These Are the Best YSL Fragrances of All Time, According to Cosmo’s Beauty Team

In Cosmo’s ranked review of all eight variations of the YSL Libre perfume, this one came out on top as the undisputed favorite. Think of this as a deeper, more intense (as the name suggests) version of the OG Libre. It has the same key notes—lavender, orange blossom, and vanilla—but the overall effect is richer and more sultry. Cosmo editors also say it lasts significantly longer than the other Libre iterations.Key notesLavender, orange blossom, vanilla bourbonCosmo beauty editor Beth Gillette loves this YSL fragrance so much that she was willing to cross international borders to get her hands on it. “I tracked this down in the U.K. before it was available stateside because every PerfumeTok creator I follow was obsessed with it,” she says. “Finally, it’s available here, and it’s slowly getting its flowers but still so underrated when stood next to the likes of Libre and Black Opium. Babycat is a spicy vanilla perfume, with so much depth and richness that it doesn’t really initially ring as a clear vanilla fragrance. Of every perfume I own (and I own hundreds), it’s the sexiest, thanks to that mix of pepper and boozy bourbon vanilla.”Key notesBlack pepper essence, vanilla, suede accordAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowSexy, fruity, and floral, this fresh YSL eau de parfum is a go-to for Beauty Editor at Large Julee Wilson. “Mon Paris is hands down my favorite YSL fragrance right now, but the reason why has everything to do with its predecessor,” she says. “Growing up, my mom’s signature scent was the iconic YSL Paris, a gorgeous, powdery floral that, to this day, smells like love and home to me. I adored it so much that I wore it on my wedding day because there’s no better scent to celebrate love than the one that taught me what love smells like in the first place. Sadly, the OG is no longer in production (still not over it!), but YSL gave that romantic energy a modern remix with Mon Paris. It’s a little fresher, a little flirtier, but still has that same feminine magic that made me fall head over heels for the original.”Key notesRed berries, white datura flower, white muskBlack Opium is far from niche, but there’s good reason why this iconic EDP has been a staple in the fragrance world for so many years. It’s sweet but not headache-y, feminine but not saccharine, and has an air of mystery to it thanks to a coffee note. It’s long been my personal favorite of all the YSL fragrances. I don’t always get along with vanilla, but Black Opium includes it as a base note that lets the perfume settle on my skin for a warm, sexy finish.Key notesCoffee, white flowers, vanillaAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowWith Muse, YSL has turned a powdery floral into a genderless scent category. And it’s certainly not your grandma’s powdery floral, either. “Most of the time, when people think of powdery perfumes, they’re thinking of rose, iris, or violet,” says Gillette. “Muse, however, keeps that vintage quality but reimagined it with lavender, clary sage, ambrette, and incense. It’s refined and chic, and there’s an ink note that makes this smell totally unique and modern.”Key notesOrris concrete, vanilla bourbon absolute, ink accordThere aren’t a lot of fragrances we’d recommend as blind buys, but this is one of the few. This iconic floral set the stage for many more iterations to come; the original Libre features a universally-loved balance of fresh, floral, and warm notes. “This perfume is one of the most stunningly constructed florals I've ever smelled,” says Gillette. “The mix of orange, lavender, and vanilla are so grounding and fresh, but break up the scent so it's deeper and less powdery.”Key notesLavender, orange blossom, vanilla, cedarwoodAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowOkay, I’m sneaking a men’s fragrance in here too, if you’re cool with it. This is one of my absolute favorite scents on my boyfriend—so much so that I’ve given him two bottles (that second one is almost empty, so I know it’s his go-to, too). It’s fresh, bold and a little spicy, thanks to notes like bergamot, ginger, sage, and apple accord. He does about four or five spritzes in the morning, and I can still smell it on him by the end of the day.Key notesGeranium, sage, sensual woodCatharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan and was previously the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention.