Y EDP Intense by YSL

Y EDP Intense is the latest offering in the series from YSL, after being released here in 2023. I purchased some samples in order to test it out and see whether it holds up to the rest of the line. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Intense actually worth a try?

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What does Y EDP Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: sage, patchouli, ginger, geranium, lavender, cedar, juniper berries

Click here to try: Y EDP Intense

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My Full Wear Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: This clean scent amplifies the iconic blend to the extreme by spicing it up with juniper berries and rich, woody patchouli. A deep blue sexy and fresh scent, with all-day-long intensity in a spray

The opening of Y EDP Intense is pretty familiar, in terms of what you get with the rest of the series. The same blue-ish aroma is there early, along with the powerful sage note from Y Eau de parfum (review).

Intense, doesn’t have the apple note, so, people who weren’t a fan of its sweetness may be pleased. It is replaced by a much shorter-lived juniper berry. I like its pairing here with the sage and other ingredients.

Early on you get a light bergamot, to go along with the cooler fresh spiciness. Geranium, ginger, and that sage note are all present creating a nice aromatic aroma.

I personally get around 20-30 minutes of this phase of the fragrance, before it begins to shift quite a bit. Things get earthier, warmer, less spicy.

The patchouli note is actually a large influence in the composition. This next phase is basically that, lavender, and geranium. Sage and juniper essentially fall off of the map.

This lasts for another hour or so, before it hits what you’re essentially going to get the rest of the way. However, during the shift the vetiver note, increases in strength until it eventually overtakes the patchouli.

The dry down is dry, woody, somewhat earthy, with some lavender hanging around still. Vetiver and patchouli are the main attractions, flanked by cedar, geranium, and lavender.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

So, that opening hour or so has pretty strong sillage. I might call it above average, just nothing insane. Especially, that first 30 minutes or so. It projects well and will leave a trail in your wake.

After that, it is a pretty intimate cologne after the first hour. By the third or so, it’s a skin scent. Really, I haven’t been getting great performance with this one.

The longevity is around 6.5 hours, on my skin. It’s strange, as I can get well into the double digit hours with Y EDP, much of the time. I have a full bottle of that and comparing these head to head, it’s really no contest.

Intense doesn’t have the Y EDP sillage or longevity.

Seasonally, EDP Intense actually has great versatility. Outside of the height of summer, this one could probably be worn without issue. I’ve worn it out on an extremely warm winter’s day and it did well. Also, have sprayed in the cold, and it fit in fine.

Stripped of its apple note, this has a slightly more mature profile than the original EDP. It’s not too intrusive, has a pleasantness about it, but I really wouldn’t call this one ‘sexy’ in any meaningful sense.

Casual to semi-formal, can go nightlife if need be. The fragrance’s versatility is where it can actually score higher marks.

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Overall Impressions of Y EDP Intense

Overall, do I like Y EDP Intense? Eh, it’s okay. The opening is intriguing, but it doesn’t really do anything for me thereafter. I have to say, it’s my least favorite Y scent, as of now. Even Eau Fraiche, was more enjoyable, even with its limited use case.

Once past that opening, it’s pretty bland. Lots of patchouli, then more of a vetiver-led dry down. Which isn’t bad, but if you want a woody aromatic or fougere, there are better options out there than this.

Y EDP Intense isn’t even great with the performance. The sillage and longevity of the original EDP are way better than this. Sure, that apple note with the sage bothers some people. But, it lasts long and projects like a beast. This, not so much.

Personally, I don’t have much use case for this. It isn’t terrible. However, at that price point, I’d rather buy a lot of other scents. In this series, I’d rather wear pretty much any of them before coming to this one. A pretty mid-range release all around from YSL.

If you’re a fan of the Y line, but didn’t really like the apple, maybe this would work. I’d test it out for sure, before committing though.