8 Best YSL Men Colognes You Can’t Ignore
Yves Saint Laurent released his first women’s perfume, Y, in 1964, inspired by Chanel. He described the perfume as “lush, heavy, and languid.” The designer shocked the world of high fashion just seven years later by posing nude to promote Pour Homme, the first and best YSL men cologne who cares about fashion.
Now, a little more than 50 years later, the brand offers more than 216 perfumes and colognes. YSL men’s colognes are high-quality, long-lasting scents for men who are stylish and know what they want. They are also complex, charming, and smooth.
Yves Saint Laurent cologne always delivers, from the classic, manly Kouros launched by YSL in 1981 to the modern, trendy Y.
Lenny Kravitz, a rock star, said, “I’ve always been a fan of Yves Saint Laurent,” when he became the new face of Y men’s cologne in 2020. of his art, his lifestyle, and his courage, as well as his job. He was very diverse and drew inspiration from many sources. I also like Saint Laurent already. All. I didn’t have to fit into it or think about it. I’ve been living it for a very long time. The work together feels natural.
You can trust that I do the necessary research before endorsing a smell. Also, when picking the best men’s scents ever, YSL colognes are among my favorites.
We’ve made a list of the eight best YSL men colognes to make the process less stressful and more fun. Read on to find your next signature cologne.
1. Y Eau de Parfum YSL Cologne
Best Overall
In 2017, YSL started the Y cologne line for guys. Out of all the different types in this famous range, Eau de Parfum is the most notable. Contemporary, fresh, and manly, this Yves Saint Laurent cologne fits the modern guy.
Bergamot, lemon, and ginger are the top notes. Orange blossom, juniper, clary sage, lavender, and geranium make up the main notes. At the same time, the base shows cedarwood, cocoa, balsam, musk, amber, tonka, and vanilla. It makes a cologne that smells like wood and spice, with fresh notes.
It is not easy to make a smell that really works in any season. But Y Eau de Parfum works perfectly for every season, from spring to winter and everything in between. Even better, this scent is suitable for both day and night. The longevity is impressive, which is excellent for your wallet; your bottle will last longer since fewer top-ups are needed.
There is no question that Y Eau de Parfum is the perfect fragrance, and women love it. If you want to treat yourself to one YSL cologne this year, the good news is that you just found the smell that fits you best.
- Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Juniper
- Middle Notes: Clary Sage, Lavender, Cocoa
- Base Notes: Cedarwood, Amber, Tonka Bean
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
2. L’Homme Travel Set
Best YSL Cologne Set
Buying your favorite YSL cologne in a gift set is one of the best ways to do it. This YSL cologne set includes a 3.4oz bottle of L’Homme and a 0.33oz travel spray.
If you don’t want your cologne to get noticed before you walk into a room, then you don’t spray too much. That’s perhaps not bad, but by the end of the day, your smell has gone away.
The 0.33oz spray is perfect for tossing in a wash bag or gym kit. Then put on your cologne several times throughout the day to keep a fresh, light scent.
This Yves Saint Laurent cologne is a warm citrus-spice blend paired with fresh, green flowers. YSL L’Homme is better suited for the afternoon in mild weather, like spring and fall.
- Top Notes: Ginger, Bergamot, Lemon, Spices
- Middle Notes: Violet Leaf, White Pepper, Basil
- Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vetiver
- Available Sizes: 3.4 oz, 0.33 oz
3. Kouros YSL Cologne
Best Long Lasting
Kouros is the best YSL perfume for guys when it comes to staying power. This classic scent took over in YSL’s cologne collection in 1981.
We know what thought crossed your mind: this smell must be out of style, right? It’s a standard, but it’s not old-fashioned. YSL Kouros is musky and rugged and will always smell that way. It has many hints of leather and wood.
There are also some lighter notes in the mix, such as clary sage, bergamot, carnation, geranium, and jasmine. But vetiver, cinnamon, honey, musk, oakmoss, and patchouli smell even better.
