I remember, as a child, spending the first half of my school holidays along the beaches of Batu Ferringhi in Penang, trading familiar cityscapes for sun-drenched days by the sea. I felt free. It’s a feeling I still carry with me to this day whenever I’m near a sandy coastline—just like during my time in Desaru, Johor, where I was introduced to YSL Beauty’s latest fragrance, LIBRE L’Eau Nue.
The house's first-ever alcohol-free scent, LIBRE L'Eau Nue was created by master perfumers Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm. Its inspiration? Think long summers in the Mediterranean. It's a blend that I would describe as a citrus floral, with top notes of green mandarin and bergamot from Calabria, Italy. At its heart, a special Moroccan orange blossom accord—a signature ingredient in the LIBRE collection harvested from YSL’s Ourika Community Gardens in Morocco—shines through. The final touch is a base of lavender that brings everything together for a radiant scent to complement the hot season ahead.
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The house’s first-ever alcohol-free scent, LIBRE L’Eau Nue was created by master perfumers Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm. Its inspiration? Languid summers in the Mediterranean. I’d describe it as a citrus-floral blend, with top notes of green mandarin and Calabrian bergamot. At its heart lies a distinctive Moroccan orange blossom accord—a signature ingredient in the LIBRE collection, harvested from YSL’s Ourika Community Gardens in Morocco—that truly shines through. The finishing touch is a base of lavender, tying everything together into a radiant fragrance, perfect for the sun-soaked season ahead.
What makes this fragrance truly special and one of a kind is its formulation. Unlike other variants, LIBRE L’Eau Nue features a distinctive oil-in-water technology—a breakthrough that took two years and over 60 iterations to perfect. Formulated without alcohol, it’s ideal for those with sensitive skin and can be worn all over without causing irritation. An added bonus: The formula also enhances the skin, leaving behind a sheer, summer-ready glow. The bottle design is equally chic, featuring an opaque white ceramic finish, elegantly wrapped in the iconic golden YSL Cassandre emblem, designed by Suzanne Dalton.
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VACATION FOR THE SENSES
Seductive and radiant, LIBRE L’Eau Nue is all about living vivaciously and embracing the moment. And what better way to experience the spirit of this fragrance than by the beach at Anantara Desaru, where YSL Beauty hosted an exclusive launch party for media and VIP guests?
With everything I needed neatly packed in my suitcase, I was whisked away in a sleek black van for the two-hour journey to Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. The expansive resort boasts stunning rooms, breathtaking beach views, and world-class hospitality. My sea-facing room came fully stocked with everything a girl could need—including a bottle of LIBRE L’Eau Nue and YSL Beauty essentials like the YSL Le Cushion Encre de Peau, Couture Mini Clutch, and YSL Loveshine Lipstick.
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Kicking things off was a welcome dinner by the beach. It was a setting of white, creams with pops of yellow, green, and black, with the YSL Beauty emblem standing out against the night sky. I wined and dined on delightful dishes inspired by the notes of the scent, as well as mingled with a guest list of stylish beauties such as local favourites Mediacorp DJ Sonia Chew, Naomi Yeo, Hannah Cheng Bradshaw, Adeline Teo, Jihoon, our May 2024 cover star Iman Fandi, and January 2025 ELLE Bestie Saffron Sharpe as well as from Malaysia.
Things kicked off with a welcome dinner by the beach. It was a dreamy setting awash in shades of white and cream, punctuated by pops of yellow, green, and black, with the YSL Beauty emblem strikingly silhouetted against the night sky. I wined and dined on exquisite dishes inspired by the fragrance’s notes, while mingling with a guest list of stylish beauties, including local favourites like Mediacorp DJs Sonia Chew and Naomi Yeo, Hannah Cheng-Bradshaw, Adeline Teo, Jihoon, our May 2024 cover star Iman Fandi, and January 2025 ELLE Bestie Saffron Sharpe—alongside chic faces from Malaysia.
The next morning began with a fragrance masterclass led by YSL Beauty’s educational lead, offering a closer look at LIBRE L’Eau Nue’s alcohol-free formulation—ideal for sensitive skin, safe for hair, and less likely to stain clothes than traditional oil-based perfumes. From peeling green lemon to smelling raw lavender, the hands-on session broke down the scent’s key notes and offered practical ways to wear it. To channel Dua Lipa’s glow from the campaign, apply directly to skin and rub in for a subtle shine, layer with your favourite LIBRE scent for longevity, or smooth a spritz through hair for a soft, summery trail.
To complement the fragrance, we also learnt how to create a sun-kissed make-up look using YSL Beauty’s latest offerings: A bronzed, shimmery lid, light cushion coverage, a flush of colour from the Make Me Blush Bold Blurring Blush, a sweep of All Hours Hyper Bronze, and a touch of the All Hours Hyper Luminize Highlighting Powder. Lips were given a juicy, syrupy finish with the soon-to-launch Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss, a hydrating formula infused with hyaluronic acid and fig pulp from the Ourika Community Gardens. Comfortable yet effective, it quickly earned its place in my beauty rotation.
After freshening up with my new beauty tips, I dressed in a strapless little black dress, feeling like a beach goddess with skin glowing from the hydrating scent. Following a delicious dinner, the party moved to the grassy dance floor with DJ Ashley Lau spinning summer favourites. Surrounded by good food and company, I felt as free as I did as a child on the beach—only older, wiser, and more stylish—leaving the night refreshed and inspired by the spirit of LIBRE L’Eau Nue.