Going against the norm is the norm for YSL, and that has been very evident from the works they have put across in all these years. Some of the most out of box inventions the world has witnessed from YSL is through their women’s clothing and fragrance line.
YSL cologne smells great, daring, and expensive. They contain some of the best ingredients and push the envelope with the entry of each new perfume they place in the market. So, we made it a point to do justice to some of the masterpieces by YSL and brought you the 7 Best YSL Cologne for Men and Women.
Also, don’t you want to know how it all came to be? Get reading.
History of YSL Cologne
Yves Saint Laurent, abbreviated to YSL, was a celebrated European fashion designer who was known for his remarkable work and lateral thinking. He launched his eponymous fashion line in 1961 along with his then romantic and business partner Pierre Bergé. Before that, he had gained a lot of critical acclaim in the fashion industry for many of his designers works with the house of Christian Dior before it all went downhill in 1960.
The clever and bold inventions in his fragrance line are comparable to his eccentric fashion approach. For instance, the pioneering tuxedo for women style that encouraged comfortable and chic clothing for women that empowered them. During the on-going rapid expansions, the brand also went head to launch its fragrance like for men and women. This entry into the fragrance industry was made successful with the release of the brand’s first fragrance in 1964, Y for Women.
Until today, the YSL Beauty umbrella has launched 216 variants of perfumes, and the label is currently under the possession of L’Oreal.
Best YSL Cologne of 2022
Here is list of the Best YSL Colognes
- Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense for Men
- Paris By Yves Saint Laurent For Women
- Black Opium Yves Saint Laurent for Women
- Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto Eau de Parfum Spray
- Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau De Toilette Spray
- Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent for Women
- Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Sport
Best Yves Saint Laurent Cologne for Men & Women
We picked out some of the best YSL cologne for both women and men, and trust us, there is something for every occasion and season! Head down below and check them out.
1. Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense for Men
L’homme Intense vaguely translates to—an intense fragrance for men. This fragrance is a flanker to the original L’homme which was launched in 2006. Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo are the master perfumers behind this deep and masculine fragrance that saw its release in August 2013. This perfume is included in the Fall Collection of YSL along with other warm options.
- Best Season: Winter/Cold
- Ideal For: Men
- Longevity: 8/10
- Sillage: 9/10
The opening of the fragrance is intense itself due to the combination of lemon and bergamot notes, while a pinch of black pepper makes sure to maintain a spice level. Artemisia, also known as Wormwood, gives a dusty and herbal touch to the fragrance as it processes, and it blends with the base notes of leather well.
Overall, this has a very masculine scent right from the top notes to the dry down. You can wear this with a pair of formalwear with a classic edition of a bow-tie.
The dry down smells similar to the original L’homme perfume which makes it a great signature scent. Overall, this has a very stable masculine scent.
2. Paris By Yves Saint Laurent For Women
This fragrance is a tribute to Saint Laurent’s fondness for Paris and the romantic, charming, and high-spirited people who dwell there. It was launched in 1983 and created by perfumer Sophia Grojsman. It is known to carry the woody-floral notes that truly capture the vibe of the city.
- Best Season: Summer/Warm
- Ideal For: Women
- Longevity: 7.5/10
- Sillage: 7/10
Staying parallel to the other Paris-themed perfumes in the YSL fragrance line, this fragrance has a sweet-floral base. While the rose note fetches the regular powdery and romantic touch, geranium adds a lemony nuance to the whole composition. After the middle notes of lily-in-the-valley and ylang-ylang make a short appearance, the woody undertones of the base notes overpower the drydown.
This is such a classic perfume, and it often reminds of the forgotten days of the youth. You can easily see a young headfirst teenager flaunting this fragrance due to the flower power it brings to the table.
If you are too finicky about light perfumes with moderate sillage, then this is going to work just fine for you. This can be your signature scent, and trust us on this if you will, this is going to steal a few glances from people.
3. Black Opium Yves Saint Laurent for Women
Black Opium stands true to its name by creating a web of intoxicating fragrance that highlights the sensual facet of womanhood. This seductive bomb was dropped in September of 2014, with the help of experienced and acclaimed noses like Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp, and Honorine Blanc.
- Best Season: Winter/Cold
- Ideal For: Women
- Longevity: 8/10
- Sillage: 8.5/10
The notes of coffee are known to stand out in the entire mixture like no other. The first spray brings in the intoxicating coffee along with some vanilla and maintains this composition till the end. The patchouli in the scent makes sure the warmth in the fragrance is enhanced too. Also, it is not at all overwhelmingly sweet, something you usually find with gourmand scents.
If you prefer cozy and warm fragrances, then there is a fair chance this is going to land in your collection. It can turn out to be a great winter and fall scent but behold yourself in the summers as it can start cloying in warm weather.