This cologne’s longevity, sillage, and projection are all off the charts. That means you can wear it for 8 to 12 hours or more without it fading. This animal-like scent is best suited for fall and winter, especially on long nights. If you aren’t shy, YSL Kouros is a cologne for you. When you wear Kouros, people will smell it and talk about it a lot.
- Top Notes: Coriander, Clary Sage, Bergamot
- Middle Notes: Patchouli, Vetiver, Cinnamon, Geranium, Jasmine
- Base Notes: Leather, Musk, Oakmoss, Amber, Tonka Bean
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
4. L’Homme YSL Cologne
Best for Summer
Listen in if you’ve ever thought about why your favorite YSL perfumes smell different in the winter compared to the summer. A hotter body will make a scent grow faster, which means that you will get to those base notes faster. Plus, heat makes your cologne smell stronger and more intense.
This fact has a few implications: To begin, choose a lighter fragrance, such as one with green or lemon notes. Second, don’t forget to avoid over-spraying. Instead, give a light spray and put on small amounts again and again throughout the day.
L’homme is a perfume that has all the qualities of a perfect summer smell. The perfume starts with a tangy citrus mix, then moves to a spicy, green heart, and finishes with a woody base. This YSL cologne has a pleasant scent that makes you smell clean, crisp, and fresh all day long.
- Top Notes: Ginger, Bergamot, Lemon, Spices
- Middle Notes: Violet Leaf, White Pepper, Basil
- Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vetiver
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz, 0.33 oz
5. L’Homme Parfum Intense YSL Cologne
We’ll soon update links to buy this product directly.
Best for Winter
Our skin loses moisture when the temperature drops. Also, dry skin doesn’t hold scent, so your fragrance will wear off much faster. So, if your go-to YSL cologne in the summer doesn’t work in the winter, what should you wear?
L’Homme’s darker, hotter, and heavier brother is YSL L’Homme Parfum Intense. The top notes of both YSL colognes are citrus and pepper. The Parfum Intense has a stronger amber and wood base, and the leather and suede notes make the scent last longer.
This is the best YSL cologne for guys in winter thanks to its rich, warm base notes. But don’t forget to moisturize your body before you spray to make your smell even better.
Because this cologne can smell a bit sweet on some people, test a small area of skin first to see if it works for you.
- Top Notes: Lemon, Black Pepper, Bergamot, Orange Blossom
- Middle Notes: Violet Leaf, Ambergris
- Base Notes: Leather, Suede, Cedar
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
6. Y Eau Fraiche YSL Cologne
Best for Every Day
If the most perfect everyday mix for you is fresh, energetic, and zesty, then Y Eau Fraîche is the best YSL cologne.
Y Eau Fraîche is perfect for the daytime and for warm seasons like spring and summer. Lemon, ginger, pepper, geranium, mint, juniper berries, lavender, and cedar are some of the notes in this scent. We love this scent because the lemon in it is fresh and sharp, not fancy and smooth. For busy guys, it’s the ideal morning pick-me-up.
A lot of people love how light this YSL cologne is, but some guys might see that as a problem. An Eau Fraîche has a very light scent that lasts 3 to 6 hours. So, if you want to keep smelling good, you’ll need to reapply your perfume or cologne several times a day.
Also, you can get better results by spraying cologne on wet skin right after you shower.
- Top Notes: Lemon, Ginger, Pepper, Geranium
- Middle Notes: Mint, Juniper Berries, Lavender
- Base Notes: Cedar
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
7. La Nuit de L’Homme YSL Cologne
Best for Night Time
When the day is over, grab a Yves Saint Laurent cologne that makes you feel strong and sexy. YSL La Nuit de L’Homme is the best YSL cologne for hot nights and other significant events.
As a flanker of the L’Homme line, La Nuit naturally has some notes in common with fragrances you may already know. Bergamot and pepper have a familiar smell at first. It gets more interesting in the middle and at the base.
