I Tested Every YSL Cologne—Here Are the Absolute Best Ones (2024)

You don’t have to be a fashion enthusiast to know about Yves Saint Laurent. The prolific french designer changed the way the world thinks about luxury and his legacy lives on through not only his fashion house but the scents it releases as well. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing them with a tuxedo or jeans and a T-shirt—these fragrances just scream elegance.

There’s no better way to instantly change how you feel than spraying on a cologne and YSL colognes not only impart a sense of confidence and swagger, but they aren’t the kind that instantly fill a room with a cloud of your cologne. They’re often more subtle, with less sillage (aka fragrance trail) than others, but that’s exactly the point. While the house of YSL stands for the ultimate luxury, it can also be quite understated, which is exactly what you want in a cologne. These are invitations, not break-the-door-down announcements. So, no matter when or where you’re wearing one, you’re sure to make the right impression.

This spicy-fresh-floral fragrance is the everyman of YSL fragrances. It’s clean-cut in a non-offensive but great-smelling way, with bright notes of citrus, just enough spice to give it some bite and clean, sweet notes of lavender and tonka bean—all with a crisp cedar and vetiver base. Think of it as a crisp white shirt—extremely versatile and suitable for every occasion.

Think of this as the younger brother to L’Homme. This aquatic, fresh scent is driven by a bouquet of fruits like apple and bergamot to create a fresh, light feeling that is perfect for daytime wear, but anchored with woods and a dash of tonka bean for a smooth sweetness at the finish which makes it also appropriate for nighttime. It’s alluring, but not aggressive, and makes a great signature scent.

As the name suggests, this sexy scent is ideal for nighttime wear. Yes, there is a freshness to it thanks to the bergamot and lavender, but it quickly dries down to let spices like cardamom and caraway shine. These aren’t nose-biting spices though, instead they’re smooth and almost sweet, especially when paired with woody cedar. There’s not a lot of projection with this one, but that’s exactly the point—it invites people to lean in close to smell you.

There are several olfactory signatures in the world of YSL cologne, like orange blossom and patchouli, but the newest fragrance from the house certainly feels the most modern. A burst of bergamot adds freshness and a base of patchouli and musky ambrofix (a synthetic molecule) anchors it to your skin, but it’s really all about the orange blossom, which gives it a bright, floral, cool-guy vibe.

Taking inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent’s unisex take on the tuxedo, which became a signature of the fashion house, this fragrance screams elegance. It’s technically unisex, which you may get from the floral opening notes, but it leans masculine (just like a tuxedo itself) thanks to the richness of the patchouli base and the warm, sexy amber and bourbon notes. It’s the ultimate black tie cologne which, of course, pairs perfectly with a tuxedo but makes you feel expensive no matter what you’re wearing.

If L’Intense is a fall version of L’Homme then this is the summer version. It’s another remix of the iconic L’Homme but this time it’s aquatic—like diving into a cold pool on a warm day. Sea notes give a mineraly, watery feeling to the top note that transforms the citrus and fruit notes into something less sharp and more sparkling like a crisp co*cktail that then dries down to patchouli and cedar notes without losing any of the freshness.

Like the original Y, this cologne is fresh and aquatic, just a little bigger and brasher. There’s amber in there for warmth and tonka bean for a little sweetness, as well as cedar and patchouli at the base just like the original. The higher concentration not only means it lasts longer but also that it’s more attention-grabbing.

Technically this is a flanker to the aforementioned L’Homme, which means it’s like a remix, but instead of the light, fresh feeling, this one is warm and cozy. In this one the citrus and floral opening features the addition of black pepper for a little spice and as it dries it becomes warmer and warmer thanks to the woody notes, a healthy dose of ambery ambergris and a suede accord that smells the way suede feels. It’s a smooth, confident scent that’s ideal for cool nights by a fire.

Garrett Munce is a seasoned grooming guru with more than a decade experience trying and testing colognes for men, including YSL colognes. He has tested every YSL cologne that's currently on the market.