It's no secret Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most coveted design labels on the planet, and the brand's collection of beauty products—its boldly composed perfumes, in particular—is no exception. For some context, Algeria-born Yves Saint Laurent moved to Paris as a teen, where he worked for designer Christian Dior until he began his own namesake label in 1961 alongside his partner Pierre Bergé. Of course, fashion was the preliminary focus, but by the '70s, Saint Laurent had begun his foray into the beauty space. (Fun fact: As Vanity Fair reported here, YSL Beauty was actually the first makeup and fragrance brand to have a fashion house's name attached to it.)
Makeup ensued, followed by fragrance and skincare, and today, YSL perfumes are some of the most wanted and coveted in the business. We receive tons of questions asking which YSL perfumes are the "best" or which bottles we recommend as editors. So we thought we'd create a fun ode to YSL and its iconic line of scents.
There's no such thing as one "best" perfume. We're all unique human beings with entirely different tastes and preferences when it comes to scent. But we'd be remiss not to pay our respects to the most popular, fastest-selling perfumes from House YSL. Below, we're sharing our 10 favorites that continue to dominate retailer best seller lists. Looking for your new fragrance infatuation? Keep scrolling—you've come to the right place.
10: Yvresse Eau de Toilette
Key notes: nectarine, lychee, patchouli, violet
Though it may be one of the lesser-known perfumes from YSL, it's definitely one of the most exquisite—a vibrant, juicy balance between floral and fruit.
Customer review: "I have been using it for more than 25 years and it's still my favorite. It has a light citrusy smell."
9: Y Eau de Parfum
Key notes: sage, geranium, sensual wood
Earthy, slightly herbal, and woody are the words I'd use to describe this YSL scent. It's definitely a bit stronger and has a slight freshness to it, but it's never overpowering.
Customer review: "Purchased for my fiancé, and he loves it. We're both fans of YSL scents, and we smelled this in-store, and it was the perfect woodsy scent."
8: Paris Eau de Parfum
Key notes: rose, violet, bergamot, May rose, iris, sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla
Paris is another dark-horse perfume from YSL that could be considered a diamond in the rough. It's slightly sweet and creamy, but the botanical influence of iris, rose, and violet keeps it balanced.
Customer review: "Lovely subtle fragrance. It leaves a feminine scent wafting through the air as you pass and makes clothes in closet smell like love."
7: Mon Paris Intensement Eau de Parfum
Key notes: black currant, rose, white musk
As you'll notice shortly, there are a few different versions of YSL's iconic scent Mon Paris. You'll meet its sister shortly, but here, we're celebrating Mon Paris Intensement—a bolder, warmer, and juicier take on the original Mon Paris.
Customer review: "Definitely smells amazing! I love it for a winter perfume. A little goes a long way with this one."
6: Libre Eau de Parfum Intense
Key notes: lavender, vanilla, orchid, orange blossom
Speaking of the more intense versions of the classics, YSL just launched this headier take on Libre (one of our all-time favorite YSL perfumes!), and we're smitten. Technically, this is a floral fragrance, but lavender and vanilla are unexpected but beautifully complementary to starring notes of orchid and orange blossom.
Customer review: "I have been wearing the same perfume for 12 years now, and I never thought I would change my signature scent until I found this. I can't put it down it smells so incredible I can't even put it into words."
5: Myslf Eau de Parfum
Key notes: fresh accord, orange blossom absolute, woods accord
Although this might be considered more of a "masculine" scent, if you like woody, earthy scents that have a crispness to them, this one is definitely for you.
Customer review: "This is a unisex scent, but it was a bit masculine for my taste. My husband really enjoyed the fragrance and got numerous compliments at a wedding we attended. This is a high-end fragrance that lasts for many hours and smells delicious."
4: Opium Eau de Parfum
Key notes: tangerine, plum, cloves, coriander, carnation, lily of the valley, rose, myrrh, opoponax, castoreum, cedarwood, sandalwood
This stunning bottle has been around since 1977, and given its beautiful scent and popularity, it's no wonder YSL has continued to grow the family. According to the brand, Opium symbolizes and is inspired by a lush and exotic melding of flowers, spices, and deep wood notes. So really, it's kind of the perfect perfume for anyone.
Customer review: "One of my favorite scents. It smells very rich. The strongest note when I wear it is incense. It reminds me of a cozy winter evening."
3: Libre Eau de Parfum
Key notes: lavender, musk accord, orange blossom
Back when I was going into the office every day (remember that?!), Libre was probably the most-used fragrance at my desk. Not just by me, but by anyone who walked past and wanted a quick spritz of something that smelled so good. It has the same enveloping heartbeat of orange blossom and lavender as the Intense version we talked about earlier, but this one is kept grounded with a stroke of musk accord instead of vanilla and orchid.
Customer review: "Such a beautiful scent with hints of floral. I didn't have to reapply and the scent lasted all night. Highly recommend."
2: Black Opium Eau de Parfum
Key notes: black coffee, white flowers, vanilla
We have to say that Black Opium is our personal favorite out of the Opium collection. If you haven't noticed, notes of adrenaline-pumping coffee run through all of the Opium spin-offs, but this choice is for someone who prefers café au lait and not black. There's coffee, yes, but delicate vanilla and white flowers are also woven through.
Customer review: "Smells amazing!! I'm so obsessed with this fragrance. It lasts a really long time on me and does not disappear throughout the day. Try it, it will not disappoint, but it is a more sweet scent."
1: Mon Paris Eau de Parfum
Key notes: strawberry, raspberry, bergamot, calone, pear, orange flower, jasmin sambac, white peony, datura, patchouli, white musk, ambrox, cedarwood, crystal moss
Like Opium, YSL makes multiple variations of Mon Paris, but the original is the most beloved and—dare we declare—the all-time best YSL perfume. As the name might suggest, this bubbly fragrance is inspired by the city of Paris, busting with a well-balanced profile of notes that tickle each and every one of your senses.
Customer review: "I LOVE this perfume! I wear it for special occasions or for a night out!! I get compliments when I wear this perfume."
4 More YSL Beauty Products to Have on Your Radar
This new long-wearing lipstick is the creamy formula of our dreams despite its perfectly matte finish. With a stunning shade range of flattering nudes, pick your poison.
This liquid lipstick is ultra-pigmented, non-drying, and creamy. This is the perfect lipstick if you won't settle for anything less than high-impact color.
It's a cult classic for a reason—one swipe of this brightening under-eye pen and no one will know how many hours of precious sleep you didn't log last night.
This isn't just a crème de la crème volumizing mascara. It's also brimming with healthy ingredients designed to help your lashes grow longer, stronger, and as fluttery as possible.
This article was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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