This year Estée Lauder’s first fragrance, Youth Dew, will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Originally conceived as perfumed bath oil, it is the dowager empress of the Lauder fragrance counter, still selling briskly despite its late middle age. So formidable is it that if you only try it once every ten years, you will recognize it.
Youth Dew has always been a thick and nearly viscous brew. Lauder perfumes contain sumptuous amounts of perfume oil and nowhere is this illustrated as plainly as in Youth Dew, whose 30% dosage leaves a sheen on the skin. In today’s terms, Youth Dew is retro in the same way Opium is retro; they are both heavily spiced and heavy-lidded Orientals of a type no longer in trend. As with Opium, Youth Dew is crazily ripe with orange top notes and aldehydes bursting over its clove and cinnamon heart.
The given notes indicate that mimosa, rose, ylang-ylang, orchid, and jasmine are writhing around in there somewhere, but I don’t smell them without effort. They are too rich, almost, to be smelled. The truth is that I generously sprayed myself with two short bursts of Youth Dew and then was afraid to put nose to wrist for several hours afterwards. Instead, I walked around the local mall sharing Youth Dew’s extravagant sillage with every other shopper within smelling distance. Two sprays! Try that with a watery fruity floral or laundry musk.
The frontal attack of Youth Dew is such that I would probably recommend dabbing it on, or spraying it in the air, waiting a second, and then walking through it so that a mist of Youth Dew settles over the wearer. This is the sensible way to apply any strong perfume, unless one wants to wait half a day to leave the house. Youth Dew is explosive, but it has something new releases do not: grandeur. It is as commanding a scent as you are likely to find, and it hails from an era of perfumery we will not see the likes of again.
You might wonder how the modern Youth Dew compares to what Mrs. Lauder herself selected from the versions perfumer Josephine Catapano presented to her. Youth Dew used to have civet in the base that is no longer there. The vintage was hot and animalic but not to any degree greater than other perfumes of its era. Today’s Youth Dew is more leathery, with the leather appearing early on and softening over the great span of its wear. The scent is a sonic boom of spices, followed by leather and a suave amber drydown that must be experienced rather than talked about. One must not merely like, but love clove in order to approach it.
In the past, I wore Youth Dew as the bath oil only, and I am strongly leaning in that direction again. A few drops of Youth Dew in the bath is indescribably luxurious, the type of luxury that has been lost today. Used this way, Youth Dew can be a gentle perfume of a calmer, less aggressive nature. It’s beautiful worn that way, as a trace olfactory element to be smelled only by those closest to you. I know this is not what the formidable Estée Lauder intended, but times have changed. Youth Dew can be the most seductive perfume when played out against the secret of one’s own chemistry and its subtle magic. I know, because I’ve experienced it myself.
Estée Lauder Youth Dew includes notes of orange, bergamot, peach, aldehydes, clove, cinnamon, mimosa, rose, ylang-ylang, orchid, jasmine, frankincense, amber, vanilla, tolu, benzoin, oakmoss, musk, patchouli, vetiver. Available at all Lauder counters.
What do you think of Youth Dew?
106 Comments
solanace: I have never tried Youth Dew. Must fix this! February 27, 2013 at 8:25am
Bhama: Me too, I have always been afraid of that bottle with the amber color juice! Will rectify that today.I am going to the mall today and am feeling very brave!!! February 27, 2013 at 8:43am
solanace: Believe you or not, they don’t sell Estée Lauder in Brazil! February 27, 2013 at 1:56pm
Suzanna: Caution is urged–it can be overwhelming if sprayed without a good deal of thought and commitment to living with it for a day or so! February 27, 2013 at 9:53am
Bhama: No kidding, this stuff is potent! I am glad I took your advice and sprayed it on a blotter rather than on myself. I like it, but don’t think I can wear it. It’s too rich and heavy for my lifestyle, but am glad that I tried it anyway! February 27, 2013 at 10:00pm
Rhonda: Don’t let the strong notes overpower you. It is meant to be used sparingly! My husband loves it. I apply it to my torso with 2 sprays. Then I dress. Your body heat and layer of clothing keeps it at its best. After an hour it smells heavenly and very sensuous! Men love it after it’s had hours of layering it’s notes with your own body chemistry. I suggest the body powder, Mmmm! The powder is a softer scent that romances you and great for bedtime! Also leaves your power room with an inviting scent. Enjoy!
