Smells like YSL Libre: Velvet Lavender body butter

YSL Libre pairs lavender with orange blossom over a vanilla base. Velvet Lavender is our take on that profile, with lavender, orange blossom and vanilla, in a pheromone-infused body butter at $25 a jar.

Which Libre is it?

Yves Saint Laurent launched Libre in 2019, and Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm are the perfumers. The original is an Eau de Parfum, and the house has since added versions such as Libre Intense and Libre Le Parfum. Retailers list lavender and orange blossom as the signature of the original, with jasmine in the heart and vanilla in the base.

The versions are different formulas, so a note list belongs to the Libre family and not to one bottle. Velvet Lavender follows the profile of the family, and we would not claim it matches the Eau de Parfum over the Intense, or the other way round.

What happens when lavender goes into a butter?

Lavender can go sharp on its own. Orange blossom softens it, and vanilla gives it a round, creamy base. Velvet Lavender uses all three, and in a butter the lavender stays close to the skin and reads calm.

The formula is our own, in a shea and cocoa butter base, so it is inspired by Libre and not identical to any version of it.

Where does Velvet Lavender fit in your week?

Daytime into evening. It is the softest of our six in our view, and it is not one of the two louder scents. It suits a woman who wants calm confidence: a long workday that turns into dinner, a weekend with no plan, a quiet room where someone leans in.

For a night that calls for more, Crimson Amber is the louder choice, and Velvet Lavender for the day with Crimson Amber for the evening is an easy pair.

How do you wear it?

Apply one scoop to damp skin after a shower: neck, collarbone, chest and wrists. Most skin holds it for 12+ hours, longest when damp. A small amount shows, so add more only if you want it.

If you own a bottle of Libre, the butter-first order works there too. We have no controlled test showing the spray lasts longer, so try it and decide.

What does it cost next to a bottle?

A bottle of Libre costs about $325. A jar of Velvet Lavender is $25, about $300 less. You can also buy 2 for $43.38 or 3 for $58.08, and every order ships wrapped in a piece of a real coffee sack, with a card that says where it came from. If the scent is not right for you, there is a free scent swap within 14 days.

Obsessed is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Yves Saint Laurent.

Quick answers

• Is Velvet Lavender identical to YSL Libre? No. It follows the profile in our own formula and base.
• Is Velvet Lavender strong? No. In our view it is the softest of our six, so it suits close, quiet moments.
• Is it good for work? We think so. A butter stays close to the skin, and this one is not among our two louder scents.
• What does it pair with? We pair it with Crimson Amber: Velvet Lavender for the day, Crimson Amber for the evening.

See Velvet Lavender body butter, or take the scent quiz if you are choosing between all six.