Yves Saint Laurent Y dupes

What is YSL Y?

Y is a men's fragrance by Yves Saint Laurent. This page is about Y Eau de Parfum, which came out in September 2018.

It followed the first Y, an Eau de Toilette from 2017. The Eau de Parfum came in a darker bottle and quickly became the more popular of the two.

It was made by Dominique Ropion and Claire Liégent.

Ropion is one of the most respected perfumers working today, and also made Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady and Mugler Alien.

The idea: a white shirt and a black jacket

YSL described Y Eau de Parfum as a scent version of the brand's classic look: a crisp white shirt under a black jacket.

The white shirt is the fresh part. The black jacket is the darker, woody part underneath.

It is a useful way to think about it. Y is fresh on top and warm at the bottom, and it tries to be smart and casual at the same time.

What does it smell like?

The top notes are apple, ginger and bergamot. The middle is sage, juniper berries and geranium.

The base is amberwood, tonka bean, cedar, vetiver and olibanum, which is frankincense.

In plain words, it smells like a crisp green apple with a fresh herbal edge, over clean, warm woods. Many owners say it smells like expensive soap.

Fragrantica files it as an aromatic fougère. That is the family of fresh, herbal men's scents that barbershop colognes come from.

How it changes on your skin

The opening. Bright apple and zingy ginger, with a fresh citrus lift. One long-time owner said the apple and sage opening lasts about twenty minutes.

The middle. The sage and juniper come forward. It turns greener, more herbal and a little like gin.

The drydown. It settles into a warm, woody, clean skin scent. The same owner described it as warm, woody and clean, staying for seven or eight hours.

Why people love it

It is one of the most liked men's scents of its time. On Fragrantica, it has close to thirty thousand ratings, and love votes far outnumber everything else.

It is safe almost everywhere. Owners wear it to the office, on dates, at weddings and on weekends.

It also works in heat. One owner tested it in very humid summer weather and said it still smelled clean by evening.

Many people say it is the one bottle they reach for without thinking. One owner with over forty bottles called it "the safest bottle I own and somehow also my favourite."

Why some people don't

The most common complaint is that it is everywhere. Because so many men wear it, some find it boring or generic.

Its own fans admit it is not a head-turner. The same owner who loved it wrote that nobody will stop you on the street for it.

Some people find the apple too sweet or too young. Others want a scent with more character than a clean, crowd-pleasing one.

Eau de Toilette vs Eau de Parfum

People often mix up the two, so it is worth being clear.

The 2017 Eau de Toilette is brighter, sharper and more citrusy. It leans on a cool, almost metallic freshness.

The 2018 Eau de Parfum is warmer and rounder. The apple is juicier, and the woody, amber base is much stronger.

Most people prefer the Eau de Parfum. It is the one clone houses copy, and it is the one this page covers.

Is Y like Sauvage or Bleu de Chanel?

They are cousins, not twins. All three are fresh, clean, modern men's scents that sit on a woody amber base.

Dior Sauvage is spicier and more peppery, with a loud, salty freshness. Bleu de Chanel is smoother and more citrus and incense.

Y stands apart with its apple and its herbal sage and juniper. If you like one of the three, you will probably like the others, but Y is the sweetest and most herbal.

What "amberwood" means

Amberwood in the base is not a real wood. It is a name for a group of man-made woody amber materials.

They give a warm, dry, slightly salty glow that lasts for hours. They are a big part of why modern fresh scents last longer than old colognes.

They are also why some people call these scents synthetic. If that note bothers you in other modern men's scents, it may bother you here too.

How long does it last?

Well. On Fragrantica, most voters call its longevity long lasting, and the next biggest group says moderate.

Projection is moderate to strong. It is noticeable without filling a room.

The dupes

Y is one of the most copied men's scents. The clone houses compete hard on it, because so many people want that clean, safe smell for less.

We list several dupes. Here is how owners rank them.

The best known: Armaf Odyssey Mega

Odyssey Mega is the dupe most people name first. Owners say the smell is very close.

One owner who wears the original every day as a signature scent bought Mega when their bottle ran low. They asked their wife to blind test the two, and she picked Mega as the original, and preferred it.

Not everyone agrees on how close it is. A popular reply on another review said it is "definitely not 1:1 but serviceable," more diluted and weaker.

That is the real catch: performance. Several owners call its longevity mediocre, and even fans say the original lasts longer.

And almost everyone complains about the sprayer. Owners compare it to a water pistol.

Also close: Lattafa Sheikh Al Shuyukh Final Edition

Owners rate this one highly too. It lasts longer than many Y clones.

It smells more herbal than the original, because of extra lemongrass and rose. One owner described it as "a more mature version of Y."

Close, but thinner: Maison Alhambra Yeah

Yeah gets the opening very close. One owner of the original said the first part is "pretty close."

The problem comes later. The same owner said that after about two hours, Yeah "gets thin and synthetic," while Y stays smooth.

It also does not last a full workday.

Sweeter takes: Lattafa Fakhar and Fakhar Black

Fakhar is sweeter and more youthful than Y. It pushes the green apple to the front.

One owner bought Y because they loved Fakhar, then found they preferred Fakhar.

Fakhar Black is the one more often called a Y clone. Owners are split on it.

Some say it smells very close, and one called it Y "without the metallic note." Another owner who wears Y as a staple said they did not get the hype.

Other names you will see

You will also see the Odyssey Mega Limited Edition and Odyssey Mega Man. They are Armaf's other versions in the same style.

The Limited Edition is fruitier and smoother than the original Y. We list both with lower confidence, because fewer owners have compared them side by side.

Which should you buy?

Buy the original if you want the smoothest drydown and the best staying power. It is the one owners of clones keep coming back to.

Buy Odyssey Mega if you want the closest smell for less, and you are happy to spray a bit more.

Buy Sheikh Al Shuyukh Final Edition if you want longer wear and do not mind a more herbal twist.

Buy Fakhar if you like it sweeter and younger.

Skip all of them if you want something unique. Y and its clones are popular because they are safe.

Is Y only for young men?

It has a young reputation, mostly because of the sweet apple at the start. It is very popular with students and men in their twenties.

But it is not childish. The herbal heart and the warm, woody base make it easy to wear at any age.

If you are older and the apple feels too sweet, the darker Y Le Parfum may suit you better. If you are younger, the Eau de Parfum is a classic first good bottle.

Is Y a good blind buy?

For most people, yes. A blind buy means buying without smelling it first.

Y is liked by a very wide range of people, and it is hard to wear wrong. If you have never smelled it, a clone or a small sample is still a cheap way to check.

When to wear it

Y works all year. On Fragrantica, spring and summer get the most votes, but fall is close behind.

It suits day better than night, but plenty of people wear it in the evening too. It is a classic office and everyday scent.

Tips for wearing it

Do not over-spray in a small space. Y projects more than you think, and the apple can get loud.

For clones, try spraying on skin rather than over lotion. One owner found that clones like Fakhar Black lasted longer that way.

New clone bottles often smell harsher at first. Give them a few weeks before you decide.

Newer versions

YSL has made many versions of Y since 2018. The Eau de Toilette is lighter and fresher.

Y Le Parfum is darker and stronger. Y Elixir is the richest, and Y Eau de Parfum Intense is a warmer take on this one.

This page and its dupes are about the 2018 Eau de Parfum, which most people mean when they say "Y."

The bottom line

YSL Y Eau de Parfum is a fresh apple and herbal scent over clean, warm woods. It smells like expensive soap and works almost anywhere.

It is not daring, and that is the point. If you want the smell for less, Odyssey Mega is the closest, but the original still wins on smoothness and staying power.