Note: I suggest you make the body powder your first purchase. April 25, 2021 at 6:20pm
Pauline: I would like to know what have they done to youth dew I have used this perfume over 50 years used to have no end of comments to how it smelt well used to as I haven’t had a break from using it but have they altered the formular as i put it on and not very long and it has disappeared, before it was on all day and now nothing everyone used to comment how lt was lovely and really suited me gutted I am September 10, 2021 at 6:43pm
Linda Daly: I know exactly what you mean Pauline I have loved Youth Dew since the 60s Now the first thing I notice is the colour Its paler The scent doesn’t last and it smells different So probably like everything else they mess about with it so its cheaper and more economical for them to manufacture I too am very disappointed All we can do is look around and try to get one from someone selling a older bottle and the colour should tell us if its authentic December 15, 2021 at 1:53am
Belinda: Yes, Linda. You are correct. Youth Dew was my very first parfume i wore when i was about 10 years old, a very long time ago. And over the years the smell slowly became a little different, It smells totally different now and it’s not as strong as it used to be. Shame really….. why don’t they just stick to the original formula i wonder? I would not mind paying a few dollars more if the company uses the original strength and smell formula. Thank you for listening. January 19, 2022 at 5:03am
Jerry Jackomis: It’s common knowledge that fragrances get reformulated due to a host of reasons: Cost, regulations, scarcity of some ingredients, current cultural standards, etc. The older the “vintage” bottle along with storage conditions, the more certain aspects of the fragrance will ultimately degrade to some degree. That’s why I grow weary of the die-hards who simply must have a “vintage” specimen at all cost. September 19, 2023 at 4:46pm
Belinda: Hi Pauline, i just replied to Linda and wanted to send you a copy: Yes, You are correct. Youth Dew was my very first parfume i wore when i was about 10 years old, a very long time ago. And over the years the smell slowly became a little different, It smells totally different now and it’s not as strong as it used to be. Shame really….. why don’t they just stick to the original formula i wonder? I would not mind paying a few dollars more if the company uses the original strength and smell formula. It brought back many a good Memory though 🙂 Thank you for listening. January 19, 2022 at 5:06am
Helen Ravizza: Same here…
They have definitely changed the formula
Perfume only lasting a very short time, have to keep reapplying through the day and evening June 28, 2023 at 8:03am
Pauline: Trust me it won’t be like it was I should know it used to be very dark in colour now it very pale and doesn’t smell like it used to x September 10, 2021 at 6:51pm
rosarita: Wonderful read, thank you, Suzanna. Youth Dew is a scent well known to to me; my mother had the bath oil and I occasionally got a few drops in my bath as a treat when I was little. I had a mini for a while but just didn’t wear it because, while I love heavy spicy orientals, there are too many others I like better. Last summer I found a bottle of Youth Dew Amber Nude that I think Tom Ford did for EL at Goodwill for five bucks, and I’ve really enjoyed wearing it this winter. February 27, 2013 at 8:51am
Suzanna: YDAN is fantastic, and really one of the better “facelifts” on classics that I’ve encountered. Not sure it found a market, but well worth investigating and often available very reasonably! February 27, 2013 at 9:54am
Marsi: One of my old favorites. I just love anything rich and baroque; I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you, then, that Coco has been my signature since it was released almost 30 years ago … but I digress. My favorite way to wear Youth Dew is just a drop or two of the bath oil dotted on my skin and massaged in until it’s just a sheen. I think it’s one of the most cuddly, glorious, expensive, womanly scents ever created. February 27, 2013 at 9:44am
Suzanna: Excellent advice, Marsi! The bath oil, to me, is preferable to the perfume. February 27, 2013 at 9:55am
yomi: Very nice review, Suzanna! Youth dew was my mum’s fav perfume before I started Parfums Lambo my own company. I love the scent including the bottle .
Yes it is very strong but I love it. Like you said it is rich and thick.
The scent brings back memories of childhood as my mother always wore it on sundays to church when I was little.
I believe it will always find an audience… Because it is so luxurious. I don’t know if any company will still any perfume now with so many notes and at such concentration but it is truly a great classic and a tribute to Mrs Estee Lauder.
Cheers. February 27, 2013 at 9:47am
Suzanna: I am sure you are right in your thought that companies won’t create scents with such extravagant use of perfume oils. I can recall getting something or other from Lauder on my hair once, where it touched the neck, and you could see the oil. And the creams are also sumptuous! February 27, 2013 at 9:57am
Susan: I was unable to find the bath oil today, but did purchase some dusting powder. It is gorgeous, and I think this is all I’ll need to wear as a fragrance on the days that I use the powder. I can’t imagine layering this one, it would be too intense. February 27, 2013 at 3:08pm
Suzanna: I can see where the powder would be just lovely. I do agree it is probably all you need! February 27, 2013 at 5:06pm
Pauline: Wish it was like it used to be don’t know why they had to change the formula like they did December 16, 2021 at 8:11am
mals86: Looks like I’m the first dissenter to comment today. Youth Dew is hard to ignore, so I should think there might be at least a few other people sharing my opinion, which is that I dislike it intensely.
There are a number of fragrances which I don’t want to wear myself, but don’t mind smelling on other people. Youth Dew is not one of those. It, like Opium and Tabu, is one of those fragrances that makes me queasy whenever, however I smell it. One reason for that is, of course, the impressive sillage. In this semi-rural Virginia area, Youth Dew and Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds are the two most often-worn fragrances I’ve noticed in public areas like the grocery store, and you can follow their trails through Frozen Foods to Canned Goods right over to the Bakery. You can’t escape the cloud. I might be better able to tolerate it if its wearers didn’t apply quite so much – if they stuck to, as you suggest, a dab or possibly two of the bath oil.
