Saint Laurent did something special here in the realm of the traditional Aromatic Fougere. It is not a scent that will blow your mind, but instead, put it at ease. Sometimes, as in this case, less is more.

The quality ingredients with the fresh rosemary, splash of bergamot and the brilliant star anise gently come over you, followed by (as Querelle so eloquently put it) - "lavender in a great mood", a nice earthy geranium note that blends wonderfully with a key note in this brilliant can, cloves. It is what ties the star anise to the heart and carries the composition to a wonderfully warm and slightly 'dirty/earthiness' in the late heart as it blends with the coumarin into the base. Missk points out this nice contradiction very articulately. It is actually why Rive Gauche works for me. If this stayed fully clean, it would not impress me.

It does articulate well and carries an aire of both class and sophistication, but yet it works perfect after a clean shave with a pair of jeans and casual top (t-shirt in summer, long-sleeve thermal in winter). Why? Because Jacques Cavallier's intelligence told him that us, as men, would prefer to have a modern fougere that allows us to display our masculinity first and then choose how we want to present ourselves - not let the scent dictate our attire (which is often the case). This is why Aromatic Fougeres work so well - and the good ones are timeless classics...including Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, Azzaro Pour Homme, Houbigant Fougere Royale, Worth Pour Homme and more. I recognize that Rive Gauche is classified as an "Aromatic Green" and not a true "Fougere" or 'fern scent' - but, to me...it is moot point. The classicism that exists here impresses the point to me that it is a modern interpretation of the brilliant Aromatic Fougeres of yesteryear with some added subtleties and nuances with a deft touch be Jacques Cavallier (under direction by Yves Saint Laurent in 2003).

It never gets heavy and stays "fresh" throughout - a key to its charm, yet it warms and reveals very good depth and shows the raw, slightly dirty edge right under the 'surface' of cleanliness. The base of rich, herbaceous green patchouli is impressive and balances wonderfully with the sharp, woody vetiver. The light touch of Oakmoss (.1% allowable by IFRA in the can) is held up with Tree Moss. However, a key note here that transcends the star anise/clove segue into the heart is the use of guaiac wood. It is an exotic wood note that has tar-like quality, imparting smoky notes in fragrance. It works perfect here and underpins the nice warm slightly earthy, dirty masculinity that makes Rive Gauche a man's man in either a fresh, pressed dress shirt with a tie or a fitted T-shirt/Polo, relaxing on the weekend.

I like what a lot of reviews here state - it recreates a sense of nostalgia while staying a step ahead. Although respected, it is understated as a composition...which, personally adds to the allure for me.

Highly recommended. Cheers.

WOW. I can't believe I'd forgot about it; its really just what the doctor ordered. I was going through a classic fougere/barbershop phase. Test dozens, literally dozens of the classics in the genre, from the Pinauds, to Dunhill 1934, to Brut, Hai Karate, Jade East, old Canoe, new Canoe, now back to this!

Of the lot, I'll say the mangled, over-reformulated stuff we know of today called Brut is somewhat similar, but this is really something else. So don't let that bother you!

Rive Gauche for men does something few other fragrances do: it is rich, lasting, and substantial, complex, intriguing, and has personality. But minus the funk.

That is my way of evaluating a 'modern classic'. All of the above, minus the funk.

I don't understand the 70s and 80s colognes references. Even those fragrances, having been reformulated to remove the funk, are nothing like this: their funk made them what they are--RGPH is rich and complex without the funk as it is.

It doesn't knock you over the head, but it will last, and it is a compliment getter.

Spray generously on neck, chest, and shirt an hour before going out.

I won't elaborate too much on the notes, but I can't think of a better harmony of patchouli, lavender, star anise, tonka, and guaiacum.

What can I say about Rive Gauche? It's been a faithful companion through years. Good moments and some bad.. And I was always thinking about writing about it but always doing otherwise. But today I've found 125ml of the old familiar Rive and I just wanted to share it! I'm very happy that I'll have some more time with a perfume who could have been the next step in fougeres. Round, steady, with swag and grace ,elegant. You know, the man that most women dream of. Or most men, it's of no importance.
To me, it's almost iconic. And it's a lavender in a great mood. And that woody base which is the foundation of that structure of true beauty. I'm really sorry that somebody thought completely otherwise and decided to make it, I don't know, so pointless.
Anyway, I'm really glad it's still around. Thanks mr Cavallier.

This is how you make Rive gauche pour homme.