The heart of the smell is made up of juicy, fruity notes. This YSL cologne has a fun, youthful advantage over the others, thanks to its notes. As expected, vetiver is in the middle, along with patchouli.
It lasts a long time, about 7 to 8 hours of wear. But the smell stays pretty close to the skin when it comes to projection. If you want a YSL cologne that is strong and can be smelled from far away, this may not be the right one.
- Top Notes: Lemon, Ginger, Pepper, Geranium
- Middle Notes: Mint, Juniper Berries, Lavender
- Base Notes: Cedar
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
8. Tuxedo YSL Cologne
Best Luxury
If you like spending money on niche luxury colognes and admit that’s what you do, you might think that the more popular perfume names don’t have anything you’ll like. Have another look.
Yves Saint Laurent a créé Le Vestiaire des Parfums in 2015. This high-quality five-piece set is based on classic YSL clothing. Tuxedo is the best YSL cologne for guys who think of themselves as classic and elegant.
The notes include bergamot, bourbon vanilla, patchouli, ambergris, lily of the valley, black pepper, rose, coriander, and violet leaf. YSL Tuxedo is a perfect work of art; it’s boozy, rich, smooth, and hot.
Tuxedo is gender-neutral, but the patchouli and coriander make it smell more masculine. Patchouli is a smell that men usually love or hate. We believe you’ll fall in love with this YSL cologne the first time you smell it. But because a Tuxedo is expensive, it’s still a good idea to try it on first.
- Top Notes: Violet Leaf, Coriander, Bergamot, Rose
- Middle Notes: Black Pepper, Lily of the Valley, Patchouli
- Base Notes: Ambergris, Bourbon Vanilla
- Available Sizes: 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz
Things to Consider When Buying YSL Men Colognes
Size
We all know that size is essential, and it’s the first thing to think about before buying a big bottle of your favorite Yves Saint Laurent cologne. Most of the time, bigger bottles cost less per spray, so if you’re sure you want to use a particular cologne, a 3.4 oz bottle is the best choice.
On the other hand, if you’re trying a new fragrance or picking one that will be a signature scent for the season, consider the smaller 1.7 oz option. Even better, why not get the benefits of two things at once with a cologne set like L’Homme with Travel Spray? The set has a 3.4 oz spray and a 0.33 oz pocket spray for men who like to stay fresh while they’re out and about.
How long has it been lasting?
Yves Saint Laurent colognes smell great, last a long time, and are expensive. Eau de Parfum usually has about 15–20% perfume oil, which is a lot compared to other types. Because of this, their scent will last 6 to 8 hours, easily outlasting other brands.
If you want to go even further with the scent, choose Kouros’s keeping power. This scent can easily last up to 12 hours, so you’ll smell good from sunset to sunrise on date night. But if you like wearing a different YSL cologne at night, you don’t want your daytime smell to stay on your skin. Y Eau Fraiche is a light cologne that lasts for two to three hours.
Season
Even though some scents can be used any time of the year, it’s smarter to pick a different one for each season. It’s easy to tell which cologne is better for cold places. For this, consider scents that are spicy and woody for the colder seasons, like L’Homme Parfum Intense.
In the spring and summer, wear a romantic perfume that is citrusy, fresh, and floral, like YSL’s famous L’Homme. When you are ready to pick a YSL cologne for the summer, try a test patch. Michael Edwards, a perfume expert, says you should “pay attention to its performance in the warmer weather, as different fragrances will vary in performance depending on their materials.”
Faqs
Final Verdict
YSL men colognes are more than fragrances they are a statement of style, confidence, and individuality. From iconic classics like Kouros to modern favorites like Y Eau de Parfum, every scent is crafted for men who know what they want. Whether you need a fresh daytime scent, a spicy evening aroma, or a luxurious statement fragrance, YSL men colognes have you covered. Choose your signature scent, and let it reflect your personality while leaving a lasting impression wherever you go.
