Elle Yves Saint Laurent for women

I am a die hard fan of Midnight Poison, but sometimes I want a substitute to wear to save my precious MP juice. I’ve heard this compared to MP a lot (the same perfumer), so I blind bought a bottle and gave it a go. I can definitely see the similarities in them. They both have a patchouli, citrus, and rose element, but I find this to be more of a daytime fragrance. Think of it as a brighter, fruitier, and slightly more woody sister to MP. Love wearing this during the day, and then switching to MP at night. Though it is discontinued, it is easy to find and the prices aren’t as inflated as MP has become. Will never replace my MP, but it is a nice alternative. Definitely not a dupe.

I think there’s something wrong with my bottle. I can’t imagine it being a fake as there’s not a market for that. This smells like literally just pepper and coriander. Possibly a very dry patchouli and earthy dry Vetiver. Where’s the litchi? Where’s the peony? I get ZERO floral or fruit notes and this smells like an aromatic spice. THAT IS IT. It’s god awful. I RARELY wash things off as I have a pretty open diverse palette and I even like weird and wonderful scents but this-this…biggest disappointment ever for me. I’m like Demi Rawling..are we smelling the same thing? She’s the one YT whom I have the closest taste with so I usually trust her recommendations and this was the biggest blind fail for me. Between this and the awful violet scents I’ve recently purchased I’m getting the hint that blind buying is out for me. It’s just so much damn money to have all these 2mL testers scent. I’ve probably spent $800 on testers and it’s really annoying to have to wait for them too. I’ve been waiting quite a while from Exquis and jomashop for my testers. Pro Tip: pay the extra $5 for expedited shipping from Jomashop bc they must use pony express to deliver packages. It’s been 2 weeks since I ordered my bottles from them. The vendors who are fast are DecantX and Max Aroma. I just can’t believe Jacques Cavallier and Olivier Cresp made this. Like it took two masters to make this disaster? Something is up with the bottle I received

One of my favouriteeeee winter perfumes , I need to stock up before they ever decide to discontinue

With all the hyped up , expensive perfumes I have , this has a special place in my heart , I just love love love her

She reminds me of all my favourite years , the beginning of my it girl era

My friends all used to say this perfume was just my scent all knew I’ve been around when they could smell it

After searching for Elle for quite some time, I finally found her and am totally in love with it!
I keep hearing how it's similar to Midnight Poison from Dior, but I don't know how true that is.
Still never had an opportunity to try it out.

To be honest, Elle gives me a nostalgic feel, but I can't pinpoint what it is.
Definitely not like today's mainstream perfumes. Perhaps that's a good thing, because I love old school scents!
I'm not sure why, but it's giving me "Lacoste Vibes", for some unbeknownst reason.
It's fresh, floral, woody, slightly spicy and overall a light fragrance - all at once! Not that I'm complaining. 🙂

In general, I opt for sweet fragrances, which tend to have a vanillic note in it; with Elle, though?
She's an exception. This is one of the fewest fragrances that I can wear at any time of the year, without hesitation.
It saddens me as to how YSL decided to discontinue such a gem. It seems like a crime to me!

LADIES!!!
If you'll have an opportunity to get a whiff of this before it disappears forever, take it!
I'd happily repurchase it, without a doubt!

11/10

My favorite perfum ever, I have had a lot ot perfume in my life, and this one is hands down my fave for years now 😍 can't even explain how it smells, it's just perfect, fresh, sexy and addicting. For me is perfect for summer evenings/special occasions.
I just wish it would project and last longer.

Amazing defiant beauty that stands out. Even though she is fragile, her determent strong personality is all over the room. I absolutely adore it.. Found it on an airport in London. Lucky me

Freshness and citrusy sweetness that balances nicely out the woody and ambery patchouli. I have not smelt anything like it since. I smell the rose and watery peony well.
It smells good, but not so natural. Smells like a perfume store to me. It is bright and energetic. Not for my taste.

Éclat now do a dupe (no 70)

This is my signature scent and the one my family associate with me. I've got a mid-size collection amassed over a few decades (around 75 FBs so far) and this is still the one I love the most. I did have to go to multiple US stores in 2013 to get a second bottle as it's discontinued. On me one spray is enough, it's such a gorgeous, confident and powerful scent.
I get raspberry, dark patchouli, pink pepper and rose.
Pair with bright red lippy! The comment that it's a woman who is a boardroom exec is right! It reminds me of that too. I used to wear it for meetings for that reason in my 20s. It's a lovely scent and I wish they'd bring it back.

I’m not sure how to piece it together but I will try my best a patchouli floral fragrance that is incredible in quality and performance but when I wore it a couple of times I couldn’t shake the feeling of smelling something similar
And when it hit me I was in awe
I don’t think a lot of people can see it but I’m 100% sure that tuxedo by ysl was made as a masculine Elle with different tweaks
I love tuxedo so naturally I will love this as well
A must try at least

I bought mine yesterday at YSL counter in Harrods, London. It was the last bottle though!

Absolutely love the pepper patchouli floral mix

Woody patchouli scent. Classic chypre but a but peppery at the beginning. The drydown is a lot more deep, green, linear and a bit sour.

I think i've reviewed this before no not reviewing it again but i want our voices heard - PLEASE BRING THIS BACK! Jacques Cavallier and Olivier Cresp need to release this type of scent again i don't care under what brand it is. the DNA is unique and i've never smelled anything like this before. they may be similar but they're not the same. i 100% agree with the comment below; this is iconic, unique, memorable and gorgeous scent than anything else YSL ever done before. in 2020 i did secure probably the last bottle from some nondescript store and it was actually an expired bottle. =( need this back in my life (together with kate moss kate)

one of my all time favourite perfumes and very reminiscent of Gucci guilty absolute.
the two dont smell alike really but are in the same vein, same family. cousin perfumes
I have loved this since the first moment I smelled this wish it lasted longer on my skin though.
I get a solid 5-6 hours and then its a skin scent. I like to overspray and its fun with this one.
always sad that YSL discontinued this. this is absolutely iconic and a far more unique, memorable and gorgeous scent than anything else they've ever done including black opium, Libre and what have you.
YSL please bring this back! sigh.
pink pepper, rose and patchouli is what I get, with the other notes playing beautiful second fiddle.
love love love love forever.

The epitome of a classy woman! Parisian, to be precise. A real shame this is discontinued.

I remember trying this out when I was 13 years old and thinking I was too young to wear it, and I planned on wearing it in my 20s. So, my late 20s arrived and the perfume got discontinued.
However, I managed to find a full 90 ml bottle last week at a good price and received it today. My inner teenager is so happy 😅
This is an amazingly fruity floral patchouli. It's less powdery than Perles de Lalique and more wearable than Midnight Poison. The lychee and pink pepper give it the "tartness" that I really appreciate.

An amazing perfume! Unfortunately, designers no longer produce anything similar to this.

When this was released YSL was still YSL.
Sadly discontinued.

Was very chic perfume.

I have the original and I can’t believe all the negative reviews about Elle. To me it’s a giant floral bouquet from the get go with a little spiciness to it. The jasmin is SO sexy in this, I remember this coming out when I was in high school and I was aching to become older so I can wear it. Now that I definitely can, this is the sexiest representation of an independent, confident woman who can deal a lot of damage. I remember Mugler Alien coming out around the same time, they both smelled a lot of jasmine, and I fell for that one at the same time, but in actuality, Elle is the bottle I have. Am I glad I didn’t buy Alien instead!

The ORIGINAL formulation of this perfume was knock your socks off incredible. One of my all time favorites. So naturally, bc it’s a fragrance I adore, it wasn’t too long before it was discontinued, typical, PREDICTABLE!!! So I went looking in the shady corners of the internet for another bottle a few years ago and found one I don’t remember where, but as others have noted it was not the same perfume — it kinda maybe had the same DNA but that second bottle was a dim shadow of the original bottle. I don’t know what is happening to the perfume industry but I don’t like it. Rising prices, dropping quality, non-stop discontinue’ing, shabby in every respect. Something must be done, this just won’t do.

Just wanted to add a word on our girl, Elle. She is stressy, insistent, but also fresh! A friend who is fun but slightly annoying because she can be. Of course we put up with her pleasant razzing as she livens up the place. Elle is a personality and an attitude, rather than an event or context, so I find it hard to classify what "kind" of fragrance this is. It could be so versatile, in terms of season and situation, if it fits you. Love the attitude, the beautiful bottle, the color. I just know this isn't me--but I keep hoping anyway. ;)

hmmm... zesty!

I bought a decant of Elle recently trying to find a replacement for Midnight Poison that I sorely miss. I had high hopes. I did wrist-to-wrist test. Such a disappointment in this regard.

I can see why people think La Belle de Russie is similar to MP. I can see why people compare Sultane 1001 Nights to Midnight Poison. I can see which aspects of MP local generic brands that produce “versions” of famous perfumes are trying to replicate. Yet for the life of me, I don’t see how Elle is similar to Midnight Poison. This perfume came later that same year (2007). It was created by the same perfumers (Jacques Cavallier and Olivier Cresp). It gets compared to MP constantly and tops all the replacement lists online with some reviewers going as far as to claim that this is the same scent only in a different bottle, changed very slightly for appearance’s sake.

Yet it’s nothing like Midnight Poison for me. I cannot find the rose that is central to MP anywhere in Elle, except for the pyramid in the description. I love MP for the rose darkened by patchouli, but still warmed by amber and sweetened by vanilla. Elle doesn’t give me that in the slightest. The only thing that these two share is patchouli earthiness and spiciness (ever so slight in MP’s case) when both dry down to the base.

However, on its own merits, Elle is good. Its vibrant, spicy, sunny, woody. It’s classy and confident. I had a first fleeting brush with it in 2007 – an ad in Elle Magazine came with a tester sachet. I remember it conjuring in my mind a businesswoman in a designer trouser suit, who eats her competition for lunch and then goes on a sexy date in the evening. She inhabits high-tech glass-and-metal offices and trendy restaurants of the capital city. She is a cheerful and ruthless go-getter. She is admirable and… nothing like me. This impression was confirmed once again after all these years.

Elle projects confidence, but not magic as Midnight Poison.
Elle speaks of power, but not of dangerous darkness.
If MP is Maleficent, Elle is Cruella. If MP is Monica Bellucci, Elle is Meryl Streep. If MP is Goth, Elle is Glam Rock.
Are they similar? Maybe. If you compare them both against something completely different.

Not my cup of tea. Starts sweet and very perfumey, than turns into a woody and a bit spicy vanilla. I think the patchouli ruins it for me. It smells mature and a bit masculine. It has personality, it’s not bad, but nothing for me.

I had this, and if I remember correctly I really loved the top notes. The peony blended so well with the litchi, it was amazing. I just have the bottle now, and it still has mild hints of patchouli on it.

Sweet and sour, rosy and smoky. I thought I absolutely loved this; turns out I only like it. Maybe my sample was older than the new bottle I ended up buying? Opens very lemony, which moves aside to make way for the woodsy, rosy, earthy side of her. I have found this layers nicely with Sand & Sable, because they have a similar structure to them, but the Sand & Sable is more uplifting. Elle is not a big projector, but she has that pungent aspect that somehow stands out. Absolutely beautiful bottle.

Later: The 90 ml bottle I have is from a May, 2021 batch, and it does not say "elle" on the bottle. It may be that the sample I had last year from Surrender to Chance was from an older batch, because the experience I had then was way more intense and pleasurable. With this current/new bottle I have, it is a linear, pretty, and likable floral fruity patchouli--light on the wood and light on any smokiness. I had more pungent smokiness from the sample vial, more depth.