Take some 70's fougere. Leave out sweaty, herbal notes that can make it smell outdated (Azzaro). Avoid cheap aquatic aromachemicals (Cool water). Keep all the good stuff like lavender, vetiver, oak moss and of course the main player, star anise.

The end result is very masculine, dark and surprisingly fresh. I don't know if this is still classified as fougere, but it has feel of light and modern fougere.

If scent had a colour, this would be dark blue. It has it's fresh and clean side, so it works great in office, but it's so dark that it's great for evening too.

In my mind there is only two perfect perfumes for men that make you stand little bit higher: Rive gauche pour homme and Chanel's pour monsieur.

One of the most beautiful bottles ever.

10-/10

Excellent aromatic fougere in the tradition from Paco Rabanne (1973) and Azarro (1978). One of the better in the genre, ever.

I like all of these, and RGpH the most. It is a little more refined than Azzaro, and not so much soapy-shaving-cream in the middle. Also, while Azzaro is Barry Gibb in 1980s (open shirt, big hair, big beard, white teeth, broad smile, virile...), Rive Gauche is Barry Gibb in 1990s (buttoned shirt, more refined, more sophisticated, not so loud, etc). Paco is his little brother, Andy Gibb, in the late 70s.

I understand aromatic fougeres have a lavender-coumarin ground accord, with gentle aromatic spices on top and an option of using flowers, herbs, trees and fruit as an addition to that. It must be masculine, not too sweet, powdery, rosy, peachy, rather more barbershoppy, herbal, bitter, expressive and comforting.

I would say that RGpH is true to this tradition, and blends the additions to a wonderful web of masculine "aromatic green" perfume.

Nice bottle too, tall and very lightweight (aluminum) in black and silver. Probably soon to be gone, due to the new La Collection version.

9/10

this parfume reminds me of Azzaro pour Homme but it's much pleasant.. it's fresh, i can say, manly, elegant.. it was a blind buy but absolutly no regrets.. i like it.

Wow. Ok so this what I smelled lavender bergamont and maybe rosemary. This is how I felt, at first like a purple furry thing it was quite interesting, but then like I had just shaven all my purple furr and it took a huge can of barbasol shaving cream to do it, finally I soaked my head in old spice. Wow. What a feeling.

for a man, you just can't go wrong with this one, wearing it today, it does have the freshly shaved face smell to it, the aromatic scent that shaving creme gives off. very masculine and clean smell,not an overly perfumed smell, non offensive. always a compliment getter for me. a calming, clean woody type of floral fragrance. one of those i just reach for it without even thinking. a good standby for me and so glad i have this one. a classic man smell. thumbs up, it is dated a bit so we tend to forget how good this smells..reminds me of the aftershave that my dad wore..friendly, soothing and great smelling...all ages can pull this one off.. a lot of times when i go on business and i can only take one fragrance this one is grabbed always safe for me and the bottle is safe to carry...signature scent worthy...i wear this more than any other scent i have..
if you just want to smell like a man..not overpower people but make a good impression, i just cannot think how you can go wrong, and it is one of my most complimented fragrances by ladies of all ages...big plus if you care about that...a lot of guys i work with will often ask me what is the one you are wearing, so not off putting to other men around you..doesn't make you feel like everyone thinks you are on the prowl...lol...

Yes, at first it is redolent of a barber shop and shaving cream, however it dries down into much more than that. It is a well done mossy lavendar patchouli scent.

About as versatile as any fragrance can get. It is masculine, however, subtle (and not offensively loud), separating this from the crowd easily.

It is dirt cheap, projects well, lasts a long time. I recommend that you buy this one. A staple for all collections in my opinion.

8/10

A masterpiece.

This is a 1: Aromatic fougere that smells classic and modern, 2: blends traditional clean freshness with naughty, dirty, sexiness, 3: is appropriate for evening wear, 4: is relatively smooth with a simple completeness about it, 5: is incredibly potent and long-lasting without being overbearing, and 5: costs next to nothing (for now).

It opens with a traditional fougere accord that immediately reminds one of warmed Barbasol shaving cream. It becomes woodier and more modern straight away, leaving a trail of clean sexiness. The base is warm, mossy, musky, and sexy with a bit of dampness.

To the 35+ generation: This will make women crawl.

