Rive Gauche pour Homme (Eau de Toilette Light) by Yves Saint Laurent

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Rive Gauche pour Homme Yves Saint Laurent 2004 Eau de Toilette Light

8.1 / 10 17 Ratings

A popular limited perfume by Yves Saint Laurent for men, released in 2004. The scent is fresh-floral. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Fresh

Floral

Fougère

Spicy

Green

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bergamot

Mint

Star anise

Heart Notes

Geranium

Lavender

Patchouli

Base Notes

Gaiac wood Vetiver

Vetiver

Ratings

Scent

8.117 Ratings

Longevity

6.513 Ratings

Sillage

5.812 Ratings

Bottle

6.620 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro · last update on 01/20/2026.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Rive Gauche pour Homme (2003) Eau de Toilette

Rive Gauche pour Homme Eau de Toilette Intense

Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions

01/17/2016

ColinM
516 Reviews

ColinM

Very helpful Review 5

Amazing flanker!

What a perfect flanker this is. It is indeed a lighter version of classic Rive Gauche but in a smart, fulfilling, unpredictable and very compelling way. It's not simply a "washed-down" version of it, not a "sport" flanker, it hasn't "just more citrus" as it often happens with "light" flankers; instead, as other reviewers already noted, it is 95% Rive Gauche (this implying it bears the same DNA of an amazing contemporary barbershop masterpiece) with a subtle, yet amazingly recognizable and brilliant tweaking of a couple of key knobs - notably, anise and geranium for me. In fact, it smells at once a bit more "azure", crisp and slightly more sugary thanks to a little more anise, and at the same time, kind of subtly fresher in a floral, "watery" way, thanks (I guess) to some more geranium. Just think of the immensely beautiful "new wave of barbershop fougères" embodied by Rive Gauche pour Homme, with the abovementioned variations.

The difference with Rive Gauche is quite subtle, but so cleverly made that it makes it absolutely not redundant to own both. Actually they smell much "complementary" for me - the Light flanker is slightly, elegantly fresher, more suitable for the day, also slightly less bold and thus something you can spray more liberally. While classic Rive Gauche is a bit more mature, more darker, somehow more formal too, and probably more powerful (although this Light version is definitely strong and long-lasting as well, don't worry about that). Again, not a massive difference, but not even that negligible. This is how flankers should smell for me - subtle, yet interesting and clever variations. Fantastic per se (it's Rive Gauche, after all) and a great addition if you already own Rive Gauche.

8,5/10

09/18/2014

7Scent 2.5Longevity 2.5Sillage

Leimbacher
2876 Reviews

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Leimbacher

3

Razor of Tenderness - Part 1

Even though my other hobby, the perfume obsession, has been somewhat overshadowed lately (I’m just saying Fantasy Film Fest in Cologne) and as a result, the quantity of comments has suffered, probably to the delight of some whom I’ve been annoying for years^^, I am of course still testing in the cinema. And I won’t let comparisons like the two now very rare YSL Rive Gauches (Light & Intense) slip by for too long.

I am an absolute fan of the original, know the powdery-modern barbershop classic & Brut successor inside and out, wear it frequently (for my standards) and was very curious about what the two flankers have to offer. Both come from a time long before the current flanker craze and shortly after Tom Ford left YSL. Hence this continuation comment.

I was definitely glad that I hadn’t applied the original in the morning as I had thought, since all three smell incredibly similar and only differ in nuances. So there is by no means as much of a difference as, for example, between M7 and M7 Fresh. Therefore, I only wore Light on the left and Intense on the right, which should actually differ the most from each other. But even here, even novices can recognize the RiveGauchePH DNA blindfolded. For me, this consists mainly of anise, lavender, powdery aftershave, musk, and a woody base. A scent for dreamers & businessmen in one. The similarities to the For Him line by Narciso Rodriguez never leave my mind when wearing both lines (especially the Musc edition). Both lines are absolutely recommended and milestones for me, not just in a suit.

