A Definitive Ranking of the Best YSL Perfumes of All Time

We want all of them.

Jump to category:
By
last updated
in Buying Guides

It's no secret Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most coveted design labels on the planet, and the brand's collection of beauty products—its boldly composed perfumes, in particular—is no exception. For some context, Algeria-born Yves Saint Laurent moved to Paris as a teen, where he worked for designer Christian Dior until he began his own namesake label in 1961 alongside his partner Pierre Bergé. Of course, fashion was the preliminary focus, but by the '70s, Saint Laurent had begun his foray into the beauty space. (Fun fact: As Vanity Fair reported here, YSL Beauty was actually the first makeup and fragrance brand to have a fashion house's name attached to it.)

Makeup ensued, followed by some of the best fragrances and skincare, and today, YSL perfumes are some of the most wanted and coveted in the business. We receive tons of questions asking which YSL perfumes are the "best" or which bottles we recommend as beauty editors. So we thought we'd create a fun ode to YSL and its iconic line of scents.

There's no such thing as one "best" perfume. We're all unique human beings with entirely different tastes and preferences when it comes to scent. But we'd be remiss not to pay our respects to the most popular, fastest-selling perfumes from House YSL. Below, we're sharing our 5 favorites that continue to dominate the retailer's best seller lists. Looking for your new fragrance infatuation? Keep scrolling—you've come to the right place.

The Best YSL Perfumes, at a Glance

The Best YSL Perfumes of All Time

Best Sweet Scent: Paris Eau de Parfum

Best Woody Scent: Opium Eau de Parfum

Best Vanilla Scent: Black Opium Eau de Parfum

Best Musky Scent: Libre Eau de Parfum

Best Overall: Mon Paris Eau de Parfum

What to Look for

Any perfume lover knows that individual taste plays a huge role is what may be considered a "good" perfume. Still, there are a few things to consider. For example, you may not be willing to spend a certain amount of money for a certain sized bottle. You also might want a perfume you can layer or wear on its own. Additionally, you may want something that's more subtle or stronger. Fortunately, there's an option on this list for everyone, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to your personal preference.

How We Chose

As with all of our buying guides at Who What Wear, we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To find the best YSL perfumes, we leaned heavily our knowledge as beauty experts. We also considered several factors, including key notes and size. We're aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of needs and preferences, so we made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were also kept in mind when creating this list.

Why Trust Who What Wear

Since 2006, Who What Wear has been a digital fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publication and community where people can discover the latest brands, trends, and must-have products to help define and evolve their personal style. Think of Who What Wear as your most trusted style and shopping resource.

This article was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Explore More:
Erin Jahns
Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over five years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor.

Latest
You might also like
View More ▸