Youth-Dew Estée Lauder for women

This fragrance holds a very special place in my heart. This fragrance pretty much started my fragrance obsession at an early age of about 7. Did I wear this at age 7? No, of course not,however this was my Aunt's signature scent.

I would love to be babysat by my aunt, just so I could go into her room, which was so glorious and iconic to me, to spray this perfume on and feel like I was more grown than I was. I swear she was such a glamorous woman. This woman whose closet boasts with tons of outfits with beautiful flowing fabrics from the disco era. I would love to just get lost in her closet and see all these beautiful vintage finds. Furs galore!

I loved it! It felt like I could be transported back to that era. Hence, I am totally obsessed with the 70s today AND fragrance. Would I ever wear this today? I doubt it ,but the true essence of it reminds me so much of her and that lovely time.

Unfortunately she passed from breast cancer years ago but I'm lucky I can always smell this to take me back with her :)

I use this for long years now and the first smell ever I was not able to get bored of. So classic, so elegant... and is sweet only for the first touch. I can't wear sweet smells at all since everything smells even sweeter on my skin. But this one just gets more and more amazing... best is on my coat or a kerchief or clothes I was wearing days ago.

One can say this is grandma's smell, but I tell you: people usually never ask me which perfume I use, but when I wear Youth-dew, it happens to me all the time. :) I simply love it.

Much too heavy, spicy and sweet for me. Same reason I can't stand chai tea! Can't imagine smelling like that for hours on end - and it lasts a LONG time!

An unusual scent; one of my grandmother's sisters wore it, although I didn't realize that until I smelled it today. It's sweet and spicy and reminds me of women in long gloves and hair in up-dos. It's not a scent that fits me, but it's a true original that deserves respect and adoration, even if it never ends up in your personal wardrobe.

My mother wore this gorgeous scent and every time I small it I am reminded of her. This scent has been worn by everybodys grandmother because it is such an old perfume. I still love it but it can offend people with it's rather pungeant aroma.
I love this smell, it's typical of most of the perfumes that I wear, it smacks you in the face and screams out at everyone around you that 'hey!!! i'm wearing Youth Dew so what are you going to do about it'?
There are no grey shades to this perfume, love it or hate it, but you can never ignore it! I'm 51 and MY grandmother wore this fragrance!! It just about says it all.

I can imagine that this is a perfume you love or hate.
There is no way in between. It is a thick long lasting scent. More suited for a mature woman.
I happen to fell in love with this classic perfume.
My advice would be try before you buy!

From reading reviews of Estée Lauder Youth Dew on MakeupAlley or even here on Fragrantica, it seems that everyone’s grandmother wore Youth Dew. If you don’t know Youth Dew, you might find this strange. After all, the name “Youth Dew” sounds like it’s best suited for adolescents. If you do know Youth Dew, you know that it smells viciously balsamic, almost like sweet motor oil — not a scent you might associate with cookies, knitting, and other traditionally grandmotherly pursuits.

Estee Lauder's 1953 Youth Dew is one of her least advertised. From going through stacks of Lauder ads throughout the decades, it seems that it has always been the case. Still, even without billboards and magazine spreads, Youth Dew was and still is iconic and immediately recognizable, for better and for worse. To some people this fragrance symbolizes the yenta image of Estee Lauder as a brand. To others it's a beautiful relic of another era; never mind the "when men were men" thing, it's more about when perfumes smelled like perfume.

The list of notes (aldehydes, orange, spices, peach, bergamot, cinnamon, cassia, orchid, jasmine, cloves, ylang-ylang, rose, tolu balsam, peru balsam, amber, patchouli, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, vetiver and incense) reads like someone took everything they had in the perfumer's organ and mixed it together hoping for the best. The result is a big boned fragrance that doesn't try and hide its presence. Animalic, powdery, ambery and spicy- it's all there. Youth Dew isn't too sweet, though. Back then ladies didn't try to smell like fruit or pudding, and they definitely wanted to leave a trail that you remember them by. They wore girdles and slips, petticoats and gloves, belted jackets and hats. The scent of Youth Dew lingered on coats and in closets and it was perfectly fine.

That mix of heavy and heady, rich flowers and spice, fur coat and silk stockings- it's all here in Youth Dew, making it a gorgeous and very fun perfume to wear. If you dare:-)

My grandmother wore this, my mother wore this, and I now wear it. It reminds me of all the wonderful women in my life who are truly classic.

Youth Dew is an old legend, no denying that. For me, this stuff is only wearable in the bath oil and powder. On my skin, the edp spray turns into that evil gremlin creature thing from the '80's cult classic. The bath oil is gorgeous spice, cola, patchouli and oakmoss. It's one of those smells that goes along with brooding spring thunderstorms at night, and that's when I wear it most. I put one drop behind each ear right after I get out of the shower, then finish with the powder, and that stuff is really nice. I also mix a couple drops of the bath oil with Coco and Opium to make them smell more like they did when they first came out, before their formulas were changed.

Siouxsie's "Night Shift" from "JuJu" album is the perfect background music while wearing Youth Dew oil on a dark and stormy night.

I don't care what anyone says, ''Youth Dew'' bath oil is the BOMB! One or two drops is all you need to smell like a true silky sex goddess. When you use the bath oil, your skin will smell and feel so cozy, sweet-mossy decadence, and the entire bathroom will feel golden /green & hazy sensual. Only true orientals have this quality, must be sandalwood, patchouli,amber, oakmoss and incense..I love this perfume and I always will...I found an old style vintage bottle ( it's light blue), at this little antique store months ago.....It's a rich, sensual, classical, yet affordable oriental..I love how Estee Lauder made a tres chic oriental for women on a budget in the 50's! It reminds me of " Tabu" but deeper, richer, more complex and also ''Royal Secret'' but with a sharp almost herbaceous quality.. My mom still loves this stuff...She freaked out over the vintage bottle I found, so I gave it to her...but I miss it!
( at least I still have my heavenly bath oil)

Honestly for lovers of this stuff, either find a vintage bottle or just buy the bath oil and body powder...divine stuff! sighs
( It truly does not matter to me if men love this or if they despise it...bath time is usually MY time anyway)

I’ve been trying to avoid any comment about old glories and historical masterpieces as I’ve always thought that they do not need as any irrilevant comments as mine, but not in this case. “De gustibus non disputandum est” (there is no disputing about taste) used to say the Latins ,whereas I believe that there are a lot of things to say about taste... Sometimes I’m puzzled to see how certain fragrances are still regarded (although they are impossibile to recognize after all the “diets”, “restyling” “reformulations” and so on) by people that fearing of being labelled as ‘cheap’ or not ‘refined’ enough regard them with a respect that those ‘poor ghosts’ of themselves, hardly deserve, nowadays. I believe that Y.D. should be considered with much more attention for a great number of reasons: first of all it’s a sort of ‘declaration of independence ’ from the European frags market (for instance I'm European) though its motherhood it’s not 100% sure, (probably Josephine Catapano) it was surely an American Nose and also an American creation as well; it is said to be the forefather (together with Cinnabar by the same Maison) of a long seller such as “Opium” by Y.S.L. ; it’s one of the few fragrances from the “past” to be quite faithful to the original version. It was a best-seller, cleverly created taking a bath oil as a model! - indeed many reviewers have written to preffer the latest to the former. It brought a sort of revolution as before its appearance American women used to use perfumes only on special occasions and when they did it was a French perfume to be chosen….
I find illogical when, from one side, people regret the loss of the original formulas of many compromised perfumes (from the past) so, they are pushed to run towards vintages or else, while there are still few (little!) available wonders that need only to be appreciated as they deserve. Of course Y.D. is not a common 'Eau de…' so that you can splash in it and after 2 hours you must repeat the same operation but the colour, the intensity, the sillage and the persistence are those of a frag of more than half a century ago. I love it because it’s a frag that suits me very well and strangely to the majority of the skins: miracle! I do normally prefer spending money on a good frag than on a dress, I own more than ...... bottles of perfume and Y.D. couldn’t be missing eventhough I’ve got also more expensive frags but not for that more precious than Youth Dew. I also appreciate its “modern” relative Y.D. Amber Nude I find that the choice of keeping both on the market is a clever one: it’s silly to hide a masterpiece in the name of a dull “modernity”.

This perfume is a co-worker's signature scent. She is much older than me, but she smells great. I thought this smelled more like a baby powder type( which I associate more for teens) than an older woman. I don't know why people don't like this. When I work with her she smells so good and it makes me a happier person just to be around her. To me, it's a warm pleasant fragrance and I'm glad to have discovered it through her.

Hehe. It looks like my previous review of this scent evoked some angriness in a couple of users. Well, I'm not sorry about that.

A perfume review should only be a personal opinion about a particular scent, nothing more. But some people take it too seriously, they feel in need to post a prolix reply full of contradictions and redundancy trying too hard to convince those who doesn't agree with their opinion that they are ignorant or naive. You gotta take it easy, fellas.

It seems that this particular scent... Yuck, er... Youth Dew has a kind of "cult" idolizing fans. I mean, what is the big deal about being younger than Mrs. Estee Lauder? Does it mean that my negative review has no value? Thank God new people born everyday then, because they can try to change and evolve 57 year old unchangeable, obtuse and blunt points of view.

The funny thing is that the same person that idolize this creation because of tens of thousands of people who like it, bashes "Cool Water", wich also has ten of thousands of lovers. Why? Just because Cool Water had more overall acceptance? It can be over ripped-off nowadays but at the time of its release, it was a somewhat different offer created by Pierre Bourdon to the perfumery market. Why don't respect that?
Not liking Youth Dew doesn't necessary make anyone a Spears, Lopez, Banderas, Beckhams, Cool Waters frag lover too.

