Y Eau de Parfum Intense by Yves Saint Laurent

This fragrance gets hate on TikTok, but on my nose, it is a more serious and unique blue than the Y EDP, which feels a bit more playful. This version exudes confidence. The creamy tonka bean that plagued the over-sprayed EDP fades away, replaced by a herbal/floral touch that adds depth without being intrusive. For me, it surpasses the EDT, EDP, and Le Parfum. As with the whole line, the performance is lacking, but for everything else, a solid 8.5/10.

I tried it in decant to see the differences with the original Y EDP. Honestly, there is little or nothing from the Intense. It is 85% similar to the normal EDP at the start, but without the tonka bean that I personally hate and which made me dizzy in the EDP. This makes it more bearable, reminding me of Valentino Coral as it dries down. However, the performance is disappointing: on skin and clothes it does not exceed two hours, which is painful. The aroma is pleasant for the first hour, but then it disappears and loses appeal. It is hard to justify it beyond a decant. If I had to buy a bottle, I would choose the EDP. The low performance of the Intense does not fully convince me. Final rating: 7.8/10.

A perfume with aura, giving a sense of level and security, ‘the boss is coming’. Hyper-masculine, impossible not to like, but it is not a compliment bomb profile. The opening is sharp but settles quickly, leaving a rich woody profile. It fixes well and projects better; it is dense for extreme temperatures but works up to 25 degrees. Better suited for formal occasions or those over 30. Using it to buy bread is a waste. Before buying, analyse the price as it is often inflated. If you have the budget to spare, buy it blind to have a sober alternative.

I believe it is the most mature in the line. I have the EdT and EdP (2017 and ’18) and the Live. In this version, the apple and amber from the beginning are gone, giving it a more mature air fitting my age. I feel it is darker and more elegant. Anyway, of the ones I know, this Y Intense is the one I like the most.

It is a rich, classic, and dark aroma, pleasant and unpretentious. It lacks the DNA of the others; the woods remind me of Hugo Boss Bottled Parfum, but this is fresher, with that blue fruity touch of juniper berries, like the plum in Bad Boy Cobalt. It’s like combining those two perfumes in this presentation. I do not consider it mature, just dark and elegant, something to wear well-dressed. It suits anyone, being more versatile than the HB and more serious than the CH.

Undervalued version. It’s not a different perfume, but it’s very complimentary. It stands out among its siblings for its more herbal and aromatic touch. It evolves to become perhaps the ‘Y’ that is most mature, yet a mature scent usable for all ages. Longevity: 7.5/10. Projection: 9/10 (first few hours).

Excellent version. I was testing most of the flankers. I’m a 34-year-old man: the Fraiche version is a hit but not long-lasting, the EDT too loud and somewhat boring, the EDP delicious but very youthful, and the Le Parfum nothing memorable. This version is perfect: long-lasting with a good trail. A mature and semi-formal aroma, perfect for almost any occasion. My favourite for the office, king of compliments.

One of the most versatile on the market, except in extreme heat. More mature than the EDP with good performance. Subjectively, I don’t like wearing it, just like the rest of the line, although it smells good on others from a distance. Fortunately, I only bought a decant.

Replying to Rvela7823: I also notice a similar iris peeking through the rest. Bridging the logical gap, it’s like the iris in Prada L’Homme. It’s a less sharp and strident version than the Y Eau de Parfum, especially in the dry down. Within the DNA, it’s softer, rounder, with less sparkle and that original chemical green touch. I see it as a modern, adult, elegant, and very masculine fougère. Very versatile and good value. At first, I thought it was worse than the EDT, but after testing them together with decants, I like this one more. A good buy if you don’t want to complicate things and want to smell good.

Incredible opening; freshly sprayed it’s super fresh, masculine, and clean, with a citrus-herbal and spicy aroma. The sage feels super alive. As it dries, for the first 5 minutes it smells quite like a fougère with a vintage vibe. For those who don’t like sweet blue fragrances, it’s a super good option. It seems a great update of nineties perfumes mixed with current trends. Quite masculine and striking, as if the Y family DNA had put on a classic outfit. You can feel the base of the Y, but without that generic blue fragrance look. This review is a dry down test; I haven’t tested it on skin yet, but the projection looks good… we’ll see the longevity, as everything modern is deceptive (potent openings that fade in 2 hours). I was surprised; I expected more of the same, but it’s an interesting and different contribution to the typical. It could be for over 25s, quite versatile.

Either my batch is old or noses are just plugged here, because by the third hour it’s still buzzing in my head. It took a while to grow on me, but now that I wear it more, I absolutely love it. It’s a perfect designer option: all-rounder and reasonably priced. With the fever for elixirs disguised as EDPs, those 70€ won’t return. If you have a collection, it can’t be missing; if you prefer a few scents, use it in any season, day or night. Recommended purchase.

Y Eau de Parfum Intense is an aromatic woody fragrance. It has a fresh, slightly herbal and very aromatic opening, and as minutes pass it becomes more woody; you can perceive the fruity accord of the whole line, but in this version it’s less prominent, with greater emphasis placed on woody accords that give it a more mature character and also make it less versatile for different situations, although it is still a multi-season fragrance that could be worn at any time of year. In terms of performance, it maintains the good longevity of its sister fragrances (at least the EDT, EDP and Parfum), and is noticeable well during the first hour, though afterwards it fades to skin scent. Personally, I haven’t liked the Y line from YSL too much; if I were given a choice right now, I’d probably pick the EDT version they relaunched last year, but I think those who have enjoyed these fragrances might like this new version, and now that it’s new and can be tried at any perfumerie, I invite you to give it a go before buying.

I approached this fragrance with scepticism because the Why line from Yves Saint Laurent has never appealed to me, but I have to say this one has. It has a citrusy and earthy opening, almost fresh, but that’s only at the start. As it settles, you can smell a lot of lavender, leaving a floral sensation, and in its dry-down, where the floral punch remains but this time intermixed with patchouli and some woody touches, and I’d say amber, which gives a very distinguished and refined contribution. As for its projection, the truth is it’s limited to about 1 hour, maybe 2 hours after application, with a 1-metre trail. From then on it becomes more moderate. However, what has most caught my attention is its longevity: 8 hours after application it’s still projecting, and the day after application it’s still there; it’s a real beast, at least on my skin. I think it’s a fantastic fragrance for formal occasions, totally versatile in terms of climate, seasons and times of day. Very masculine, ideal for mature and confident men, it adds seriousness and formality. As for its value for money, the truth is it can be expensive, considering we’re dealing with a luxury brand.

It smells rich and pleasant, but the longevity is a disaster: after four hours it’s not even on the skin; it seems like an Eau de Toilette. If you like the scent, better to reach for another soft one with bergamot, which smells very similar on the skin; it’s The Scalpers Boxing Club, lasts the same, smells the same and costs half as much. Do you like it? It doesn’t drive me crazy but it tastes good. Would you recommend it? No, for that I buy Scalpers for less than half the price.

With the same DNA as the Y line, it shows a woody and foresty facet, putting fruit aside. The mix of citrus peels with rough sage and refined geranium gives it a more serious and classic aura. Berries and ginger are felt throughout the development, and woods finish rounding it off at the end. It’s good, classy, intense but not overdone. For older lads.