Eau Libre vs L'Eau Cologne
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
67%scent match
Closely related
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Eau Libre takes 5 of 7 categories.
Eau LibreChoose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.
L'Eau CologneChoose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Eau Libre5/7
L'Eau Cologne2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Eau Libre
- Community sentiment
- Eau Libre
- Longevity
- Eau Libre
- Sillage & projection
- Eau Libre
- Value for money
- L'Eau Cologne
- Versatility
- L'Eau Cologne
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Eau Libre
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Eau LibreYves Saint LaurentL'Eau CologneCaronWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.34/ 5 · 50 votes
Have 33%Had 13%Want 54%
3.90/ 5 · 30 votes
Have 33%Had 11%Want 56%
Category winnerEau LibreRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate50%Love
40%Like
4%Ok
6%Dislike
0%Hate
50 votes
37%Love
37%Like
7%Ok
20%Dislike
0%Hate
30 votes
Category winnerEau LibreMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityEau Libre
SillageEau Libre
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerL'Eau CologneBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothcitrus100%
woody92%
aromatic84%
fresh77%
green69%
aldehydic61%
citrus100%
aromatic86%
fresh spicy72%
woody58%
green44%
white floral30%
Scent match67%Closely related · both citrus, aromatic and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
PetitgrainVetiverAldehydesBergamotNeroliHedioneCedarMusk
No top / heart / base split published
Top15-30 mins
BergamotSea NotesYellow Mandarin
Heart2-3 hrs
PetitgrainNeroliRosemary
Base3-5 hrs
CedarVetiverMusk
InformationalShared notesPetitgrain, Vetiver, Bergamot and Neroli. Durations are only published for L'Eau Cologne, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring60
Summer100
Fall25
Winter30
Day100
Night17
Spring82
Summer100
Fall45
Winter0
Day100
Night25
Category winnerL'Eau CologneMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#12,216
PerfumerMichel Hy
Launched—
Reviews10
Overall rank#20,941
PerfumerRichard Fraysse
Launched—
Reviews5
Category winnerEau LibreHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotYves Saint Laurent Eau Libre is a crisp, sun-drenched citrus aromatic fragrance originally launched in 1975 as one of the earliest gender-free designer splashes. It opens with an invigorating burst of sparkling bergamot, bitter petitgrain, and fizzy aldehydes that immediately evoke the sensation of clean luxury soap a…
Reviews →Caron L'Eau Cologne opens with a sparkling rush of Italian yellow mandarin, tart bergamot, and salty marine mist. It instantly clears the mind. Within twenty minutes, the initial citrus burst softens into green petitgrain, herbal rosemary, and clean neroli blossom. The base stays light and grounded with dry Virginia c…
Reviews →InformationalRead bothTaste is personal
How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Eau Libre or L'Eau Cologne?
Eau Libre takes 5 of 7 categories. Eau Libre is rated 4.34/5 from 50 votes; L'Eau Cologne is rated 3.90/5 from 30 votes. Choose Eau Libre for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose L'Eau Cologne for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Eau Libre or L'Eau Cologne?
Eau Libre lasts longest (Eau Libre 67/100, L'Eau Cologne 55/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Eau Libre or L'Eau Cologne?
Eau Libre projects furthest (Eau Libre 68/100, L'Eau Cologne 61/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Eau Libre and L'Eau Cologne smell similar?
Closely related: a 67% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Petitgrain, Vetiver, Bergamot and Neroli.
Is Eau Libre or L'Eau Cologne better for summer or winter?
For summer, Eau Libre is the stronger pick. For winter, Eau Libre is the stronger pick. Eau Libre suits daytime wear; L'Eau Cologne suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Eau Libre and L'Eau Cologne?
Eau Libre features Petitgrain, Vetiver, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Neroli. L'Eau Cologne has top notes of Bergamot, Sea Notes and Yellow Mandarin, heart notes of Petitgrain, Neroli and Rosemary, a base of Cedar, Vetiver and Musk.
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