Maybe Cool Water isn't that "cult", and therefore, it's not that "cool" to show appreciation, just because too many people do. Maybe it would appear rarer and more intellectual grabbing some kylograms of manure, bottle it, and rub it on the skin, glorifying its extremely natural ingredients, fidelity of smell and uniqueness, and call it as a misunderstood masterpiece by the average Joes.

I don't really care about the history behind Estee Lauder's company, neither about the prolixism of some Youth Dew lovers reviews. The scent itself is pretty much like some of the reviews that praise it: pretentious, complicated, redundant, and offensive. In other words... something that tries too hard to justify why it stinks so badly.

I sure don't quite expect that all fragrances smell "please like me, i'm a candied girl", but I certainly expect that it doesn't smell "please dislike me".

Now it makes all the sense, some scents does fit perfectly some personalities. Go figure...

Well, for sure, between stinking and being naive, I choose the latter.

Youth dew is amazing spicy goodness with a buttery almost rum like backdrop, but its just not good on me - though it doesnt mention it in the notes this is heavy on Clove and along with Spellbound I get the frequent "Have you just been to the dentist?" or "does it smell like a dentists in here" comments on this.

Very well said Benzippo, very well said indeed!!

For those who do not know how to like Youth Dew, please read the great review by nopasho first before writing your insulting comments to save you the embarassment for showing yourself to the perfume world as someone who have not reached the aquired level in appreciating a great perfume creation just like someone who does not know how to appreciate vintage fine wines.

For that someone who said that this perfume makes her 105, for goodness sake, this perfume was created in 1953, do you expect it to smell like those "please like me" candied girly fragrances that are everywhere nowadays? Ohh! Come on, give us a break...this will only show to the world, how naive you are.

how can we make our voice's LOUD enough 2 say . . . PLEASE STOP ruining the original formula's of classic's . . . . it doesnt bother me that they are putting out all these flanker's at all im sure there is a market for them BUT what about the ORIGINALS the classic's even if i was buying a flanker i would want 2 smell the original as a point of refference . . . although i 90%of the time would want the original also if they have not discontinued them they have took it upon themselves 2 re-formulate them with out even leting you know when you go hand over your money for a product i believe you have the right 2 know when its in the same box etc . . .that the company has changed the product & they have ALL done this 2 there original's esetee lauder- channel- christian dior-D&G--Y.S.L . . . . to me this is equivelant 2 going thru a beautiful lil historic town & bulldozing all the victorian & art decco home's down with all there charm & mature tree's & garden's & buliding cheaply made suburban track home's & bulldozing the cafe & boutique to throw down a strip mall & a starbuck's :( . . . . . it destroying HISTORY

This perfume is completely awful. It smells like something that's gone stale. I'm surprised it's such a huge seller still considering it smells like an old lady's furniture that's been locked up in a dusty attic for years.

Every few years I smell it to see if I've changed my mind. The answer is and will always be "no".

I like this fragrance for a long time, and it stay's the
same on my skin. Not every fragrance stay's the same when your getting older.... But this one does.

I second that, it really is a Brilliant review by Nopasho. Youth-Dew is sophisticated, elegant, warm, inviting and very sexy fragrance. I love this fragrance and I've been using it on and off for the past 20 years and I dont think I will ever stop.

'Yuck dew' is the subtle review of a man who was probably conceived 20 years after Mrs. Estee Lauder, one of the great USA perfumers and one of the only US noses on the same level with France's great perfumers, conceived Youth Dew in 1953. 'Unbelievable repulsive' the same person says very informative.
Well mister, I go some news for you: me and a lot of other people, young and old, female and male, Americans, Europeans, Italians and Asians like this icon of modern perfumery. It is still in production after 57 years. Of course maybe you are right and the tens of thousands of people who like this perfume masterpice are wrong. But I always say: readers of this: judge for yourself.
Let's move on. 'Youth Dew' is an American perfumery groundbraking gorgeous fragrance. A bold masterpiece. And every letter of this praise is earned by 'Youth dew'. It is brash, unapologetic, a unmistakable fragrance with a Face. A Personality amongst fragrances. Everybody knows 'Youth Dew'.'Youth Dew' is a real balmy 'Spicebomb', a real one, 57 year later copied shamelessly by those Dutch money grabbers Victor and Rolf with their 'Spicebomb' as expensive and original as their 'Flowerbomb'. Those guys have great creative talents. Their next frag is called 'Fruitbomb'.
'Youth Dew' is opulent, grand, groundbreaking. It is incomparably wonderful. A real emotions and memories-trigger, a dreamweaver and dreamcatcher, a fragrance that makes you enjoy your smelling abilities and opens another door in your brain to a place full of joy, happiness, warmth, security, love, cozy intimacy and sheer joy. Pleasure and beauty in a bottle. That lasts for hours and hours. Contrary to most 'modern' scents who are a breezy 'two or three note candy' in a bottle. It is simple to be a 'nose' these days. Vanilla, fruit and sugar for the girls and lemon, vetiver and aquatic notes for the guys. And endless variations upon that. With different celeb names and faces to sell these variations on the same theme. Well, sorry. Instead of vats 'Cool Water', 'Aqua di Gio' and countless floral fruities, I'll take one drop of 'Youth Dew' any day. And one drop of 'Youth Dew' will probably last longer than a whole bottle of the aquatic males and female fruity florals.
'Youth Dew' is a high quality frag. The sillage is truly amazing, the longevity according to lovers AND haters, almost unending. That's a frag I like! Long lasting and radiant for hours, mixed and balanced to perfection.
So what does it smell like? Let's look at the notes.
Top: Orange, spices, aldehydes, peach, bergamot
Middle: Cinnamon, cassia, orchid, jasmine, ylang ylang, cloves, rose
Base: Tolu balsam, Peru Balsam, amber, patchouli, musk, oakmoss, vanilla, vetiver, incense.
As perfume lovers know, the quality, character and overall impression of a fragrance are strongly determined by the quality of the base notes. They keep the fragrance notes of middle and top on the skin, they make interactions between middle and top notes and between that middle-top and base possible. They are the engine that drives theinner workings of a fragrance and create (or don't create for the lesser frags) accelerations and slowings of the evolution of the separate notes, clusters of notes and the three tiers of the fragrance pyramid. They make the magic in a fragrance happen and keep it going and keep it lasting on the skin. So the stronger and more intricate the base, the better and stronger the fragrance. SO IF YOU LIKE YOUR FRAGRANCES SIMPLE AND LINEAR AND SHORT LIVED, STAY AWAY FROM 'YOUTH DEW'. And if you don't, you do so at your own risk. Don't complain later that you are repulsed! 'Youth Dew' (very bad name by the way, I give the 'YD' haters that) is a very complicated, dense but at the same the spacy, surprisingly and continually evolving fragrance. It is alive on the skin. And it is NOT Another Teen Frag.
Now a confession. Two times already I had to say in a review that this was 'the strongest base that I ever encountered' when I reviewed a fragrance. I have to recant again. 'Youth Dew' has the strongest base I ever met in a frag. Just look at that base! My goodness! Everything nice and spice and a whole lot of it. A Whole Lotta Love! Two balsams (resins): Tolu and Peru: bingo!, amber: bingo!, patchouli: bingo! oakmoss: bingo!, vanilla: bingo!, vetiver: bingo!, incense: bingo! An ace of a base: really, really great and strong. And that's the exceptional foundation of this equally exceptional 'Youth Dew' where the middle and top are built on and develop on. The top gives you creamy aldehydes and sultry peach, which are freshened up by the orange and the bergamot. And the spices make this top a not-too-heavy wonder of varied balance. Fruit and spice. The flowers arrive in the middle. And the most beautiful perfume combo of flowers it is: jasmine, ylang ylang, orchid, rose. Can you believe that fabulous flower combo? They don't make'em like that anymore. This fragrance therfor is not for wallflowers. This is breathtakingly take-no-prisoners 'flower power' allright! Then, when most modern frags would stop at two, three notes max, after these four flower gems we get treated in that same middle to two additional great spices: cinnamon and cassia: sweet and dry. To give it more depth and contrast. So that middle is sweet/dry spicy and floral. Unbelieveble strong base, fabulous middle and sultry-fresh (I know: a contrast that is harmoniously married by an expert nose) top. The total pic: a beautiful multifacetted diamond of a fragrance. Yes, an 'old lady diamond' for some, but diamonds are not only an 'old ladies friend', they are 'a girl's best friend'. And that girl is ageless IMHO.
First of all in that middle we smell the great contrasts and inner workings between the flowers and the spices: rose-cinnamon, jasmine-cassia, ylang ylang-cinnamon... gorgeous. Nowadays you get fragrances that are entirely built around only one of those contrasts. Here you have many of those contrasts in one and the same fragrance. Without getting murky and disharmonious. It is not a cacaphony or randly chose notes, but a mighty symphony that hits home with delicate force. And then we have the contrast and reactions against each other of the top notes-in-total between the middle-notes-in-total and on yet another level, these two (top and middle) playing with and against the formidable base. This is an intricate masterpiece by nose Jopsephine Catapano who also created the wonderful 'Fidji' and the legendary and also super 'Norell'). All those contrasts keep 'Youth Dew' as alive as Britney-on-speed. The skin smell changes with differnent peeks of fragance notes fusing and separating, pirouetting, playing hide and seek, giving suprise appearances as mystery guests during the long evolution on the skin. Because this frag is so high quality and strong, you can enjoy the evolution for hours and hours on your skin. And, on last level of this fragarnce evolution: your skin chemistry also gives its two cents and creates another set of olfactory suprises. So you constantly get caught by an unexpected whiff of spice, a floral note, an incense peek, vanilla visiting,resinous Tolu balsam letting itself known... it is truly perfume magic. This is so great, versatile, flexible, dens-in-a-good-way yet playful. But above all: beautiful, gorgeous and full bodied bliss. And all this created in 1953! Estée Lauder: you have my eternal respect.
So this fragrances is not for lovers of simple, sweet, linear frags that don't stay long on the skin. it is for people who love their fragrances non-too-sweet, intricate, living and evolving. Fruity-florals and aquatic male waters are a totally different world from fragrances like this. 'Opium', 'Coco'... have the same feel. I don't make no judgment. To each his or her own. But people who like 'Hidden Fantasy' or 'Believe' will propably in a first reaction not like 'Youth Dew' because they are not used to this kind of intricacy and concentration of different fragrance notes. Here you have to really smell the fragrance. It is no simple and cheap candystore and vanilla-fairy-tale frag. But if you give it a fair change, I'm sure you can have an authentic 'aha'-experience. And move on in the fragrance world. Explore new frags, discover old hidden treasures.
'Youth Dew' is an eternal gem in US perfumery, a landmark and remarkably contemporary now that more and more young people discover the 'classics' and realize that these 'old lady, repulsive' fragrances, are a whole different world away from their Britneys, Jessica's, Katy's, Mariah's, Banderas', Beckhams, Hiltons, Minogues... With 'Youth Dew' it is the fragrance that comes first, not the marketing and a celebrity name.
'Youth Dew' is a bad name for great fragrance. But a name is just a name. 'Fantasy', 'Radiance', 'Hidden Fantasy', 'Believe', 'Lollipop Bling Bling', 'Sexual Sugar Daddy'... it is just a name. It is the fragrance that counts. And 'Youth Dew' is one of the greatest fragrances ever made. Like it or leave it to others. Thank you for letting us enjoy in peace our 'old lady frags' without cheap empty insults.