But possibly not. Because while White Diamonds can also be way too much, it doesn’t make me nauseous. I’ve come to a working theory that it’s either a combination of tolu balsam+ labdanum that bothers me, or tolu on its own, in a more-than-a-tad quantity. I really dislike this balsamy oriental type of fragrance, though I understand that I am probably in the minority here.
Am I accusing Youth Dew lovers of poor taste? No. I support your right to wear what you like. Youth Dew is coherent and solid and immediately identifiable; it has a lot of qualities that make up what a good perfume is supposed to be. I’m just hoping that people who do love it don’t sit next to me at the theater, or God forbid, on an airplane. February 27, 2013 at 10:10am
Austenfan: Admittedly I have only sniffed this once, and from a dodgy tester at that, but I fear I may be with you on this one.
I didn’t just dislike it but it made me feel slightly ill.
I will try again though. February 27, 2013 at 3:52pm
Suzanna: No worries. I am sure we all have fragrances that we’d rather never encounter or wear. Personally, Aromatics Elixir is a huge dealbreaker for me, along with the big Givenchys, Cabochard, and Bandit.
Chacun a son gout! In any event, this discussion is open to all opinions, not just fan opinions! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! February 27, 2013 at 5:09pm
Liz K: While I love parts of Youth Dew I can not stand to be clobbered by it for 12 hours at a time. I usually spray some on a blotter when I pass the EL counter and tuck it under the liner in my leather tote. That way I can walk away from it when I need to breathe. I love the opening and the far drydown is truly one of my favorite smells but that aggressive cinnamon/clove for hours on end just brings on a migraine every time. Is that aspect lessened in the bath oil at all? February 27, 2013 at 10:16am
Suzanna: I find the oil much smoother, but I tell you, this is something where one wants a tiny, tiny dab.
I like the way you “wear” it! February 27, 2013 at 5:10pm
Leah: Hi Suzanna
I love your review on this! My grandmother has worn the bath oil version of Youth Dew for as long as I can remember and it holds a special place in my heart. That being said, it wasn’t until recently that I tried the fragrance for myself in earnest, since I always saw it as hers. I am completely with you on the bath oil as the preferable medium – it makes the fragrance supremely luxurious and easier to control in terms of sillage. February 27, 2013 at 10:28am
Suzanna: It does need some control, but to my nose so do most Lauders, more so now in this age of wimped-out teen frags.
Frag companies did used to make bath oils far more than they do now, if at all. The art of the bath is a thing of the past in most places in the US at least. February 27, 2013 at 5:11pm
Tulip: Ah, my youth, hmm high school days were awaft in YD. Those cute blue bottles everywhere; reapplying during the school day. Wait, there’s more – I always got a free gift with purchase, so my make-up for years was exclusively EL. You never got foundation, so it wasn’t until much, much later that I discovered what it did.
I must have really liked the top notes, as I now do with Fracas, as it’s easy to reapply often – in house of course. February 27, 2013 at 12:32pm
Suzanna: Oh, those gift sets! How well I remember their luxury, and not just Lauder’s. I fondly recall a massive eyeshadow set from Borghese and a lovely set from Arden (that contained, among other things, an electric blue eyeliner stick that I just adored).
They did not have foundation, and the gift was very straightforward. These days, I am always a bit confused by the Saks bags that contain discount certificates for Spanx or for glasses. I want a freebie, not a coupon.
🙂
I always reapply Fracas. February 27, 2013 at 5:14pm
mezzodiva54: How funny you should mention the Borghese eyeshadow sets! My sister sent me one for Christmas one year (and this must have been in the late ’70s/early ’80s); it still sits in my makeup cabinet to this day, and I still use it! 24 absolutely gorgeous, saturated colors; the only ones worn out completely are white (of course), and taupe (which I used to wear daily, the very best eyeshadow shade for me ever). Thanks for reminding me! March 5, 2013 at 1:39pm
Suzanna: I’m happy that you remember them, mezzodiva! And they were a true GWP, not something you had to pay to buy.
(I’m afraid my most-used color was a peacock blue!) March 6, 2013 at 8:33am
Daisy: Because of its potency, Youth Dew has always been my fragrance nemesis. I appreciate it, recognize it instantly, but don’t know if I could ever wear it.
