Y
Eau de Parfum, Yves Saint Laurent (2018)

The original Y EDT never struck me as particularly interesting, so I skipped this for a long time and hadn’t really revisited the line until now. I’m trying to give it a fair chance, because it would be easy to write this off as just another shower-gel-style blue fragrance. Compared to something like Ralph’s Club Parfum, which sits in a similar style, I find Y Parfum smoother overall. The amberwood doesn’t come across as quite as synthetic, and the whole composition feels more rounded. It’s clean, fresh, and straightforward—that’s really the best way to describe it. There isn’t much complexity to dissect here.

Yes, it’s synthetic, but you could do much worse. Even within the “shower gel” category, this feels relatively balanced and somewhat refined. I wouldn’t mind smelling this on other people, and I think it’s a solid option for beginners. With fragrances like this, I think you have to grade on a curve and judge them against similar releases. I don’t expect this to be an enthusiast favorite, but who am I to judge since this comes from someone who loves the original batches of Versace Eros EDT. I do think enthusiasts can still appreciate how well-balanced it is. Push it just a little further in either direction and it could easily become harsh and unpleasant, but here everything feels dialed in.

I’m testing this side-by-side with Ralph’s Club Parfum, and to my nose, this is clearly better. Ralph’s Club Parfum comes off harsh and reminiscent of fabric softener. Interestingly, both are by the same perfumer, but the balance feels off in Ralph’s Club. I don’t want to give this an enthusiastic thumbs up, but graded on a curve, it does earn a thumbs up. It’s not for me personally, but I can see where it fits. It’s a dumb reach—something you can wear casually or even in more formal settings if you control the number of sprays. The only time I wouldn’t reach for it is in intimate situations, where I’d prefer something warmer and more engaging.

Seasonally, this should work in most conditions. Maybe avoid extreme summer heat, as it could become a bit cloying, but otherwise it’s versatile. I haven’t smelled the clones, but I wouldn’t be surprised if decent ones exist, given how straightforward the profile is.

Despite my best efforts, I just can't bring myself to love this fragrance. The opening is dominated by a loud burst of ginger and apple, which overshadows the sage, geranium, and juniper berries—notes that are nearly imperceptible to my nose. As it settles, I catch only faint traces of vetiver and tonka bean in the base. Overall, the scent remains quite linear, with the ginger and apple lingering throughout its entire wear.

I don’t love it, nor do I hate it—but I find myself unable to enjoy it.

Sorry YSL.

Strangely robotic and post-modern, this wonderfully synthetic fragrance somehow evokes in me the idea of ​​a post-atomic era in an imaginary "sideral" society that arises after a nuclear conflict, characterized by a devastated, inhospitable and radioactive Earth, where the survivors must fight for their survival in a world without rules (sorry for my moonshiny imagination). Y Eau de Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent is a fresh (somewhat minty balsamic) aromatic-fougére "Blue" fragrance for men launched in 2018 and created by the great Dominique Ropion. This fragrance (in a slightly darker bottle) is a new intenser and bolder version of the original Y fragrance (another 1997 Lanvin L'Homme's contemporary successors) launched in 2017 and is a freshly deep aromatic spicy fougére with masculine dry florals and a woody balsamic resinous basic lingering olfactory substance (a sort of aromatic mild tonkinian frankincense waving as the veritable x factor of the olfactory fatigue). The juice itself is freshly virile and seductive, super masculine and modern. It could be definitely ranked as a boldly sensual masculine night-time weapon ideal for events, night clubs or datings (at a reasonable price). Ginger, zesty bergamot, green apple, sage, juniper berries and a synth somewhat balsamic/semi-ozonic lingering insertion provide a general "dynamic" muscular virile aromatic aura enriched by angular leafy florals and musk. On this stage the aroma is intense, somewhat tart and kind of leafy angular since when gradually the edges begin to smooth out, the tonka bean produces a touch of rounder sweetness and this magnificently futuristic balsamic (yet vaguely rubbery and woody) incense begins to spread a soft urban, post-industrial or kind of "sideral" trail. The woody closing notes give a great (slightly powdery) base to the perfume that doesn't make it too sweet ar androgynous. This fragrance could more generally be considered part of a clan of "Urban Blue" fragrances that also includes modern creations like Dior Sauvage Elixir (2021), First Instinct Together Eau de Toilette For Him (2020) or Chanel Bleu EDP (2014), although Y Eau de Parfum has its own distinctive signature: this resinous, rubbery, sweet scent (but balanced by woody, angular, and aromatic drier notes), which gives it a very enigmatic and elusive post-modern/urban specificity. Performances are more than good on my skin.

An interesting combination of fresh and warm notes, with definite aromatics and spices; sage, geranium, juniper, ginger, apple against a base of tonka and woods. It has the usual shower-gel vibe that designer masculines in blue bottles often feel they need to have. Y EdP is an improvement over the original Y EdT, but it still has two shortcomings including one major - it is synthetic to the max. The other issue is that it can be a bit too sweet at times. Furthermore I found the dry-down a bit lacking, as it quietens down considerably after about 3-4 hours. I find it wears better in cooler weather, with good projection and five to six hours of longevity based on a liberal application.

Stylistically and in terms of scent profile I find some crossover here with Boss Bottled and Layton. Y EdP is a good scent for the younger crowd with its youthful appeal, and would make a nice gift to any college goer.


3/5

It's ok, pleasant and nice.

Not much else I can say about this.
Out of the shower kinda smell, or if you cant decide what to wear for the day, this is a good grab for anytime or occasion.


Overall scent 6.5- 10
Performance 5.0- 10
Sillage 5.1- 10

Update 13th June 2024:
It's been a long time since I sprayed Y EDP, but decided on a whim today to spray some on a card. It's been reformulated, but it's much better. It's a lot more buttoned up. The sweetness is toned way down and the apple note is blended in much better. I bought a bottle of the Lataffa Fakhar clone, and I just receive it 2 days after this update. It smells great, just like the reformulated Y EDP. This goes to in the massive pile of mass appealing freshies like Hugo Boss EDT where you can almost pick any one from said pile and be happy. With that said Y EDP is the hot bottle of the past year or so, so it's a little more expensive but still a good choice.

Original review 7th October 2022:
On my skin, this turns sickly sweet with green apple. This definitely leans feminine and cannot be worn by a man.