LEÍ QUE ESTE ES EL PERFUME FAVORITO DE MADONNA SE DICE QUE USA CANTIDADES '' INDUSTRIALES '' DE YOUTH-DEW ...

I just received this half hour ago, and i understand why people say it smells old lady's, but i like it.At the very beginning this smells like a cheap deodorant, something like Impulse ,and also little masculine, but this sensation desapears very quick so don't worry. 1 or 2 squirts are ok with me. After few moments i pick up incense(but i havent seen this note on the list of ingredients), no flower by now....I bought it unsniffed. On another site a woman said that on her this is like kenzo jungle, but is not at all. I will come back to complete this review later, to see the longevity and the developement...
I bought the edp, reformulated version, i think...

Edit 4/02/'12
I tried this again last night after a shower. It lasted more than 12 hours. Second time it didn't smelled cheap, I perceived this like something mistique, out of this world, not dated or old lady at all. The smell doesnt change very much, but it's calming down after 2 hours of going strong. After 4 or 5 hours it stays close to the skin. I like it very much, but it's not my favourite.

Wonderful Jacqueline just gave a GREAT tip...if you take YD Bath Oil, and overlay Coco EDP, it smells just like the vintage Coco! Heaven.

I tried it, and although it isn't exact, I think if the oil is done very lightly, they are very close.

I enjoy today's version.

Back in the 80's, this is the what I, and all of the other girls in my highschool, use to buy at Christmas time so we could qualify to buy Estee Lauder's Gift Makeup Sampler! Youth Dew was the cheapest thing you could buy at the Estee Lauder counter in the department stores - $14.99! Then, if you forked over only $10 more you could get this HUGE Makeup kit that included everthing a teenager girl needed for the year! $25 and you were set to go!!!! Nobody actually wore it though...it reminded us of our Grandmothers!!!

I read on the official site of EL and consummers are complaining about the reformulation.
Now, on their site the composition looks like this:
Fragrance Type: Oriental/Spicy

Top Notes
Rose
Jonquil
Lavender

Middle Notes
Jasmine
Muguet
Spices

Base Notes
Moss
Vetiver
Patchouli

Are this all the notes that this perfume have, or they missed something? I really want to know because based on the reviews here and the notes i want to buy it, and due to the fact that i dont have where to test it i have to rely on this. So please make an update to the notes so people know what they are buying because i find unforgivable that such a masterpiece has been modified.

Something has changed here - and I am not sure if it's the YD or me! This has been around since I was a child and at the time had the image of being the fragrance that strong independent women bought for themselves and gloried in it's deep powerful presence. So I have positive associations from way back and now I find it's still strong and warm but to my nose not as aggressive as it used to be - one of us has mellowed. Opened a new bottle today (which I bought myself) and I still love it! It's the perfect scent for a cold winter day and makes me feel an echo of the strength of those amazing women I admired when I was a kid. Estee Lauder - still great value for money and still making women feel fabulous.

From the bottle, I can understand why most people would either love or hate it. I know alot of older women who say "I hate youth dew, reminded me of my mother in law"...but on my skin...I love!, this one is my Estee Lauder favourite, followed by Spellbound

beautiful and natural from temple!its a strong perfume. can live long with me with faithful smell!

I close my eyes...

...1953
The girl's waist slender, her skirt ripples mildly- young and beautiful- a deep, spicy fragrance embraces her.

The news speaks from the radio:
J.F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier got married in the morning.
A well-known song start- Perry Como
"Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes"
The girl's hip starts swinging, steps the rhythm.

This for me- the "Youth-Dew"

Strongly spicy, deep, warm, and never ending fragrance.

sillage: 10/11
longevity: 10/11

Someone said it right on this list of reviews that for a generation obsessed with anything vintage, it is a shame they don't appreciate this scent. I too encountered this scent on my grandmother's vanity. She cherished this gift from given to her by my mother every Christmas. My grandmother was poor and couldn't afford such luxuries and always loved her youth dew. When i was 27 my mother knew I too wanted this perfume so she bought it for me. This is a scent that will always remind me of them both.

The scent is a bit spicy and heavy. That's what I love about it. It lasts forever on my skin without smelling like I bathed in it. It gets softer the longer you wear it. No doubt about it, this smells vintage and is perfect for a cold winters night.

To start im just going to write what i love about it!
-a brand new bottle looks aged like a 50 year old vintage, stunning on my vanity
-it smells amazing, like tabu but less animalistic and warmer (i do love tabu also, would recommend this to someone who wants tabu but more rounded)
-its not subtle, so sue it! I want to be heard, seen, understood, and smelled! Hopefully not coming off of the elevator though. Its bold and powerful like a good fume should be so go easy
-its a freakin bargin, 32 american for a bottle YES PLEASE
-its versatile, whereas tabu takes on the persona of a whore that dana made it for, this one can be musky and sexy but also take on the power of chanel no5, or could just be a nice dark regal scent to wear around the house in almost nothing. I feel like this is how Elizabeth Taylor would have smelled when she was just wearing a white slip all the way through cat on a hot tin roof. It has a relaxed powdery facet that can work that way too.

I find it so ironic that with all of today's revival of retro glamour (particularly everyone looking like Bettie Page) that no one appreciates the vintage scents. Believe it or not one day scents like angel or prada candy will be labeled old and stinky by a generation with far too narrow pallettes so be receptive to all thats out there and dont just vote dislike because you dont understand what it is youre smelling, you may miss out :-)

A scent you smell, and realize you already know it. This is a million aunts at a family reunion, a wedding you were at when you were 12, a room full of coats at a party. It's nostalgic and familiar. It smells like the past. It smells like my youth indeed...and guess what? I like it!

I think this needs to be applied sparingly. Also, it smells very vintage and waxy. Think of a crayon box,in a musty attic full of roses... where people light incense and hold seance's. It's that wonderfully strange.

Reading the reviews on this one has been interesting.

I first encountered Youth Dew on my grandmother's dressing table. I was about twelve then. I thought it was very strange, heavy, and the name suggested something awfully biological...

Three years later, I was given a makeup kit made by Estee Lauder that included ( well what do you know )
a small bottle of Youth Dew. I was eager to use the makeup, but a little hesitant to try the fragrance. But...I did. And surprise! I liked it.

Youth Dew is indeed strong, and like other perfumes with this trait,is better sprayed on a cotton ball and then dabbed on sparingly. But the payoff is in the drydown, when the fragrance melds with the skin's unique chemistry and and becomes a fragrant shadow lending an aura of warmth and richness to the wearer.

Perhaps because of this experience, I became convinced that fragrance is something that crosses the barriers of age and gender: try coloring outside the lines every once in awhile. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Youth Dew is a lovely fragrance.

This is my favorite perfume. It's a classic & I always feel sexy when I wear it.

Bath oil-current formulation-warm,spicy, deep, if this is smelly old lady then it's fabulous to be a smelly old lady. Subtle-no, it's not. It's HUGE, like Tabu. If you dislike patchouli, stay away. if you're into candy/ cup cake perfumes, stay away- this stuff will blacken your eye and steal your lunch money.

EDP-vintage formulation -it has the same smell as the bath oil, but lacks the warmth and has this sharp, synthetic vibe going on. Not bad, but kind of harsh. I wouldn't wear it.

I prefer the bath oil.

This is an absolutely wonderful heavy-hitting oriental in the opium mould, which, were it not so recognisable on a whole generation of women, should be a must in every oriental fans wardrobe.
Personally, I have no connotations with this fragrance though I remember smelling it on people over the years.
I put it on today after disliking it on previous wearings. After trying a slew of mega expensive, over rated niche perfumes, I felt like this one had that real warm blooded feeling - like another person had walked into the room, and handed me a glass of brandy. This is up there with the best and wonderful fragrances like Ambre Russe and others, owe it a massive debt. Rich, cosy, forceful and powdery, this is on my list.

