It’s almost impossible to talk about luxury brands without mentioning Yves Saint Laurent. House YSL is known for its iconic haute couture, from its sophisticated clothing line, bags, shoes, and scents.
Founded in 1961 by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent with his partner Pierre Berge, their vision was to merge fashion and society with the launch of high-end clothes on a commercial scale rather than producing limited collections.
Yves Saint Laurent slowly transformed the wardrobe of modern men and women. YSL brought fashion and art together with its signature elegant aesthetic, functionality, and flexibility. Besides his stellar reputation as a couturier, Saint Laurent also showcased his talent in creating some of the best fragrances for men and women. He was confident in his creativity, vision, and skill that he was his own star when he launched one of his first scents, YSL Pour Homme.
The high-quality fragrances of House YSL are some of the most popular on the luxury market. While every Saint Laurent cologne is uniquely special, it’s always best to choose a scent that suits your taste and personal preferences.
Best Men’s Cologne by Yves Saint Laurent
Y Le Parfum
Y was formulated to showcase the very essence of the YSL modern man. A man relentless in following his passions and forging his own path to success. It attracts men whose accomplishments were inspired by hard work, courage, and resilience. Y Le Parfum is confidence in a bottle.
The scent was inspired by the original Y scent developed in the 90s. The fruity yet spicy profile is alluring, while top notes of ginger, bergamot, and geranium add to its sophisticated fragrance. Y Le Parfum’s powerful olfactory statement is intense without being too overpowering. As crisp and clean as YSL’s white t-shirts, Y features the perfect balance between strength and sweet delicacy.
La Nuit de L’Homme
While YSL already has several classic fragrances for men, it continuously works to deliver more olfactory delights. The sweet scent of La Nuit de L’Homme is smooth, fresh, and romantic. This is made for men looking for an evening cologne to draw in the ladies.
The raw elegance and masculinity of this YSL cologne come from the exquisite blending of top notes, including pepper, lavender, patchouli, and bergamot. The vibrancy of its fruit notes with the dry woody undertones offers a feeling of warmth and fresh cleanliness.
Overall, La Nuit de L’Homme features a refined, masculine fragrance that is reasonably versatile with great longevity that will garner the wearer compliments every time he wears it.
Opium Eau de Toilette
First launched in 1977, Opium Eau de Toilette for men is one from House YSL that will never fade nor go out of style. It features an opulent amber profile containing vibrant notes of star anise, galanga, black currant, and tolu balsam. The provocative scent of this signature men’s cologne is reminiscent of the mystery and glamor of the Orient.
The subtle hints of vanilla, cedar, and ginger support the excellent masculinity of its top notes. It’s great for daywear, and depending on the skin type, it can last for ten hours or longer. Opium Eau de Toilette exudes strength, sensuality, and sophistication that will undoubtedly draw compliments from others, even strangers.
Kouros
Certain scents cater to the preferences and sensibilities of both the young and old, and Kouros is one of them. This cologne has a uniquely elegant smell that earned it a very special place in history. It’s been a best-seller for men with discerning taste since 1981. Known for its delicate touches and complexity of ingredients, the art of Kouros is impossible to recreate.
Kouros is famous for its musky, woody, and civet-laden scent. It smells both immaculately clean and deliciously filthy. The composition is detailed, starting from leather, honey, and vanilla base notes. It’s an excellent cologne to wear around the holidays, with exceptional longevity lasting 24 hours or longer.
Libre
YSL Libre has a fresh aromatic scent with outstanding longevity. It was advertised as the cologne for the free man during its first release. Libre still lives up to the expectations of the discerning modern man. This all-purpose cologne can be worn from day to evening. Its impressive versatility makes it the ideal fragrance to wear while working out at the gym.
Its fresh, green vibes can be attributed to its top notes of fresh basil, citrus peel, and green violet. A combination of pink peppercorns and nutmeg add to the fragrantly sweet composition of Libre. It’s the perfect cologne for daytime wear and during the year’s warmer months.