To the youngsters: This isn't the easiest fragrance to pull off but, if you can, you will be the sexiest smelling motherf****r in the room. The fragrance of choice for the well-dressed tall, dark, and handsome men with a tasteful vamp side. Just don't overdo it; this stuff doesn't need more than two sprays for most occasions.

Fresh city air with underpinnings of corn chips (feet) and peppery salsa.

Un parfum doit avant tout sentir bon. (A perfume must above all smell good.)
~Guy Robert~

And that's exactly what Rive Gauche pour Homme does!

A "modern fougere".

IMO, everyone should have RGpH in their collection. It's not my #1 favorite but it's a solid, clean smelling, non-offensive performer that's perfect for when you just want to smell good.

I will never be without it...

i get many compliments on this juice...

YSL Rive Gauch Pour Homme

A classic and old barbershop, those that are deep hidden through the streets of Paris, the magnificent scent takes us back to de 50's and 60's, in those times you needed to go to a barbersop to have a clean and perfect shave. Just imagine the best shave you've ever had and with the scent that combines almost perfectly with it, it's just glorious. The lavender and geranium combination gives us a clean and fresh feeling while the anise gives power and longevity to the perfume.

One of the greatest scents of all time! and truly a classic!

Let me just say I'm not talking about the poor reformulation in the ugly cubic bottle...

Okay so euh ..I haven't smelled anyone EVER in my surroundings (village,town,work,family, friends...) who wore RG and that's just fine...wanna keep it that way 2...noticed it's a headturner and that's enough 4me...oh sweet vanity....:o)

My S-SCENT is...

Barbershop
Fresh
Seductive
Mysterious
Strong yet delicate
Original
Masculine
Refined

So YES...S-scent 4sure !

Let them please make an eau de parfum 4 this one (in the old formulation) - IT WILL BE HISTORICAL !!!!!!

10/10

Rive Gauche is one of the two fragrances that i received most compliments, the other one is GIT. Easy to understand, its a clean, pleasant, masculine scent that project well and is never annoying to others. Also, Rive Gauche for me is very versatile, either casual or formal, it does the job for every situations. I use it mainly for fall and cold spring. Finally, the best of all, it is very inexpensive.

Nice. This is not spectacular in any way, but it is easy to wear and versatile. It is a clean scent (yep - the famous shaving cream vibe) and not at all cloying.
This is great to wear when you don't want to smell like "cologne guy" - it is one of those that smells fresh - not exotic and rich. So, for that it is a thumbs up and worth having in the collection.

Very nice, well structured scent, and a bit heavier than most of the others in the YSL collection. I know this is supposed to appeal to French artsie types when it was created but I just can't get it out of my head that this is a great scent for the older gentleman, for one clear reason.

This smells like shaving cream, the old style applied with a badger brush. Something I definitely have not smelt in an EDT, but a very pleasant, distinct and original fragrance. Very nice on occasion, but this one is a little old for me right now

After reading so much about this fragrance I just had to have it!
It is everything I imagined and I love it,
I can't help but relate this to Black rexona deodorant !
In all the blogs and reviews/ comments no one else has made this suggestion, it was the first thing it reminded me of!
Now I wear them together! )

The power of fragrance and sophisticated Excellency Excellent

Complex special

Attractive to women

I would recommend him

According to GQ, this one's the only fragrance Paul Weller ever uses. Excellent taste, even for a mod-god.

No!! I just received this fragrance from an online retailer in the UK (because no shops have it in stock anymore) and I find that it has a really bitter smell at the opening when I spray it on my skin. I check the serial number and it's 3323. which means it was manufactured on November 2003! That's 9 years ago!
Others buying this online beware because the retailers will try to get rid of their really old stock collecting dust.
I really wanted this one to work as I read so many positive reviews and the reformulated Rive Gauche pour homme was nice when I tested it. Hope i can get a refund from retailer.

that one should be in EDP, for me this is a night only fragance,right one for a special dinner,etc,isnt that longlasting as one would think after putting it into skin but still its quite ok

YSL, cant do wrong by me...his house, just has a GREAT nose for frags, no pun intended. Ive smelled most of the perfumes and most of the male frags, and just about all of them are pretty impressive to way above average. I want this one...its old school, and smells more like the power frags of the 80's. This frag and BODY KOUROS YSL, are my two favs' from YSL.

What a beautiful and unique scent. I think everyone's description of shaving cream with that clean barber shop aura is very apt. Fortunately, this is very well blended and not overpowering and obnoxious. Quite the opposite, it is definitely manly without screaming in one's face. I'm sold! This is disappearing fast, as I think it has been discontinued (I am not 100% positive of that), so pick a bottle of this up before it takes its place in perfume history. I know it has been rereleased in a new bottle and formulation, but I can't speak to that, as I haven't yet compared the two. A wonderful blend of spices and aromatic herbs. Definitely worth a try!

A very masculine scent, modern but not modish.it has something of an old barbershop but it's not simple fragrance.it is rich and bold but also soft at the same time.very good silage and great longevity up to 6 hours.for me one of the best male fragrances in market.

Got my first compliment on this today, from a woman I work with.

She was standing about a good 15 feet away from me. She began sniffing the air, "What IS that?" she said. I braced myself, expecting the worst (the "Sex Panther" scene from Anchorman came to mind). She sniffed around the air a bit, came closer to me and exclaimed: "It's you! You smell wonderful!"

This is a projection and silage monster on me. It doesn't do much at first but after about an hour it really started to get going. Though while this can project across the room, it doesn't seem to overpower or offend. The scent is a bit thick, but never cloying or menacing. It just sort of fills the air with... pleasantness. I'm on about 12 hours since putting it on, it's not projecting much but I can smell it if I lift up my shirt. It's very impressive considering the price.

It's a bit much in the beginning, but it smooths out quite nicely after a short while. A bit earthy. A bit woody, a hint of spice. Creamy, as in, shaving-cream-y. "Barbasol" was the first thing that came to mind, which I don't think is a bad thing. People will smell you and think you've just had a shave. It's very clean and fresh feeling, yet warm and a little sweet. I suppose 'gentle' would be a good description.

This is a very masculine scent, classic and modern at the same time. Good contender for Signature Scent status.

The same woman from work seemed to pass by me a number of times throughout the day, more often than usual.

Rive Gauche for Men is a timeless masterpiece that deserves widespread availability. I'd love some of the younger men in my life to have the opportunity to experience something so extravagant and earthy as this.

Rich and herbaceous, Rive Gauche for Men is understandably an acquired taste. However that's not to say that this fragrance is in any way offensive or loud. I would actually say this fragrance is quite clean and refreshing despite its earthiness.

The scent leaves me slightly perplexed at times with its clean, shaving cream accord counteracting with a somewhat dirty/earthy patchouli, clove and vetiver blend. Essentially, Rive Gauche for Men jumps to and fro between gentleman cleanliness and raw, masculine filthiness. This is what makes this fragrance so intriguing.

As a woman, I wouldn't dare wear Rive Gauche for Men, that is unless I chose to get in touch with the barbarian behind the reserved exterior. On a man's skin, this fragrance exudes elegance and old-fashioned charm, like a slick man in a tuxedo puffing ever so gently on a cigar.

Rive Gauche for Men perfectly compliments the feminine version of this fragrance, which bears the same name. They both share a classic powderiness that when worn on the skin can create a dense and rich feeling.

In my opinion, Rive Gauche has not reached its use by date, even though I will admit that it has the tendency to appeal to much older men. The sillage is moderate but thankfully not too strong and I'm happy to say that the scent lasts and lasts.

A simple, yet incredibly well-done aromatic fougère that, despite being made in 2003, harkens back to the days when men actually had testicles, and nobody left the house without first applying no less than 20 sprays of perfume.

The premise is simple: take a classic aromatic fougère like Azzaro Pour Homme. Big lavender note? Yep. Turn up the anise a bit. The ambery, coumarinic sweetness? Turn that up a bit. Lower the herbs. Add a BIG patchouli note. Viola. A calming fragrance that says, "I'm a guy you can count on." It's not "old", it just smells reliable. It is quite strong and it lasts a while, but who cares? Wear it with dignity and let the people around you know that they can trust you. I find it more interesting and satisfying than Azzaro Pour Homme (although Azzaro Pour Homme is still a wonderful fragrance; no doubt). Rive Gauche says to the world, "I am not a moody little bitch that starts drama over Facebook. I'm a meat-and-potatoes guy, and I still eat proper home-cooked meals like pot roast."

After the commercial failure of M7, came Rive Gauche PH. It was lauched with the reformulation of the original ladies. It is a very traditional fougere that could not catch on in todays sugary market.

It last on me for 24 hours or longer if I dont shower. I rarely use it today, but went through a full can in 2007-08! The can remind me of shaving cream-yes the marketing worked brilliantly here-everyone thinks of Barbasol. Its inspriation was Pinauds talc that was used in barber chairs since 1800. Its very clean and maintains that fresh showered feel all day or more.