However, the idea of adding it to one’s bath appeals to me. I look forward to giving it a try this way. Who knows: Youth Dew might find a way into my wardrobe after all. Thank you, Suzanna. February 27, 2013 at 12:55pm
Suzanna: You are welcome! Perhaps you can find a bit of the oil somewhere–and let us know what you think! February 27, 2013 at 5:15pm
Nola: I am a Youth Dew fan. A former student came to my classroom, just to tell me: he was at the Mall and smelled something wonderful. It brought back such fond memories of me he had to return and thank me. January 2, 2021 at 11:00pm
Paula: What a lovely story. I’ve worn YD not exclusively, but much of the time, since 1970. People seem to love or hate YD, but I will assure the haters that I literally never leave the house wearing it but what both men and women are extremely complementary. Including strangers. (And I will assure the detractors that I DO bathe regularly. So many modern scents are insipid, only good enough for very young teens. If you aren’t going to smell really wonderful, for a long time, why bother? Smelling like a pear or an orange for about ten minutes is kid stuff. January 3, 2021 at 5:18am
silverdust: If it weren’t for an overbearing acquaintance who wore it exclusively decades ago, I might be persuaded. While I can appreciate its sillage and excellent blend, the memory trigger of YD to this person makes me ill! 🙂 February 27, 2013 at 2:24pm
Suzanna: LOL!! I know the feeling. February 27, 2013 at 5:15pm
minette: this stuff is really great sprayed in the air, and the powder is quite nice (the “volume” on it is good), but i always feel self-conscious when i try to wear the perfume. i like and respect it, but it always makes me wonder if everyone else is getting “elderly church lady who hasn’t washed recently and is putting on yet another layer of heavy perfume.” i have smelled those church ladies, so i have that image in my own mind! it’s a shame, because this perfume deserves better wearing. i have a similar reaction to tabu by dana – they remind me of one another very much.
i also love the packaging on youth dew. would really like to sniff an earlier version with the civet!
my fave el is the original azuree, which is also fantastic as a room spray. seriously good stuff. February 27, 2013 at 4:29pm
Suzanna: The packaging is a retro dream,
The old church ladies were once young and they wore YD then, and other big perfumes of that era. It wasn’t that long ago. The Seventies were full of gigantic perfumes and they were worn, by all, copiously. They were meant to be big–imagine today’s weak pink sauce in 1971; it wouldn’t have sold at all.
I kind of feel cheated by today’s perfumes, or at least the really commercial ones.
Azuree is one I cannot wear due to the basil and leather notes, but it is a great scent just the same. February 27, 2013 at 5:18pm
minette: i wore those great perfumes in the ’70s! and yes, they kill any mainstream scents being created today. it’s like people are afraid to have a personality these days.
to be clear, my comment was not a dig at older women or older scents – i love both. i really did smell YD in less than ideal conditions – in church, at high volume, on someone who didn’t smell terribly clean underneath – and because i was stuck in a pew, i couldn’t move away! really ruined YD for me. on the other hand, i have also smelled some of the most amazing perfumes on older women – you should smell joanne king herring (she of Charlie Wilson’s War fame). ahmazing! and i met dioressence on a gorgeous woman who’s worn it as her signature since it launched. February 27, 2013 at 7:26pm
minette: oh, and the YD church incident was in the 2000s, not the ’70s. 🙂 February 27, 2013 at 7:45pm
gr8belief: Church ladies! Many years ago, near Atlanta, there was a grande dame of our church who wore something so elegant, powerful, demanding and required your full attention. Youth Dew was the name of this instant “the Queen has arrived” notifier. Milling about during coffee hour after church, I would always notice the older ladies’ perfumes more than the younger ladies. The older women wore fragrances with personality, depth, worth a long (inconspicuous) evaluation. Younger ladies would usually have “Happy” or celeb scent. But starting at about age 55, in generalities, the perfumes got more interesting. That’s when I knew that my *ahem* collection and interest in fragrance was at its infancy. This was pre-blogs. So I went to well-informed sales associates, read books, and learned whatever I could. (Aside: Today – !! – the info available!!)
Anyway, YD was the first big fragrance that commandeered a room with authority and depth, and thus my nose. Which led me to the EL counter and Azuree, EL Private Collection, Alliage, etc. Like a duck to water, it was a natural habitat. it’s tricky though because my DH really doesn’t appreciate any frag other than Dial soap. So what I wear needs to be closely kept for my enjoyment only. Opposites attract? He squirms in a room of older ladies with atomizer-abandon. For me, it’s a great way to start a conversation on a topic you know they already enjoy. April 19, 2013 at 10:14am
Suzanna: Perfume like YD was never worn in moderation among those who preferred it, was it? Thanks for your story, which has made for great reading (why are you not writing about perfume?) and recollection. April 20, 2013 at 11:01am
Lynley: I inherited my mum’s love of orientals, I guess from that being all she wore when I was young in the late 70s/early 80’s. So a few years ago when I was to choose an EL perfume to get the Xmas makeup set, I chose YD. The sales girl looked at me like I was crazy 🙂 So anyway, Xmas here is summertime, so when I got home I wanted to smell my purchase, but knew I’d probably kill myself spraying it. So I spritzed one spray on my bed before going to sleep so I could ‘gently’ immerse myself in the scent. Well, my poor darling old cat (since passed bless her) always slept with me, and that night I woke 3 times to find her vomiting on my bed! The poor lil thing!! So whilst I love the smell, I haven’t been game to spray it again. Even though she’s been gone a year (after 19yrs together!)- Podgy says NO! 😉 February 27, 2013 at 6:44pm
Suzanna: Good reason to leave this one alone. February 28, 2013 at 12:51am
Normand: I must admit Youth Dew always brings a smile to my face. There is something wonderfully innocent and vulgar about it… but I absolutely love it. And that cola note must have been daring at the time. Thanks for talking about this one… it deserves more attention than it gets from bloggers and readers.
