Ysatis
Eau de Toilette, Givenchy (1984)

Ysatis is holy opulence, a high roller in a Rolls Royce wearing a sable. As a man wearing it? Do I feel like Liberace? No. Do I feel like I am wearing a costume? Nah. Do I feel feminine? No, but that shouldn't even matter anyhow. I just feel my olfactory receptors telling my brain "yum yum" and "me want more" like Cookie Monster.

Or rather, Ylang Ylang monster. This ylang ylang is wearing one of those "dip me in honey and throw me to the lesbians" badges popular in the early 90s, wearing sunglasses from the total eclipse of the aldehydes. All the other flowers are just scuttling around at its coattails like crustaceans, the carnation being the most colorful maid in waiting.

Ysatis you are pulling me closer to your heaving golden yellow bosom! You whisper "you sly dog" like Peppermint Matty to Charlie Brown. My best friends were often tomboys anyhow, but never ones that smoked cigarettes from a long cigarette holder, all Marlene Dietrich like. The key to this powerhouse is the civet (is it real or is it Memorex?), like Grace Jones making a cameo appearance on a Pee Wee Herman special. I think I need to straighten my little red bow tie.

In a word: massive. Ysatis is one for the ages. 

This was my first 'grown up with a job' real perfume. It fit the 1980's perfectly, EVERYTHING in the 80s was Over-the-top BIG: hair, 'wall of sound' music, shoulder pads, scarves, and sillage. No 'people with allergies' back then. Met my husband while wearing it, he still loves it when I put it on for special occasions. And as someone above noted, I realized to my surprise that I am now "The grandmother". Time. Wow.
I'm down to half a bottle of the EDP travel spray and a tiny crystal bottle of the perfume. After the initial 'wall of smell' it does settle down some, and wears well if applied with a light hand...or not.

From a vintage sample... Kitchen sink, classic fragrance with strong tuberose and jasmine, carnation and ylang ylang opening. Classic floral combo obviously, that I've smelled many time before. comes on strong. I consider this "outdated". I haven't smelled this since way back when but, the sample I procured has remained intact.

The flowers go on and on...

It's a soft, glowing scent later, flowers mute, and has a slightly sweetened animalic and amber-ish accord. Overall, it smells similar to many others created in this general "era". More luxurious and classy though, than some others. Not much new to add that hasn't been noted.

Ysatis is a beautiful vintage-style floral, but it lacks « a bit of something » and has got « too much of other stuff ». That makes it itchy to the nose and a bit dull.

I haven't encountered a woman wearing this in many years, but at one time Ysatis was my favorite perfume to smell on a woman.

My memories of this are from the vintage version circa 1992.
I read the modern formula is weaker and more floral.

The vintage version was strong, feminine, sexy, and a bit mysterious.

The kind of perfume a high-powered professional lady would wear if she were bold in her private life. Floral and feminine on the surface, yet with woody and even slightly animalistic undertones.

You could loofah every inch of your body, emerge from shower with the steam still rising from your skin, put this on and smell STALE. I'm not saying that Ysatis in particular gave birth to the "fresh" ozonic 90's, but I'm not saying it didn't, either.