This was a gift from my grandmother in the mid-eighties. It was a very elegant scent, but it didn't resonate youth to me. I LOVED the bottle much more than the scent. I wore the perfume on some Sundays and holidays. It caused much attention. It lasted for years!

LMAO @ faceon, You may have just convinced me to give this a try as well as lol. I worked in Macy's as a ''floater'', a estee lauder girl just lost her dad and wasn't going to be at work for weeks, so they kindly gave me her spot until she returned. And youthdew was the first I smelled, because the name (at the time being of 21'ish yrs old) gave me the creeps I had to find out what this vile looking brown stuff smelled like, and at the time I nearly choked, but soon was shocked to see how many actually came in to still buy this dinosaur/classic. I believe my nose has developed much since then, and would love to give it another try, I feel like I may be missing out on something wonderful, like the kid that does't want to go to sleep for fear they will miss something great, lol........and yes ..loved your comment

Wow. My head was spinning in ecstasy when I sniffed this, I feel like I've known this scent forever. If it had a color it would be a very deep jewel-toned shade of brown. This is possibly the sultriest stuff my nose has ever chanced upon. Dark, rich, mysterious, ambery, resinous, like an indulgent femme fatale from another time and place. This scent really transports me. It has that cozy/old-world/spiritual feel to it. It first envelopes you in its intoxicating haze and then softly penetrates you with its rich balsamic, spicy warmth, deep into the core of your soul. Discovering this gem is like stumbling across a secret door in an old dilapidated house, you open it and find a chest full of precious old jewellery, frayed and yellowed pages from unread diaries filled with poetry and hidden secrets and sins. The ultimate dead-of-winter fragrance, so rich and comforting. Sadly for me, the weather is warm all year round in these parts, and I know I would suffocate many if I wore this out, but I will get myself a mini for my private sniffing pleasure.

OMG, the bath oil smells wonderful i am wearing it today it's the beginning of winter here and this heavenly oil is wrapping me up with a blanket of luxurious smell, and for the reformulation thing let's not panic it might be not that bad, when they reformulated Opium i was afraid that i would have to say goodbye to one of the most talked about scents from ysl so i tried the new opium and boom the baby is still there but in a softer more subtle way, i hope they keep it the same with the lovely/legendary Youth Dew (pleaseeee Estee Lauder fellas) <3

I have learned that Youth Dew has been reformulated- (confirmed by the company, check the reviews at their website please.)

Well I don't know what to say, I haven't yet got over the reformulation of Opium, and now my second favorite Youth Dew... Maybe it's not already available at stores, I just have to go and see with my bottle of original Youth Dew so as to compare. They say that the liquid is much lighter -almost transparent colored- in the new Youth Dew, and that it smells different also...

So what's next?... Aromatics Elixir? The last real unadulterated, unchanged perfume de la perfume for me?

Hoping that Clinique hasn't yet committed such a crime (and by my knowledge they didn't), I think I will forget the Youth Dew and buy some AE when I go to the store, gradually stocking it to last till the end of my life. This time I will be clever.

Now, I find Cinnabar to be warm, cozy, spicy, elegant, etc...but THIS stuff to me smells like some sort of ancient medication or muscle rub (haha)...I don't at all detect any of the yummy elements of the perfume pyramid as described above....which to me coincide more with the Cinnabar description...

Yes, the bath oil is IT! I've been wearing it on and off for the best part of 35 years, and it always draws huge compliments. Dark, mysterious and incredibly sexy. The projection is excellent and staying power is wonderful. It's totally distinctive and one of the few non-French fragrances that I love.

I wear this in the vintage EDC version and love it. Its smooth and velvet like, no harsch notes whatsoever. Just a dab on my pulse and in my neck and i feel like a woman who has it all ; )

The only way to wear Youth-Dew is in bath oil form. I fully agree with rainbow.owl2 below... the bath oil is incredible - so rich, velvety and luxurious. I definitely think it's a far smoother and less cloying composition than the EdP. It's very, very affordable and in many ways the best concentration, too - it wears like an extrait. In fact, Mrs. Lauder initially only sold it in bath oil concentration because women at the time thought it inappropriate and lavish to buy perfume for themselves. The bath oil was something they could invest in for bath or personal wear.

Wintertime + Bedtime + Youth-Dew bath oil = perfection. Try it.

on some people it smells alright , on me it gives me a headache and by the way it doesn't smell youthful .

Be careful wearing a perfume made almost entirely of basenotes. A little bergamot can hardly be heard behind the heavy amber/vanillic /spice stage curtain. Likewise, a bit of aldehyde can’t lift the 500 pound gorilla. Dense and proud, sister Youth Dew.

This stuff must have been a spectacular accessory in the good-girl/bad-girl, loud-subtext barbarity of the mid 20th century.

Not a review, but a funny anecdote: I find it amusing when popular culture pays homage (or pokes fun at) perfumes - it's a testament to their staying power and the spell by which they captivate many of us. It's something that we 'get' as a culture because we know what a certain scent is, and the memories it brings to us.

In an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (the cult TV series where a guy and his three robots watch really bad films and make fun of them in silhouette in a theater), Youth Dew is mentioned. The film that they were lampooning was an awful 80's Canadian 'sci-fi/action' film called 'Final Sacrifice'. In one scene, our young protagonist is visited by his noticeably dowdy, pestering middle-aged aunt, who has appropriately big hair and a bit too much make-up. As she finishes her scene, she exits and one of the robots comments, 'Great, now my room reeks of Youth Dew.' When the scene aired, the bulletin boards were alive with questions asking 'what the heck is Youth Dew??'

I think the irony (of course) is that Youth was probably the last word one would have used to describe this actress or her role - and I have to say that to this day, the name 'Youth Dew' immediately reminds me not of someone youthful, but someone standing at the side of the Fountain of Youth looking very hopeful.

But as I said, this wasn't a review, just an anecdote. I promise I'll take a whiff of this scent and write a proper review sometime :-)

I have loved Youth Dew for a long time, but recently decided to buy the BATH OIL (to use as perfume) after reading recommendations on Fragrantica.

My dears, it is lovely. Smooth, rich, gorgeous. Like the Youth Dew that (some) of us love, but better in every way. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's quite cheap, why not give it a try? If you're not keen, you could always use it as bath oil...

BTW - I have always received many compliments when wearing Youth Dew & had NO IDEA it was so disliked until joining Fragrantica. Just goes to show how important skin chemistry is! The very first time I used the oil my mother complimented me upon it.

It reminds me of a rancid body oil,been consumed since the last century.Maybe it's the tolu balsam that makes the difference.

if you are a fan of flowery candy scents DO NOT come close to YD, this is a mature, seductive, luxurious type of perfume, it starts strong and shocking but then it cools down into a beautiful warm cozy scent... simply LOVE it ;)

Simply disgusting! The worst perfume I've ever smelled...ever! This perfume is very heavy and very old fashioned in a bad way.
How one views a perfume is a personal case but imho this perfume is suffocating.

The first time I sprayed Youth Dew on my forearms to test, I got a strong sensation of smelling ginger, except it was a ginger without the peppery note.

The first blast was spicy and lemony, a strange mixture of hot and cold, fresh and warm.

Later on, the scent developed into a weird dusty attic smell, as when you open a wooden chest stuffed full of old musty clothes. It is strangely pleasant and disturbing at the same time.

I can understand why some people view Youth Dew as an "old lady's scent". It certainly has that olden days vibe about it. The drydown, to me, is a classic soap meets traditional cologne.

Can certainly be worn by both men and women.

One to try again. Not love at first sniff, but there is scope for it to grow on me.

My daughter thinks this smells like coca cola but I find it a bit strong for my taste, too spicey.

What is "youth" in this fragance?

Youth Dew laid a foundation for American perfume. When it was launched, it was trendy and sexy. Every mom on the block wore it with smart dresses, and heels. It was the first real office scent as women began entering the workforce. It became popular in Europe and still sells well today.

The big dark ambery spices rocked! It had big sillage and lasted for hours. The heavy oriental had not been seen like this since Tabu. It became popular again thanks to Youth Dew. This became the fragrance that women began buying for themselves and enjoying.

How the times have changed. From todays light syntheic standard, YD is a fossil fragrance, unfit for even old ladies. The scent hasnt changed, just our perspective towards it. There will come a time when it becomes popular again. It and Tabu resurfaced after Opium was launched. I cannot wait until the next oriental craze!

I HATE THIS FRAGRANCE. Bad luck for me! I had lots of bad experiences while wearing it, so bad memory association is also too blame along with the horrid moldy moss wet forest manly poohy (fecal) smell. Most people do not care for this strong at first but little staying power scent. It is masculine and just offensive. I am sorry I wasted $35 on this monster.
I imagine a musk rat dragging it's filthy bottom across the swamp floor might smell like this. Just add a bit of cinnamon?
I am actually boycotting Estee Lauder products from my vanity for their Zionist activities and horrible political leanings.

Can you believe that I fell in love with Youth Dew when I was a 20-year-old college student? It's true! I never went through the vanilla-candy-fruit perfume phase (except for a brief dalliance with Warm Vanilla Sugar that I would like to forget). My perfume-wearing history looks like this: Bath and Body Works Juniper Breeze - Tommy Girl - Opium - Chanel No. 5 - Miss Dior - Youth Dew - everything I could get my hands on. And for reference, I'm in my late 20s now. I find Youth Dew rich and beautiful, with its spicy, resinous notes. The EdP is a little overpowering, but the bath oil is perfect. Youth Dew, a 1950s fragrance through-and-through, makes me want to sit up a little straighter whenever I wear it. I think my grandmother wore it back in the day, and I am carrying on the family tradition!