It may be worth trying to get a bottle with "elle" written on the bottle, as I think those are previous to mine. I also believe the outside of the older boxes says "NATURAL SPRAY", while my new bottle's box said simply, "SPRAY." Hope that helps.

Just nice. It doesn’t last long on me at all. By the time an hour passed it was barely discernible. I swear I can smell almond, but it’s not listed as a note so 🤷♀️

Edit: came back to this tonight and it’s actually quite nice. Floral, woody & musky. I don’t get the patchouli everyone is talking about but even if I did I like patchouli anyway. Still not that strong or long lasting (on me), but a nice one to wear to the office.

I have a bottle of Midnight Poison and I am testing these side by side. MP has a bit more patchouli and that's what makes it feel darker i think. When I layer Elle with Reminiscence Patchouli it smells a lot more like MP as Elle is a bit more floral on my skin. So I guess it depends on what is more prominent on your skin. But it's a lovely fragrance, I used to wear MP as a goth and I find this to be very fitting to that vibe.

This is a clear patchouli driven fragrance that smells extremely similar to Midnight Poison. I would not doubt they were made in the same year (just checked, they are). Clear patchouli can come off a little sharp - slightly light florals and woods anchors the fragrance. It is elegant/classy, feminine and yet sassy - an under appreciated fragrance but definitely dated now. When wearing -I feel like I want to skate figure 8s in the middle of Central Park or do the dance of the Sugar Plum at the New York City Ballet.

I just get the lemony rose. To me this is a very uninteresting and screethy fragrance. YSL Paris is way better than this. The only thing I like about this is the bottle but I was so disappointed with the contents. EDIT: I just smelled Dior Midnight Poison and theyre nothing alike. Dior is juicy and vibrant. This is more like toilet freshener. I thought I wouldnt like Midnight Poison because I hate Elle. Wrong.

Even if you like vintage fragrance, this one is a no-no. If you don't have a chance to sample first, don't blind buy. It's woody, and spicy scent but in a genderless way. The dry down has this earthy, minty almost note that makes it smell like a cheap air-freshener.

Update: After a few hours the dry down smells like sweet cologne. Way nicer than the beginning but still a rather controversial scent.

This was my last blind buy ever. I bought this because it's recently been so hyped up by Demi.. This is my first ever review, I just felt obliged to save you guys some money. This fragrance was really expensive in my country, I didn't have the opportunity to sample it beforehand and now I'm just left with regrets.

What does it smell like? No offense to anyone who wears this or enjoys it, but this is what I see when I smell this perfume: a 40-50 year old woman who uses so much cheap hairspray it makes your throat hurt, smokes every chance she gets and follows it by refreshing her heavy rose-based perfume, she also wears a ton of makeup (my nose picks up something powdery&lipsticky). Please save your money, this is not blind buy worthy at all. I read the reviews and yes, I totally get the spice-cabinet, steak-seasoning, old people home, etc. references as well. I really wasn't expecting this to be such a let-down because the notes seemed right up my alley. So yeah, I thought I'd just write this in case anyone else is tempted by this recent hype.

If you miss Midnight Poison (MP), and an original YSL Elle is still available to you (ensure you check authenticity) - this is the only thing that even compares slightly to MP. I own both MP and Elle, and have tested them side by side. This is not quite as nuclear in performance as MP, but it certainly creates a noticeable bubble of at least 1 foot around you. Which to me, is more than sufficient!

If you do not like Patchouli - and I mean the unapologetically earthy, strong and very pungent patchouli mixed in with a deep and dark rose, reserved only for the dead of winter or rainy autumnal days, abstain. I see people below commenting rather ageist remarks of "old lady" smells. Be respectful of elderly persons. They wear such strong fragrances as with age, their sense of smell deteriorates, much like their sense of sight and hearing.

Further, if you are not as experienced with older fragrances (I don't mean too old either as MP was a product of tail end of the 00's), this may shock you. But take your time with it - do not judge it harshly in the dead of summer *insert a very sarcastic and bitter eye roll*. Try it in the winter! This was recently hyped by Demi Rawling so it is very likely to garner fragrance newbies attention - given novices do tune into her channel. Do not disregard this beauty based on your initial impression and reduce it to just a spice rack or "old lady" fragrance - which I find terribly rude.

How I missed wearing a beautifully deep and dark patchouli contrasted with a stunning rose!! I have been so very stingy to use my bottle of MP. But, I may use just one spray of MP and use Elle more liberally.

All good things must come to an end. So I guess I will eventually use my bottle of MP and miss it. But for now, consider me satisfied and completely content with stunning little Elle!

I love that it has a spicy, sweet and sexy vibe. It is really feminine, but in a mysterious way. It's a very provocative, yet flirty fragrance. It does have this initial scent of graphite or pencils if that makes sense that dissipates after a few minutes however.

I liked the smell initially, but it's far too strong for me. Very earthy and smells nice but just too strong. Love the patchouli and cedar notes. Peppery at first. For me better as a room spray than perfume.

one of my all time favourite perfumes
sexy woody and deep, very gothic and gorgeous
I wish they would bring it back!
one of the first perfumes that became an addiction for me and I had to keep smelling it. I have only a little left in my bottle, I rarely use it! it has been over ten years since I first smelt this and I still love it today
no surprise that Gucci guilty pour femme is one of my favourites today
I wish I could smell midnight poison to compare them
but yeah this is lovely and so deep. a halloween evening or a Tim Burton film in a bottle (both of which I love) amazing

I think I bought this due to the comparisons to Midnight Poison, and if this is what MP smells like, hard pass. Elle is sharp and a patchouli bomb. Mine has been stored in the cool dark, so it's not gone off, it's just what this scent is. It smells dated to me, and not in a good way. I love quite a few vintage perfumes, but this just smells like the start of when so many perfumes had the added prerequisite of copious amounts of patchouli.

I guess if you love patchouli and wood notes, you might like this. On me, it's just harsh and PEPPERY, don't get me started on how overly peppery this is. I have many perfumes with a nice pepper note, this isn't one of them.

I'm going to give this a fresh wearing one day soon, and see if it dries down into something I can tolerate. Maybe it's just a harsh, ugly opening? I'll update if that's the case.......so many seem to love this and sing it's praises.

Update: It does dry down to be quite a bit more tolerable. It still has too much patchouli, woods and pepper for my personal preferences though. It reminds me of Calvin Klein Euphoria, and I never liked that one either.

This was a blind buy and upon first sniff, I know I've smelt this plenty of times before. It is one of YSL's finer offerings. YSL tends to create my favorite designer-type fragrances and this is up there.

It opens with a burst of pink peppery peony followed by a bit of litchi to add some non-syrupy sweetness. The floral heart isn't the most unique, but a solid, pleasant part of the blend. And the patchouli-centric base gives this fragrance some sexiness and prevents it -- thankfully-- from being demure.

Elle is surprisingly versatile. I think this is great for all ages; for day or night; or for formal, party, or casual wear. Apply less, and you can probably wear it in the office, too.

I am a little disappointed by the sillage and longevity. My experience doesn't align with a lot of other fragrantica users, which may be a perfume batch thing. I had to apply a lot before it finally stuck around and projected in any noticeable way.

This was a blind buy and love at first spray! I’m so glad I can still get this in the UK because it is BEAUTIFUL, a woodsy, rose, and patchouli heaven! Also love that little bit of citrus to stop it from being overbearing, it’s so sophisticated (slightly masculine leaning) and classy, reminds me of a lot of Chanel scents in that regard. Could be worn day or night but it’s definitely a night/special occasion scent for me. Adore it!

Elle is a favourite scent of several women I know, of various ages. Although I am primarily a lover of niche and vintage perfume, YSL is one designer brand whose contemporary perfume offerings I admire (hello, Cinéma, Paris and Rive Gauche), and I am a fan of the perfumers behind Elle; Jacques Cavallier and Olivier Cresp. As if I needed any more reason, I am always on the lookout for nice rose scents. I blind-bought Elle, as it is does not seem to be in shops these days - there are rumours of discontinuation, but it is readily available online. A fresh woody-rose scent with a nice dose of patchouli, Elle is a pleasant, wearable daytime scent with mass appeal.

Elle opens with sweet peony on an aquatic, fruity backdrop thanks to the lychee note. Subtle citrus adds crisp brightness, while pink pepper adds its typical rosy spiciness. This paves the way for the rose note at the heart - a green rose that manages to avoid being thin and screechy. It is bolstered by clean, soft white florals that stay in the background. Woody notes creep in, adding a nice if predictable counterpoint to the rose note.

As it dries down, a cloud of dry patchouli adds a nice earthiness to the green woody-rose accord. Musky notes blur the edges as it fades, becoming a woody-patchouli skin scent with a hint of rose. Sillage and longevity are moderate.

A wearable, reasonably discreet woody-rose scent, Elle is equal parts sweet, earthy and fresh - best worn during spring/summer. Pleasant but not groundbreaking, it reminds me of Stella McCartney and Zara Fleur de Patchouli. A good quality, everyday feminine scent, Elle is a must-try for rose lovers. 3.5/5.

I just get mint (maybe the vetiver?) - which could be manifested more cheaply by rubbing toothpaste on my skin. So disappointed.

OK guys this is another Superscent.... are u ready? 4-6 sprays elle then layer with 3-4 sprays of terre d'hermes.... For summer for beach even for spring is awesome..... Try it totally unisex

Fantastic perfume, reminiscent of Midnight Poison which is one of my all time favorites, but not really a replacement. Elle is slightly fruitier and more feminine, and it's more peppery which makes sense since it's one of the heart notes. The only downside is that it has poor lasting power on my skin and I honestly can't smell anything after I've worn this for 4 hours. The scent itself is absolutely gorgeous and I think a lot of people would probably find this to be more wearable than Midnight Poison due to its lighter nature. I will definitely continue to wear this for as long as I can, and I haven't felt the need to stock up on it yet as I am able to get my hands on this relatively easily, and I am based in Europe.

Wow! The best blind buy EVER! I am in love! Looking at the notes I was worried that this is going to be masculine, but it's not at all. The opening is quite juicy and fruity, then it blends with rose and rest of floral notes and strong patchouli. Very sexy, my new signature scent.

You can still find Elle in Europe. If you live in Germany, you can order it on Douglas online shop or buy it in person in some of the branches.

If Euphoria and Midnight Poison had a love child, this would be her. On me, Elle is fruity, slightly fresh, peppery, musky, and patchouli heavy in the base. Very nice. Not close enough to MP to be a replacement, but is good on its on regard. I enjoy it. Lasts about 6-8 hrs on skin and clothing. Moderate to heavy sillage depending on how much you spray. I get compliments with this one as well. Great for almost all seasons except maybe not the scorching heat of summer. I prefer this in the fall, winter and sometimes spring.

I might have some kind of anosmia because people are saying this perfume is very feminine. I owned this one years ago and I didn't like it because it seemed very masculine to me. I was into Carolina Herrera perfumes at that moment, so I perceived Elle as a mature, masculine and boring scent. I need to try it again and see...

I think it's one of the best perfumes in the world. Unique, sexy and feminine. It's the perfect example that patchouli can be the best note ever if it's done the right way (there are tons of perfumes in which I absolutely hate it).

