Y Eau de Toilette by Yves Saint Laurent

A delicious scent, with green apple and watermelon marking a light woody tone. It’s simply an aroma that invites intimacy but is very versatile, ideal for the beach or light dinners. The trail is moderately good, but it doesn’t aim to be brutal; it’s more for personal enjoyment and your partner’s.

I see nobody talks about this: when a perfume uses cheap ambroxan with cheap vanilla and lacks any resinous notes to ‘hydrate’ or add warmth, the dry down ends up ‘plastic-y’. That’s what happens with this scent. It smells rich, but the finish doesn’t convince me. The same goes for Eros EDP and many Arabic perfumes.

Smells super clean, fresh, and with a touch of sweetness. Longevity is decent for this type of fragrance. It’s versatile and fulfills its function: ideal for daily life or the gym. Smells good without annoying anyone.

Refreshing, simple, and clean. If you use this, you’ll never be told you smell bad. Perfect for the gym, school, university, or the beach. Whatever you do, this always looks good.

Spicier due to the ginger and lavender, with the cedar more present. Clean and a bit more mature. One could say this is the predecessor to Y Elixir.

Alongside Polo Blue EDP and Versace Pour Homme, these are the best options for the heat: they never fail. Maybe they aren’t the most novel, but their quality is proven. Of the three, this one has the juicier, more youthful vibe. Of course, they don’t smell exactly the same, but they’re super versatile.

I tried this before the popular Y EDP, and honestly, I got more compliments with this one. I wore it a lot in summer for night outs, and I think that’s what it works best for. The EDP is versatile but darker, maybe not quite right for very hot climates. If you’re looking for something for the heat, go for the EDT; if you want one scent for everything, get the EDP; and if you can have both, even better, they’re distinct.

I started my perfume journey by accident with this. I didn’t know much and just went with what I liked; I was looking for something fresh for the heat and found the Y line by YSL. I tried both the EDT and EDP, but the YSL Y EDT captivated me. I didn’t know then that it was the 2022 version until I did some research. I’ve already bought it three times, and it fascinates me just as much each time. It’s perfect for daily wear: it doesn’t overwhelm, but it attracts glances and provokes compliments. The weird thing is it doesn’t seem like any other popular designer fresh scent, except for the flankers in the Y line, and yet they’re still different. My advice: if you want to smell different and the heat is extreme, buy the EDT; the EDP is everywhere. Scent: 10/10, Longevity: 7/10 (9/10 on clothes), Sillage: 8/10 (Personal experience).

Batch 2023: for me, it wins handily over the favorite Y EDP. This formulation is less harsh at the start, and the ambroxan is right up front, making it perfect for daily wear, evoking freshly ironed clothes with a youthful aroma. For any occasion: moderate performance on skin but on clothes, it’s insane longevity. If you want one scent for everything, it’s a fantastic option.

I sprayed it on my skin and clothes about 20 times around 1 pm; by 10 pm I could still smell it, and people who got close could detect it too.

The opening and sillage are a delight, but the dry-down kills me: it smells like pure, metallic ambergris.

Honestly, I confuse this 2022 EDT with the original Y from 2017, which I loved. This version, which I was gifted in 100ml, is similar, perhaps a bit weaker with less declared fruit, though I still detect pineapple, apple, and violet. The liquid is clear and transparent; upon spraying, it smells of bergamot with a soft spice (ginger) and a sweet fruity touch from the aldehydes. The middle is floral with geranium and soft lavender. The finish, which lasts about 3 hours before fading, is dominated by salty marine ambergris, contrasting with a faint vanilla, cedar, and an incredible resinous incense note at the very end. It lasts a short time on skin and projects moderately. I apply it to clothes and use a lot to compensate. It’s soapy, fruity, spicy, floral, and very pleasant, but in these tests it seems weak. It’s a more citrusy and subtle version than the other Ys. I’ll keep testing it, but it’s definitely a daytime, eye-catching, fresh, and very nice fragrance.

Opinion 2023 / December: A fragrance very similar to the Y EDP. I’d say it’s a Y EDP with less green apple charge, slightly toned down in that aspect. It remains sweet and sharp; in extreme heat, the sweetness might get a bit suffocating.

In my opinion, it’s very good: a bit sweet, herbal, and fresh. Excellent for everyday wear and very versatile. Good longevity and projection.

When I first applied it and during the first hour, I thought I wouldn’t pay even 40 euros for the 100ml. The scent is bland, boring, generic, and timid. Then indoors, it started emitting a smell that reminds me of my beloved Pour Monsieur Concentré, but with a very synthetic tint that, 11 hours later, still bothers me. On skin, it smells weak; I think it’s mostly because of its longevity on clothes… Supima cotton, just in case, hehe… Let’s see if I change clothes.