Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) has been a prominent fashion designer since the 1960s. Launching his first fragrance in 1964, YSL is known for high-quality, long-lasting, beloved perfumes and colognes.
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Today, there are over 216 YSL perfumes and colognes to choose from, making it difficult to know which scent is right for you. We put together the eight best YSL colognes for men to complete their sophisticated look.
Our Top YSL Colognes Picks
Don’t have time to read through our entire list? Here are the highlights of the eight best YSL colognes:
- Yves St. Laurent La Nuit de L’Homme: a sweet yet seductive blend of cardamom and lavender.
- Yves Saint Laurent Y: a spicy, fruity wood scent with great longevity.
- Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense: a deeper, masculine scent for those who love L’homme.
- Yves St. Laurent L’homme Sport: its fresh lemon scent makes it a great summer cologne.
- Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent: a powerful herbal and floral scent that can command the room.
- Yves Saint Laurent L’homme is a signature, rich, woody YSL cologne.
- Yves Saint Laurent M7 Fresh: a rich, oud scent with a hint of citrus.
- Opium by Yves St. Laurent for Men: a smooth, spicy oriental fragrance.
Best Casual
Developed in 2009 by famous perfumers Anne Flipo, Pierre Wargnye, and Dominique Ropion, Yves St. Laurent La Nuit de L’Homme is our top pick of the best YSL colognes. It has a sweet yet seductive blend of cardamom and lavender that lasts for about eight hours. And it can be worn all year as your signature cologne.
Yves St. Laurent La Nuit de L’Homme has a top note of zesty cardamom. Its heart is a perfect blend of bergamot and cedarwood with just a touch of lavender. All set against a base of caraway, amber, and vetiver for a light masculine scent.
Smelling good has always been a priority for me, not just because the ladies like it but also for myself. It doesn’t help that I’m very particular about certain scents, so choosing a suitable cologne for me was no easy feat.
My personal favourite YSL Cologne is La Nuit de L’Homme. The bergamot, cedar, and lavender combine to make this absolutely masculine scent, and it’s long-lasting too. I like to wear it when going out it in the evenings because it makes me feel sexy and ready for a night on the town.
David Gray | Beauty Blogger | TalkingTan.com
La Nuit de l’Homme is the perfect woody mysterious fragrance for the modern man who wants to make an impression on a night out. I have been using it for years, and it reminds me of great times.
Serg Valencia | Founder | CharmingPerfumes.com
Best for Every Season
Another scent by perfumer Dominique Ropion, Yves Saint Laurent Y launched in 2018 as a masculine version of the original 90s Y by YSL. Yves Saint Laurent Y has a spicy, fruity wood scent with great longevity. And it can be worn year-round as a routine cologne.
Yves Saint Laurent Y top notes include bergamot, ginger, and aldehydes. The heart consists of pineapple, green apple, geranium, violet, and sage. The base of Yves Saint Laurent Y is a formidable blend of balsam fir, vetiver, cedarwood, incense, musk, and ambergris.
Call me basic, but I think the best YSL cologne is YSL Y Eau de Parfum, especially if you’re the kind of guy who prefers to keep a lean fragrance collection.
Y EDP is the minimal leather sneaker of fragrances. It’s the light blue Oxford shirt, the slim dark wash jeans.
Some say that it’s not unique enough to be a signature scent, but I think that its universally inoffensive appeal is what makes it such a strong choice.
Brock McGoff | Founder | The Modest Man
Best for Colder Weather
Created in 2013 by Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion as an extension of the original L’homme, Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense is a deeper, masculine scent for those who love L’homme. Like several of our best YSL colognes, Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense lasts for several hours and is best worn in the fall or winter.
The top notes of Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense are lemon and bergamot with just a pinch of black pepper. The heart of the scent consists of artemisia, which has a dusty herbal tone. And it has a base of leather well to create a classic masculine scent.
Best for Special Occasions
Another extension of the original L’homme cologne, Yves St. Laurent L’homme Sport, was launched in 2014 and was created by Anne Flipo. A sporty, uber-masculine variation of L’homme that’s woody and floral. Its fresh lemon scent makes it a great summer cologne.
