A Definitive Ranking of the Best YSL Perfumes of All Time

It’s no secret Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most coveted design labels on the planet, and the brand’s collection of beauty products—its boldly composed perfumes, in particular—is no exception. For some context, Algeria-born Yves Saint Laurent moved to Paris as a teen, where he worked for designer Christian Dior until he began his own namesake label in 1961 alongside his partner Pierre Bergé. Of course, fashion was the preliminary focus, but by the ’70s, Saint Laurent had begun his foray into the beauty space. (Fun fact: As Vanity Fair reported here, YSL was actually the first makeup and fragrance brand to have a fashion house’s name attached to it.) 

Makeup ensued, followed by fragrance and skincare, and today, YSL perfumes are some of the most wanted and coveted in the business. Another fun fact? Zoë Kravitz is the spokesperson for YSL’s famed perfume Black Opium, and her famous father, Lenny Kravitz, was recently named the new ambassador for its Y Eau de Parfum. We receive tons of questions asking which YSL perfumes are the “best” or which bottles we recommend, specifically, as editors. So we thought we’d create a fun ode to YSL and its iconic line of scents.