It has the oakmoss turned down to a whisper, and had it been introduced in 1975, would have roared throughout the composition. It is very urban chic manhood in a can. Yes the YSL revolution continued, but for how much longer could this charade last?

Perfect masculin scent with impressive staying power.
No flowers, only 100% of men.
Must have for guys, don't shave their chests...

An intense, brooding and powerful herbal concoction of a scent. Everything from the stylised, saber-like flacon with its uber sophisticated curves and lines says quiet sophistication and unique appeal to me. This is very unlikely to be a crowd pleaser, in a world full of 'Bleu de Chanels' and such like, this offering from YSL stands out as audacious, herbal and has a light air of antiquity about it, without being plain old-fashioned. I would feel very comfortable wearing this fragrance as an accompaniment to a smart suit, evening at the theatre etc. It has a rich, evocative characteristics which say 'grown-up' without being stuffy. This is the antithesis of bland and boring or sweet and sickly. Do YSL ever do poor fragrances?? A winner.

This is great scent. This is one of my favorites. This has such nice notes that you feel clean fresh all day along. The longevity on my skin is 10+ hours. The base notes of this scent are really amazing the woods, patchouly and vetiver.

This is really a masculine scent. There is little bit of resemblance to Barbershop smell but I don’t think you can call it as barbershop smell. This is one of the best green aromatic scents and is a must try.

My Ratings out of 10

Scent - 10
Sliage -9.25
Longevity – 9.5

Overall 9.5

I don't understand the "barbershop" claim with this one, but perhaps I went to a different barbershop when I was younger (I no longer do). Instead, I think of the openings of fragrances like the original Lomani as "barbershop." Anyway, I found the opening to be very nice. It's highly blended, a bit creamy, quite soft, and a little anisic. Over time, it dissipates to reveal the base, which is as stated: dry woody with vetiver and patchouli. There may be too much patchouli for me, even though I like the dry, dusty quality of this base. I just did a dab sampling on the wrist, so I'll have to give it a normal wearing and update this review.

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. I 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

Hyper-masculine.
Ideal for all men who see shaving as a cult.
I love it.
Timeless.

I like very much but do not love this frag. I tried it several years ago at Colonial Drug in Cambridge, MA and was um, unimpressed. Perhaps it was the mood of the day; the previous scents I had tried or maybe...whio knows? I recently tried this again in the summer. At first the anise/clove smell turned me off. I took the advice of the sales person and waited it out. I am so very glad I did. In it's bottom notes the patchouli and wood note is intoxicating on my skin. I love to wear this with patchouli strategically placed on varius pulse points. I wear Rive Gauche smack dab in the middle of my chest. The person to person reactions are very positive. They never ask what I am wearing. They will simply say you smell good. I could grow to love this scent if I could tone down the anise in the begining. I am trying to locate the Intense version of RG with very little success. If anyone can assist I'd be very appreciative. RG is unusual, deep, intoxicationg and a perfect match for my ever present patch fetish.

Rive Gauche pour Homme is a thick, heavy aromatic fougère. Its aromatic notes are balanced, but aren’t key players. They are the Greek chorus to the lavender and coumarin that define RGpH. Clove focuses our attention on the coumarin, and rosemary and geranium steer us to the lavender.

RGpH reminds me of what I love about the fougère. Because the interaction of lavender and coumarin plays out mostly as contrast rather than agreement, the greater the counterpoint, the better the fougère. The aromatics keep our attention on the lavender and coumarin and their combined raspiness.

If the accord is stark, the transitions are not. It moves easily from an enveloping church organ blast of a perfume to a brisk barbershop slap to a husky whisper. There is nothing superfluous. The fragrance emerges from the fundamental duality.

RGpH is not pretty, it’s handsome. By historic fragrance norms, it is so classically masculine that I can’t help but feel like I’m in man-drag when I wear it. By the same reasoning, it’d be loads of fun on a femme woman.