Idk why this perfume smells like tom ford ombre leather but sweeter.

Beautiful. I don't know what M. Poison smells like. Just for sure this is very similar to Perles Lalique. I love it. Peppery, spicy rose. I adore PL, just it doesn't last, so hoping and judging from the reviews this will. If you fancy a change from the boring Vanille perfumes, give this a try.

Love this perfume! So sweet and feminine. Lasts all day on me, I receive lots of compliments when wearing it! Definitely a perfume I’ll always repurchase!

Bought a bottle when it first came out and absolutely loved it. For me it is a very dry, dusty patchouli with sweet rose and litchi and spiciness from the pink pepper. Strong with a lot of character, Boss B*tch kind of scent that made me feel like I could conquer the world. Very confidence boosting and a perfect work scent to get me into the mindset of getting things done. Maybe a little mysterious too. Have never tried MP so not sure how close they are. My taste has changed since then but I recently got a 10 ml decant so I can smell it every once in a while for old times sake. This would make an amazing signature scent on the right person and dare I say it is better than 90% of designer releases we have today. Worth a test!

Something alluring here for sure. I wore Elle while visiting a wildlife park. The brown bear caught my scent and stood up against the fence and spend a good while sniffing the air. Luckily there was the fence between us! :-) And based on this experience I would not recommend this combo sweetness (does anyone else smell something like raspberries or blackberries here?) & patchouli if you go hiking in the wilderness areas.

Stories aside: Elle is maybe girly, but also has edge and depth in her - as girls can! Resemblance to Midnight Poison is there, but to my nose Elle is a day-time wear whereas Midnight, as the name implies, is suitable poison only for evenings and nights. Forest fairy & wicked witch.

Absolutely stunning!! Super hard to find but managed to get my hands on this via YSL website after missing it for so many years.

Super unrated perfume, I love this because it’s so unique but still so beautiful and wearable.

Smooth, warm, musky, sweet rose! I absolutely adore it, if you get the chance to sample it give it a go you won’t be disappointed

funny how both elle by ysl and midnight poison by dior were launched in the same year with the same perfumers working behind them. no wonder they both smell almost identical to each other.

I miss this perfume so much!

This is pure divine in a bottle! It reminds me at some stage Euphoria for sure... Ideal for a humid climate. It's my new signature perfume to be right now. I can't believe I was not getting it before, I fell in love with it at my first sniff around a decade ago. I think the reason it was discontinued might be why I didn't see it in stores anywhere! But luckily they have it online. Mine just came yesterday from HK! Thanks so much YSL for such deliciousness! You have made one more girl a happy goddess living in her fairytale!

Given how many floral scents I have in my collection, I am pleasantly surprised by Elle as it still manages to bring something unique. I pick up the peppery smell which is not sharp, but smoothly blended with the rose and gives the perfume an overall slightly powdery quality (not annoying baby powder, but a little bit like make-up powder). The woody dry down is prominent. Overall I like it and will use it in day time for all seasons except hot summer.

Love this scent .. potent with rose and pepper with a woody dry down

highly recommended buy for ladies

Love this scent .. potent with rose and pepper with a woody dry down

highly recommended buy for ladies

Not discontinued in U.K. and I presume Europe. Still available on the YSL U.K. website and reputable sellers like Boots and John Lewis.

My bottle is barcoded Dec 2019 and no it doesn’t last as long, in particular the dry down has completely disappeared - I can only assume YSL have reformulated it, I wish they had just discontinued it instead as it is like a kick in the teeth when you have been a loyal customer and they sneak a change in.

I see a lot of people are confused about why so many of us miss this fragrance, or they have an issue with the scent with its longevity/projection... well this has been discontinued for quite some time now. In fact, it’s extremely difficult to find a real authentic bottle anywhere. eBay, amongst others sell fakes. This gorgeous perfume is known for being quite strong and long lasting!! Same goes for Diors Midnight Poison. If your purchasing either of these for a very low price, there’s ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT about it, you’ve been bamboozled!! Rule of thumb, if you know a price on a fragrance is too good to be true, then it’s most likely a fake. Unless your buying from a VERY reputable place or person. I hope this helps <3

Bought a 90ml bottle and I regret it. I don’t see myself wearing this. It smells cheap, generic and it’s too light. I’d need about 10 sprays to smell anything.
It does have a similar vibe to Coco Mademoiselle, as a light, feminine, non-sweet patchouli/floral, but it doesn’t smell similar. They’re not at all in the same league.
I don’t hate this scent at all, but it just doesn’t need to be in my collection. I said I would wear this to run errands, but I don’t think I will because I still like to enjoy the fragrances I wear. Maybe I should just sell it? I live in London if anyone is interested.

Why is everyone saying they miss this perfume? Here in the UK it is available everywhere in shops plus online!? Am I missing something? Have I just bought a new formulation this December?

A few months ago I splashed out and bought a bottle of Dior Midnight poison for a huge price increase. A scent I love. On the ratings on fragrantica I decided to purchase Elle.

I would say they are a 95% match. There is a spicy, medicinal like note missing from the very opening of Elle which to me prevents it being a complete dupe. However after 5-10minutes with a spritz on each wrist they smell identical on my skin. On clothes that 5% difference remains. This is less spicy a hint more floral. Funny how skin and clothing can be so different!!

To me this is a warm, softly sweet feminine scent. It’s not groundbreaking but there is something very comfortable about wearing it. Its not a typical floral because the vanilla and musk softens the flowery notes and transform it into more of an oriental flower than the woody chypre it is advertised as. (I would call Midnight poison Oriental woody thats the 5% difference!) I LOVE it. I love it for what it is seperate from MP and I can see I will repurchase.

To me this is a winter day-night scent. Very cosy.

On me this smells exactly like Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche

I don't want to repeat what was said before... BUT... My search for my signature perfume started when I was 19 y.o. Young, fresh out of high school, I had a sample of Dior- Midnight Poison in my magazine. It was love at first sniff. But I felt like I was too young to be wearing this strong, sophisticated fragrance. That night, when I tried it on me, I went to the pub to see my friends. It was a hot, dark, starry night and I met one of my friends on a street. She asked me immediately: , What are you wearing?' And then she said: , This is you. This perfume smells like you.'

Now, years have passed and no perfume could fill the void that I felt inside of me. I know that this is maybe pathetic, but I also know (thanks to Fragrantica), that I'm not the only fragrance junkie in this world :).

I found this perfume similar to MP. I've read the comments and finally purchased one. After I sprayed it on my wrist: I had the ultimate emotional reaction: , This is it! This is me!' And I cried a little bit.

Elle shares the DNA with MP. It is not the same perfume. Elle is much more fruity and feminine. But something about the rose with patchouli is magical in both of them. YSL Elle is beautiful from the opening to its core. I have found the one :). Thank you, masters perfumers <3.

It is to me a very fresh fragrance, and luminous indeed, as is said above. I can smell a very strong note of grenadine, like in JPG Ma dame. Sillage and staying power seem to me good. I find very nice, although it is not one of may favourite fragrances.

I‘ve just blind bought this from a reputable online shop. Everything in the description above is what influenced my purchase. The initial spray is a red berry, pink pepper and girly patchouli. However the sweetness soon disappears, and within 2 hours all that is left is a skin scent of pink fuzz. Performance and silage is disappointing, but it is pretty and classy, and I'd say good for all ages.

Frowning. I'm frowning. How could many fellow Franrantican here agree that Elle smells like Midnight Poison. I own both Elle and Midnight Poison and they don't smells alike. Not even close even they share few of the same notes. Elle is more sweet and feminine with seductive dose of pink pepper while Midnight Posion is more dark, smoky, mystery and a bit masculine. Elle start with lychee sweetness with patchouli undertone. The pink pepper start to arouse during drydown and lay down with on the patchouli bed, sprinkled with peony with faint lychee notes. Elle is very warm yet sensual, I love wearing it at night and during cold weather. I was once wake up with Elle trailing on my nose, I was under blanket, warm, and Elle compliment the moment so much. I don't find any dupe for Elle yet. Someone asked me to try Gucci Guilty Absolute, but I don't really like it. I miss Elle so much.

@alexandradaos,😆

I've wanted this forever! Now I'm not so sure??? 🤔

The opening of this is quite beautiful. The first time I sprayed it, my initial impression was 'this is kinda like Dior Addict without the vanilla cookie scent'. Not a love, but it was beautiful in its own right.

Then it becomes unbearable. I never thought perfume could smell like this, before I tried Elle. You know that time when you visit someone and they invite you in the kitchen, and at some point they open their spices cupboard? There is a weird mix of all those aromas, beautiful on their own, but very strange when mixed together.

The pepper in this is so obnoxious it overpowers everything. At some point it made me feel that I smelled like well-seasoned steak. There is no sweetness to balance it, just some dusty, old, suffocating rose smell. No jasmine or freesia peeking through to bring any sort of tenderness or femininity in this.

Then as it dries even more, the weird rose becomes more and more prominent, and the vetiver and cedar peak through. The pepper is still there, but at this point the rose becomes so headache-inducing you won't care.

This is not young, elegant, modern or edgy by any means. The image it creates in my head is, unfortunately, that of an elderly care home. I imagine a glamorous old lady, wearing clothes with that distinctive 'old' smell, in a room full of vintage wooden furniture, with the curtains always closed.

I don't even know what to do with the bottle at this point.

I bought this based on the "it smells like Midnight Poison" comments and the fact that I finally found it online. Blind buy but the best one I've had in a long time. THIS is a unique scent. It's a powerful scent. Something you would wear out shopping on a lazy gray day or as you stroll through the park holding hands with someone.

I love this. Of course, I love this. It's been discontinued.

It's quite different from today's popular perfumes which are either a tuberose bomb or nauseatingly sweet. It has a mysterious personality, cold, distant and confident at the same time. It's not a crowd pleaser to be honest, rather a polarising perfume. You will get a lot of comments but I can not say all of them will be positive :)

before 12 years I got Givenchy Hot Couture as a gift and when I smelled Elle it feels like the same perfume to me that's how much the similarity, I can describe it as the smell of makeup store kind of sexy rich smell.
I am not a big fan of it but I don't hate it , may be in some occasions.
the longevity is amazing its last more than 10 hours on me.

I didn't expect to like this one and am pleasantly surprised.
On me, Elle is a spicy patchouli sweetness with soft woods and flowers. It is well balanced and has a cool, breezy air to it. The reviewer who said Art Gallery is spot on. This fragrance is quite modern to me. And not very young despite the components. Maybe an additional note would truly set it apart. Sea salt? Bamboo?

Fresh, fruity floral with a twist of spiciness this perfume is for any occasion and for any time. It's electric just like the color of the bottle, elixir of youth, modern and wild. It is earthy, it has a dry, dirty base. The flowers aren't really in the focus. I sense some sweetness, certainly some grown up sweetness of maybe tropical sweet litchi. Big love!

You know how, when a scent is perfect, you're rendered speechless? This was love at first sniff. Warm florals with a bite, gloriously sexy and rich and delicious and laugh-out-loud creative. Sophistication with a wink. Art gallery, but nothing too serious. I have a hard time describing individual notes, it's just perfect and whole to me.

Much better on my skin than in the bottle. The name is a bit misleading, I don't think this is for young girls. I'd say age 28 and up.

