Category: Fragrance
Brand: Yves Saint Laurent
Ingredients:
Where to buy Kouros in the USA?
If you can’t find where to buy Kouros near you, we can easily help you find a place where you can quickly and cheaply buy.
You can click on “check price” button and find out where to buy to buy Kouros.
How to find the best price on Kouros?
We are always ready to offer you recommendations on where to buy Kouros at one of the best price on Internet.
Please, feel free to follow the “check price” button to find price we chose for Kouros .
enragedCordial8
Just received my new flacon of the current formula. It still smells fantastic to my nose, though, to my memory, the tight/bright aldehydic/chypre accord up top was not as sharp and soapy, perhaps, and the lower notes used to be more intriguing. I think the styrax, honey, iris and artemisia used to be more prominent, and created an interestingly “chalky”, powdery drydown with hints of sweet honey.
I was 18 when this scent came out, and immediately latched onto it as being “my scent”, and wore it often throughout the 1980’s. KOUROS quickly became one of the most widely-smelled scent on young men in that decade (like college fratboys), joined by Polo (Green), Grey Flannel, Ralph Lauren CHAPS. (later, in the late-80’s, Lagerfeld PHOTO, Armani HOMMES, JOOP!, NEW WEST and FAHRENHEIT would join those ranks).
It is very interesting to me the way so many today comment on its being the ultimate macho, testosterone bomb… because, upon its 1981 release, it seemed to be one of the new breed of slightly feminized scents, maybe even daringly homoerotic, in fact, along with Grey Flannel and Lagerfeld Classic. Our fathers and grandfathers wouldn’t have dreamed of wearing Kouros in the 1980’s. It was “metrosexual”, avant-la-lettre.
Above all, it was a “young man’s scent”. I think the impression Bourdon was going after was the image of a young men’s locker room after a rugby match, say, the air redolent with steam, soap, sweat, and yes, some faint toilet odors as well, and there is a rubbery styrax note that seems (to me) to allude to men’s sneakers/trainers/running shoes. The overall feeling for Kouros was the vigor, sportiveness and fresh beauty of young (under 30) men.
To my nose, Kouros shares a relationship with earlier classic scents, like BRUT, Creed ORANGE SPICE, and even Schiaparelli SHOCKING!, also famed for its urinaceous note.
I guess you would call it a Fougère, even though lavender, usually the keystone note of a fougère, is not listed in its usual olfactive pyramid.
I still like KOUROS, I must say, and wear it when I want a nose-prickling, sharply aromatic, super-clean soapy feel. I think its sharpness is best suited to day wear and sportive wear. It strikes me as a bit bright and sharp for evening/date wear, though others might disagree.
A woman could wear this, perhaps, if she identified with its energetic, sportive sharp qualities. The chypre/fougère accord at its base is pretty universal.
zestyLard6
This and Aqua di Gio are two fragrances that we have recently gone back to because they just are classic and classy fragrances and ‘old reliables’ for us. The man of the house prefers Aqua Di Gio, but lately I prefer Kouros. To me, Kouros just has that slight sexiness and strongness/masculinity to it, yet is still a clean type of scent. To me, Aqua Di Gio is almost unisex, whereas Kouros is definitely more masculine. Again, like Aqua di Gio, we first enjoyed this many, many years ago, and ‘rediscovered’ Kouros again this past year. Guess we both have been feeling nostalgic this past year.
The ‘new’ Kouros seems to smell a little different than I remember, it is not as strong as I remember, which I actually like better. However, whereas Aqua di Gio lasts all day in our books, Kouros seems to fade after around 6 to 8 hours. Still a slight lingering scent, but you have to get up close to really notice, if at all. But it has been a nice trip down memory lane ‘rediscovering’ these scents for us. Both are classics. I know not many ever compare the two, but, it seems to me, the ‘new’ Kouros seems more along the same vein of Aqua di Gio than the ‘old’ Kouros. I have seen other people say this is very musky, and I disagree. I detect little to no musk with this, maybe slightly in the background. *shrug* To each their own. One final note, we both like the bottle, classic and simple looking. Trivial and I did not ‘factor’ into the rating, but it is nice to like the shape/style of the bottle.
jubilantRuffs4
Over the years I have smelt this on a number of men. Very polarising. Either it smells so good on a man that I ask what he’s wearing because I love it, or it smells so bad I want to move away from the guy.
My partner was given this as a Christmas gift. To say it doesn’t work on him is an understatement. On him it really does smell like stale b.o. Friends asked him if he forgot to use deodorant, I made him wash it off, and our two cats refused to sit on his lap when he wore it. As I love animalic fragrances I gleefully scooped it up and started experimenting.
On me it smells like Yardley Tweed mixed with the fresh sweat of a healthy young man. It’s too strong to use on my wrists or cleavage. Instead what I do is put a small spray on my stomach before getting dressed for the day. Then I wear a woody floral like Tweed, Habit Rouge, Charlie Blue or Ivoire (original formula) in my cleavage.
This way, only I get occasional whiffs wafting up through my clothes. Because I wear it this way, no one has commented either positively or negatively on it. It’s my own little secret and makes me feel sexy, confident and powerful (and the two cats don’t mind it a bit on me).
Sillage: moderate but muffled by wearing under clothes
Longevity: 12 hours plus, I can even smell it faintly after having a bath.
Edit:
Someone on Fragrantica mentioned that one of their favourite layering combinations was Kouros and Shalimar, so I gave it a go.