Rive Gauche pour Homme, unfortunately, does not hold up against its big name heritage.
It is an unusual, dark, round smell that creats a cloud of a silent elegance around the person who wears it. If you are a very communicative individual with a solar outgoing personality this one is NOT for you.
It does last long even when applied in small doses, but it doesn't do much, "Givenchy Gentleman" doesn't do better.

the proyection in this one it's GOD LEVEL!!!!
it's truly asome that rive gauche pour femme, was realese in the 70's, and YSL can create the pour version like 30 years later and make the scent feel like 70's <3 that's magic, and the bottle it's just a piece of haute couture <3 love it, a shame that my father spend it all xd jajajaa he used mine rive gauche pour homme and finished in just 2 months :| :(

I´m truly enchanted with this outstanding fragrance. It´ll never be worshipped by the masses, which in itself is a clear sign of its originality and exceptionality.

I'm quite with the comments below, it's very unusual and you have to get used to it. The thing is, it smells more like shaving foam than after shave. But then, it's the finest shaving foam you could imagine. Put differently, it gives you a feel of being freshly shaven for the whole day, not least since the lasting power is an outstanding one.

A nice one for four seasons!

A great modern take on the old aromatic barbershop vibe of days gone by. And yes it really does smell like shaving cream but in a good way. Thumbs up.

Well, I bought this blindly since everyone on the Interwebs seems to drink this like cool aid at a cult meeting.

Regrettably I was somewhat disappointed at first that it didn't really smell like anything I expected it to. Perhaps I haven't been to enough barbershops to know what they should smell like. I was somewhat taken aback by the unfamiliar smell of Rive Gauche when I first tried it since it was unlike anything I've every smelled before which made it feel kind of synthetic for me since I couldn't draw any parallels to natural scents. A bit sharp in the beginning too even if it gets a lot better over time. Definitely a very male scent even though it lacks prominent wood and leather notes. I wouldn't want any girl to smell like this. Even if it is sharp and overpowering at first I can still smell an amazing dry down the next day on my wrists.

so, a bit of pro and con:

cons:
- feels unfamiliar and hard to pin down
- a bit too sharp initially

pros:
+ gets a lot better over time with a very smooth and comforting dry down
+ doesn't smell like "old man cologne" at all and still manages to be very masculine (hence the barbershop references I suppose, I still think my shaving foam smells better though, too bad I can't get that in a bottle).

In terms of age this would work fine for all men who are old enough to need a shave in the morning.

Personally I would rate this as "ok but not really for me" yet I can see why some people love this. I've had my bottle for a year or so but I seldom use it.

Definitely not something you should buy blindly but definitely something you should try if you're a man and the reviews intrigue you. Don't just try it on a strip, try it on your skin and evaluate how the scent evolves during the day since this is the only way to reveal its true strengths.

I really like this one, especially the drydown. It is not for young men and it is not an old man's scent. It's right in between. If I had to describe this scent in one word, I would choose "clean." If I were given the choice of another word, I would choose "mature."

9/10

original scent.

reminds me of barbershop shaving cream, clean, fresh, really manly frag.

definitely must have for someone who have beard and mustache.

longevity is good too, about 8-10 hours on my skin, another perfect office scent. but sometimes, i do wear it for special occasion, such as wedding ceremony, and formal meeting.

very versatile, i used it in the morning, or in the evening. and it can be used for suit and tie, or just tees and jeans.

i will repurchase this frag if i'm run out.

longevity : 9/10
projection : 8/10
overall smell : 10/10
recommended age : someone who have beard and mustache. (25 and up)

if azzaro pour homme is to old for you, this is the perfect substitute for you.

A timeless classic that i had to own, especially since i like fresh smelling scents. I have to say that i only like it, but not love it. I pick up a strange warm smell from it, and it's awfully synthetic at times. Not really what i am looking for in a fresh scent, but i see why people really love this one.

One of a kind perfume....there is nothing in the market to smell like this. Barbershop, the old barbershop that has been renovated but still retains the classic appeal. Definetely for mature well dressed men. In my opinion, this together with M7 and Kouros, are the best from YSL. True classic and unique!

Tried this in the YSL shop on Luxury row, Hawaii, in case you're looking for it.

It starts as something I relate to a very women's fragrance, to say the least.

The drydown is so much nicer.
Right in there with Body Kouros with the green, spicy formula. Masculine and only slightly modern. Today's youth might benefit from its sporty, yet classic, quality.

I've tried Rive Gauche Homme as it seems to be a crowdpleaser and I totally got disappointed. The opening is nice with a pleasant liquorice/anice effect and bergamot, but as it starts to dry it immediately bring me back in the 80's. The ugly ones. The ones where girls used to wear fluorescent yellow polyamide t-shirts, backcombed hairs, fishnet tights and plastic earings and guys used to wear tennis-player-like hairband and horrible shoulder padded jackets. The ones Perfumes Houses used to mix weird loud accord to a cheap barbershop like base to create a male fragrance. Sorry guys but I've to pass on this one.

