Yves Saint Laurent Libre Intense Decant

Libre Intense takes the lavender-and-orange-blossom idea of the original Libre and thickens the base considerably. Ginger and bergamot open it, lavender absolute runs through the middle, and a vanilla-tonka-amber base gives it a warm, almost boozy finish that the original only hints at.

It performs strongly: nine hours or more, with generous early projection. The lavender keeps it from being a straightforward vanilla gourmand, which is why it appeals to people who normally find sweet fragrances tiresome.

The original and the Intense are close enough that people buy the wrong one regularly. Two millilitres of each, worn on separate days, is a much better method than a shop assistant's opinion.