YSL Beauty is giving Libre a warmer, woodier side with its latest fragrance, Libre Santal Couture, starring global ambassador Dua Lipa in a campaign shot against the South African desert.

The new Eau de Parfum marks the Libre collection’s first floral woody fragrance, bringing sandalwood into the heart of the signature Libre profile. The result is a warmer interpretation of the line, built around the contrast between its feminine floral notes and a deeper, more sensual woody accord.

For perfumers Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm, the challenge was to take a traditionally masculine woody element and reinterpret it through the feminine character of Libre. Sandalwood becomes the star, giving the fragrance a soft, velvety quality while adding depth to the familiar floral structure.

Inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion vocabulary, Libre Santal Couture arrives in a glossy brown bottle designed to reflect the sculptural character of sandalwood. The earthy shade also gives the usually recognisable Libre silhouette a more sophisticated, autumnal feel.

The signature Cassandre logo wraps around the bottle in gold, following its sharp edges and creating a striking contrast against the dark brown glass. Its open-sided design also gives the bottle an asymmetric finish, turning what could have been a simple fragrance bottle into a miniature fashion object.

The fragrance itself brings together lavender, orange blossom and sandalwood, creating a floral woody composition that sits somewhere between fresh, sensual and warm.

YSL Beauty has also continued its refillable approach across selected fragrances in the Libre collection. According to the brand, choosing a refill can save 58% glass, 59% plastic and 42% paper compared with purchasing a new bottle.

Libre Santal Couture retails for $155 and is available through YSL Beauty’s website.