Lovely post, by the way. February 27, 2013 at 8:11pm
Suzanna: Thanks! YD does seem to have a bit of confident vulgarity to it, but no more so than Shocking or other bold animalic fragrance.
I also think it deserves more attention. March 1, 2013 at 10:16am
Henrique Brito: The Youth Dew you reviewed seem much better than the one i had a bottle 5-6 years ago. I can still remember it smell, because it was one of the worst fragrances i have ever tried on my skin. I like orientals, i like spice fragrances, but the YD i knew was none of that. Instead, it smelled like a misture of bear breath and the smell of homeless people. Really unbearable at any moment. February 27, 2013 at 8:36pm
mals86: Bear breath! Rick, you kill me. February 28, 2013 at 12:06am
Suzanna: Bear breath! Love it! February 28, 2013 at 12:50am
Henrique Brito: It’s not the first fragrance that i notice something which reminds me of bear. Don’t exactly what is, but i also have this impression, but less intense, on Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente. I swear I tried to like Youth Dew, but it didn’t like me 🙁 But the Amber Nude version i love, it’s so complex that on me the fragrance seems to have more than three phases. Too bad it was discontinued 🙁 February 28, 2013 at 12:56pm
Suzanna: Thinking this over, I can grasp what you mean about bear. Scary!
Earlier in this discussion I think I said something about YDAN being available inexpensively. Not so any longer! The last one I had, I bought for $15 on eBay. Now that has quadrupled. Too bad this was discontinued, because it was, along with No. 5 Eau Premiere, the best remake! March 1, 2013 at 10:14am
Judy: I have worn Youth Dew for many years now. Tried others. They don’t stand up to auouth Dew. I still get stopped people ask ” what are you wearing”. And even tell me so I can get my wife some of that. It is THE BEST. Will never quit using it. March 2, 2021 at 8:37pm
Paula: I agree, Judy. I have many perfumes, but I’ve worn this as my main one since college, 50 years now, and absolutely nothing matches it in quality, longevity, or the number of compliments from absolute strangers, both men and women. So many modern perfumes are wimpy, a waste of money. March 3, 2021 at 3:05pm
Tatiana: Like Opium, I love Youth Dew. Way back when in high school and college I was a serial monogamist with my perfumes. I wore one signature perfume at a time. And every time I broke up with a guy I switched my perfume. Haven’t worn Youth Dew since spring of freshman year in college. Would I wear it again now? I’m not sure. It’s a different time, a different place and a different guy (same one for the past 22 years).
And I sure hope, just like Mals, that I never sit next to someone on an airplane wearing this. February 27, 2013 at 8:55pm
Suzanna: Tatiana, you never know. You can only try and see. February 27, 2013 at 11:23pm
Moi: As I mentioned in the other post, I’ve loved this juice since my teens. That a scent this distinct and full frontal is still selling makes me hopeful for the future of popular culture. February 27, 2013 at 10:16pm
Suzanna: It’s great to see people come out in support of one of the great classic scents! I do think YD is a real signature scent, one that people wear for years. February 27, 2013 at 11:21pm
marsha: The way I *wear* Youth Dew is to spritz a cotton ball or put some bath oil on a cotton ball and let it sit out and dry for a few minutes. Then shut it it your purse.When you open your purse later, at some glamarous checkout lady or some everyday drugstore checkout lady, they always sniff around and say *What smells so good?* February 27, 2013 at 11:12pm
Suzanna: Oh, that’s great! I do this to some extent with a surplus of scent strips collected in my travels. Love your more focused take on it! February 27, 2013 at 11:22pm
fleurdelys: Youth Dew has been a favorite of mine for many years. It made me a lover of Oriental fragrances, and is the reason why I have no patience with the wimpy, watery perfumes of today. February 28, 2013 at 12:40pm
Suzanna: I feel much the same way! March 1, 2013 at 10:15am
Rednails: I used to hate Youth Dew when I was a child. My mother wore it full force, spritzed liberally out of an EDP bottle. I thought it was horrendous. As I’ve gotten older, however, I managed to acquire a taste for it. Now I have my own little bottle of vintage YD bath oil, which I mix with unscented creme and wear to bed for restful nights. Guess I’m an old lady! March 4, 2013 at 9:35pm
mezzodiva54: A friend of mine attended a matinee at the Met this past weekend and complained of the wave of Youth Dew that kept wafting over him. Given the heavy hand used by some NY City gals (in applying makeup and fragrance), choosing to douse oneself liberally prior to entering a room wherein one would be in close quarters with 3800 fellow humans might not have been the BEST possible fragrance choice that day…. March 5, 2013 at 1:54pm
Suzanna: Great story, and it reminds me of my experience with a party guest wearing Soir de Lune, who rode a cloud of it from parking garage to red carpet to lobby to theatre…the entire area, for a square mile, was perfumed
:–) March 6, 2013 at 8:34am
Karen Gilbert: I love Youth Dew but haven’t smelled it for years. It’s not a scent I have ever really worn but I have a very strong memory of it from my days working in the lab at IFF. One of my jobs when I first started was to make up fine fragrance samples as giveaways for clients in plain 15ml bottles. We were sent the concentrates in aluminium canisters and I had to dilute down in alcohol in litre batches and leave to sit in amber winchesters before decanting into the givaway bottles. Youth Dew was one of those fragrances that got better with age and insfused the storage cupboard with it’s scent. March 17, 2013 at 11:08am
Suzanna: What an interesting story! Thanks for sharing it. I can well mentally “smell” YD infusing the storage cupboard and it does get better with age, I agree! March 17, 2013 at 12:39pm
Paula: I enjoyed your review of Youth Dew. I have worn it for over forty years, having discovered it in a free gift with purchase while in college. It is the perfume I wear more than any other, and always have the bath powder, lotion, and bath oil, too. I never use the bath oil in the bath, it makes a ghastly mess. I use it for layering, or alone as a softer scent.