L’Homme Ultime
YSL L’Homme Ultime is a crowd favorite. It is known for its versatile, all-occasions scent and up to six hours of longevity on the skin. L’Homme Ultime suits a true modern gentleman with its romantic yet masculine fragrance. It’s one of the most underrated gems from YSL. Its top notes include cedar, grapefruit, cardamom, ginger, sage, and rose. The remarkable freshness of these ingredients delivers smooth elegance unlike any other.
This fragrance from YSL is perfect for the modern man who wants to leave his mark. Its stunning blend of ingredients leaves a woody and floral finish, perfectly depicting the essence of the modern man, presented through outstanding notes of YSL signature fragrances that reflect elegance, allure, and magnetism.
L’Homme Sport
L’Homme Sport is clean, fresh, and not overpowering. It is the perfect cologne to wear all day long. It is characterized by its uplifting fragrance that will get you up and about almost instantaneously. This men’s cologne carries L’Homme’s distinctive DNA of smelling pleasant and inviting. L’Homme Sport has a citrusy, ginger opening that perfectly complements the sensual trail of amber in its base.
This men’s cologne from YSL was first launched in 2014. Its intriguing aroma comes from bergamot, spicy coriander, and verbena. The versatility of L’Homme Sport makes it the ideal all-around cologne for men who are constantly on the go.
Rive Gauche
Inspired by the left banks of the River Seine in Paris, Rive Gauche is considered one of the best men’s colognes of all time. It’s a true masterpiece displaying exquisite craft and human creativity. Rive Gauche stands out for its nostalgic simplicity and pleasant fragrance that represent the true mission of a men’s cologne — smell good, mannered, sexy, and confident.
Launched in 2003, the nose behind Rive Gauche is renowned perfumer Jacques Cavallier. The cologne displays lovely top notes of rosemary, bergamot, and star anise, while its base notes consist of geranium, lavender, clovers, and coumarin. The spicy and woody scent of Rive Gauche comes from the tantalizing notes of oakmoss, Guaiac wood, patchouli, and vetiver in the base.
M7
As the name suggests, YSL M7 is the 7th men’s cologne released by House YSL. Launched in 2022, M7 was created by the fashion icon and former Yves Saint Laurent creative director Tom Ford. It opens with a stunningly sharp and sweet medicinal smell that becomes powdery and pleasant over time. The woody and alluring fragrance of the M7 is intensely masculine and elegant. The powerful earthy scent comes from notes of Haitian vetiver, agarwood, bergamot, rosemary, amber, mandarin, and musk. M7 is one of the sexiest scents for men.
Jazz
The pulsating and energetic fragrance of Jazz perfectly captures the essence of Paris in an era where liberty was the hottest trend. Launched by YSL in 1998, Jazz displays a masculine scent depicting vibrant virility and strength that linger for many hours on the skin.
The woody aromatic fragrance of Jazz evokes a certain air of sophistication perfect for the purposeful man about town. It evokes a particular classiness, a sense of a purposeful man about town. This men’s cologne from House YSL is highly flexible as it can be worn for casual events, thanks to the fabulous blend of lavender essence, leather, musk carnation, and cinnamon.
YSL Men’s Cologne FAQs
What is the original YSL cologne?
Pour Homme was released in 1971 as the first ever men’s cologne produced by House YSL. Famous perfumer Raymond Chaillan is the nose behind this fragrance. Yves Saint Laurent himself used it for three years before launching it on the market.
Why is YSL cologne so expensive?
The rarity of ingredients and higher oil concentration make YSL colognes expensive. Most men’s colognes from Yves Saint Laurent feature higher percentages of oils as opposed to cheaper colognes containing subpar ingredients and high levels of artificial scents and alcohol.
What is the most popular YSL cologne?
Y Le Parfum is the most popular fragrance created by YSL. The sweet and sophisticated notes from patchouli, grapefruit, and ginger make it the top choice for ultra-modern men.
What is the newest YSL cologne?
The Y Eau de Parfum, released in 2021, is an intense and sensual interpretation of the iconic Y scent. YSL Y cologne is as fresh, powerful, and elegant.
Which YSL cologne is the best?
The smooth and attractive La Nuit de L’Homme is classic, masculine, and sexy. It has decent longevity of eight hours and moderate sillage, making it a highly versatile fragrance for men.