I might be biased though. This was made by the same master perfumer (Cresp) who made my all-time signature scent Lacoste Pour Femme 4 years earlier. Pour Femme is a similar type of scent with some of the notes overlapping. More interesting than the notes it does contain are the notes it doesn't. Like the Lacoste, Elle contains no vanilla. Nor chocolate, coffee, benzoin, musk or amber for that matter. The great majority of frags for women these days have at least vanilla in the base. To find an evening scent without it is quite rare (or so it seems to me).

If you love yourself a sweet gourmand then Elle probably won't float your boat. If you, like me, tend to barely tolerate the loud praline-and-vanilla scents passing for 'sexy' these days, you might want to give this a try.
9.5/10

Wasn't sure about this one in the beginning but I did give it a chance because it reminded me of a room spray I used as a child in my living room (odd I know)
But, then...
Peppery, soft, a tiny bit plasticy... I just love it.
I don't get loads of patchouli, but I like that. It's slightly powdery on my skin, surrounded by a nice cloud of litchi and peony. The vetiver makes it even more attractive.
No rose to my nose... Which again... I love
Nice one that I discovered too late...

I feel like this fragrance deserved a worthier bottle. I get that the fuchsia pink is meant to represent Elle's fruitiness, but there is more to this perfume than lychee and peony.

It's a decent replacement to Midnight Poison, but be ready to exude a more feminine energy once you're donning this. It lacks Midnight Poison's adrogyny and alpha male presence, but does credit to its pink pepper and patchouli notes. She's the rebound who looks like your ex, and that's as far as it goes between you.

Very rich yet very feminine, gorgeous, night time-special occasion, elegant.

This is one of those bottles of scent that you like and when you remember to wear it, you enjoy doing so, but it just isn't an insanely memorable one that makes you rant or rave about it. It's more than just pleasant, far more complex than I think many give it credit for, but - for me anyway - the thing that gets in the way of me really rooting for Elle, is the fact that it shares just enough notes to be reminiscent of Dior Midnight Poison (my personal, ultimate, Holy Grail) but not enough to be a 'dupe' or in any way a worthy replacement for it.

I know that's not really fair, because Midnight Poison (in its original EDP awesomeness) was so intoxicating on me that it did that thing which radiated out warmth & happiness from my solar-plexus and up to my heart before sending tingles to the back of my neck (ya'll get that 'deeply connected contented phsysiological reaction to fragrances you love too, right? Or is that just me? Yeah okay...lol...). Elle is never going to elicit such a powerful physiological reaction from me. When the first spray sends notes of patchouli, rose & cedar zooming to the part of my brain which processes scent memories, it ends up making me look out for and expect the 'medicinal vixen' powerhouse of Midnight Poison to arrive...but it never happens. What it does is deliver a perfectly lovely, modern, crisp, fragrance that in an alternative universe where MP had never been created, probably would have had me willing to show Elle a little bit more love. Instead, for me, it's an anti-climax. It leaves me feeling high & dry. It leaves me wanting.

Elle isn't a perfume that I can ever remember smelling on anyone else. Maybe all the rumours of it being discontinued might have something to do with it not reaching the saturation levels of popularity that seem to be what a lot of frag houses are looking to achieve. I mean, sure I get it, you want to make money. If you make me a worthwhile product, then I'll be more than happy to give you my money. And for the most part, the mark-up in fragrances from R&D to retail, is so massive, you really shouldn't find it hard to make bank with a decent product. But these days it seems like a scent is either massively popular to the point of absolute ubiquity, or just isn't considered popular enough to be kept around. Gotta keep trying to find or imitate the next big thing, so you can keep the shareholders happy, right?

Those of us who find a scent we like, that isn't being worn by everyone else (or that doesn't end up being reformulated to death - because of the kind of regulations dreamed by bureaucrats who run entirely on jobsworth smugness and spite - before being discontinued) often find that these less popular fragrances have a very short shelf-life (and I'm not talking about Best Before dates). I don't understand why perfume houses can't just continue to make smaller batches of less popular fragrances if they're still selling - albeit in smaller numbers. I understand that sensible retailers are somewhat limited by the amount of space they have and holding too much stock is essentially dead money, but keeping the lesser known/less popular scents around will still make money. And you can really inspire a customer to become a repeat purchaser who may then become more inclined to stay loyal to your entire brand if you're showing a willingness to cater to these tastes.

But anyway, I digress. Like I said, Elle is not as popular as a lot of other big name fragrances, but she is a worthy addition to the collection of anyone who enjoys having a wide range of different scents at hand, ready to enhance whatever mood one happens to be in from day to day. It's a suitable fragrance for day or night. Definitely office-friendly in my opinion and if you spot a bottle going for a decent price (and you aren't averse to the notes that it contains), then you should definitely give it a try. Who knows how long this pretty little offering will be around.

(Note: I also own the Elle Intense flanker, which IMO is a much better version. It's even closer to MP than this one, but still doesn't come close to being a 'dupe' or replacement; to me anyway.)

Good news: it is popped up again in the Australian department store David Jones. So welcome back dear Elle!!! The news about its death were premature.

Oh no, Elle should really not be discontinued. Sure, there are many rose and patchouli fragrances out there, and to my nose, Elle is mainly one of those, but no other is quite like it. I think the lychee and the peony are the notes that set it apart from others in this category. They give Elle a light, juicy quality. This perfume is a middle ground between dark and heavy patchy roses and the still very enjoyable girly lychee-rose-peony blends that were popular a decade ago.
I don‘t feel blasted with pink pepper in the opening like with some other fragrances, I rather feel its dry wood-like spiciness in the drydown, rounded out by patch and vetiver.
Elle is slightly sparkly and very chic, like the olfactory equivalent of a black dress and red lipstick. It‘s a blend of cooler notes that have just enough warmth to not turn sour or scratchy on my skin, but not more. It could work day or night, it‘s subtly sexy, but not loud, and while I thought this would be ideal for milder weather in spring and autumn, I tested it on a summer day once and it worked almost better in a warm temperature.
I‘m contemplating if I should get a bottle before it becomes too expensive.

I seem to be anosmic to this somehow! I only get a faint, very synthetic hairspray scent. How weird!

Can't believe I'm reading that it's been discontinued, since this was an instant love for me, and I only just discovered it last weekend!! It went straight into my top five, and now I'm panic buying! Elle is an absolutely beautiful and sophisticated scent, which for me is in the sexy, evening category. Warm, woody and just sweet enough, it feels like it fits me very well. It's very patchouli-centric, a note that I can either love or totally despise, but I find this to be beautifully blended and well balanced. Will be using sparingly for fear of running out.

It is still available here in Australian department stores. But very limited stock. Let me know if you want me to buy for you.

Seems too late. I bought a last bottle in our big department store

This is my favorite womens perfume hands down. Very sad it's discontinued. Very unique woody floral with amazing sillage and projection.

It’s taken me awhile to try this one and despite all the comparisons to MP, it’s really not THAT similar to my nose. What this one DOES remind me of is a brighter less powdery Lalique Perles. It doesn’t have the silage or ooomph that MP has. Its pretty and more “fresh” for sure with a brighter citric quality. It’s nice but I think I prefer the dustier vintage vibe of
Perles.

Disclaimer: I'm a very fickle person when it comes to perfume, so who knows, I may go off this the next time I test it but..... OH MY WORD this is A M A Z I N G !!!! Tested it at about 8.30am in-store before work, and can still smell it now at 4.00pm. I've felt confident, sassy and happy wearing this today.... It feels like the perfect blend of sweet and spicy; classic and modern; romantic and sexy; with great projection and longevity. My inner Goldilocks is fizzing with excitement - but I'm proud to say I'm containing her (i.e. resisting not buying it on sale right now) and have ordered a 2ml sample - in case love changes to "meh" (I know me too well...). So happy I tried this today! :)

What a surprise.
Bought this blind based on reviews.
What an underestimated gem.
Lovely patchouli, sweet litchi, soft rose and peony on a woody base.
Very well blended and irrisisteble.
Feminine, sexy and seductive.
Longevity is great and silage is moderate.
This scent gives me a confident and grown up woman feel.
A new grand favorite for me.

Very close to Midnight Pioson from Dior.

The more I wear Elle, the more I love it. The sweet fruits, the warm rose, the peppery sheer mentholated patchouli even--perfectly smooth, supremely feminine, and smells as good to others as it does to me. I am just baffled that this was discontinued--I think this is better than any Yves Saint Laurent being sold in Sephora or department stores at the moment. And other perfumes that smell similar are discontinued, besides Perles de Lalique, which is missing the gorgeous fruitiness, has less rose, it just isn't so very refined and feminine. Midnight Poison was more mentholated and patchouli-heavy, and also lacked the bright fruitiness. Out of newfound love for Elle, I even want to resample Midnight Poison, but what's the point when that one is discontinued too? Any parfumista wants to try it anyway, and I am a parfumista, so I will just treasure the little bit of Elle I have. If we get lucky it will be rereleased, or maybe a niche perfumer will make something that smells almost exactly the same without charging an arm and a leg for it...

It's one of the most beautiful perfume any woman can wear,,,I adore it,,it's very long lasting

One of the best perfume out there...

I wanted to try it because of the sheer volume of positive reviews. It is a well-balanced feminine fruitchouli. It has the same creaminess of toned down patchouli and lightly peppery vetiver that you find in Perles de Lalique, but the rosy-type light floral notes are more prominent here, as well as the perfect citrus-lychee top notes that uplift this from feeling like a more serious unisex creation. This is a like rather than a love, fruitchoulis aren't normally my cup of tea, but I look forward to wearing it again to enjoy how different it is.

Released in 2007, Yves Saint Laurent Elle is one of YSL's underrated gems in my opinion. Although targeted to a younger audience, I think the spice and floral heart with the patchouli-vetiver base makes the fragrance wearable by women of all ages.

Elle has a spicy and light opening as the pink pepper and the litchi come through. The heart is dominated by a soft red rose note and the base is patchouli, patchouli and more patchouli.

After the initial burst of freshness, the fragrance turns into a rose-patchouli affair, sweet yet earthy. I would recommend all patchouli lovers to definitely give this scent a try.

It projects close to skin but lasts for 6-8 hours on my skin. Elle's is an elegant fragrance and a great scent for the winter night outs.

Elle is my new signature fragrance after Insolence. It took my breath away with its warmth and femininity. I feel calm, smooth and mild wearing this.

I only bought this because it was in the sale, in a set after Christmas and the bottle looks good. It isn't like anything I would have chosen myself, as quite complicated. I usually go for perfumes I can pick out the different oils, but thought it's nice and would wear on a date with a nice man who's almost old fashioned in the way he's gentlemanly. On the way back from the date he stopped his car to drop off something, so thought it was good chance to have a spray of perfume, and when he came back to the car he asked what that lovely fragrance is. I don't know if it was the perfume or a coincidence, as on the same day he asked me to move in with him

Wow Elle just might be the end all be all of rose patchouli combinations for me. It lies somewhere between a fresh red rose like Stella and a vampy dark rose like Lady Vengeance, both in scent character and power. Elle is just at the edge of what I consider too much to handle, but she never crosses that line.

That big red rose is so appealing to me! I love it so much I can't take it. Whenever rose and patchouli are dominant together they run the show. And they do, but they have lovely supporting notes here like litchi and pink pepper that accent the rose making it juicy and vibrant. Vetiver provides its sharp, green touch. That in combination with citrus gives me a touch of what smells like lemongrass, just slightly. It's still a rose patchouli affair when it's all said and done.

