Our take
What does Body Kouros smell like?
Annick Ménardo created Body Kouros for Yves Saint Laurent in 2000. It borrows the name of the 1981 Kouros but shares almost nothing with it. The first minutes are cold and slightly medicinal. Eucalyptus rises first, dry and camphorous, with incense right behind it. As the chill fades the smoke takes up more room. Note lists differ a lot between sources. Some name star anise, nutmeg and cinnamon, while others give cedar and clary sage. On skin you mostly get a soft spice over quiet woods. Benzoin is the one note everybody agrees on. It gives the base a powdery sweetness close to vanilla, and some lists add tonka and a touch of caramel. The result is a spicy amber that turns out gentler than its opening promises. Several reviewers mention a reformulation that came with a bottle redesign.
When to wear it
Autumn and winter, mostly at night. Two sprays are enough, and wearing it several days in a row can make the benzoin feel cloying.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber, Spicy family. Body Kouros is one of 47 creations by Yves Saint Laurent in our encyclopedia.