I wear the bath oil of Youth Dew. I apply it after shower but before drying off. I intend to purchase the body powder to use as well.

I had to grow into this fragrance. Literally. When I was younger it was overpowering for me, and it wore me instead of me wearing it. The aldehyde in the spray is over the top and I adore aldehydes.

I prefer the bath oil because the spray has atomic sillage. I prefer to keep the scent closer to the skin so that one must lean into my fragrance rather than my fragrance enveloping them. I liken it to allowing someone to accept my embrace rather than me walking up to them and grabbing them in a very tight bearhug---unawares.

The dry down on this for me is resinous and balsam and fine patchouli, not your 70's headshop patchouli but rather a soapy more blunt patchouli. This is a fragrance that one must test before purchasing. Most definately.

Miss Filthy is right...da boyz love da bath oil!! I have a love/like relationship with YD. Love the deep/spicy/smoky/dark/cola. Lots of character....use only a little. **OIL ONLY!** Best for eves/cooler weather.

Men adore Youth Dew!! I'm personally not that struck on the EDP (as is the main opinion on here),however the Bath Oil (which doubles as a dab-on) and also the divine Dusting Powder (the box alone is sheer vintage!) are just fabulous.
Only last month, I was wearing the tiniest of dabs of the oil, and a very light dusting of the powder and 3 (no less!!) quite hunky men commented whilst I was only in the supermarket!!
Also,just a few drops of the oil into your bathwater, and you can smell the fragrance throughout the house...stunning!

This is one of those fragrances that everyone describes as “old lady”, and they’re right. It’s something that a crazy old woman who has 100 cats and wears furs and diamonds in summer would wear. The kind of old lady who in her youth had an affair with a sheik, dipped her toes in the Nile, woke up in satin sheets on the French Riviera, owned a pet peacock named Oscar and dressed her first baby in a purple silk turban.

It’s the same scent this young woman put on to listen to the radio, then shocked people by dancing barefoot to a brass band all night when the end of the war was announced. It’s the perfume she applied to read telegrams from her lovers, sprayed on letters to her husband, and dabbed on her kittens before breakfast.

Yep, this is the smell of an old lady all right. And what an old lady she is.

I remember about 4 years ago I was wrinkling my nose just from sniffing the cap and wondering why on earth someone would want to smell like this. Tonoght i am absolutely in bliss wearing it and find it very sexy and seductive. I would call its richness intoxicating, only for real women with a strong personality.

I adore Youth Dew. A dense, heavy oriental that transports me back to time when women were proud to be women and not stiving to be young girls. Sexy and seductive when used with a light hand and a show stopper when bathed in. A very warm winter fragrance deep and rich. All you pink fluffy creatures watch out there's a diva about.

I don't know, maybe it works for other people, I personally like floral, sweet and powdery perfumes.
It caused me naucia and it's the first perfume to bring such results to me.
I really can't believe that it is Estee Lauder's, I find pleasant most of Estee Lauder's perfumes.
I could only think of an aged lady wearing this and only in the night, this perfume is not for the daylight.
It actually stinks. Very very heavy, nothing elegant, fresh, sweet or playfull, or sensual for sure.
At least this is what I'm getting from this perfume.

This reminds me of the seventies when I was a teenager and it was the one to wear... I asked what a friend had on the other day and she said youth Dew..was supprised!!! I must admit I like it but just feel its had its day but now have to admit have bought some body lotion...lol I shall be a secret youth Dew wearer!!!!!to take me back to my youth and wow it was a smell and half then.

Exquisite in the vintage bath oil format - rich, warm, animalic, enveloping. Very much in the same vein as Opium parfum, except this one holds the precious note of fur (both the fur worn around the neck and the "fur" covering our naughty bits).

The EDP is really very strong and the aldehydes assault you right out of the bottle - the oil tames these harsh elements and slowly lets the fragrance unfold, but still in an intense manner. It literally melts into your skin and becomes a part of you - very sensual and very wicked too. The vintage version really has some deep musks that just don't exist in the oil of today. Still, if you have to buy new Youth Dew, try the bath oil first.

I'm swooning!

(BTW - I've found that the vintage bath oil is one of the few perfumes that seem to remain relatively unchanged over time - meaning that if you find a bottle, it's most likely NOT to be spoiled by age.) Now off to eBay to all of you!

Possibly the worst perfume I have ever tried! The name alone: what has this strong incense-inspired perfume got to do with youth? Droplets of youth? Sorry, there is nothing youthful about this perfume at all IMO! All I got from the tester was this extremely powerful headache-inducing stench of something I can only describe as old moth-balls doused in lighter fuel and sprayed with strong air freshener and then left to sit in a mouldy heap of old clothes for months. Its the kind of perfume you get for Christmas from an elderly but well-meaning Aunt; a perfume you would probably never wear under the age of 85! You could clear a concert hall in seconds by spraying Youth Dew! I cannot imagine what woman it could appeal to, sorry. My grandmother hated the smell. The perfume has almost given me a black-out and has definitely zapped my imagination! But I have to say it has been around for so long, that someone somewhere must like it.....?

I just love the fragance of Youth Dew..has been my favorite for over 25 yrs...just love its smell and makes me feel so good ....

I normally love orientals, and I've tried very hard to like Youth Dew but no matter how I try I always find it too strident. Somehow it seems out of balance, as though it's trying too hard to be sexy and musky. All I get is a muddle of musk and amber, which overpowers all the other notes that should be in there to give the fragrance character. No, not for me, I'm afraid.

The bath oil of this a-maz-ing. Really, really, really good. The EDP... I've never smelled a good bottle of it. It's like Richard Widmark pushed it down the stairs.

Estee's Cinnabar was my signature scent many years ago when I was a youth and "dewy" college coed, and perhaps my memory is off but wasn't that fragrance originally introduced as "Youth Dew Light" by the company? I haven't found any vintage ads stating this, but I would swear it was listed as such on the box of my first bottle of Cinnabar. Many years ago my then future ex-husband bought me an anniversary gift bottle of Youth Dew by accident, and probably for that very reason. I still have that Youth Dew, it's classic little bow is a bit droopy, the bottle contents barely touched, but I just can't bring myself to get rid of it. And after all this time my bottle hasn't gone "off", which is quite a testament to it because it even survived sitting in my hurricane damaged, no A/C home for two months after Hurricane Katrina in 2005! It must still be loved by some, because when a friend was going to sell her bottle at a yard sale, it was stolen and the thief literally ran off with it!

Queen of perfumes...

Deep, dark, warm, hot, comforting, sexy, holy, gothic, vintage, nostalgic, just a perfect fragrance...

I hope they never reformulate it!

This is another classic that might remind you of the 70s and 80s. To me it brought out a massive deep amber note which I did not like. It's too intense, too fierce and too "old lady" for me - sorry.

Tried and true vintage perfume. I do love this scent. I do not wear it very often however as it is quite strong and only smells great when it is frosty outside. It has it's rightful place in our history of scents and I do have a bottle and use it when I have the need.

I really dislike this perfume and could never wear it. If I am by someone who is wearing it I find it so heavy that I can actually taste it all day :(

I did have some of this a number of years ago, but it was one of the only fragrances that I owed that I had to throw away because it went off.

This is my mums signature scent- she has worn it for years. It is a fragrance from a time gone by, and it may be worn by old ladies now, but those old ladies were once young and vibrant women- times and fashions for scents have changed- this is powerful stuff! I am sure we will all love this again one day, when we tire of the fruity, fluffy, pinky, soft and watery fragrances of the current time, it's just that this kind of fragrance is not the fashion at the moment making it seem 'an old lady scent'.

Review for the bath oil: (I can't compare to the perfume, since I have no experience with it.)

First of all--I really like the idea of perfume oil. If you think that this is simply scented oil, you're wrong. This is concentrated Perfume Oil. A few things about that: YD bath oil is a great deal, I think it's $38 for two ounces. When I first bought this, I made the mistake of applying liberally to every conceivable pulse point after a shower. That was WAY too much to put on! I was almost knocked cold by the strength. YD oil does not die down after 30 minutes or an hour, either. This is some long lasting, potent stuff.

So the way to wear this is extremely sparingly. I would treat this as some sort of parfum extrait, where a few small drops can be distributed to wrists, behind the ears, etc. and you will have a gorgeous scent that will last all day.

Another thing: I really simply love the delivery itself. I guess I have so many spray perfumes that I am interested in another 'perfume delivery device' so to speak. This is a dark and fragrant elixir, and so potent that it will fill the air around you when you put in on. After a steamy shower or bath it it kind of has a secretive, magical quailty. I WISH more companies would formulate bath oil concentrations of their perfumes. It's a really great way to wear perfume.

Okay so the perfume: This is a dark and rich oil, filled with resins, deep wood flowers, incense, frankinsense & myrrh, something even camphorous, and the like. I rather like aldehydes but that part of the perfume seems to be missing, the oil goes straight to the heart and base. The charactger is sweet in a way that reminds me of an old fashioned Christmas: Scented Candles burning, oranges with cloves in them, lots of freshly cut pine wreaths, flowers sent as presents, and of course a giant tree.

Worn in the right amounts I think this would smell beautiful on an (open-minded, I guess it would have to be)teenager, a woman in her twenties or thirties, and beyond.