All said and done, there is no doubt about Black Opium being one of the best works of YSL and continues to reign the hearts of men and women around the world with its rich mix and great performance.
4. Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto Eau de Parfum Spray
Manifesto is an extension of being a woman, a young woman with an effervescent personality and a never-dying spirit. This beautiful symphony of essential oils was created by Anne Flipo and Loc Dong, and released in 2012. This is a relatively new perfume and has garnered a lot of attention from the YSL fanatics.
- Best Season: Winter/Cold
- Ideal For: Women
- Longevity: 7/10
- Sillage: 7.5/10
The fragrance kicks off with some sweet and cozy notes of black currant canoodling with some bright and punchy bergamot. This uplights the whole vibe around you without going too loud or seeming too immature. Once the juiciness and the freshness step aside, you are hit with some warm notes of tonka beans along with comforting vanilla is a great drydown.
This is the kind of perfume you can gift your female friends without worrying about it suiting them or not. Due to its versatile odor profile, this scent is sure to intensify attraction in all women naturally.
Winters are a great time to wear this sweet fragrance as in summers these kinds of compositions can start cloying a lot. Performance-wise this is a pretty decent example of YSL expertise.
5. Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau De Toilette Spray
This perfume has been created with inspiration from the youthful freshness and strength of the modern man. It was launched in 2017 and created with the olfactory skills of Dominique Ropion, who was also instrumental in making the composition of L’homme Intense. Generation Y is the masculine version of the original Y fragrance by YSL that was launched in the 90s.
- Best Season: All
- Ideal For: Men
- Longevity: 7/10
- Sillage: 6.5/10
The sage in the mix brings an interesting sweetness to the table, and it has been paired with bergamot & ambroxan, a combination that cannot go wrong. You shouldn’t expect this to smell unique or out-of-the-box like other YSL fragrances, but rather a simple floral scent that is gentle on the nose and relaxing to the mind.
It is a straightforward, fresh, and clean scent that can work well as a routine fragrance. It also stands true that the blend of simple ingredients also makes the perfume versatile and can be used by almost all kinds of men.
Longevity is pretty decent in this piece, but we believe the sillage does not meet the general performance standards of YSL. You can also get tired of the simplicity of this scent as it is a very commonly found composition.
6. Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent for Women
This perfume is in line with other Paris-inspired pieces and was launched in mid-2016. Olivier Cresp and Harry Fremont have done the nose work behind this composition along with Dora Baghriche. The latter is a master perfumer who has previously worked with many Versace and Georgio Armani, among others.
- Best Season: Winter/Cold
- Ideal For: Women
- Longevity: 7/10
- Sillage: 7/10
Raspberries open up the fragrance with their tangy and woody nuance in the company with a splash of other delicious fruity notes. As these notes subside, the bouquet of floral notes is taken by the wind and spread across generously. Through all the transition, the base ingredients like Indonesian patchouli, musk, and vanilla deepen the fragrance.
These types of fragrances work well in colder times, especially the Mon Paris that has a Christmasy vibe to it that uplights spirits around you. Having said that, the initial fruitiness in this fragrance is refreshing in the summers too!
Make sure to not wear it too tropical climate as the sweetness from all the fruits can quickly start cloying and leave you smelling like a human sugar ball. Apart from that, performance could have been a little stronger but it is still satisfactory and lasts up to 4 to 5 hours.
7. Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Sport
Fresh woody notes blended with explosive green accords are the recipe for this piece. This is your uber-masculine sporty man fragrance that was placed in the market around 2014. L’homme Sport was created by none other than Anne Flipo who has whisked and whiffed many scents together for this brand.
- Best Season: Summer/Warm
- Ideal For: Men
- Longevity: 7/10
- Sillage: 7/10
The pure lemon verbena and bergamot notes are dominant at the beginning of the fragrance. These notes blend in with some woody ones to make sure that the citrus blast does not go overboard and turn immature. There are some ingredients in this mix that make their appearance here and there to maintain a certain kind of depth and quirkiness to the fragrance.
This is not your all-year-round fragrance, so skip smelling like lemons in winter mornings. You must always remember how fresh scents like these are appropriate for balmy summer days for the much-needed boost.
L’homme Sport does not have a heavy projection on the average skin type, so if you are looking for a light summer fragrance that is also masculine and charming, then this a decent option.
Maximo is the ideator behind Getastylehub.com. He graduated from the Grasse Institute of Perfumery (GIP) in France in the year 2003. His learnings in the field of perfumery have been immensely educative and helpful in creating new fragrances at a creative centre in Manhattan where Maximo works as a perfumer. He has a fine appreciation for incense’s art, and his colossal passion for perfumery reflects in his discussions. He has managed and led teams in his past working experience researching scents with its key clients.