Yves Saint Laurent Y
The smell in short
Main smell: green and white floral. It opens with aldehydes and green notes, moves to hyacinth and orris root and dries down to oakmoss and civet.
- Came out
- 1964
- Lasts
- 6 to 9 hours
- Best in
- fall
Y notes
Top notes
What you smell first
Heart notes
The main smell
Base notes
What stays on your skin
Smell profile
Main accords
How strong each part of the smell is
Best seasons and time of day
About Yves Saint Laurent Y
Yves Saint Laurent is the house behind Y.
Who will like it
The strongest accord is green (100%), followed by white floral and earthy. You will probably like it if you enjoy green and white floral smells and notes like hyacinth and oakmoss. Less obvious notes include galbanum, ylang-ylang and vetiver. Perfume fans rate it 4.38 out of 5.
How long Y stays on skin
It stays on skin for about 6 to 9 hours, so one spray in the morning can carry you through the day. It lasts about as long as Parfums Gres Cabotine Variety and Van Cleef & Arpels First. Base notes like oakmoss and civet are the part that stays longest on the skin.
For work or for evenings
It works better in the day than at night, so it is a good pick for work, school and daily wear. Its green side keeps it clean and easy. For evenings, Tom Ford Black Orchid has more depth.
Best seasons to wear it
The best time of year to wear it is fall. It is less suited to summer. Ranked by season: fall, spring, winter and summer.
Yves Saint Laurent perfumes worth knowing
The house has 88 perfumes here, led by Myslf Yves Saint Laurent, Kouros and La Nuit De L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent Le Parfum.
How far Y spreads
Projection is strong: people around you will notice it. Two sprays are usually enough.
Flankers and editions
There are 8 other versions of this perfume, released between 2017 and 2024.
If you like Y, try these
Similar picks to try: Parfums Gres Cabotine Variety (9 shared notes), Van Cleef & Arpels First (12 shared notes), Tom Ford Black Orchid (10 shared notes) and Giorgio Beverly Hills Red (12 shared notes). For a cheaper option, Giorgio Beverly Hills Red starts from €30.
Quick answers
Is Y expensive?
It is mid priced: about €45 in Europe.
When did Y come out?
It came out in 1964.
Can men wear it?
It is made for women, but anyone who likes the smell can wear it.