Anyway if you ccan't tell I really like everything about this and I highly recommend at least trying it if you like this sort of thing.

This scent is not an old lady, not at all. It's a woman in her late twenties, refined, elegant, broad minded, a bit stubborn, a bit of a rebel. She's been through a lot of tough stuff and now she knows well who she is and what's good for her. She seems a kind of distant but she's always kind.
She seems complicated at first, an overhelming mix of fruit sweetness, green bitterness and dark incense basenotes - it smells almost medicinal. And it actually must be treated as if it were a medicine - in VERY small doses! After an hour, the fruit notes seem to completely disapear and it settles down to a surprisingly tender, spicy green scent with a beautiful oakmoss drydown. WARNING!!!IF YOU WEAR MORE THAN TWO SPRITZES PEOPLE AROUND YOU MIGHT WANT TO KILL YOU!

I'm a person who often likes orientals love Opium, Obsession and Cinnabar but this one seems gross though I can't say I've got past a sniff in the shop.

Well, from a person who still wears Chanel #5, and Wind Song, I must tell the truth.
Many older people wear this scent, during the Holiday seasons, I mean , they really pour it on, that you want to run away from it, but you can't.
Very intoxicating, in a bad way.
It reminds me of a well dressed old lady, who has lost her sense of smell.
It is a very, very strong fragrance.
Maybe if they come out with a Youth Dew Super Light or something.

Well i really hate to give bad reviews but here it goes...the only good thing about this perfume is it reminds me of my 86 year old Granny she has worn this for years and she is one of the best people on this earth..ok it makes me have a huge headache i cant describe how awful this scent is and honestly i really cant believe that Estee Lauder has never discontiuned this i think the one review about it smelling like cat spray, its smells of cat piss and a musty very old basement and wow is it strong...you can smell people that wear this from a mile away..sorry to say its discusting!!!!!!!

I must admit, I wasn't totally expecting to love Youth Dew after reading all of the reviews. I went & bought the bath oil, & I think it is very comforting!

I little like Bois des Iles, but Youth Dew adds that spiciness, cola-sweetness, and incense. And it lasts and lasts.

I always go for this scent in the late evening hours, when I want to relax, be calm, and feel comforted.

***BE SURE TO GET BATH OIL! Perfume = No Thank You!***

In the late 1950's, the mom of every little kid I knew, including my own, suddenly began to smell like Youth Dew. This was, and is, a HUGE fragrance, so believe me, all of us noticed. These were our Moms, who had always smelled sweetly of cookies, Lily of the Valley, Jergen's hand lotion, or something "nice" from Avon. Mothers had never smelled like this, so earthy and dark and vaguely of the resin on the pine trees along our block.

This is a complicated fragrance and probably among a handful I own that I'd call "exotic" to the point of being something out of 1,001 Arabian Nights. This is every spice from my spice rack in one bottle. I can only dab this and one drop does it; one spray would be overkill. And yes, the bath oil is the best.

Difficult to realize that this is now often denigrated as a granny scent. For my little kid self Youth Dew was the fragrance that made me realize my mom was also a woman.

arh youth dew!, when i was about 5 or 6 (over 3 decades ago!!) my nan wore this, i loved the smell, warm & spicy, i loved the bottle, loved the little gold bow wrapped around the slender bottle!! my mom also wore this when i was a little girl so for me its purely sentimental!, my mom hasnt worn this in years & my nan has long since passed away, but i always keep a little bottle of this in my bathroom, i rarely wear it as its too rich & heady for me but on those moments when i need extra "good luck" i spray a sneaky amount of this on my wrist for comfort (i wore this for the births of my children!!) its an absolute classic, elegant & timeless, i cannot see it siting well on under 30s, but i will alaways keep a bottle of this as it brings back warm memories of my childhood x

Too fruity to be unisex, IMO. I prefer vintage/1960s Tabu EdC. Now that is one incredible vintage fragrance. This one is dated and not special to me, but of course it blows away almost everything being produced now. I was hoping the base would have a great balsamic quality, but that never came to pass. JHL/Ispahan type fragrances have a dry, spicy/soapy quality, which is not at all like Youth Dew. I'm not a huge fan of either one, but I prefer them to Youth Dew, which is not "oriental" enough for me. The one I sampled was vintage, from the 50s or 60s. Longevity and projection/"sillage" are excellent. So, if you like the idea of a fruity (not in the modern sense) oriental, you might want to try this one. Overall, it's well made and has no flaws (other than coming across a little "synthetic" at times), but likely will impress others as "old," unless they too are perfumistas.

Youth Dew is one of my favourite scents. Its spicy power might seem overwhelming to some but to me it is pure bliss. Cloves and cinnamon galore and later on ylang-ylang, mandarine, incense and sandal wood. Could bathe in it but a light hand is necessary here.
YD has a warm quality reminding me of a fireside, cosy and comforting in the cold season.
It took some time for me to understand and appreciate its deep beauty. A fine classic, for fans of Opium and Cinnabar. Wanna have a whiff of it right now *sigh*.

DEAR GOD, Please help me to understand why people like this atrocious scent..I had to toleraate this fragrance as a child from my older caretaker...This fragrance, even when it fades, just sucker punches you right in the neck!! If you are seriously obssessed with this monstrosity, do our noses a favor, try Tresor(a little nuttier) or a more balanced varient of this in Lancome's Magie Noire.

Another strange review. Seems I've been giving a lot of those lately.

The drydown after 3 hours of wear is nice, like incense, cinnamon, and woods.

But in the first two hours, this was Stink City. I thought the bottle was so cute and old-fashioned, but honestly the perfume smelled ghastly. I was very let-down because I like strong, earthy scents and wanted very much to like this. It's cheap and would be easy to add to my collection. When my mother smelled it on my arm she made a face of disbelief and said "What a HORRIBLE thing!" It is certainly a spicy oriental, but it isn't feminine or sexy to me. Something about it is just too harsh and dark, like a perfume that's gone bad. I remember as a little girl, opening up my grandma's drawer and taking her perfume out. The bottle seemed really old and leaky and was a dark brown color. I put it on anyway, and it was obvious that it had turned, but yet it still retained some of the floral scent it was meant to be. I think this describes Youth Dew.

And I don't think there's anything youthful about it. It's about as mature of a scent as I could ever imagine.

Please wear with caution, definitely not on a date, and definitely only one tiny drop spread all around.

Pienso que es el mejor perfume de esa casa con diferencia!!!un oriental magnifico

SExy, intence, feminine and classic fragrance really elegant!

i had this spicy, strong and pleasing scent back in the 80's. loved it. haven't thought of it in awhile. i loved how the dark, spicy, rich looking liquid looked in its bottle. cognac is the right description for this fragrance, that simmers down to a sexy smoldering light spice.

The body cream is fantastic. It last long and is really sensual. The perfume is too much, very strong and it must be used in small doses.

Ah, Youth Dew bath oil. Sexual napalm in a bottle. :)

I prefer Cinnabar, but my husband goes so nuts for Youth Dew that I got the bath oil. When I compare the two, I'd say that Cinnabar is sharper and drier and Youth Dew is smoother and oilier. They are both uber-confident. I find Cinnabar a little more feral, which suits me- it's a little harder to pin down. Youth Dew is the smell of sexual availability- smooth, warm, inviting- the smell of a woman who won't turn you down.

This has all the right notes for me in a wonderful combination. It is smokey, intense and shines with lusciousness of the earthy, sensual type. BE WARNED! Not for those who don't want to be noticed, or smelt! When I wear it, I feel expensive, elegant and very, very sexy in a mature. female way and I can smell myself, which is what I want in a perfume.....

The strong, incensey opening notes dry down to a sweet, amber/patchouli/musk aura that is captivating. I am a real clove phobe, as it often comes on strong on my skin making me smell like someone with toothache/home remedy. But, no problem with that here. The middle is rich cinnamon and well balanced floral notes.

And, absolutely best advice, awesomeness and other...GET THE BATH OIL!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been wearing this majestic juice for about 12 months now & adore it. When i was in my 20's a friend of mine was 40 & she wore it all the time...i hated it on her, she smelt like an old person!!

Over the next 20 years i never ever smelt it on anybody else but saw it teasing me to try it for myself on department store shelves.

So i did.

Wow!!!

Its amazing. Whether my taste has matured along with my years or i just didnt appreciate a good thing when i smelt it back in my 20's or even more likely it just didnt suit my friends body chemistry...i have no idea. What i do know is i adore youth dew.

It is heavy. It is strong. It is head turning.

Its very 'ambery' & spicy & then mellows down to something soft & creamy like cashmere on your skin. Like the soft downy fur of a baby bunny as it nuzzles in to your body for a cuddle.

This must suit me brilliantly because after an hour i cannot smell this juice on my skin at all but others can, my nose has grown accustomed to this delicious fragrance.

This juice doesnt excude sexy in my opinion it oozes sensuality instead.