I wear mostly Lauder scents, including Spellbound and Cinnabar. I have Sensuous, which is better than most of their modern scents, but still not as good as the old ones. For quality oil base that lasts, and really getting your money’s worth, you can’t beat the Lauder classics.
The bath powder is so well scented that I sometimes cut it 50/50 with barely scented cheap talc for everyday use, and it still has a lot of scent. July 28, 2013 at 11:13pm
lee: I recently bought a vintage bottle of Youth Dew, but the tie around the middle is not a bow, more like a tie with two bell like fixtures on each end. Have you any idea why??? November 11, 2013 at 1:06pm
Ferris: I must get my hands on some vintage Youth Dew. I love civet in fragrances especially in the older classics. November 16, 2013 at 2:54pm
Gertrude: I was worried this fragrance was “old lady” perfume but now I think not. With Argon oil and other Moroccan inspired fragrances becoming so popular, maybe it’s time has come back provided you use it properly. November 30, 2013 at 10:25pm
Sharon: I was given a little bottle of Youth Dew when I turned 19 (early 80’s) and immediately fell in love with it – I felt so grown up and very sexy whenever I wore it. Even now when I catch the scent ‘when someone walks past I’m transported back to that time. I did purchase a bottle about 15 years later but didn’t wear it as often as my taste and lifestyle had changed. Time to revisit ELYD I think. February 1, 2014 at 5:40am
renee: What wonderful and unexpected memories reading your blog has given me. My mother wore Youth Dew and nothing else all of my life. Thank you so much. April 4, 2014 at 7:47pm
Teddee Grace: I absolutely adore Youth Dew, but I liked Youth Dew Amber Nude even better and was disconsolate when it was discontinued. Is there another fragrance similar to the Amber Nude? Did Tom Ford design that? I heard the designer had a falling out with Estee Lauder and now neither one can produce it. Would love to know the real story and what other fragrance might be similar. May 4, 2014 at 8:38pm
Kate: I love the soft spiciness of the Oil and when applied judiciously it is gorgeous. As so many fragrances are losing their body and drydown with reformulations, I find that using the oil in some subtle way eg in shower or tiny amount to pulse point , then later in the day layering with something floral works nicely. October 26, 2014 at 2:20am
Karen B. Anderson: I have loved EL YD since I was a little girl falling asleep against my mother who wore it exclusively for years. I am now 62 and just garnered the courage and confidence to wear it myself.
My first impression was how reasonably priced YD has remained. For slightly less than I recently paid for a bottle of a popular contemporary high-end ED Parfum, I acquired a 3.5 oz bottle of YD EDP, body cream, deodorant, dusting powder, and bath oil.
I recognized right away that I must relearn how to wear a fine fragrance such as YD. Everything I have tried in the last several decades has required a somewhat heavy hand once or twice a day to be and remain noticeable. Hence, I have been blowing through my fragrances at an alarming and unaffordable rate. With YD, I appreciate that a delicate application yields the most favorable results and I imagine it will take several months to exhaust my current supply.
I am so happy that I took the YD plunge. I am happier with this fragrance than I have been with any other for a long, long time. After a very light layering in the morning including a dusting of power and a skim of body cream mixed with with my lotion, a slight dot of oil at the pulse points and an airborne mist of EDP on my way out the door, I enjoy the olfactory pleasure of YD throughout the day (no reapplication required).
I read somewhere that men tend to like YD more than do other women. Interestingly, the only compliments I have received so far have been from my son-in-law and from my significant partner, both of whom are, by the way, several years younger than me.
