December 2019: Advertising everywhere for a new fragrance, "Libre" by Yves Saint Laurent. Didn't the L. get shoes from a famous German singer with his logo as heel? They must have been expensive, on top of that the heel looked very fragile, but also kind of cool. Yeah no, but I don't need the fragrance, I have way too much anyway. And the advertising is also unimaginative, there's cooler.
A few days later: a sample of "Libre" lands in the shopping basket, back when you were allowed to shop and sniff perfumes without a mask. Oh no, I don't like "La vie est belle" either, and I get samples of that all the time, will it be the same here? But well, no harm in trying. Sprayed on, waiting. Yes ne, cold, lavender, somehow boring, I do not like.
January 2021: Ah ok, the "Libre" is now also available as an intense version, well, won't be any different.
A few days later: a sample was enclosed in a package. Put away, have no time to test. In the evening, baby sleeps: ok, I'll try it, sprayed on, waited. Puuuhhh, quite strong, the original was by far lighter. But it's also the intense version. Scent pyramid googled, sounds all quite nice. But I do not need.
The whole night blew me a strong, but not unpleasant scent of lavender, vanilla and spicy tonka bean. The next morning, the scent was still on my arm, madness. There's something about it, and it's really strong. Too strong, the crushes me almost.
April 2021: Baby falls asleep in the car on the way home at the worst possible time. The husband suggests, I could go rummage again in the big M, he drives in the meantime another round, must test out the new chassis anyway. I, totally excited and drunk with happiness, still half strapped in, storm out of the car and into the shop. Determined to the perfume shelf and in my mind went through the watch list and blithely sprayed on it. Driven by the time pressure, that any minute a WhatsApp could come with the info that baby demands the mommy, I suddenly stood in front of the YSL fragrances. And there it was again, Libre intense. Should I or shouldn't I? Bravely grabbed the really pretty bottle with dark yellow contents and sprayed it on the back of my left hand. Uagh, it smells completely different from the sample! Heavy, sultry, warm, floral and oriental, I almost feel sick. Escape with my booty (a body spray of Victorias secret) to the cash register, there comes me already the husband with baby towards.
In the evening: I hold Elena's dad both arms under the nose, 2 fragrances per arm and let him sniff through. He finds two goofy, one medium, and one best. You guessed it, Libre intense. Now, a few hours later the scent has lost a bit of its heaviness, but still the lavender is well present, along with other florals and vanilla it reminds me of my beloved Mon guerlain intense, but Libre intense is again a bit heavier, more confident and somehow provocative, yet feminine and emotive at the same time. The tonka bean, which I love, is incorporated exceptionally elegantly, and at the same time it gives the scent a certain twist and prevents it from drifting too oriental. You have to be really careful with the dosage, the haut purely, 2 sprays are enough completely, one tuts also, and me blows a great, spicy warm lavendeliger (is that even a word? Rather not :-D) fragrance with a certain depth.
A few days later: Libre intense is already in the shopping cart, but the last purchase incentive is still missing. Suddenly, an email: new souk offer for libre intense found! Looked, smiled, Parfuma written to, got the surcharge, since today mine. All's well that ends well. And the bottle is really beautiful!