When It comes to bold aromatic fougeres there's nothing like Or Black.

The atomizer is absolutely marvellous, but it's not enough.

Rating: 8/10 (for the opening)
5/10 (for the drydown)
6.5/10 (overall)

The most dominant treat of YSL perfumes is that they stubbornly insist to be earthy and lustful!
I’m crazy about them! Rive Gauche is not exceptional. All of them also push you to in the center of attention. I wear perfume to overemphasize my moods! You can compare Rive Gauche to Jazz and Live Jazz. The scent that you smell is an highly intensified mixture of herbs. It seems that there is no other element in this but herbs. No flowers, no spices, no wood. From application it smells chemically and herbal. It’s well placed as Aromatic Green. It’s like something that is stored in a dark warehouse. Opens chemically and boozy and after a while it will be bearable!
Commonly it's a harsh and maybe aggressive green stuff but still on style and flawless. Extracts out from deeply masculine sexuality and attractiveness. Highly charming but not in a fancy way, just intensively seductive, causes aura!
Although this stuff is not on my taste yet, but it's something perfectly adorable. You can't get rid of its extremely herbal smell. Maybe you should wash it off but I don't guarantee!

longevity 10/10
sillage 9/10
scent 6/10

This is the very essence of masculinity. I chose it for my husband in the beginning of our relationship and he fell in love with it instantly and it has been his signature scent ever since. It is indeed a scent of an old-fashioned gentleman.
To help you visualize the greatness of this masterpiece; I once read that Elvis Presley used Old Spice and Brut. However, when I try to imagine the scent of this great man - this is the only thing that comes to mind. To me it is the fluid version of the soft, velvety lyrics of Are you Lonesome tonight?.

This has a definite classic feel to it, like a 50s barbershop. Reminds me of Old Spice a little bit. The rosemary, clove and lavender are by far the most dominant scents in this fragrance, it's a shame I think that the vetiver and patchouli aren't more dominant, but this might contribute to how clean this smells. I tend to prefer unisex perfumes and even steal my boyfriends cologne sometimes, but there is no way this could be worn by a woman, it's very masculine indeed.

I love this stuff ( yes maybe it is similar to Brut ) but this one is great.
Very long lasting power, clean, and very MASCULINE.
No way this can be worn by women

old man scent that is out dated for someone under 30 years old. Is still relevant and a classic scent

I'm very jealous of my frangrances. This year my friend bought Rive Gauche after he heard many compliments i recieved for this frangrance. At the beginig i changed i took gucci , i don't like to wear the same frangrance as my friends do , but after one month i told myself :Damn i startet to wear it for first it's my sign not his. So i bought it again. I love it. So classy retro' and modern.

As many have said before me, Rive Gauche Pour Homme has a strong 'barbershop’ characteristic that gives this fragrance a unique combination of an old world kind of charm mixed with a modern fresh quality.

Whenever I smell it, it immediately takes me back to when I was very young. I’d be watching my father getting a shave and haircut at the local barber shop, in the middle of the Australian Summer, with only one small ceiling fan to ward of the heat. It has a certain strong manly quality that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s not sweat or body odour, but more like the smell of my father’s clean shaven skin after these encounters.

Somehow this classic combination of spices and herbs provokes this strong feeling of nostalgia, yet still manages to offer (in my humble opinion) a very versatile and modern choice for anyone looking to feel clean and refreshed, while still noticeably perfumed.

I absolutely love how this makes me feel; classy, distinguished, sophisticated and a bit daring. I can imagine that this is what a secret agent would reach for when he’s tasked with seducing a deadly female spy (sorry I got a bit carried away there for a moment)!

Sillage and longevity are pretty outstanding. My verdict is a great big two thumbs up.

P.S. The ‘intense’ version of RGPH is actually quite a bit different to this, so check out the reviews on that one and try before you buy.

There is no way this great fragrance to be unisex...unless if women are going also to the barber shops for shaving. This is a real masculine manly fragrance, it reminds the past to conqeur the present in the world of perfumery. Together with Kouros, m7, l,instand de guerlain are the top male perfumes for guys above 35! No other fragrances are so manly smelling.

Update: the normal version and the intense are quite a bit different, I love them both. While the normal is a real barbershop, the intense is more clean and very concentrated green.

