YSL Muse EDP (1/3) · Brotherhood Of Scent

Nov '25 (edited) • New Releases & Reviews 📝

YSL Muse EDP (1/3)

Right off the bat, let me say that it’s love at first sniff and everyone should definitely sample it if they can. It’s from Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Vestiaire des Parfums line, and the perfumer behind it is Marie Salamagne.

She’s the mind behind some remarkable creations like the big 3 of female fragrances: Black Opium, Gucci Flora and Alien Goddess, as well as By the Fireplace, Polo 67, Coach Green and Prada Paradigme.

Now, here’s what I think about YSL Muse. It opens with incense oil, Lavender Ourika and clary sage. The incense is unlike anything I’ve smelled before. Imagine taking the incense nuance from Cedrat Boise and amplifying its quality and oiliness to the maximum. To my nose, it doesn’t disappear quickly or get drowned out by other notes. It evolves beautifully as the scent develops.

I’ve noticed that fragrances featuring orris tend to impress me lately, and this one is no exception. The orris concrete here is stunning, creamy, velvety and slightly powdery in the most refined way. It’s joined by ambrette absolute and bourbon vanilla absolute, adding warmth and depth.

Once it dries down, the hero note shines with the ink accord, followed by amberwood. I’ve never smelled an ink accord in a fragrance before, but this captures the scent of a freshly written page perfectly, smooth, slightly mineral and sophisticated. A perfect companion for the amberwood that makes it feel like a vintage bookstore.

I once called Prada Luna Rossa Black a fragrance Batman would wear. This, on the other hand, is something Catwoman would wear. Unique, elegant, sophisticated, refined and effortlessly classy. It has single handedly changed my opinion on iris and orris fragrances. A true masterpiece. Someone on fragrantica called this a fluffy and creamy luxury ball point pen and i couldn't agree more.

The longevity is superb. Projection isn’t beastly, but it suits the scent’s character. Around 1 to 1.5 feet of projection for the first three hours, then it sits closer to the skin (just under a foot) for the next five hours. Even after that, it lingers as a strong skin scent and lasts far longer on clothes taking the total time to 10-12 hrs.

I’m giving this my highest score yet, 9.7/10. The only drawbacks are that the performance could’ve been slightly better and it’s on the expensive side. A 75 ml bottle retails for around £188, which honestly isn’t bad for something this refined. It slightly polarising and leans slightly feminine, but whether it’s me or my girlfriend wearing it, a full bottle is definitely on the way soon. I’m also keen to explore more from YSL’s Le Vestiaire des Parfums collection.

Did anyone else try this? Are there any similar fragrances you’d recommend?

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