Parisienne by Yves Saint Laurent

I received two Yves Saint Laurent perfume samples with the last batch that I ordered. One, was Black Opium, which I’ve already reviewed. The second is today’s entry, Parisienne. This is a somewhat recent addition to the YSL collection and seems to be intended for casual wear. In this post, I am going to go over my impression on how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Parisienne Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, musk, sandalwood, vinyl, vetiver, cranberry, violet, peony

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Eau-de-Parfume Spray, 3.0-Ounce

My Full Wear Review

My first impression of Parisienne is how much it smells like Midnight Romance, which I just reviewed a few days ago. The main difference between the two is that Parisienne is highlighted by the rose note, while the Ralph Lauren fragrance, is geared more towards raspberry.

Parisienne also has supporting berry notes which give it a bit of juiciness but this one does take on a much more powdery kind of aroma, as is to be expected with violet and rose together.

Parisienne is a softer type of perfume and while this EDP is noticeable, it is never ‘in your face’, and screaming out for attention. YSL made this one low key, sweet, and bright.

The vinyl is an interesting note to have in a fragrance, and adds a smooth familiar smelling layer, that lasts throughout the wear. On me, that note is never all that powerful, more so just lurking in the background as a consistent player.

It’s smooth, maybe has a bit of a plastic-like aroma. Though, it’s not bad for me. Perhaps, it could be a problem if it turns out stronger on your own skin.

Again, it does have that powdery essence to it, sort of like a collection of cosmetics. I really enjoy the blackberry and that tart cranberry at the top. Although, only the former really remains later on.

The final dry down period, consists of the rose/violet notes, with the berry playing a supporting role. Less powdery, more of the musk coming through during this period.

Then, there is a slightly woody/outdoorsy, base to Parisienne which gives it a bit more depth. It’s really never that powerful, just something you catch whiffs of, when wearing. It’s really a sandalwood and vetiver pairing.

To me, I get more of the sandalwood note on my skin. Just not a monstrous amount.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on Parisienne is not bad. It isn’t a heavy fragrance but you’ll notice it is there. Eventually, it does start to fade into more of a skin scent, but the sillage is still within a foot of the wearer.

At it’s peak, probably in the 5-6 foot range of projection. Good and not overwhelming at all.

Longevity is also just decent, 6 hours give or take, is what I got out of it during testing. Not an all day beast, but not one that craps out 10 minutes after application either. I do wish that you could squeeze at least a few more hours of wear from Parisienne.

Parisienne strikes me as more of a fun casual scent with undertones of sensuality, than something that is ‘sexy’ or for romantic type of wear.

It’s got a somewhat youthful vibe, but not a total teenager’s fragrance. Actually, it probably be a good perfume to have as one moves away from those super candy-like fragrances into something more mature.

Much like, Midnight Romance, I see it as best in warmer weather but possibly not the extremes of summer…spring would be great. One could wear it in colder weather, though, it would kind of seem out of place. Cool to moderate temperatures is ideal.

It is a versatile daytime wear, that can go casual, while being light enough for the office. It’s not really a formal scent or a seductive nightlife fragrance.

Overall Impressions of Parisienne

Overall, is Parisienne worth a look? I’d say yes. However, when comparing it to Midnight Romance, I prefer the Ralph Lauren fragrance to this Yves Saint Laurent. The juicy raspberry note smells better to me than the rose.

If you enjoy rose perfumes, but want something that isn’t a pure rose straight through, this could be a great casual find for you. I like the berry note, at the top, and the violet/rose combination in the dry down is quite a nice floral arrangement.

Parisienne doesn’t blow me away, but it is a very good fragrance nonetheless. There are much better Saint Laurent perfumes than this one. So, it’s not a must have.

It’s not too complex, but is a solid fragrance all around. Performance is pretty middle of the pack, could be better, but not bad enough for any serious complaints.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.