Myslf L’Absolu by YSL

L’Absolu is the latest Myslf flanker for 2025. It is the third installment in this increasingly popular fragrance series from YSL, but is it actually any good?

I purchased a travel sprayer of Absolu recently to test it out and put it through its paces. How does Myslf Absolu smell? Does it last long? Is it an improvement on the formula or not worth a try?

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Myslf L’Absolu Overview

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, cardamom, orange blossom, woods, patchouli

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My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: An intense men’s cologne with a warm, woody-floral scent, amplified by cool spices and ginger for a long-lasting, radiant trail. Bergamot, ginger, and cardamom top notes offer an invigorating burst of cool spices. Rich orange blossom is at the heart, enhanced by sensual woods and deep patchouli.

Absolu really starts out well with the ginger notes taking center stage alongside that familiar bergamot note. It does indeed have a cool spiciness to it, quite fresh, and the cardamom will become more noticeable after 5-10 minutes.

That initial citrus burst in the opening will take a step back and it becomes a spicier floral blend with the ginger, cardamom, and the signature orange blossom.

You’ll notice the similarities between Absolu, EDP, and Le Parfum. To me, this one is closer to the eau de parfum overall and not as purely earthy and floral as Parfum. You get some more complexity beyond the original, but it’s more wearable for most people.

At this point, the scent has warmed up from that initial colder feeling. It still has a sparkling and slightly sweet aroma to it. The spiciness isn’t as intense and Absolu, has transitioned into its floral heart.

Orange blossom, obviously. If you’ve tried either of the other Myslf fragrances, you already know what to expect. I do think that there is another floral addition here, sort of getting a jasmine quality in the mix. It’s slight and might just be how all of the notes are interacting with one another.

The dry down is orange blossom, woods, and cardamom. There’s only a bit of patchouli peaking through on my skin. For me, I get much more of that from Le Parfum. This cardamom note seems to be a sweeter variety and has a bit of that lemon-like aroma.

Not super spicy in the back half, very nice, but more generic than what I get from the opening.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is not a heavy fragrance. It doesn’t have the same density or thickness of the Parfum version. However, this actually projects very well for a designer scent.

The first few hours especially have a far reach for me. I’ve sprayed it on a shirt across the room from me and can still pick it up well after that. Not a complete monster or anything, but I feel like I get plenty of coverage with Absolu.

Longevity wise, I still get 9-10 hours with this one, which is what I get with Myslf Le Parfum. So, it’s about equal performance between those two and better than EDP.

Seasonally, Myslf Absolu works year round basically. I’d say it’s better in moderate to warmer temperatures, maybe wear something else in the extremes, but this is a highly versatile daily wear from YSL.

Daytime or nighttime. A well put together floral cologne whose fresh spiciness will also play up during the evenings. Crowd pleasing with a bit of an edge. This could easily be plenty of people’s main fragrance or only one for that matter.

I think it’s more approachable as a floral than is Le Parfum and a more mature and refined cologne than is the eau de parfum.

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Overall Impressions of Myslf L’Absolu

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, between testing this one out and also wearing Le Parfum again over the past week, I think that this is my favorite of the series thus far.

Absolu takes this series to a higher level for me. The first two were good fragrances that I enjoyed, but this Myslf flanker is bordering great.

The ginger and cardamom fresh spice up top, pair well with that more subdued use of the bergamot note. There’s a sweetness there initially too, but this one feels like a deeper version of the EDP formula without becoming as orange blossom dominant as Le Parfum (which I liked, personally).

It’s smoothness in the dry down is well done. I don’t get as much patchouli from this one, as in Le Parfum, as Absolu stays well balanced and fresh.

Now, the price being $210 retail is a bit much. YSL is definitely reaching. Initially, that will probably be a hurdle for some people.

I’d say wait on it making its way to discounters at some point. I’ve seen bottles of EDP at the same size for around $130 (and probably cheaper). Is this worth paying nearly twice as much? Probably not, especially if you already like wearing EDP.

If you already have one of the Myslf colognes that you enjoy, I don’t think that you need to rush out and buy this one. It’s different, but they all have a lot of the same use cases, so it could just be redundant to pick this one up too.

Yes, it’s better, but may not be worth it for everyone.

Try it out for sure, because you might eventually want this as a replacement for EDP or Le Parfum.