As much as I'd like to, I can't do this baby justice in words! They fail me. Elle is a remarkable amalgamation of high quality ingredients, keeping true to its form from beginning to end. Somehow it manages to be equally dark and sultry as it is fresh. I go crazy for a fragrance that can pull this off and Elle does so to perfection!!!!

A complete and total stunner of a fragrance! Great longevity and better than average projection. I find it quite versatile depending on how/where you spray. It's especially wonderful on chilly evenings out when you're feeling and looking great, but it can also be pulled off at work or in casual settings. However, I would avoid wearing it to church :)

You want compliments? You want men groaning in ecstasy whenever they are near you? You want men soaking in your aroma whenever you're near them? You want attention?

Wear this........

T R U S T M E. X

It's like Midnight Poison, but for me it's 100x better. I like MP, but for me it was flat and boring. This has me sniffing my wrists and wanting more. A bit spicy, very patchouli based - heaven!

لا اعلم سبب تجاهل الناس لهذا العطر
هل هم يجهلونه حقاً
ام انهم يحبون التغني بالماضي
و العيش في حلمٍ زائف
..
هل هم حقاً يعشقون رائحة
مد نايت بويزن من ديور
ام هم يعشقون المظاهر اكثر ..!!
..
ايها العالم الغريب
من انتم !!
..
العطران بنفس التركيبة
على يد نفس العطار
لا يقلان جمالاً عن بعضها
بل هم اشبه بتوأمان يتنافسان من هما الاجمل
و النتيجة .. كلاهما واحد
..
عطر اكثر من رائع
بل هو ساحر .. فاين انتي يا سيدتي عن هذا ..!!

The lychee, citruses and florals whoosh by me so fast I don't really notice them at all. To me this is, straight from the nozzle and on my skin, patchouli with pepper and cedar.
And I can't get enough of it.
I still have only the little sample that I've nearly used up, but I ordered a full size today because this is what I have been missing in my fragrance wardrobe for a long time: a scent that grounds me.

The patchouli is dry and medicinal, camphor tinged, my favourite kind. It reminds me so much of the patchouli in Shiseido Zen (the one in the square, yellow bottle). The patchouli is joined by spicy, equally dry, pink pepper, and further in the dry down the cedar is detectable.

This scent is almost meditative, it centers me. It's not fussy, loud, sweet, or demanding. It has sillage, absolutely, but it's a calming one, not a brash one. This doesn't have a drop of vanilla or sugar or tonka or cupcake or whipped cream. It is dry, dry, dry, but in the best way possible.
I can see this becoming a fragrance to wear when I need to focus on making art, instead of wasting endless hours on pinterest. A scent for turning inwards, but in a good way. Focusing on things that matter.

This is definitely a unisex scent, and for all ages. This is for all who love it.

I'm looking forward to my bottle and seeing if it smells any different to me. If it does, I'll update my review.


Update: I received my full bottle and yes, it smells the same! I have hay fever at the moment so my sense of smell is a little impaired, but I think I'm picking up a touch more citrus/floral in the opening than in my sample, which is good because I didn't really get them earlier. And the main player, the glorious patchouli-rose, is definitely still there, and it doesn't take long for it to bloom.
I have a feeling I'm going to use up this bottle in record time.

Which reminds me. Like many, I was puzzled with the odd choice of bottle for Elle. Fuchsia? For *this* scent? I though it was mighty tacky (sorry YSL!) at worst, and bafflingly 'miscast' for its likely audience (hint: probably not teenagers) at best.
But now, holding the bottle, I'm kind of digging it. It looks like a strange flawless block of precious stone. Gaudy with its gold ornaments? Hell yes. But at least it's not boring.
Plus, I think it might hold an Infinity Stone inside.

I still would have picked another colour had YSL asked my opinion (a girl can dream), but as long as the juice is deliriously good, who cares?

Before it was a like, now i love Elle.
I think it is very underrated fragrance.

I love its lemony freshness. It creates an energetic rose smell, a little sweetlike with litchi, there is a woodsiness too and a bit spicy.

For me it feels energetic, romantic, fun, earthy and sophisticated at the same time. I can wear it in all occasions and seasons, day and night. It is hard to find a fragrance that goes with everything and smells amazing at the same time.
I also did not smell any rose fragrance like this one. Others are more on romantic side to me. That's why I think Elle is unique. Also, any age can wear this easily from 20 and over.

Some mentioned it smells like old and dated. It does not smell like that to me at all. Actually, I feel the opposite way like it will never be dated.
Ofcouse Elle is not in trend, because it is not a sweet gourmand, but it is definitely not "old lady like". All fashion trends even smells can change by the years pass. Maybe nobody will want to wear sweet gourmands in the future.

Anyways...
I love Elle and I think it has a unique combination and great smell which is long lasting.

When I tried it, I didn't fell in love. I remember that I had found catchy Magnetism by Escada with some common notes. Maybe now I will put more attention on this one. But when they both were in the same shop, this one didn't seem to me yummy or complex enough. Lemon, rose, peony, lytchi... And as I remember also rather candied like Magnetism. But I repeat, that I would gladly try this one again, but it's not easy to find it now in the shops to try.

So this was "brought back"? Does anyone know if it suffered death by reformulation? (Say it didn't; please say it didn't).

Pink pepper, patchouli, rose and vetiver! really delicious, not sickly sweet but its sweetness just on point, definitely feminine, not smokey at all,, and for me smokiness what i am fond of!
lovely, but not for me!

Elle YSL is Deliciously smooth, Patchouli roses and bit of spice, earthy noticeably like Dior's Midnight poison which I also happen to have but it's so pricey! Both are from the same perfumer and made the same year but YSL's Elle won!
My hat off to you YSL Elle she's a Beaut, a keeper and a definite buy if you're looking for that patchouli rosey crisp
earthy smoothness in Midnight poison. thank god the pink pepper is not loud cause I really don't like pink pepper in anything! Is best to rack up before they discontinue like every other masterpiece gone poof like smoke!
Unisexual, Yay!
ELLE'S THE SUN AND MIDNIGHT POISON'S THE MOON

Yay, YSL Elle is back in stock! I’m a bit cash-strapped at the moment, but I’ve added it to my small wish list; sooner or latter it’s gonna be mine. I disagree with reviewers below who claim that Elle is identical to Dior Midnight Poison. Yes, they are somewhat similar, but to my nose Midnight Poison is much sweeter. Elle is all about pink pepper, patchouli, rose and vetiver - somewhere between JHAG Lady Vengeance and Diptyque Volutes. The hotpink bottle may be quite misleading, because this is not a sugarbomb aimed at young girls. Instead, it’s a modern, fresh scent, bordering on the unisex - which is just the way I like ‘em.

Very unisex which I believe to be the magic ingredient in making a fragrance alluring on a woman (depending on skin chemistry of course). I've pulled this off during various occasions and in different seasons which isn't always easy to do, but I love it especially with a sleek blazer and pointed toe black pumps. It starts fresh and sorbet-like with some pink pepper dancing around. Dries to a young patchouli, grassy vetiver, and musk. Reminds me of a cologne a former boss used to wear and I believe it to be Bleu de Chanel. In any case, on me this is a little bitchy and cold, but chic, modern, and cosmopolitan. Well calibrated and interesting.

I love this perfume ! Without going over the notes again, just want to say that it is indeed crisp, & (imo) has an "uncluttered & unmuddled" feel to it, but it is definitely not linear. It's more fresh than sweet on my skin, & I think perhaps it missed it's target audience "to win the hearts of young & modern girls" because it lacks sugary/gourmand notes that are so popular. I sometimes think that perfumes (unfairly) get described as being "synthetic" purely because they're not loaded with ubiquitous sweet vanilla/foody notes that everyone recognizes. This definitely does NOT smell synthetic at all to me. It has great longevity & wears well (like a real modern "classic") - with top, middle & base notes progressing & evolving through a whole days wear. Slowly it grows warmer & a little sweeter over time. I think Elle deserves more love, it's a beautifully done perfume & one I have already re-bought. I think it's great :)

Edit: And for those who care about them, it does draw compliments (loads !) - which is always nice..

Hello from Decodawn. This is my review of Yves Saint Laurent Elle. There is quite a back story to be told about this fragrance. 10 years ago in 2007 Yves Saint Laurent launched Elle. In July 2007 Dior Launched Midnight Poison, YSL Elle was launched in October 2007. They were both created by Jacques Cavalier and Oliver Cresp and smell identical. I can remember being in Harrods in July 2007 and a shop assistant put a black ribbon with a rose on my wrist sprayed with Midnight Poison by Dior which I kept in my dressing table drawer. Eva Green from 'Golden Compass' movie and Vespa Lynd in 'Casino Royale' first James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig was the 'face' of 'Midnight Poison' Coco Rocha was the face of 'Elle' in the YSL Smoking Jacket adverts. I tested both fragrances and hey presto they were exactly the same fragrance. Incidentally the 'Noses' create a particular fragrance and it is sold to the highest bidder. Jacques Cavalier and Oliver Cresp obviously decided to play off YSL and Dior with the same fragrance and in the end YSL won and Midnight Poison was discontinued. A little bit of trivia for you Yves Saint Laurent originally worked for Christian Dior as Art Director and set up his own fashion house in 1962 after 10 years with Christian Dior. Elle is a Gorgeous fragrance patchouli, smouldering with passion. Absolutely fabulous. Try it you will love it.

A little dark patchouli and peony, but also modern fragrance composition. A bit like Ma Dame edp JPG, but just a little. Pink pepper here also gives tone, the whole to embrace, intrigues. Average durability.
There is also a sweet tone, like a cotton candy, but it does not dominate. Somehow I'm more in touch with Ma Dame JPG edp.

I tried it yesterday because I saw it on sale. I was somewhat reluctant because of the negative reviews but went for it nevertheless. I couldn't get over the initial synthetic blast so I actually don't know how the scent develops (if indeed it does develop into something else). I guess that's where my experiment with Elle will end. I know we should try to get over the initial phase and be patient, but, my God, the synthetic was just too traumatic to endure...

OHhhh my god!

What type of gothic- juicy- rose- patchouli MAGIC is this?
This is dark, and very beautyful!!!
I need this type of MAGIC in my life!!!!

This perfumes ratio of sweet and spicy is perfection. It's extremely sophisticated yet...precious? If that makes sense. The sweetness is similar to a cotton candy type of sweet and the spicy is all business. The pink pepper and the patch render this a grown woman's scent. And by grown I mean a woman that knows her self worth and is perfectly fine being single or in love. IMO the perfume house of Yves rarely skips a beat on producing beautiful scents. If you love sweet and spicy perfumes, add this to your collection!

This is modern glamour with an edge to it.

Sharp,in the opening,yet the softness of peony and femininity of the flowers with the spice and body of pink pepper that dries down to a deep patchouli and woody complexity.

I am always bowled over when I smell this, ans wearing it becomes part of my personality,as it is strong,yet soft,edgy,yet simplistic,classic,yet modern,confident,yet demure.

A real head turner, I wear this day as well as night and have made this my signature go to when wanting to create an Impact because people WILL want to know what it is.

I find this scent beguiling I think the patchouli with the woods make it linger, hat the litchi and flowers really make it ultra modern with the pink pepper. I think this is everything that I love in a fragrance,as it is not too spicy,not too musky,not too floral and not too fruity it has a perfect balance of all of those.

It has great longevity,and the sillage is moderate and projects to those Perfectly around you.

Sexy,modern femininity,what more could you ask for!!

