Bergamot hits first — bright, slightly tart, gone within minutes. The heart is where it earns its reputation: sage and geranium lock into the amberwood base early, creating a clean-but-substantial green-woody accord that smells polished without being stiff. Ginger adds a faint sharpness that keeps it from going sweet. Cedar grounds the dry-down into something dry and skin-close. Projection is moderate, sillage stays tasteful — present without announcing itself across the room. — A reliable everyday wear for spring and fall, built for the office or a first date.
The most-cited YSL Y dupe on Reddit — even the name is a nod; bergamot-sage-amberwood accord is near-identical.
“Yes they are 90% similar... ~> 2-3hrs longevity on skin and 10hrs on clothes. but very light projection which feels like no projection”
Reddit side-by-side comparison
Around 90% of Y EDP — a slightly sweeter, citrus-heavier opening that settles close to the original within half an hour.
masculine
Opening is scary-close to Y EDP; the mid and drydown reveal the gap with more sweetness and the occasional synthetic edge. Strong performer.
masculine
Oakcha's Y EDT pitch; sage-geranium-ambergris core faithful, sharper on the top.
masculine
Owners report a batch break around mid-2022, with newer EDP stock reading weaker (roughly 6h vs 8–9h and a softer apple-sage opening) and 2024 reviews calling it thinner; it is contested (some insist only the EDT changed). YSL's 2025 "Y Le Parfum" arrived as a rounder, longer-lasting alternative.
Read full reformulation history →The closest match, Maison Alhambra Yeah, scores accuracy 8 for $20–$35 — a small gap. For most buyers the dupe captures the scent; the original mainly buys you the bottle, the brand experience, and the last-phase nuance a budget formula tends to simplify. One caveat: the current formula is flagged as reformulated, so today's bottle may differ from the version that built its reputation — factor that into the premium.
The top dupe of Yves Saint Laurent's Y EDP is Yeah by Maison Alhambra, scoring 8/10 for accuracy and 5/10 for longevity. At $20, it's a 80% match to the $130 original — saving roughly $110 per bottle. Below: 3 more dupes scored across the same two dimensions, aggregated from Reddit r/fragranceclones, Fragrantica, and blind tests.
Based on community consensus, the highest-accuracy dupe for Y EDP is Yeah by Maison Alhambra — a Spot-on match (8/10 accuracy, longevity 5/10). If you prioritize longevity over accuracy, sort the grid above by longevity to see the top performer on that axis.
Every dupe is rated on two independent dimensions: scent accuracy (how closely it matches the original) and longevity (how long it lasts on skin). Scores are aggregated from community consensus on Reddit r/fragrance, r/fragranceclones, and Fragrantica. They are never averaged into a single number — accuracy and longevity are separate decisions.
No. The Scent File takes no brand deals, no sponsorships, and no paid rankings. Rankings reflect community consensus only. We do earn affiliate commission when you purchase through our links at no extra cost to you — but this never influences which dupes appear or how they are scored.
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