As a men’s fragrance Y by Yves Saint Laurent tells two entirely distinct stories; one follows the other with astounding elegance and palpable ease. Neither of these narratives are overwhelming, or imbalanced, but rather are perfectly harmonious.
The Y by Yves Saint Laurent bottle is absolutely striking, the ideal balance of masculine and aesthetically pleasing, with the iconic ‘Y’ engraved boldly in silver.
The first tale of the two, is the extremely soft and light feel of the fragrance. It as a citrus freshness on the top notes, like Seville oranges and fresh ginger.
Shortly after, this gives way to a much cleaner and clearer bergamot, which offers the early notes an appealing coolness.
When the scent first sits on the skin, the heart opens up with further herbaceous freshness, thyme and violet abound. The overall impression is undeniably sweet, but the fragrance still retains its masculinity throughout.
Y by Yves Saint Laurent never wrestles attention away from the wearer but rather enhances him. The scent has a youthful energy which is best suited for the stylish and contemporary man, rather than an introverted, muttering old codger gradually expiring into his crossword.
After an hour or so on the skin, the recounting of the second tale begins. This is the point at which Y by Yves Saint Laurent goes from being pleasant and subtle, to something more intense, sexy and desirable. The skin’s natural warmth helps to release the base of the fragrance, which oozes an unmistakable and enviable musky richness. The scent grows significantly deeper and the notes that are exuded are of cedar and succulent incense.
Y by Yves Saint Laurent is something of a Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, initially the scent may be subtle but as time passes and the fragrance warms, there is a lot more to Y than first impressions might lead you to believe.
Everything starts with a why
Y BY Yves Saint Laurent
Y by Yves Saint Laurent eau de toilette is available in 60ml for £53.00 and 100ml for £72.00. It is on sale nationwide at YSLbeauty.com.