I love it !!! this perfume made me feel so sexy , it's not like any other fragrance I own or tried. not a lot of people have this so you dont end up smelling like everyone.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER SMELLED A MORE DIVINE PERFUME IN MY 30 YEARS OF LIFE.
HERE'S HOW IT STARTED: 2 MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT KNOWING AND I REMEMBER I WAS SURPRIZED BY THE COLOUR OF THE LIQUID OF YOUTH-DEW HAD, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT IT AT THE EL COUNTER.
I REMEMBER I THOUGHT THAT IT HAS BEEN DECADES SINCE I HAVE SEEN A PERFUME IN THAT DARK CINNAMON COLOUR.
I SMELLED IT FROM THE BOTTLE AND I THOUGHT THAT IT IS NOT A CONTEMPORARY SCENT (MEANING NICE AND INTERESTING) BUT I DIDN'T TEST IT.
SO YESTERDAY I WENT TO BUY ANOTHER PERFUME AND I THOUGHT : WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY? SO I SPRAYED IT ON ME AND I DECIDED TO BUY IT WITHIN THE NEXT 15 SECONDS.
IT IS SO RICH, POWDERY AND CLASSY.
I SMELL SPICES AND SOMETHING LIKE MYHR...IT IS SO ENCHANTING AND AUTHENTICALLY ORIENTAL...
I DON'T FIND IT CLOYING OR OVERLY SWEET.
I JUST LOVE IT! THE HOLLY GRAIL OF ORIENTALS FOR SURE!

I got the bath oil today, I have the perfume and I love this scent. I love the smell but the bath oil smells softer than the perfume. Love them both.

Oh, I don't like this one at all. Sickly sweet. I favor oriental scents, but this overwhelms me with Jasmine and Orchid. Strange to me that no one else really picks up on that.

I haven't tried the body oil though, and that seems to be a big hit.

I smelled this at the store the other day and I thought: MOMMY!! My mother used to wear the bath powder at night after her shower. Nice little memory of her that sticks to this day. It is a lovely smelling frag even if I didn't have the mom association.

I love this fragrance!! my mom wore this for years and I always loved it on her, she passed aways last year so I bought a small bottle for myself,so I always smell it and think of all the good memories of my mother

A favourite for me, I really want it. I think its amazing to put on fur coats and leather jackets, its the perfect christmas dinner perfume. Its warm, spicy and if used with carefully I think its really sensual, not sexy, sensual. This one and Cinnabar are going to my Santa Claus list :)

It's magical simply put.
Bath oil is the way to go with YD--hadn't opened mine in 6 years and finally decided to dab a little on the wrist and behind the ears: couldn't believe the number of compliments from men. Goes fabulously with cashmere sweaters.....

Opium smell very similar to Youth Dew(Edp 2010)..

Overall both Fragrances smell practically the same. On the one hand there's Opium placing more emphasis on Citruses,Coconut and Pepper notes, and in the other hand Balsam notes, vetiver, patchouli and Ylang Ylang shine more on Youth Dew. I think Opium is more shiny , intense and Youth Dew more gloomy, mysterious. Both Fragances are amazingly well done.


Spices are present but not in a intense way. Youth Dew is not overwhelming if you aply just a little.

Yes youth Dew is very spicy but I havde loved it since I was sweet 16. I don't wear it everyday but when I do I see it's power. It is an elixir for sexiness. Men are drawn to it's unabasshed in your face sexuality. It's for a strong woman who knows who she is and is unashamed. A forever classic as far as I'm concerned incomparable. Strong yet still pleasant.

Sherapop covers this brilliantly. I received a 1/2 oz. petite vintage bottle that had not evaporated because it was so tightly sealed. W0W this kitten has claws. It smells extremely earthy...perhaps too much so. I wonder if I have the perfume. Someone referred to it as clean. I would call it anything but clean. Perhaps my vintage dab on has lost its clean notes. It reminds me of incense from the sixties. I think I will take the advice of minds much better than mine and use it in my bath.

My mom and her sister; that's what this says to me. Now, I'm at that age maybe it's time to give it a try. Always remember the square bath oil bottle in our bathroom cabinet. Always said and always will say to me.. MOM. Nothing negative about my mom just lots of wisdom, patience and understanding. Nothing understated about her and nothing understated about this fragrance either. Time to grow up and realize .. that , I, too have captured her spice to life. Then again, maybe I just need to keep my own bottle in my bathroom and make a memory for my own kids.

I wore Youth Dew many many years ago and in the interim I thought I disliked it and that it was far too *in your face*. Very recently I saw it again and had a spray for old times sake. It was still on my wrist the following day after a bath and I remembered its staying power. I thought it smelt wonderful the next day so I have bought some. I have it on now but applied very sparingly. It will be added to my collection now and worn occasionally.

Youth Dew was, for several years, my signature fragrance; I emptied at least two bottles of it before I became the perfume slut I am today!

What draws me to it? I love the rich/clean dichotomy of it. If YD and say, Bal A Versailles, were two women in identical sexy ballgowns, the YD woman would have taken a bath before putting on the dress and perhaps have on light makeup and a simple coiffure, but be stunning. BaV (which I love too) would have impeccable hair, makeup and accessories...but she wouldn't have bathed before putting the whole rig on.

Another thing I love about this is that there is a whole product line in it, and it is reasonably priced. Last Christmas I got a 60mL edp, a soap, a lotion and a powder for less than $60. Try that with Chanel No 5. I always get compliments when I wear it...it is rich but not overpowering. Great stuff.

Yes the bath oil is divine and very very sensual, beautiful.It is more friendlier on the skin cause it smells a little sweet and soft and very sexy and long lasting.A fragrance you can not ignore, Full of class. A little goes along way on my skin. Pure heaven no doubt.

I don't think that anyone will deny that EL YOUTH DEW is a pretty scary liquid to behold. Let's face it: it looks like something that Jean-Baptiste Grenouille may have created from the extracted and concentrated bodily fluids of his nubile red-haired victims.

But does YOUTH DEW smell as horrible as it looks? This may depend upon a variety of factors. For one thing, this perfume needs to be applied very, very sparingly, in order for it to be even physically possible to appreciate some of its dark oriental qualities and depth. Even then, however, some will be stymied--or even overwhelmed--by the tar-like incense note.

I occasionally dab on a drop or two from my perfume mini before a bath, but I cannot claim that I would ever be able to don this substance in public (and be forewarned: it WILL stain your clothes...). I do feel nonetheless, however, that this creation commands some form of respect--perhaps in the way that a nonagenarian who chainsmokes Camel straights somehow does. There is something so stubborn and determined about YOUTH DEW, it seems to be mocking the very concept of time.

On me this ends out a nicely balanced floral and spice wiht amber but unfortunately the dominant note is powder :(

This in the bath oil is superb. I got compliments but took it back. Seemed too naughty to me - just "not me". If you long for the vintage smell, get the bath oil. Mmmmm.

Estee Lauder's Youth Dew conjours dual contradictions Sex & Esoteric Seduction
& Piety Animalistic & Innocent everyone
has an different interpretation of what
the scent means to an person and Youth
Dew fits that Description.

It opens with an synthetic note of
Aldehyde with an drying of orange and
the shapness of Bergamot it dries to an
middle note of Raw uncut and pervasive
amount of Spices Ginger Curry every spice note is in this. then the fiery
sweetness of cinnamon shows up to the
senses.

The semi-spicy of the Cassia leaf mingles with the other spices with the
spicy sweet notes of clove Florals are
hard to detect because of the dominating notes of spices but i can
dectect a faint note of rose.

The drydown is an intoxicating scent
of Sandalwood incense Burning in Hindu
Temples in front of an deity clouds of
smoke floats allover the temple a strong
grounded note of Patchouli supports the
basenotes along with sweet amber and musk but i also can pick up some Civet
it dose add an animalistic quality to it.

at the very bottom note of Balsam
is an woodish scent has a bit of an
fiery tinge.

Youth Dew has it's own idenity that nobody can compare or measure up the silage is the heaviest of the history
of perfumes the liquid is sort of an
occidental version of the Arabian and
Indian Attars with their heavy and pure perfume silage the Liquid color conjours
up a Blood Red Sunset in the Desert sky.

a very strong incense perfume. Not one for me to like

OMG! The reviews left me with such high expectation when I ordered this scent blind. As the amber liquid hit my skin for the first time the widest slightly wicked smile appeared on my face. THIS IS MAGIC.

Old - not
Young - not
Self assured - definitely

youth dew is bohemian in its beauty captivating all the love, warmth, optimism and humility essential to a bohemian life style.

The incense base is breath taking.

I agree with MrLenny a man can easily wear this and I do! I like the oil the best it has a softer scent yet still has excellent sillage (but not too much)and wonderful longevity. Whenever I smell Youth Dew I think of the ancient Egyptian Kings and Queens. It is a regal and mysterious perfume. I for one am sick of all these sweet frags that smell like something you would eat. I like cake but I don't want to smell like one. I'm 19 and it seems like my generation doesn't know what quality perfume smells like. The guys all wear Axe and the girls wear Pink Sugar ugh!

My name is Lenny, and yes, I'm a
" Fragrance-O-Holic " I love Fine Fragrances, I know the very best there is and Youth Dew is one of my " Many, many " favorites ! I wear this EDP and Parfum plus the Bath & Body line including the oil..( Not all at once ) And I love it, and I smell so, so good in it. It's a Classic, and I think a Man, with the right body chemistry could indeed pull it off. Fabulous...

I'm a vetiver lover, yet this is not pleasant. Right from the opening I can smell two things in abhorrent disproportion - vetiver and incense. The smokey aroma rising from the vetiver edges on "burnt" and there is so much incense in this perfume it takes me back to nasty little incense houses that burnt cheap incense sticks to the point of idiocy.
Underneath those two notes the florals are sweet, powdery, you might not flag this as an aldehyde immediately or even later.
It reminds me a little of Opium, certainly in the same category and definitely reminiscent of others in the same class and genre.
The overwhelming spices are generally not pleasant for the first few hours, but if you can stomach it and are lucky enough to still own friends after wearing it near them for that period of time, then later you might appreciate the powdery romantic florals that linger.