Yves St. Laurent L’homme Sport top notes of lemon verbena, ginger, and bergamot blend for a light, charming scent. The heart of Yves St. Laurent L’homme Sport is basil, violet leaf, white pepper, and spices. The base blends cedarwood, Tahitian vetiver, and tonka bean.
L’homme Sport means I never smell awkward during my time on the course, even under the sun. It’s also long-lasting, which is so important, especially during a game with my business partners. I also use it on special occasions, such as the wedding of my golf buddy. I feel confident when I wear it, and of course, manly. My wife also loves the scent.
Jordan Fuller | Retired golfer, Coach, and Mentor | Golf Influence
Best Classic
Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent is one of the oldest scents on our best YSL colognes list. Created in 1981 by Pierre Bourdon, Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent is a powerful herbal and floral scent that can command the room. People usually either love or hate Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent because it is so powerful.
The top notes of Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent are bergamot, coriander, artemisia, clary sage. A powerful blend of jasmine, geranium, iris, carnation, cinnamon, and clove make up the heart. And the base rounds out this hefty masculine scent with oakmoss, ambergris, incense, patchouli, vetiver, leather, honey, musk, tonka, and civet.
Best Long-Lasting
Designed by Anne Flipo, Pierre Wargnye, and Dominique Ropion in 2006, Yves Saint Laurent L’homme is a signature YSL cologne. A couple of the colognes on our list of best YSL colognes are an extension of this cologne because of its delicate, wood fresh scent. Yves Saint Laurent L’homme is a long-lasting cologne that can be worn year-round.
The top notes of Yves Saint Laurent L’homme include bergamot, lemon, and ginger. The heart of the fragrance blends basil, white pepper, violet, and iris. Then the base has tonka bean, vetiver, oakmoss, and sandalwood for a rich wood and spicy citrus blend.
Best Masculine
Created in 2004 by Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent M7 Fresh is a rich, oud scent with a hint of citrus. This cologne can be worn year-round but works best in the fall and winter. The Yves Saint Laurent M7 Fresh is a strong scent that will last for several hours.
Yves Saint Laurent M7 Fresh’s top notes blend mandarin, rosemary, and bergamot. The heart of cologne is ginger, acacia leaves, agarwood, and vetiver. Then to round out the base is musk, amber, and mandrake wood for a refreshing and gentle woody scent.
Best Woody
Another older cologne to make our Best YSL colognes list is Opium by Yves St. Laurent. Created in 1995 by famous perfumer Jacques Cavallier, the scent is a smooth, spicy oriental fragrance with a sophisticated woody scent that can be worn year-round.
The top notes of Yves St. Laurent’s Opium are blackcurrant and star anise for a sour and sweet blend. Then the heart mixes pepper with Chinese galanga. And the base consists of tolu balm, cedarwood, vanilla, atlas, a bit of bourbon, and raspberry.
How can you tell if YSL cologne is real?
There is a lot of fake YSL cologne out there. Here are a few tips to make sure the YSL cologne you purchase is real:
- The YSL cologne will be wrapped in thick cellophane with flawlessly folded seams.
- Packaging will be made of high-quality paperboard with unique construction to secure the bottle.
- Make sure the packaging and bottle design match the YSL cologne on their website.
- YSL colognes do not use dyes, so the cologne should be pale in color.
Mostly watch labeling and construction to spot the fake from the real YSL cologne.
What’s the Best Way to Wear YSL Cologne?
Never spray cologne directly onto your neck or chest. There are two preferred methods for application:
- Squirt a small amount onto each wrist.
- Spray the cologne in front of you and then walk into it.
Remember, less is more. When applied properly, the people around you should not s
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best YSL Colognes
How long does YSL cologne last?
The Huffington Post cites that high-quality, strong colognes, such as YSL colognes, have the highest oil concentration at about 30% to 40%. Because of these higher concentrations, YSL colognes will last for around six to eight hours, which is longer than most colognes.
Is YSL Y unisex?
Yves Saint Laurent Y was released for men in 2018 and is not traditionally sold as a unisex fragrance. Although, YSL lists several unisex fragrances and colognes on their website.
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Born and raised in Austin, David is a dedicated writer and avid fragrance lover. When he's not trying out perfumes, he enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.