Cuir Yves Saint Laurent 2016

Rather too discreet, I'd say. So you'd have to use much more than you'd normally do in order to feel it as you'd like to. The scent is very elegant, a blend of rhum, vanilla and some other spices, as far as I can tell, and not sweet at all, which is a major plus for me. A bit overpriced, given the excessively discreet nature, yes, that would come to mind.

To say it right from the start: this will not be a grand, impressive commentary.
It is an attempt in response to the question: "Can I still do this?" or (very importantly!): "Do I still want this?"
Because I am not entirely pleased with the developments of the past weeks here either. Those who accompanied me in the past know that.
So: Let's see!

But now to the topic:
After an interlude with the enchanting scent dreams of Hubert de Givenchy, I recently ventured into "Le Vestiaire - Cuir" by YSL on a dark and rainy evening.
This brand and I have never really harmonized: even "Opium" (in its pure form at the beginning of the eighties) developed more herbaceous-spicy for me; the erotic component was lost due to lack of body warmth.
Perhaps that was for the best: a rather prim blonde being, as I was back then, would have been quite shocked by the power that "Opium" is known to possess.
This attempt was not uninteresting, but it shaped our further coexistence: YSL and I kept a polite distance from each other.

So "Le Vestiaire - Cuir" was once again a journey into adventure.
I sprayed cautiously and was left wide-eyed in astonishment:
Hey, this is a "cave of comfort" inviting for a cozy winter sleep!
Behind a heavy wooden double door, a snug atmosphere prevails: dark warmth, interrupted by dancing flames and islands of light!

The cocktail served upon entry, based on spicy rum, warms and pleasantly stimulates the senses.
What might have been mixed into this dark brown-golden drink?
Ah!, the slight sharpness of ginger and precious saffron: what a noble entrée!
Heavy dark furniture, arranged with thick cushions in autumnal colors for lingering, and drawn velvet curtains enhance the cave-like character of this environment.
Spicy wood and "well-loved" leather exude aromas that appeal to the senses.
This fragrant ambiance could seem purely masculine; also due to the faint hint of pipe tobacco that pleasantly wafts through the room. - But it does not!
Gold and brown tones and shimmering dancing lights, transformed into scent here, warm and lead to the silver-glimmering tea set on a tastefully prepared dresser.
Floral-spicy osmanthus and a noble black tea infusion offer soothing warmth and fine aromas.

Sensually awakened by the warming golden top note, this bitter-spicy scent development can be enjoyed holistically and gender-neutrally.
Sillage and longevity correspond to what can be expected from this brand: a long-lasting full-bodied scent comfort.
The house of Yves Saint Laurent offers me with "Le Vestiaire - Cuir" an unusually cozy-scented cave of comfort that once again awakens my annual recurring desire for winter sleep!
Something I can retreat to, that envelops me protectively when the world becomes demanding once again.
By the way, demanding: "Le Vestiaire - Cuir" requires open senses and trust in its perhaps somewhat alien darkness.
Crossing this threshold opens a feel-good area that invites you to linger!

She does not remember her past. Did she even have one? She was never alone. She only knew the wind. How it blew around her. It lifted her up. Her and her sisters. Together they flew. It was beautiful. Now she was alone. Too long in this place. All ruffled. In deep longing to fly once again. Past the docks with the workers and their rum. The shoeshiner and the fine leather shoes. The pipe tobacco of the coachmen during their break. Longing. Then she sent a summer breeze on her last journey. Farewell.

I was torn whether to write a comment on this fragrance. Normally, I test on the pulse with a spray. Then I check if I generally want more and add a spray on the upper body. Well, with "Cuir" I needed two sprays on the pulse and was significantly more generous on the upper body. And yet I still had the strange feeling that there is something, but it is not present.

When I stepped outside, and the wind played gently, suddenly a timid leather-rum combination built up, which is really beautiful. However, hardly present. More precisely, from the very beginning it was close. A subtle sweetness with tobacco rounds it off. Even with skin warmth, the fragrance unfortunately did not project further in sillage. So it remains the playful summer breeze that will hardly disturb anyone. Which is not a bad thing. Perhaps my mistake was expecting a bit more "space" from such a high-priced fragrance.

I can recommend the fragrance to anyone who values subtle understatement in business rather than show. To anyone looking for a scent for cuddling and possibly also for the night. A fragrance for beautiful, quiet moments. Perhaps a picnic. With a summer breeze.

A small addendum: The fragrance suddenly took off after about 1 hour. Why? No idea. A generous dosage, like in my test, resulted in more compliments than protests. I would now say that the sillage can be very well dosed "per spray." After one hour, the fragrance was then very present for 5 hours and carried me through the day. Now (after 8h) it is really close to the skin and presents itself wonderfully ambient. (Although there is no amber in it at all) :)

Leather is the new Oud - we’ve all known that for a while now. And orange blossom is the new leather? Rumor has it... Anyway, let’s not stray from this chic leather oriental. Because whoever first catches my attention from the new YSL Private Collection must have something special!

"Cuir" is a mix of a black leather jacket and CH Men Privè - only finer, more expensive, and more upscale. An oriental bazaar where expensive leather goods are offered right next to the shisha bar and the dusty desert. Saffron fans will find more to enjoy here than leather enthusiasts. But Cuir just sells better than saffron or spices as a name. Yet I love my leather jackets just as much! Gentle, sandy, dry, and moist at the same time. Like shisha tobacco that you coat with Sahara sand and rub on your Harley Davidson jacket. A bit of Oud also mixes in the background, never losing the oriental direction and reinforcing it once again. Close to a going-out scent, yet too well-mannered and almost too chic.

It varies greatly and seems to react aggressively to skin warmth. At times, it can scratch a bit and jump into your face. But most of the time, it’s a gentle treat before the spice lord. Like a desert breeze in the late afternoon, drifting into a Moroccan luxury hotel, where you’re just indulging in an English Harbour Rum and the exotic companion is already waiting in the next room... only dressed in leather boots.

Bottle: worthy of an exclusive line - magnetic cap, heavy, sturdy, fine color gradient.
Sillage: like 5 leather jackets at a spice bazaar.
Longevity: 9 hours. 11 hours. No, almost 14!

Conclusion: more of a tipsy saffron charmer than a harsh leather scent. Very delicious and very youthful. A fine fellow, far removed from club-goers or fakes. At first glance, the tastiest of the "Le Vestiaires"! An alcoholic-spicy delicacy.

I bought this fantastic scent for my husband, who only used it once and was immediately convinced. No, I don't like it! I always say: What the farmer doesn't know :-(
Yet it smells so masculine, in a smart suit, standing tall with both feet in life! Even the bottle says: Here I am! Angular and heavy but still very elegant. The cap glides on thanks to magnetism, like many other fine fragrances.
At first, it comes off quite fresh and floral, then it becomes softer, almost soapy.
The leathery scent remains a bit sweet, like Uncle Klaus's pipe tobacco (he always used cherry tobacco), reminiscent of the fragrance from the 70s. I think of an Opel Admiral in rusty brown.
Now the noble fragrance has finally found a new owner.
What a shame, I thought the scent was great; it definitely sparks my imagination ;-) really a pity!