Y Le Parfum: Invitation to Higher Values

Y Le Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent
Amber Fougere

In Y Le Parfum you find sweetness and fruitiness together with aldehydes in the opening. The mid is traditionally masculine with sage, lavender and geranium. The dry-down is creamy and oriental with tonka bean, balsamic olibanum and sexy incense.

Y Le Parfum is for a man who is confident and sensitive at the same time and wants to leave a good impression. He appreciates the contrast in this fragrance. It is fresh and aromatic as well as deeply alluring. I can see this more as an evening wear. It is a showcase of elegance and sophistication.

Y Le Parfum is a great blend, a generally likeable fragrance in all walks of life, younger or older does not matter, a relatively safe blind buy. Because of that niche perfume snobs could argue it is not interesting enough, another unnecessary release … totally predictable scent by Yves Saint Laurent. There is always this dilemma as to what extent perfume can be unique and when enough is enough. In that case, I would ask: “Do you actually wear your fragrances?.

Le Male: The Cool Dad Fragrance

Le Male EDT by Jean Paul Gaultier
Amber Fougere
Francis Kurkdjian

These days Le Male represents the old-fashioned type of advertising – to be irresistible for women. The scent is masculine and sensual and it gave men the impulse to take care of their appearance and the confidence to openly attract women. We still want that but it is not our prior intention anymore, I would say. It is more about finding who we are and what makes us happy, a personal journey which is hard yet beautiful.

Le male does not smell like a typical male after-shave. Don’t get me wrong, it has a barber shop ground but it is sexier and sweeter with an oriental touch. The main notes are lavender, mint and vanilla. It is a cool daddy fragrance that lasts and projects.

Is it still relevant for the kids today? I would not be bothered wearing it. But definitely get your nose on it and pause and appreciate what was ground-breaking twenty-five years ago. Although I would not wear it and would be probably “only” okay if my significant other wore it, it deserves respect the same way some other iconic female fragrances do.