It is not lost on me that the fragrance that defined the women on whose shoulders I stand will likely become the signature that defines my silver goddess years. July 20, 2015 at 1:38pm
Victoria: Thank you for sharing this story! Makes me appreciate YD even more. July 21, 2015 at 10:52am
Paula: You are so right about the low price of Youth Dew, which I’ve loved and worn for 46 years. So many other fragrances are far more costly, and give so little value for the money. YD is strong and it lasts. April 5, 2016 at 3:29pm
Paula: You are so right, Karen B. Anderson! YD is such a bargain compared to the other Lauder fragrances, because it isn’t the latest thing. Between the nice price and the longevity, it’s a steal. I’ve paid a lot more for perfumes worth a lot less. I’ve always gotten a lot of complements from both men and women, but I think it really, really appeals to men, and they don’t mind telling you so. January 3, 2021 at 5:28am
susan: I remember the smell of this perfume from my childhood, as it was my mothers favourite perfume and even to day when walking passed someone who is wearing this, brought back memories, so I had to treat myself, only to the lotion as my pension doesn’t stretch that far,but now I too have a memory . February 9, 2016 at 1:24pm
Matilda: In my opinion, the best way to wear this beauty is in the bath oil concentration. I find that the spray is way to overpowering. It is a fragrance that will always be in my collection. April 5, 2016 at 3:00am
Karen: The reformulated YD is nauseating . . NOTHING like the original. It actually makes me sick (like the cat in the above post:) Stay away from the ‘new’ Youth Dew!
I get all of my YD on ebay (there are certain ways to tell vintage on the bottom label) . .
I get SO many compliments wearing Youth Dew. I’ve even had a couple men follow me to ask what I was wearing.
LOVE IT! May 23, 2016 at 5:34pm
Sara Clark: I have ELYD in both the new and vintage bath oil concentration. There’s no denying the depth and richness of the vintage oil, but I enjoy the lighter, reformulated version as well. It’s still emanates a warm, sensual, spicy goodness that I adore. My great grandmother wore this gem, and wore it beautifully. I am happy that I can wear it and be reminded of her, being wrapped in that warm, lovely aura that is Youth Dew…not unlike a hug. June 20, 2016 at 12:09pm
Bria Lapoint: My mom loves youth dew, ive tried it on, not for me, smells horrible on me! im better with sweeter perfumes. If you like spicy perfume, this is for you, but on me it doesnt smell that great. December 25, 2016 at 4:42pm
Laurine: I’ve had a bottle of the YD bath oil since the mid 80’s, I really love it, it’s so sumptuous! However, it really does need restraint in it’s use, so I only use occasionally. I just smooth on a few drops near the end of my shower, leaving a hint on my skin and a little on my towel, any more than that would be overbearing. April 20, 2017 at 10:01pm
jean: i have (tom ford’s) youth dew amber nude. my hand will be stretching out to choose it, and a voice in my head will say, “wait a minute! where will you be wearing this today?” i have to consider my environment. September 22, 2017 at 3:23pm
Marilyn: I received my first bottle of Youth Dew, when I was 15. My older brother gave it to me. I am now 62. Wow, nearly 50 years. It has always been my favourite perfume. All my family and friends know this and will surprise me with a bottle as a gift.
I never believed in aromatherapy until resently as I have got into doterra essential oils.
On reflection I should have known this, as when I am having a really crappy day, I go to the fridge, where I keep my Youth Dew, and apply a small spray. Within a couple of seconds I feel calm and relaxed, and confident I can handle any crap that comes. It is my, “I at peace with the world feeling”.
I ration myself this bottle of perfume as my beloved mum gave it to me. I cared for her for 8 years and sadly she passed last year, so I treasure this bottle.
Love it May 27, 2018 at 4:00am
Donela Perry: i love to spray before i shower it then leaves a warm spicy scent that lasts all day if you spray before you go out try the dip in your back and behind knees with only a dab on your wrist ..the you will find it doesnt assault your nose before it settles ..sometime a classic scent is the stand out we just need to rethink how we wear June 9, 2018 at 10:15pm
Diane Cockey: My newest bottle of Youth Dew did not have the real strong scent it use to. Is this some thing new they are doing. May 29, 2019 at 4:13pm
Pauline: Hi there I agree with you they have certainly done something to weaken it but charge the same money I have big issues with getting it sorted out as is the only perfume that suits me as I need a strong perfume September 10, 2021 at 7:02pm
Erika schiegg: YD is a masterpiece in IMHO..my Mom wore it as do I. Thanks for you beautiful review. December 3, 2020 at 5:44pm
Yomi: My mother used to wear this Perfume… As a perfumer now…I agree with your review. It’s really a grand perfume July 20, 2021 at 5:20pm
Tara Cunningham: I have worn and loved Youth Dew for over 30 years. Usually worn in the evenings due to the richness. The new formula disappoints me. It is not the same and is definitely missing something. I wish I’d have known that it was going to change as I would have stocked up. Anyone know where I can get some vintage bottles? August 10, 2021 at 3:05am
Pauline: Thanks I now know what they have done no one wanted to listen to me in our local shops well that is it for me over 50 years of wearing it and they have ballsed it up good and proper September 10, 2021 at 7:06pm
Paula: These comments make me glad I have several bottles stored,still in their boxes. When my local department store would have a sale at the Lauder counter, I would buy a gift set on sale, get the gift with purchase, and just put the set away, until I got far enough ahead I thought I’d better stop. But all my bottles are the correct dark color and same scent. Youth Dew, because it isn’t the latest thing, is SO reasonably priced compared to the new scents. And IMO, better than most of them. September 11, 2021 at 2:35am
Clare: It’s not just the civet that seems to be missing, but the delicious oakmoss as well ( because a small amount of the population is apperently allergic, they are systemically removing it from fragrances with abandon. It’s non-sensical…and suspicious, honestly. Think of all the things in perfumes that people are allergic to and you will see what I mean…). Today’s Youth Dew is just…well to me it’s just repulsive. Gone is the incense-y note we devotees remember and loved. Yesterday’s Youth Dew was DIVINE! One small spritz between the cleavage and it wafted around you until the next day. This incense-y breeze of intoxication that just left you feeling calm and happy.