Boy were they right. WOW! This is one heavy hitting sex combo to be worn with caution and certainly not to work. In fact don’t even try it unless you want to get laid, and don’t wear it in the great outdoors. I suspect it would draw wild animals from miles around.
If you love animal skank and elegance combined, try this combo, but beware. Use a light hand.
I’ve also found that layering Kouros with Jasmine fragrance oil makes me melt into a pool of hormones, even though I’ve hit menopause and don’t have a lot of hormones left. Yum.
exactingCoconut3
1981 Aromatic Fougere fragrance for men by Pierre Bourdon. Top notes are aldehydes, artemisia, coriander, clary sage and bergamot; middle notes are carnation, patchouli, cinnamon, orris root, jasmine, vetiver and geranium; base notes are honey, leather, tonka bean, amber, musk, civet, oakmoss and vanilla.
Back when this was popular (in the 1980s?), I thought it was horrible. I think at that time, I went thorough a variety of fragrances, but I did like to wear men’s fragrances such as Chanel Pour Monsieur and Hermes Equipage. I have recently become quite fond of a vintage fragrance Givenchy Gentleman (1974, Paul Leger) that a Fragrantica review referred to as a precursor of both Kouros and Antaeus. And, I have a new appreciation for Caron Yatagan, an acquired taste that contains Artemesia.
So, I tried Kouros again. I have a decant, and most likely it’s not vintage, but it comes across as European in sensibility, yet both clean and a bit musky. The clary sage and artemisia give it the sense of masculine fougere. Perhaps a little like vintage Eau de Hermes. I will check the notes and update later.
enragedRhino7
I was curious to smell this famous cologne. I have to admit I was scared. I’d heard people describe it as the smell of a crotch..i don’t know what they’re on about but I LOVE this scent
it’s deep, compelling, doesn’t smell sanitized. It smells dirty, lived in, sweaty…This scent is dead sexy. The second I smelled this I thought this is the kind of scent a MAN wears.
ecstaticCod9
It is my DH’s signature scent and this is a yes to the question whether I would buy it again. I cannot say I can wholeheartedly give it all the 5 lippies, because it’s a tad too linear to my nose and a bit nosehair-curling at the application. But it does settle into a nice dry white floral scent with a slight dash of just-out-of-the-freezer aquatics stirred into it, and i would say it’s a good tonic to one’s senses. I do not think it shines in colder months: it’s razor sharp then and just doesn’t peak because it lacks temperature for a full blossom. Still, a great one from monsieur YSL – a reliable timeless classic.
madAntelope6
YSL Kouros is one of those love it or hate it scents. I will say, my initial impression was that it smelled horrible, just like a urinal cake and nothing else. However, deciding to give this a second chance was well worth it. I adore this stuff.
Kouros commands ones attention with its strong incense-y opening, but becomes much softer over time, yet still powerful enough to remind you it’s still there. The dry down is warm and spicy with a bit of sweetness. Each time I’ve worn this I get nothing but compliments from people who’ve never smelled it before.
I think YSL stopped marketing the EdT in the US, so this is not available in stores at the moment. However, that could change.
pluckyThrushe1
Okay, I’ve gone back to the department store three times to get spray samples of this, which means I need a whole bottle. Glorious with a fascinating, slightly repellent strain of civet and musky ‘skank’ that blends so well with the notes of incense, sweetness and pure hot cleanliness. Kouros conjures up such a strong image of old-school, sexy masculinity for me that I wonder if Dad wore it in his heyday. Husband may wear it, if he asks nicely.
cockyLocust6
This is the fragrance my boyfriend wears and i simply adore it..! We’ve been together 3 years now and this smell still makes me go crazy. It’s very masculine and sensual… Not masculine as in “this is heavy enough to make a room full of people faint” or “this is cheap and smells like bottled sweat=manly” like several men’s fragrances out there but masculine as in captivating, rich, sensuous, mature, warm and a bit spicy. Best men’s fragrance i’ve ever smelled… I actually love it so much that i got a bottle to use for myself !! Costs 45Euro for 50ml/1.7oz and i highly recommend you to try it out and maybe buy it as a present for your boyfriend, hubby or even yourself!
Top Notes: Laurel, Artemisia, Coriander, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Carnation, Cinnamon, Geranium, Jasmine
Base Notes: Vetiver, Patchouli, Amber, Musk
gloomyHeron1
Kiehl’s Original Musk + florals + stagnant water from the toilet tank = Kouros. Potency like you wouldn’t believe. Ostentatious. Louche. Sillage for days and the staying power of a tattoo. The top notes are alarming when you first spray it on. As if someone ran a dozen urinal pucks through a juicer. The cloying camphor note recedes somewhat as the musk base and sweet florals move ahead. Am astonished that so many women find this sexy. Coincidentally, the day I ordered my bottle I went to see the play “God of Carnage.” Kouros has a cameo where they use it to try to cover the stench of vomit. The thought of that combo is really scary. Look, it’s a well-conceived frag but I would never wear it, any more than I would wear a pocket square that matches my tie, gold ID bracelets, pinky rings, or wife beaters. If I wanted to go this route, fragrancewise, I would wear Kiehl’s OM. That offers the Kouros base without the camphorous, urine-soaked accord, cloying florals, and dank basenote of water that’s grown stagnant around the base of a toilet. If you think I exaggerate, try a sample of Kouros. Chandler Burr, who I find completely off the mark with Yatagan, is on target when he wrote that Kouros can get you expelled from a restaurant. Unless it’s a restaurant full of other Kouros fans.