I love the top and middle notes of this fragrance quite a lot but not the base. Bright peppery top notes are uplifting but then it all dries down to generic sweetish amberly patchouli synthetic combo. What a shame! It would have been a 'love' if not for the base but it is still a 'like'. The longevity is good 6 hours and the projection is soft from 2 sprays.

Given how dodgy it is trying to buy Midnight Poison, and how even if you get a genuine bottle it may have gone off, I don't know why this one isn't more popular, at least with those obsessed with MP. I suspect it's the medicinal quality, which Midnight Poison had too. I love it, it's quite different to most I already have and to most currently available (on the average perfume counter, don't know about niche). It is resiny and syrupy but nice and smooth, mostly just blended together although occasionally rose and patchouli peek out alone. Another one for the want list.

Omg I smelled this today.........

Did some slippery sod at Dior sell the secret formula of Midnight Poison to YsL ??
This is a real dupe ,it's a tiny bit more feminine but is quite close !
It's a Love from me !!

A friend bought me the 90ml size for a birthday gift and I wore this exclusively for over a year. It is a perfume that I have always loved and I particularly adore the spicy, patchouli headiness that it has.

On the skin it lasts for ages, on clothing, forever - I had a coat that still smelled of it even after the bottle was long gone. Definitely on my re-buy list, and one I'll always have a soft spot for.

i bought this on a whim at the airport cuz i forgot to take perfume on christmas vacation. it was love at first sniff. i don't have many spicy scents as i typically go for gourmand or candy type perfumes. it's very peppery but has a dash of sweetness and i do detect a tiny note of jasmine. it's a perfect night scent, especially in the fall/winter. i wore this on a saturday night and on wednesday morning i still detect a whiff of it left on my coat (though i didn't even spray my coat on saturday). it's very long lasting which i really like

scent : 6/10
sillage : 8/10
longevity :7/10
100% night fragrance
reminds me of midnight poison , too feminine for me
patchouli scent

Not as sickly sweet as many of the fragrances swamping the commercial perfume market but still basically a slightly spicy fruity fragrance. It is no way as heavy as Midnight Poison or Laliques Perles. I would feel quite comfortable wearing this in the day time. I really enjoyed wearing it. The litchee note is so beautiful and the peony makes the perfect supporting note. The pink pepper is not too strong and accents the litchee and peony beautifully. I do get the patch on the opening but its not that much and there is very little vetiver. Moderate silage and longevity.

Just confirming that this has been brought back in to production by YSL! No longer discontinued...

I am in love with this scent. I bought a huge 90ml bottle for £83 and it just keeps getting better and better for me. This scent fills a whole room very good projection. In my top 10 for silage. This scent changes on me too. I cannot really describe it but over the course of a few hours this scent changes and I like that, it does not bore me. It is in my top 5 favourite scents and I own over 100 fragrances. Sometimes I just have to sit in bed sniffing the bottle. It is a beautiful and intoxicating scent. A hidden gem! I am so glad I discovered this fragrance.

One of the few high end designer fragrances that is worth the high price tag as the projection and complexity and sophistication of this scent is well and truly on point.

This fragrance will never go out of style!

Out of the holy triad of Midnight Poison, Perles de Lalique and Elle, I like Perles de Lalique the most. Pink pepper fundamentally disagrees with me in most compositions and this one is no exception. The fact that I can muster a "like" is rather extraordinary though, so clearly I don't find it a bad fragrance.

Tried this for the first time yesterday, on first spray I hated it, it smelt of chemicals and cleaning products, however an hour or so later I could not stop sniffing my wrist. My god the dry down is literally to die for! This is a classy floral patchouli scent. This fragrance will never go out of style. It has that dewy woody scent feel similar to Alien which i was presently surprised by, but the added patchouli in this and peony make it more softer and feminine and more lady like than Alien in my opinion.

To me this suits anyone from age 16 to 106- it is classy and it is timeless and it is softly feminine, demure, reserved and I find it a comforting and warming scent. To me it feels like home. I know a lot of people hate patchouli scents but in this the patchouli is so beautifully blended I would say this makes a safe gift for anyone! It is impossible to dislike this fragrance!

It is now on my wish list and I will be purchasing it next pay day!

If you want a cheaper but a little less sophisticated dupe of this try Avon unique rose- they smell rather similar to each other in my opinion but of course Elle smells slightly more complex and sophisticated, never the less unique rose is a really good dupe for this!

To me this is a patchouli woody dewy berry scent with peony undertones- this is how I would sum the fragrance up.

It is an autumn/winter scent- perfect for both day and night in the colder months!

Scent= 8/10
Bottle=7/10
Longevity=6/10
Projection= 6.5/10

Very dusty. It smells like a room filled with a lot of old clothes and no fresh air at all. I can smell a lot of wood, earthy patchouli and spices that remind me of sweat. All in all, it's unpleasant. However, if you like spicy, teasing scents, you can try it.

I still can't define my relationship with this one. I tested 3 times, and every time, my initial thought is - "kind of old-fashioned classy intense scent" than easily could be removed from my wish list. But then, it drys down, and it is back on my "maybe-give it another try" list. I have to get a sample, and tested at home in peace without being distracted with other perfumes in perfumery. Will update.

UPDATE
The reason why I couldn't define what I think about it, lays in Elle's complexity.
After testing it on my skin, I found it very classy and unique, and my initial thought of being "old lady's perfume" was so wrong. Patchouli and spices make it more suitable for fancy dinner and theatre, definitely would not wear it on my job interview. Even thought patchouli-spice fragrance is not my cup of tea, I can easily imagine certain occasion where I would like to wear it. If you need to raise you self-confidence, this one will help you.

This smells like a very old fashioned, heavy, dusty rose with some pepper. It's dry and cloying. I find it extremely unpleasant. Smells like something a late middle aged smoker would wear to try to cover the smell of cigarettes on their clothes.

When I first smelled it in a female friend, about 7 years ago, I thought it was a male scent! Not so! My nose was "bad" that day. It's very feminine and sexy. Where I live it is already hard to find. Lovely fragrance! Ysl = master.

very similar to midnight poison. love it.

elle is not similar to midnight poison. I found it similar in some way or sharing something with L.i.l.y by Stella McCartney.

chloe intense and marc jacobs lola
these are all the same fragrance
the rose and pepper is strong

sexy fresh woody elegant luxury

This perfume is so LOUD to me. I think it's the patchouli -which I actually like on its own depending on my mood- but I can't tell because this just smells like a muddled perfumey stank bomb to me. I don't get woody or spicy, just strong floriental and I can't pick out any individual notes. I imagine the kind of lady who wears this also wears a lot of jewelry and makeup, and likes to talk loud and get noticed. It's just not for me.

I just won a bottle off Ebay, and I'm unsure about it. It is indeed very woody, and I tend to struggle with that in some perfumes. My daughter and I just spend a lot of time in Sephora today, and I didn't smell anything like this though. I like that about it. My bottle of Elle was a used bottle, and it appears that the paint chips off the bottle. I'm not a fan of painted perfume bottles, as it just seems cheap.

This is somewhat strong though, and I like that about it. I'm really tired of perfumes that don't project, or wimp out after an hour or two. My daughter and I were seeing just how close we'd have to get to be able to even smell a perfume, and I told her that perfumes used to be much stronger. She's nearly twenty, so she missed the era of loud perfumes. She was complaining that perfumes are so expensive, so they should be more noticeable. I agree. I'm hoping YSL Elle will be that for me.

This is a potent one.

And I mean this in a negative way for those who won't like it and in a positive way for those who will.

Simply put, you WILL be smelled,Whether people comment on it or not.
No comment would probably mean , 'this is a harsh one'.
Comment would mean , well, you'll hear it.

There are scents out there that don't make me understand how people could like them and wear them . This one on the other hand , I do understand how people might love this one.

It's a potent jasmine/patchouli one, where the citrus and pepper somehow even this bomb out. Well made . A new classic imo .No safe blind buy.
.
Definitely for the bold ones and attention seekers.

;) Enjoy.

I really like this scent a lot. It has many different facets. The opening, middle, dry-down, all different but wonderful. It really develops on your skin. And it is modern, but also quite ageless. Only - on my skin it turns kind of sour in the end. It could be the patchouli, because I have had this with some other patchouli-scents as well, but I am not sure. Anyhow: I got lots of compliments when wearing this scent in the first hours. And some negative comments after those first hours... So I would recomment to try it out. First of all because it is a lovely fragrance, but also to be assured it stays that way on your skin. I do not wear it as often as I'd like to, dreading the final stage.

I have finally figured out what this reminds me of, liqourice catherine wheel sweets from when I was little. The ones with the little jelly sweet in the middle.

I however don't get the connection between this and Midnight Poison. This is sweet and girly, Midnight Poison is seductive and sultry.

So I smelt this as I read it was an alternative to midnight poison.. I sprayed it today and was wondering if it will match up and here are my thoughts.. First initial spray comes off fresh, crisp and floral.. Middle notes smelt identical to midnight poison.. Dry down unfortunately smelt a lot like Gucci by gucci. Its not unpleasant but not strong as my beautiful midnight poison.. It has more of a smokey dry down of base notes.. I don't know if I like it enough to buy it.. I need a crisp sharpness in my perfume base and not sure if this measures up. It's still a beautiful scent. Definitely not as strong as midnight poison, but I used to use MP as my signature and this is definitely something I would consider..

This is great. It does for me, have a Midnight Poison Vibe to it although it is not the same but if you like MP chances are you will like this too. It's a patchouli lovers scent, not dirty but warm patchouli sweetened (but not sweet) by the fruit and a little pepper spice, a punch of vertiver and some florals. After an hour I thought it had disappeared but as I got up to make a cup of tea I got a whiff of it. I have so far had it on for 5 hours and I get the scent when I move without having to sniff my wrist so I would say sillage is good and it's shaping up to have great longevity. It's a keeper. It was suggested to me by people on here when I posted a thread about patchouli and I blind bought it at their recommendations- thanks everyone!

I blind bought this as I love hypnotic poison and was desperate to try midnight poison but not pay a ridiculous price and having reading reviews on here saw the comparison to mp many times.I'm very glad I got this it's lovely.Patchouli I love in perfumes but this isn't screaming patchouli it's very lightly done with a spicy peppery smell to it.The longevity is great and it's a very feminine, modern scent.I like it very much!

£24.99 for 50ml in The Perfume Shop people!! Bargain, got mine today. Will review when I've had the chance to wear it a few more times

i blind bought this, pretty sure I'd like it. i loved it immediately. it was exactly what i have been looking for.
it reminds me of chanel chance, my first perfume before i knew anything about perfume. the patchouli and pink pepper certainly dominate as they do in chance. I've been drawn to sweet, spicy patchouli scents since i was a kid and had no idea what patchouli even was. i saw this and eyeballed it for a long time and decided to just roll the dice. what a thrill.
i agree with the note pyramid here. a medicinal, slightly dirty patchouli and pink pepper with the fruity-perfumey sweetness of lychee. i also smell the vetiver, cedar, and lemon, similar to chance again.
it projects and lasts well but is not loud or offensive, though i think some people might find it weird? i've been getting a ton of compliments from my coworkers.
it definitely also reminds me a lot of midnight poison, but it's not a dupe. i find it a great alternative for the expensive, discontinued midnight poison. they are indeed quite similar.
if you like woody but still sweet patchouli scents like coco mademoiselle, chance, miss dior cherie, midnight poison, you will likely enjoy this. try it!
the bottle, by the way, is gorgeous and chic. i would buy this over and over.