The same can be said for Clinique’s Aromatic Elixir, unfortunately.
Strange how these regulations only ever seem to affect affordable fragrances… :,( December 10, 2021 at 11:15pm
Tara cunningham: Oh I’m so glad I’m not the only one to believe they have stuffed up something really special.. I miss the original so much I have developed a habit of spending way too much for bottles that may or may not be vintage 🤦♀️ September 20, 2021 at 5:28pm
Yvonne: Yesterday I purchased YD pur parfum on ebay (and have the bath oil on my Watchlist) and after reading all these comments, I’m even more excited to try it! I recently began collecting vintage perfume (favs are Shalimar, Emeraude, Chantilly, and Bal à Versailles). I’ve known about YD for years, but never tried it because I worked in the food business (cheese monger for 20+ years). But I’m soon turning 60 and these oriental perfumes consume me! October 26, 2021 at 3:01pm
Taryn: Recently received a bottle of Youth Dew and received a check from Estee Lauder because because I was so disappointed. I too had several bottles in reserve as it was always something my mother gave me every year for my birthday and Christmas. After she passed and I used up the bottles I had I was so sad when I sprayed the new bottle and smelled it, I felt like taking a shower to wash it off but it really didn’t last long anyway. I’d been wearing Youth Dew since 1972 when my first boss gave it to me as a Christmas gift. December 29, 2021 at 10:21pm
gena: I love Youth Dew still. Whenever I wear it men always comment about how wonder I smell. September 17, 2022 at 12:57pm
Dot: I am so glad I found this site! I thought I was going crazy because something was wrong with my “apparently new” Youth Dew. Ha! It was not my overactive imagination!
Estee Lauder needs to bring it back, please! It is so wrong that they changed something that made Estee Lauder a household name not to mention serious 💰 Not been able to find replacement I love like Youth Dew. November 19, 2022 at 12:35am
Anita: Unfortunately, the IRFA has made regulations against use of certain perfume oils and has banned others, many of which are in almost all high end perfumes, such as Oakmoss, Civet (an animal fixative) among others. Formulations were inevitable. Methinks that the companies that make Aroma Chemicals paid the IRFA and now the perfume industry is at their mercy. I think this STINKS! So, they can never go back to the original. nobody can… September 23, 2023 at 12:11pm
Wayne: I have been collecting vintage fragrances for the last decade or so. I am a 53-year-old male who remembers the bombastic beautiful fragrances of the 80s when I was a teenager my mum would only wear Opium, which borrows a lot from youth dew in it it’s construction. I love to wear both as they are more masculine than 90% of today’s male fragrances. And yes, you are right that are formulas for all the great fragrances have been butchered and watered down. There are still thankfully lots of well-kept boxed vintage bottles on eBay for very reasonable prices. Look out for the boxes with no barcodes no ingredients list and grams instead of millilitres. I even think the great kouros could be a male flanker for this September 16, 2023 at 11:40am
Anita: I was given a bottle for my 18th birthday of Youth-Dew, this was in 1978. My boyfriend at the time went completely dilly over it. once we broke up, I tossed it. Fast forward to now, I am age 63, have a new and much younger husband, who has his own deliciously spicy natural scent. I cant get enough of it. In my quest to find a fragrance that mirrors his scent, I tried dozens of frags. I came back to Estee Lauder first with Cinnabar, which he goes crazy for, but I find it a bit harsh and the clove note is overpowering. last week I ordered the Youth-Dew edp and the body cream. OMG, that is exactly it! YD on me is warm, delicious, Coca-cola-ish, with a soft,powdery amber musk drydown. That’s the one for me, and for us. it works with our chemistry. I have dozens of other expensive frags from Fendi, Lancome, Caron, YSL. forget them. its YD forever from now on! (although I am addicted to Chanel no 19 in summer. that’s my summer frag since the 80s!) September 23, 2023 at 12:07pm