Choosing one between two popular designer colognes is pretty hard. It becomes even harder when they come from the same brand and line.
Well, L’Homme and La Nuit from the house of Yves Saint Lauren are two such fragrances that fall in this category.
While L’Homme offers better composition, the performance of La Nuit is unbeatable. Which one should you choose then?
Fear not! Because I’m gonna break down and compare the different characteristics of these two popular fragrances in this article.
So, stay put to find out which one comes to the top!
Clash Of Scents: YSL L’Homme Vs La Nuit
YSL L’Homme
Main Notes: Ginger, Bergamot, Lemon, Spices, Violet Leaf, White Pepper, Basil, Tonka Bean, Cedar, and Tahitian Vetiver
L’Homme was launched by the famous designer house Yves Saint Lauren in 2006. A bunch of famous perfumers– Flipo, Pierre Wargnye, Dominique Ropion, and Juliette Karagueuzoglou worked together to create this masterpiece cologne.
It is a fresh woody scent with dominating spices and subtle floral touch. L’Homme comes with a unique blend of spicy ginger with citruses, Tonka, and cedar that gives a strong, masculine vibe.
L’Homme got so popular that it is now considered one of the bestseller fragrances of YSL.
YSL La Nuit
Main Notes: Cardamom, Lavender, Virginia Cedar, Bergamot, Vetiver, and Caraway
Launched in 2009, La Nuit de l’Homme is another famous cologne from the house of Yves Saint Lauren.
Although this fragrance was also created by the same perfumers as L’Homme, the note profile of this one is quite different.
In addition to its signature spicy, woody nature, La Nuit comes with a creamy powderiness that makes the fragrance more sensual and enticing.
However, much like L’Homme, this YSL cologne also holds a loyal fan base. Men still now opt for this rich, spicy fragrance to smell classy and alluring on special occasions.
So, it’s safe to say both L’Homme and La Nuit are outstanding fragrances with a similar woody tone. But among these two, which one would be a better option for you?
Well, you will surely get the answer if you keep reading.
Here is a detailed comparison between YSL L’Homme and La Nuit:
Opening
Even though both L’Homme and La Nuit are spicy, woody fragrances, they do have noteworthy differences right from the beginning.
YSL L’Homme starts with a spicy fizzy ginger aroma, along with the citrusy nuances of bergamot and lemon. The opening of this best smelling YSL cologne is very clean and refreshing, while prominent ginger adds a whiff of depth to it.
The citruses here are well-developed. But instead of being too tangy or piercing, they tone down the spicy aroma making it more interesting.
On the other hand, La Nuit doesn’t have any citrusy accord in the opening, rather, it is filled with a spicy resinous cardamom aroma.
There is also a bitter aftertaste that unites with the spiciness making the opening irresistible.
Which one conveys a better opening?
In my opinion, the opening of YSL L’Homme is more enjoyable and lovely. La Nuit only has spiciness at the start, but L’Homme gives a fresh spicy start perfectly balanced by the citrusy accords.
So, comparing their initial aroma, I would say L’Homme has a much more refreshing and amusing opening.
Projection And Longevity
Like other YSL colognes, both L’Homme and La Nuit perform pretty well. But in terms of longevity, La Nuit does a better job.
On my skin, La Nuit easily lasts for 5-6 hours, whereas L’Homme lasts about 3–4 hours at the top.
Apart from having a better lasting power, La Nuit also offers a better projection as well. Its spicy aroma projects so well that everyone will definitely notice you whenever you enter the room.
With a very strong sillage, this cologne leaves behind a pleasant aroma on your clothes even after a day.
Conversely, L’Homme may not have that much of a broad projection, but it’s still quite good to wear. Citruses in the opening project well enough to make sure the people around you know how refreshing you smell.
Hence, without any doubt, La Nuit performs superior in terms of longevity and projection.
Compliment Factor
Both L’Homme and La Nuit come with attractive compositions and smells, so wearing any of them will garner a lot of compliments for sure.
But what I’ve experienced is that ladies love the deep and sensual aroma of La Nuit more. Hence, it gets me a lot more compliments than L’Homme does.
And as La Nuit also projects better, which is why it works incredibly in capturing people’s attention.
So, in terms of getting compliments, I would say La Nuit has the upper hand.
Versatility
L’Homme is ideal to wear on warm days of summer or spring. Well, this versatile cologne also smells good on cold days of fall and winter. It’s more of a casual daytime scent, yet you can venture it into night parties or clubbing as well.
Conversely, La Nuit is a perfect winter and fall scent, also wearable in spring to some extent. But it doesn’t smell pleasant at all in hot, humid weather. So, it’s a big no for summer.
Well, the deep gourmand nature of La Nuit makes it a brilliant choice for late-night parties, clubbing, or blind dates, but too powerful for everyday use.
Hence, it’s fair to say L’Homme is a bit more versatile than La Nuit, as you can wear it on more occasions and seasons.
Value For Money
Being two fragrances from the high-end designer house YSL, both L’Homme and La Nuit lean toward the expensive side.
And as per the official YSL website, the prices of these two popular colognes are exactly the same. One 60ml bottle of YSL L’Homme or La Nuit will cost you $84.
So, in my opinion, La Nuit offers a bit more value as it has better longevity and projection within the same price range as YSL L’Homme.
Overall Scent
Now that you know the basic distinctions between these two popular colognes, let’s find out which one will impress you more with its overall scent.
As you know, YSL L’Homme starts with a bright, spicy, and citrusy opening. However, it gets even more warm and spicier when the spicy heart notes arrive with a fresh ozonic undertone.
Soon, the fragrance settles into a warm, woody, and a bit musky base, while the prominent tonka bean smell adds a bit of smokiness to it. Simply put, this cologne smells fresh and uplifting in the beginning, but with time it gradually reveals all of its masculine and alluring nature.
On the other hand, YSL La Nuit starts with a spicy cardamom aroma which stays on for a while. But as the fragrance progresses, it leans more towards its woody nature.
In the core, fresh aromatic lavender with citruses adds a bit of crispiness to it. But the floral heart doesn’t get the chance to flourish properly as the woody cedar aroma takes over very soon.
And in closing, this woody aromatic character gets stronger and settles into a very compelling earthy and slightly spicy base.
Overall, La Nuit is a beautiful composition with the right amount of spicy, woody, and floral accords and creates a long-lasting effect.
However, after comparing the overall scent profile, I think La Nuit will take the lead. It’s simple, pleasant yet has some spicy enticing twist in it that’s very hard to dislike.
Final Verdict
Undoubtedly, both of the YSL cologne smell excellent and are considered among the most popular ones from the brand. So, going for one is a bit difficult for anyone.
However, considering the better longevity and overall scent, I personally like the YSL La Nuit more. So, if good performance falls in your criteria, go for this fragrance.
YSL L’Homme also smells impressive and is very versatile. So, if longevity isn’t an issue, and you just need a good-smelling scent for everyday use, this one can be your pick.
So, just go with your heart and buy your suitable one among these two.