What I will say "Rive Gauche pour Homme YOU WELL COME IN THE KINGDOM OF MASCULINITY"

Plush, smoky, spicy, dark, dry, intriguing, and long-lasting. What else is there to say about this near perfection in a bottle? Resides permanently in my top ten.

all in all, it's a good fragrance, except for the cloves note which stands out a bit too much. toning it down a bit would've been much better. enjoying the fresh soapy smell and trying to ignore the cloves note, as much as i can :)

What can I say, this is truly amazing.
I also have the Intense version, a bit stronger and longer lasting. I love them both.
Edit: After some longer evaluation I find the Intense quite a bit better in all.

I bought that one for 20$ at Wal-Mart! haha!!! What a BARGAIN!

I like it with its lavender and soft patchoully. Barbershop style and classic one. Not my prefered one but I think it deserve a good try by all men.

7,5 / 10

After 30 min you gonna love it. Very french very chic

Barbershops and shave cream smell, checked. Look the bottle itself, does it mean something to you? Strongly familiar from the first spray ... What are you going to do with a retrofit of something that looks to be an old, cheap smell because you were used to find a long time ago? A "Brut" cousin if you prefer, as I read around there? I don't know. BUT, as for me, I'm still smiling. Feels nostalgic. Doesn't look romantic, but has something classy, an "old spicy" classy. Fresh and very strong, I can understand the "Yeah!" reaction from some, including me.

I love this stuff. Yeah, it's got a "barbershop" type of note to it - probably do to that rosemary and bergamot - but on the way way extreme end of the drydown, there's a nice incense smell, barely there, but kind of as if they out it in there as a nice surprise. I am buying some forthwith.

This one is a very clean spicy non-offensive mix. After 6 hours it reminds me a lot of, dare I say, "Old Spice" - which is not necessarily a bad thing (in fact Old Spice is my wife's favourite fragrance for men). This one is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned, though I think I might try to find some Old Spice.

YSL Rive Gauche is outstanding. At first, it smells like a typical barbershop-type aromatic fougere (kind of like Pinaud's Clubman talc). Very old-school at first. Then about an hour later, after the sharp top notes fade, it mellows out and becomes slightly sweet, musky and just beautiful. Don't let my words "sweet" and "beautiful" make you think this is a cologne for wimps - it's a very manly fragrance, it's just multi-faceted. This milder accords lasts around five hours on my skin and is just great. The remaining drydown is excellent too, because it seems to revert subtly back to the initial barbershop feel. The fragrance evolves beautifully and is a pleasure to wear. I'd put YSL Rive Gauche on my top ten list of favorite fragrances.

Rive Gauche pour Homme is not as instantly likable as most other Jacques Cavallier creations are, but, after a short blast of dissonance in the beginning, it quickly comes in tune to my nose. And, with each wearing I like it more.

In the top, before it even starts to calm down, there is a disarray of intense notes including Star Anise, Rosemary, and Cloves, all bathed in notes of rich Bergamot and Green Leaves, and all vying for center stage. It takes 10 to 15 minutes for all the intense notes to calm down, but it soon starts to reveal it's inner beauty. As the Spices and Anise subside slightly, a beautiful and manly floral accord of Lavender, Jasmine, and Rose come to the surface and dominate the scent. The flowers are strong and make a single Floral Accord together, but Lavender/Rose/Jasmine... they are all there... if I look for them. It's a good floral blend. The spicy flowers hold on right into the emerging base notes of Vetiver, Patchouli, and Wood. It is bold, but still classy.

The sillage is huge for the first 2 to 3 hours, then it gets average for another 3 hours. After 6 hours it's still there, but has calmed to just a soft skin-scent, very close and nothing like the monster sillage it used to have.

It is beautiful, original, and classy. It can even come across as being somewhat elegant... with all those flowers crammed into a such a masculine scent. It's about as far away from subtle, without being a "powerhouse" scent, as any scent could be. It tries hard to get it's message out, and it does a very good job of it.

Rive Gauche pour Homme is Excellent.

It reminds me of smell of babershops. Classic, clean, fresh, gentle. And also modern, and incredible sexy. I love it!

A very popular scent with the ladies. I have had some very nice compliments from women over this fragrance.

This fragrance has great staying power. Nice and spicy.

this fragrance reminds me of stepping in a barber shop. It is long wearing with a woodsy undertone.