Elle really does remind me of Midnight Poison, but I wouldnt say it was exactly the same, maybe it has the same vibe.....and anyone missing MP would probably like this as an alternative... to me, Elle is slightly more floral, and in a good way, I think if someone adored MP, then this could be their safe daytime work/office scent, and the MP for evenings as it can be a little strong.....and I say this in a good way, as MP is my signature scent and I love it with all my heart.......I think Elle is MPs quieter sister, but gorgeous all the same...Do I prefer Elle to MP?....no, but I do love Elle, and it is a very welcome addition to my perfume collection, and it will definately be a re-purchase.

This is my all time favourite scent. To me Elle is all about peppery florals with just a hint of patchouli. It's strong, but not heavy (if that makes sense). Elle makes me feel like He-Man in drag (in the best way possible!) and I love it.

It's available on perfume-click.co.uk

@amywamywoo
It's unfortunately but definately discontinued. You can't find it on YSL website anymore and it's getting harder to find even at online perfume stores.

This is still very much in production guys, no need to panic buy.

My only YSL I have so far. It's sexy, feminine;have powerful long lasting; absolutely for night wearing. Smells like Carolina Carolina Herrera. Very heavy and overwhelming; thus it's not for me...

This smells to me like slightly peppery patchouli wrapped in pink roses. I think it's very versatile, can be worn day, night, all through the year. It just doesn't blend with my skin. It doesn't make me smell like "me but better", but it's me who smells like "Elle". I bought a bottle and I had fun wearing it, but I would not buy it again.

I read that Elle was a knock off of Dior Midnight Poison. I paid three bucks for a sample which I compared to my MP. The first spritz of Elle reminded me of a freshly laid bed of cedar shavings in my childhood pet hamsters cage. Clean, like a sharpened pencil. Minus the hamster of course. Then it dries down to a copy of MP. Very close. If I could no longer find a drop of MP on earth, then this would do. It's wearable and good for all year.

Very mature fragrance, not even my mother (62) can't wear it. But I think it is nice. Just not for everybody. :)

I was so curious about this scent, and today I saw it on the "sale" shelf. Just couldn't help trying. I had seen the add and today I was expecting something really "loud" and strong, but I got a lovely, fresh spicy and feminine scent with a modern vibe.
The perfume is all about a soft, pink pepper which gives such a lovely freshness to the perfume (I feel a hint of the menthol, a very mild peppermint), a mild patchouli which adds that unique character and about an aromatic citrus and expensive wood notes. I've red about that pencil shaving scent. Yes, I agree, but those pencils are made from a very expensive sort of wood. Maybe the pencil box is a gift for a lovely, young princess (not a child anymore!) who likes to express her ideas on the paper?
The base turns warm, sensual and slightly head turning, a bit cozy. The perfume shows its naughty side -the pepper is still here, the patchouli melts nicely with the citrus peels and wood notes.
Quite light (compared to the other patchouli bombs!), long lasting, not very sweet, not gourmand, modern and feminine. Not screaming for attention, but noticeable, bright, intriguing and tempting.
By the way- I bought it! :)

I agree with Fiouu's review. Beautiful scent! Unfortunately, an underrated one but for someone who identifies and appreciates deep complex scents. One of my personal favs and I typically don't go for mainstream scents.

Tried it the other day , and felt it wasn't for me,proved absloutely right with the combination of Pepper & patchouli mentioned here ...I only like a tiny ,teeny touch of one of them , but not both !!...
Not for me that's okay for sure , but what is not okay is the fact that it smells so blah ...Yes, so uncharacteristic that you hardly remember it , let alone recognising it ...So shameful for the Yves Saint Laurent brand ....Monsieur Saint Laurent died in 2008 less than a year after releasing this ...I hope he wasn't heart broken by his team ...:

Does it smell of pencil shavings? Yes, a bit, but it's good it's all wood and citrus and patchouli and it's actually gorgeous.

Very sexy, very appealing, and certainly not boring

Man do I love this stuff. After six months without it, I repurchased it at last. When I first ran out of it, I went on and bought Midnight Poison, which turned out to be the not reformulated version of it. As you May know, they were crafted by the same nose. But there is a deal breaker, my skin chemistry turns amber notes into bug spray. Therefore Midnight Poison always ends up smelling funny on my recently washed skin... I HAVE TO SWEAT TO MAKE MP WERK. There was something missing that Elle has, it's more peppery and the patchouli is less sweet in Elle... Because of the lack of Vanilla. Elle was my signature scent from 2009 to 2013, and about june of this year I finished my 90 ml bottle and ventured to other places... Searched for vintages and forgot about this truly underrated gem. While I adore Midnight Poison, I'll never be able to really put it over Elle. MP is louder, Elle is intensely more deep and complex. Right now I'm wearing each in different spots. They share the same dna, but MP Will never replace Elle in my wardrobe. While MP stays kind of linear after a While, you can sense the different facets coming from elle, from fresh, to fruity, to spicy to end in a woody patchouli and cedarwood drydown, giving it more body and, perhaps in my own crazy mind, depth and complexity. It's kind of sad that People think that this is forgettable and another one of the bunch. To me it was a gateway to patchouli goodness.

P.S. This is the only perfume that isn't ruined by freesia in it's composition

On the first notes I get a plastic type smell.
The dry down I get a more soft scent. Mostly get the red berries then some floral. I don't get the patchouli. I can't say I love it or hate it. Nothing stands out to me to want a FB. Soft light scent. Maybe suitable for a young crowd.
The end settles into a bit of lemon, spicy and woody notes.
Doesn't last long on me. Silage is decent at first. Then wears closer to the skin.

I get the MP comparison, but this won't satisfy the longing to replace MP. Much easier to get though. I actually find this a little closer to burberry beat for men than midnight poison.

It's a nice scent, It reminds me "Miracle so magic", maybe is because the strong note of pink pepper (My skin usually enhances a lot this note), the drydown is softer. Great perfume for fall season

I had watched a video of the perfumers talking about the creation of this fragrance. It was very strange, because they were showing natural ingredients in glass jars, and those were the ingredients apparently used in the making of the perfume.
Anyway, one of the three ingredients was citron, some kind of lemony-smelling spice, which they said was one of their favourite ingredients.

Now, I don't see that in the pyramid, but I do smell lots of lemon throughout the perfume's life. It's not zappy and fresh, but rather woodier, because of the base.

I find this an OK perfume. Not a work of art, not plain indifferent. The woody base is quite nice, but the lemon ruins it for me.

Gorgeous, earthy and intriguing, but not a universal One Size Fits All sort of deal. There’s a certain amount of attitude required to pull this off. My mother’s worn Elle for years, and despite admiring it, I’ve never had the guts to steal it from her. I’m too shy.

Received it from my husband. Love it. The perfume is sexy and long lasting but better suited for winter. It brings to mind a kind of decadence associated to a modern rock queen. This is not meant for a rock princess as it has a certain edge to it.

This is my signature fragrance. I absolutely love it. It's perfect, a bit sweet but not over the top, with a peppery twist that makes it so unique, elegant and mature.
Is it really discontinued? I bought myself one because I was running out, so sad! :(

Quite an old-fashioned smelling scent for today's audience but in a good way - simply put not the run of the mill scent which is released nowadays - freesia and patchouli, lots of rose and pepper but the litchi kills it for me. Nice on others but not for me

I can't find Elle in shops anymore I can only find it online so I guess it has been discontinued.
I love Elle I find it ultra feminine and sultry.
It opens floral fruity with peony and litchi thencomes rose and jasmine drying down woody and musky.
When I wear Elle I always get compliments it's an unusual scent and not terribly popular.

Elle has a dark mysterious side that gives me confidence and dare. It is one of the best exotic scent that I had. It's pungent but in a very good way, very sexy and the most insolent perfume that I own. If I want to compare the cheekiness of this perfume to others, it would be number one, then Jasmine noir Bvlgari and then Aunge de autgrange by Givenchy.

BOLD! intense, amazing, elegant, powerfull
herbal-mint-patchouli, some floral-fruity notes to equilibrate and a woody base.
Great sillage and lasting power! Happily, its not a common juice and has a masculine vibe, different from all the gourmands extremely sweet scents...
Fits the winter time perfectly!

i love when patchouli is medicinal-herbal-mint just like in elle, femme individuelle, gucci by gucci, midnight poison...
maybe elle is my favorite parfum now! my dad gave it to me yesterday

i cant believe it was discontinued... just like midnight poison :'(

This perfume is nothing like my usual taste as I prefer scents with more musky, powdery accords. I hated it at first and so it is very puzzling to me that I feel so strangely drawn to it.
It is very, very, very sweet. And when I put it on, the scent is strong, heavy and almost overwhelming. Sometimes I feel it at the back of my throat, that's how sweet and heavy it is - even with just one splash on my wrist.

But when the initial strength passes, the perfume reveals a delicate combination of components and one after the other, the individual notes start to stand out. And that's when it starts to get interesting. I can't help but sniff my wrists multiple times a day just to smell that sweet, sweet coctail of flowers, fruits and fragrant wood with just a hint of pepper.

I love everything about Elle, right down to the incredibly chic bottle.
I found this because I love midnight poison and I was looking for an alternative, I agree that they do smell very similar, but this is not as 'damp' or smooth as MP. They both have that medicinal, camphorous patchouli blast that I love. I also agree with whoever said this is a little like pencil shavings, but I still love it!

Elle is modern, sexy and a little mysterious. The perfect night scent.

Very beautiful perfume.
I love the scent.

My mom blind bought this one for me two Christmas ago. At first I thought Elle was more of a winter fragrance, with its cedar note and overall woodsy feel, so I saved it for colder times (I'm in the Southern Hemisphere). I tried it a couple of times during winter but it seemed too woodsy for my taste, almost masculine. I was sad, I wanted to like it. I forgot about it for a few months until I was putting my fragrances in order to include some new acquisitions when I bumped into Elle. I sprayed on a little of it on a whim and OH! the delight! I don't know if the fragrance has changed or that it suits warm weather better, whatever the case, I'm looooving it!! It's no longer masculine, the cedar is now warm, surrounded by beautiful sweet roses. It opens with some elegant pencil shavings due to the cedar that appears right away sweeten by some juicy and not at all sour lemon. The dry down is warm, inviting juicy rose and subdued cedar. I so totally LOVE it!!!

This perfume smells very close to Subtil of Salvatore Ferragamo, that´s what I think since I smell it and now I see they have the same father, Jacques Cavallier...
I like to wear them at same time, they are pretty soft and inofensive in my skin

When I want to feel like a real girl, I look to YSL fragrances. Often, they are vampish without being full on "in the club", unique enough so as not to be totally boring, but safe enough that they won't wrinkle any noses. They also seem to be equally liked and complimented by men and women.
Elle is, to the best of my ability to describe it, a fruity-woody fragrance. The vetiver is crisp and slightly citrusy and the patchouli is on the cleaner side. The litchi is rather juicy and the lemon is vibrant without smelling like cleaning product.
Elle is woody enough to be a bit edgy, but still very much a "real girl" fragrance. It's a dinner/date/drinks sort of fragrance.
It does bear similarity to Midnight Poison, but it's less "wet". In fact, I find Elle to be a very dry fragrance. If you are looking for a replacement for Midnight Poison or a dirtier Elle, look to Perles de Lalique.