Rive Gauche Pour Homme Light starts, as the name suggests, lighter than all other Rive Gauches. Airy anise, almost a fresh, cool mint breeze is present. Anyone who could never imagine the Rive Gauche DNA in summer will be proven wrong here. Only a hint of the woods and patchouli remains; describing this version as a dilution of the original is certainly not exaggerated or offensive, perhaps even intended. However, in this regard, I believe they may have gone a bit overboard, which can be seen especially in the longevity and sillage (in the continuation under YSL RG PH Intense). One doesn’t necessarily have to make every classic summer-ready and force it. Luckily, there’s no Anteaus Fraiche or anything similar (or not anymore!)

... (Continuation under the Intense variant)

04/10/2014

6Scent 5Longevity 2.5Sillage

Skylab
184 Reviews

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Skylab

Helpful Review 6

The "Lightness" of Being / Even lighter!

There was a time when some manufacturers took years to launch a new perfume. Today, money (unfortunately) flows mainly into marketing. And long before the "flanker" craze, there were already offshoots of established fragrances. However, these were not - as exaggerated as today - thrown onto the market. Today, I feel almost overwhelmed and somewhat burdened!

Back then, one had the impression that a flanker version of a successful perfume not only delighted the loyal customers but also attracted new interested parties who weren't quite as fond of the main fragrance... Of course, the focus was also on making "quick" money back then, but one didn't feel that greed as strongly as today!

Rive Gauche - the name of the left bank of the Seine, the artists' district, the cafés, and the young people. Place to be and the title of YSL's prêt-à-porter fashion line, which was founded in the mid-1960s. The eponymous women's fragrance in a metal bottle - an optical revolution and with a pronounced fragrance and care line, THE perfume par excellence! A must-have for many women!

Accordingly, the idea of a men's counterpart was unthinkable, it was almost blasphemous! But decades passed, and with Tom Ford came change, a glimmer of hope, a look forward, and the forging of new paths. He completely revamped the dusty image, gave it a hefty dose of sex appeal, and adorned Opium and Rive Gauche Pour Femme with a new, lascivious campaign touch! Karen Elson did his best!

After Nu (2001) and M7 (2002), Ford launched Rive Gauche Pour Homme in 2003, the third (new) perfume under his direction! It came to market alongside the reformulated women's version and was both a homage and tribute to the original from 1971, which his mother used and loved for years!

After the men's counterpart withstood criticism and seemed to establish itself, the YSL executives (Tom Ford had long since left the company) pushed out a limited summer version in 2004, named "Rive Gauche Pour Homme Light." Admittedly, the name is a bit clumsy! This "light" version was also available in Germany, but I never spotted it in our rural areas - as is often the case! "Light" was also available as a women's version. However, both were not promoted nearly as heavily as their larger siblings! An advertising campaign showcased the two silver bottles, along with sunglasses and accessories on a pair of jeans.

The message was clear: a lighter variant for leisure activities on warm/hot (holiday) days. As a reminder: With Kouros Cologne Sport, there was already a fresh offshoot created under Tom Ford's direction, which was an early harbinger of today's sport fragrances.

To finally get to the point: RG PH Light starts with a bitter, spicy bergamot and is rounded off by a radiant mint as it progresses. This cheerful accord is accompanied by an ozonic freshness that only slightly misses the aquatic theme. In contrast, the opening of the original seems a bit dull and almost subdued. Light manages to bridge the gap to the (aldehyde) women's version with this shiny top note. Floral accents thanks to geranium.

Gradually, the familiar RG PH notes set in. Star anise enchants with a sweet, ethereal flair. Lavender contributes the characteristic fougère spiciness! Patchouli and guaiac wood reveal balsamic warmth. Yet, despite all the parallels - everything feels a bit weak - "Light" indeed. For me, it's more "even lighter"! The sillage is far below that of the original - close to the body! I perceive RG PH Light only very faintly on myself.

RG PH Light was very well made in terms of presentation and approach! However, it clearly fails in terms of longevity and performance. While the original can be consciously perceived for a solid 12 hours, the 2012 "La Collection" version also achieves a very good 10 hours! The "Light" version, on the other hand, falters miserably with just 4-5 hours!

For many, including myself, RG PH Light is simply a "watered-down" version of the original, which cannot even come close to its big brother! An "Eau de Cologne / Eau d'été," which would sound more fitting in my eyes! For Rive Gauche PH lovers, it's not a must; for all those who find the original too heavy, it offers a transparent, perhaps more accessible option.

My 10ml sample will last me a long time....or maybe not, depending on how you look at it! ;-)