This is a fragrance that is seemingly light and girly, but it has my friends divided into 2 camps. Those who can't stand it and those who adore it. Personally, I would not go so far as to hate it nor to love it to bits. Elle is a fragrance that is passable in the sense that I would reach out for it if I were lazy to take my pick from my fragrance shelves or just because it is on the table. It is a simple, modern fragrance targeted at the younger crowd. I like the first few whiffs however as it develops I find myself straying a little further from liking it. Having said that, I don't hate it, just that I don't find a particularly good reason to purchase it again in the vast world of fragrance out there waiting for me.

This is pretty potent, straightforward stuff. Very spicy with patchouli and pepper, without a single sweet note into it, it balances between being windy fresh on one hand and earthy on the other, which makes it kind of unique among feminine frags. I don't get any flowery notes from it. Because of very strong presence of vetyver, and despite its name, I consider Elle to be more manly than some of men's perfume; it'd be very easy for a man to pull it off.

Although it's too rough and loud for my usual taste, there are times I feel like using a few drops from my sample vials, usually in winter. And, come to think of it, I can't even say I truly like it. Funny...

I see a lot of mention of Patchouli but what I am getting is a thick cedar smell. I might get faint patchouli but nothing that screams it. When first sprayed I detect an insect repellent smell. I presume it's the cedar component that seems to remind me of deep woods off. As the fragrance settles it becomes more pleasant. I am trying really hard to like Elle and I am not entirely put off by it, but I was not fascinated with it either. It's sharp and in your face. This is not my personality so I do not know if I can learn to love Elle. But it's worth a try.

This was a blind buy for me, based on the positive reviews. I also purchased it at full price. I love patchouli, woody, spicy fragrances and couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Unfortunately, on first spray it reminds me of a combination of a texta colour, pencil shavings & old lady smell with a whiff of bitterness that I don't particularly like (the pink pepper, I assume), however, basically it just smells "blah". It smells like just about every 'old' fragrance I've ever come across, even though I realise it's not technically an old fragrance.

On drydown I can pick out (I think) musk, but that's about it. Other than that, all I smell is pencil shavings and/or texta colour! There's absolutely no patchouli or spiciness about this fragrance WHAT-SO-EVER. It just seems like something an old rich lady would wear and, I'm sorry to say it, it's very, very generic - zero components that would make me stop and think "Oh, what a wonderfully unusual fragrance!". It also (thankfully in this instance) has zero silage on my skin as it lasts about 10 minutes.

I'm so very disappointed in this fragrance as I had (super) high hopes, alas, it's not for me. Unfortunately, I feel this fragrance is going to be relegated to the bathroom as a very, VERY expensive toilet spray. Never have I bought a perfume that has found me unable to say a positive thing about it, until Elle. I have no idea how, or why, this has been designated as a "youthful" fragrance - I can't think of too many fragrances that would seem LESS appealing to an 18-year-old than this.

Apologies to those who like Elle, but it honestly doesn't appeal to me at all. I now know why it has been discontinued - there are a million other fragrances out there that deliver what they promise and Elle isn't one of them.

Actually, I take back what I said above about not finding a single positive thing to say about Elle - I have found one. The bottle is very elegant and looks lovely on display. Shame the contents don't match the bottle.

Wearing this again today... oh my god! It is bewitching! Taking me to a part of my brain that is empty and bathed in luxury that I previously didn't know existed. Must buy another bottle!

This is THE feminine spicy fragrance. Sexy and expensive smelling - not a hint of cheap smut.
Discontinued they say? That was short lived!! I must buy 20!!
If you can't find it, however - Dior Addict Eau Delice smells very similar, but doesn't have the lasting power (and we all know Dior like to discontinue scents in their new lines too!)

Riecht sehr gut, blumig, gute Qualität, sehr langlebig. Gehört auch zu meinen Lieblingen!

Aaaah! I can almost believe that this is how pencil shavings used to smell when I was a schoolgirl. But 5-star, premium pencil shavings. Shavings from the jewelled and gilded pencil of a pretty princess in a fairy-tale by Oscar Wilde.
Lovely.

Hi! Is this one discontinued? I found it in French senhora site and french YSL site but not in americans sites!

Elle is the perfume that perfume for me that lures me back over and over again. If it wasn't so hard to buy for anything less than full retail I would replace my well-used bottle in a heartbeat.

I've seem to go for perfumes that have lychee, rose and/or patchouli and this has all three. When I say that I feel like I'm implying that this smells like any of the other perfumes I own. It doesn't. Not sickly like the lychee heavy smells I liked a while back and rose doesn't control it like it does in many of my others.

I find Elle to be an abrasive scent - like ultra-fine sandpaper in scent form (its a feeling that is rather hard to describe). Something about it seems to tickle at my senses and make me sniff it again.

A big believer in perfumes smell like memories (I intentionally link them together.) This one smells like Christmas in Europe because that's when I wore it for the first time and most consistently.

I look forward to keeping this on my shelf for years to come and someday looking back on it as the scent that defines my early twenties.

I love this perfume! Elle is in the same category as Midnight Poison and Coco Noir, it's the same type of fragrance, but still not exactly identical. It's an enticing patchouli with a touch of roses to make it feminine and a base of cedar and vetiver to bring a woodsy masculine vibe...A little bit sour, a little bit sweet, it's quite ambivalent, but definitely feminine in a very sophisticated way.

I've tried a sample of this fragrance and did indeed find it hard to rate since I can't clearly define how I feel towards this perfume. This is not the smell I would usually get to like. Too sweet and strong, but I love rose, jasmine and patchouli and wooden scents in general so I think this is exactly what attracts me so much. I feel it being a bit bitter and that makes me feel like there is something about it. I can't resist smelling it from time to time and find it somewhat sexy. I wouldn't say it's very unique, it's rather quite ordinary. Wouldn't buy, but I might like to receive this as a present.

WOW! Very classy and DIFFERENT. I bought this on a whim b/c I'm sick of all the trite /gaudy florals and gourmands flooding the market. The woodsy smell is balanced by a citrusy/sweet one that injects itself into the projection every now and then. Patch can be overwhelming but here it is well balanced and def. channeled right. A masterpiece that's very different than the wave of sweet fragrances flooding the market. 'Nuff said!

Freaking love this 'fume. Resembles Midnight Poison ALOT. Intoxicating & strong. Love it.

I think Elle is on the same line as Midnight Poison and new Miss Dior(cherie). A fruitchouli scent like younger sister of Miss Dior and MP. While Miss Dior is lovely young women who's fell in love with her man. And MP is sophisticated sexy lady who's sipping champagne in the luxury black dress. Elle is an outgoing and glamorous party girl.

It does remind me of MP. But smell completely different. Sweeter and more fruity. A bit sour. Very interesting. I found MP was much more smooth and richer than Elle(but also very aggressive). The opening of Elle very sharp with patchouli and bright citrus. Then it develops to soft woody floral scent. Sillage a bit soft but lasting power are really good as I can smelled till the next morning. If you think Midnight Poison was too much you can try this one instead. It much softer and more feminine.

As a guy I much prefer MP for myself. And Elle for ladies.

This fragrance is way overloaded with Patchouli. There is also a very strong "perfumey" smell to it. Sharp, harsh and biting are what comes to mind. Tried it twice for several hours each time and had to scrub it off both times.

Not an innocent 20 years old scent. It's attractive and suitable for women in their 30s.

This is a gorgeous feminine patchouli fragrance. It's so very sexy in my opinion and has sparks of glamour! It's great.

Yes, this is a somewhat more feminine version of Midnight Poison to me. I do have to jump on that band wagon but ya know, dare I say, I think I may prefer this. Hmm...

Heavy on the patchouli, smells like glamorous night time florals, just the right amount of spice and makes me think of deep purple. I have the EDP and this has some kick ass throw when you first spray it..whoa.

It exudes pure feminine sexuality and I think it's a "take notice of me" perfume for sure. A head turner and a sex bomb.

Gorgeous, one of my favourite YSL fragances.

I profoundly dislike this scent. Do not understand how they got it with those notes. It does not remind me of Midnight Poison, but rather of Idylle, at first, and later on of Pure Poison. I like Idylle better, although it is not my cup of tea either. Pure Poison I dislike as much as Elle. This fragrance comers across to me as sharp and bitter. Pink pepper does not smell the way I am used to and actually love. I would not indentify it in this fragrance. The spicy character of it has nothing, in my opinion, to do with the pink pepper the way it is used in, for example, Omnia Ametiste, Dahlia Noir or Chloe Intense. This is totally different. Litchi in Miracle for example also smells totally different, and lovely. Might be the ambrette, which I do not know what it smells like, what gives this fragrance its particular character which I relate to Idylle and Pure Poison and deeply dislike. I do not know. I cannot smell freesia in here, the way I smell and love in Vanitas for example, or jasmin, or peony, either. I suppose there are hudreds if not more types of Patchouly and this is one I am not acquainted to. But definitely this scent does not come across to me as earthy either. The notes I can mostly relate this fragrance to are orange blossom, but it is not even listed above, lemon, and some spice, but not pink pepper at all.

This is more woodsy than I remember it, still it is elegant, classy....
perfect for office wear, or special occasions!! As for me, I would prefer if it were softer, but in winter this is a nice one to have...
I think I will wear it once in a while, but not casually..but this is a YSL, quite nice!!
As for me I prefer Cinema!!

Elle is sharp and peppery. All I can smell is a very strong woodsy note which verges on peppery and almost makes me sneeze. It feels elegant, but it is one of those fragrances which would never merge with my personality. I can only imagine wearing Elle on a special occasion to show off, but given the fact that I have plenty of other fragrance bottles I feel more comfortable with to choose from, I think I will very rarely use this fragrance. It was nice to be able to get acquainted though..:)

it's fierce !!
Elegant Vivace
It's clever woman scent.

MAN! I feel like a woman!

Just bought a bottle of this off of ebay and oh man, oh man, this is some gorgeous stuff!! For me, definitely a scent to be used at night - I LOVE the bite the pink pepper gives the top notes, and the patchouli is AMAZING. Seriously, this is how I want to smell patchouli in a fragrance - earthy and smooth. Totally agree with the reviewer below that this isn't "hippie shop".

It takes a special something for a fragrance to actually feel sexy to me - I have fragrances that make me feel classy, youthful, cozy, beautifl, romantic, ultra-feminine, so one and so forth, but not as many that really hit that sexy vibe just right. So far, Elle does that for me. From the first spray to the dry down I felt like I was doing the fragrance an injustice wearing it around the house in my yoga pants lol. This isn't a dirty-sexy-out-clubbing fragrance either, though. It is classy sexy,tasteful but seductive, feminine like a tailored blazer - fitted to flatter the female figure with masculine accents. DANG! I feel powerful wearing this!

I was afraid to try this because of the patchouli, and I am SO GLAD I decided to to take the plunge and give this a shot. This may very well make it to my top five!

Is this being discontinued? It's not listed on YSL's official web site with the other fragrances of the house.

This is an unusual patchouli scent, because Elle is fairly sophisticated and does not remind me of a hippie shop.I think "airy" is a good description. It is strong but not cloying or overpowering. The drydown is fruity, which makes Elle the opposite of many fruity florals, where the patchouli is in the drydown. I found this change refreshing.
The sillage was a bit disappointing, and I was expecting more than a moderate longevity, given the other reviews, so while I am adding Elle to my want list, I am not desperate to own a bottle.However, it is a welcome change from the usual.