The legend of Youth Dew release: Estee was presenting Youth Dew to cosmetics buyers in the stores around New York. She was meeting much resistance from them. She was then the new gal on the block and then as now the cosmetic/fragrance market was somewhat reserved about a new name.
After another negative response to the fragrance it is said that Estee's ambition made her clumsy and she dropped a bottle and smashed it on the cosmetics floor. She held out her arms and loudly asked passes by to be careful of the broken glass at the same time hindering attemps to clean the breakage up.
Youth Dew wofted through the air and passing customers became captivated. The daring stunt had women bending hankerchief in hand dabbing the divine brown liquid off the floor. Youth Dew's first outing caused such a stir the buyer couldn't refuse. It was in. The thin edge of the wedge for Estee Lauder and her global domination.

It is a very, very strong fragrance. I sprayed a bit on a test blotter, but couldn't stand to smell it for more than a tenth of a second... I handed it to my mom and she said :"Youth-dew? More like old-age-dew" :D

Seriously now, I will give it a try next time.
After all, every fragrance deserves a second chance!

me again why do they change the bottles this is a classic and my only option is to comment here the holiday version?? where's the pale blue box and original gols ribbon????? this is not the only one that has had this happen it really peeves me when i read on the sites that the juice in some have benn ''re- modified'' or ' up dated'' that piss's me off all the spin off's they do of a scent and they can't leave a classic alone when you pay for something and think wow i must have got a bad batch ? or did i leave this in the sunlight? or even think its you that your body chemistry changed only to find out that they are changing the recipee its more than a shame to me its a disgrace

this reminds me of my good friends mother who i adore shes a cajun woman who was raised in new orleans garden district she came from very old southern money i always loved geting a hug from her and smelling her classy clean sophisticated youth dew she started wearing as a young lady and has never strayed in the fall when she wore her leather jacket and perfume it was like magic i also loved her accent when she would talk she would never tell her age. her daughter didnt even really know it now thats old south every time i go to the estee lauder counter i ask 2 smell youthdew and think of desiree & veronica

I tried the bath oil version and it's much nicer than the perfume. It stays close to the skin and smells of resins and myrrh, with just a suggestion of flowers. A winter scent, and it sure goes on a whole lot friendlier than the perfume.

Not youthful and very strong. I think only a few people could pull this off.

Anyone weigh in on the solid version? It's a cute compact.

I'm only 28 years old and I love this!! I'm wearing it now and my husband loves it!! And hes 26 years old!! We are young but we know Good perfume when we see it.This is a classic! I love all Estee Lauder perfumes!!

Youth Dew...Simply the Best!

I have been wearing this purfume for 40 years and regard it as part of my identity. To those of you who rudely say it is old persons perfume, I was NOT an old person when I began wearing Youth Dew, and over the years I have often been stopped in the street, particularly by men, who ask me what I am wearing so they can buy it for their wives. Once I left a jacket at a friend's house and she hung it in her laundry, where it perfumed the room. Her husband wanted to buy her some immediately.
Of course perfume is a very individual thing, reactions on each person's skin can vary so much, but the proof that it is the right one for you is surely evident when strangers stop you to comment on how lovely it is.

May youth Dew remain for sale unchanged for at least as long as I am here, which I hope will be another 30 years at least!!

When I was a young hairstylest i was shampooing a clients hair.It was fullof youth dew.the hot water and youth dew got me gagging.Now 10 yrs later I cant get enough.i love oriental florals and this is the epitome.Lasts forever,compliments galore and a fragrance i never get tired of.

the bath oil is the bomb..incredible!..i hate the eau de parfum..but love the parfum and the bath oil[practically the same]

This is a quite intimate perfume, which stays close to your skin, not "loud" or "sexy". Created in 1953 it is timeless and avantgarde in a bottle (as someone else described it here earlier). Youth Dew is quite distinct so I would wear it on special occasions not on a daily basis. I love it for its richness and complexity.

The smell is the opposite of youth. Smells like being stuffed in a mothball closet since 1950. Very spicy. Something Lucille Ball would have worn.

I know, I know...I'm SUPPOSED to like this classic (and I probably would on OTHER people). On me? It was heavy and cloying for hours, and seemed to burn a whole in the spots where it was applied. I wish I could be more objective about it, but I can't.

I know many scents change as the day progresses, and that a lot of experienced perfumistas are patient, and withold opinion until the dry-down.

As for me, I have to admit: if it doesn't smell fairly nice on me during ALL stages -- beginning, middle AND end -- then I want nothing to do with it.

What's wrong with it being an older perfume. Cannel #5 is just as old and you don't hear anyone saying it's an old lady perfume. I love youth dew. For one thing it works well with my chemistry and it last all day on me. I also love wearing Channel #5 but it doesn't last a half hour on me. And Channel is more expensive. I've never used a perfume before that last as long on you as Youth Dew does. It is a classy perfume.

I have to say that this perfume is a clssic one.It was created by the same nose -creator of Fidji.Women in 1953 wore it (our grannies) who
where housewives and their needs were different from ours.Nowdays there are still women who actually wear and are fond of it(55 years later!!!).I do like it(it is not included in my tops).I do wear it in winters and some occations .I have some other classic aldehydes like white linen and channel#5#.I believe that it belongs in a special classical group of perfumes.

In the early 1980's my Dad gave my Mom a whole set of this stuff (why it is named "Youth Dew" mystifies my!) I never told her how repulsive I thought it smelled to my 30 year old nose. I have never worn it myself, but received a set of Guerlain miniatures, and tried Mitsuoko. After about an hour, there was that same undertone, that base note that I found so distasteful in Youth Dew! So, two famous perfumes that others rave about, I just abhor. It really is about "body chemistry".

To me this perfume smells carnation which i adore. It's oriental and powerfull. You spray just a little quantity and you smell it on yourself all day long. For some people smells like old lady- a banal perfume- but i think is classic in a good way for strong women with a kinky side.
10/10/09

i bought crismas mini perfume collection include this perfume. at first, i hate it. but, i always wear the perfume that i dont like to finish it first. and i always wear it. it weird because few of my collague like it. they say i smells good and very sexy.. maybe it match well with my chemistry... and i still wear it. buy a second bottle...no, not this one. i prefer spellbound more...

Distinct,intimate...a bit complicated, yet attractive and repulsive at the same time, therefore perfectly suited to its name.
To me Youth Dew is perfect for an intimate dinner and definitely not a fragrance for absolute beginners, although I have received it as a gift I did not immediately accept it, took me time to realize how unique Youth Dew is. Very retro, feminine, strong, seductive... excellent, especially if used with bath-oil. Whenever I see it seems that Youth Dew is the king of the EL empire, without it shelf is empty and incomplete.
For me No.1 when it comes to originality and needless to say - more beautiful in the original box, light turquoise.
When I think about the perfume, then I remember Youth Dew, Rive Gauche, Miss Dior, Givenchy III, Samsara... not even a little old-fashioned, these are the perfumes for eternity, in fact perfumes which are still avant-garde, even in comparison with the new releases.
Provocative, urban and glamorous, chic and cool, but still noticeable. Art in droplets, that make the world more beautiful.
Youth Dew is such a great fragrance that will delight those who prefer stronger scents with character.

Warm and elegant. Rich and spicy, so sophisticated and very romantic and sensual, need I say more.

From a younger person's perspective, I guess it might come as a bit of a shock when I admit that I actually love this fragrance.

Old lady? I think not. As a 19 year old girl I would not feel ashamed by wearing this scent.

Youth-Dew is sophisticated, elegant, warm, inviting and in some ways strangely sexy. While I'm not a fan of fragrances containing aldehydes, I do love it when the powdery quality of the aldehydes are blended with spices. This blend gives this fragrance such a rich and feminine quality.

I have heard some people describe this fragrance as smelling similar to incense or exotic merchandise stores. I may just have to agree with that statement, however personally I love those smells, I find them to be quite soothing.

Where this scent goes wrong is when it is applied too heavily. Two or three sprays are certainly enough, any more and even I would be cringing at the thought of Youth-Dew.

Ilove it --only wear lauder--nothing else--Youth Dew a classic--also wear Spelbound and Cinnabar--mixed makes your very own smell--always people are asking me what I am wearing, that I smell so good. I like that no one else smells like meK!

My aunt always wore it and it smelled lovely on her but my mum tried it and didn't like it on her skin so gave it to me but it didn't suit me either. Smelled like a man's aftershave.

I lurve this perfume! So many people think it's an old lady scent (maybe because women of their grandmother's generation wore it), but it's incredibly sexy. I must admit, if I go to heavy on it, it'll give me a headache. And this one has sillage to die for, so go easy.

When I wear it, my husband loves to nuzzle my neck. He once said I smelled like midnight Mass (the incense)...don't know why church is sexy, but he thinks so!

when i tried it, it smelled like an old perfume gone bad. but the worst part is that it stained my white t-shirt which i was never able to clean it again. :((

Youth Dew is one of those polarizing scents: those who love it, really love it. And those who don't love it, really abhor it and would rather slide down razor blades or chew aluminum foil than smell it on a regular basis.

Put me in the latter category. It's a quality fragrance, put together well from good raw materials... it has a definite personality, and if it's for you, you'll love its depth and complexity, with all those lovely resinous base notes.

It's just not anything that I ever, ever want on my body. And please, if you love it, wear it sparingly! I think its greatest drawback is its unrelenting sillage - there is simply no way to make Youth Dew a quiet fragrance.

Woo-hoo! A real grande dame of a fragrance. To be honest, I HATE the topnotes. It is very synthetic-y and old lady-ish at first sniff, but the drydown is sooo good- sex in a bottle! The vanilla and incense lay so well together.

On my top ten list for life! Rich, sensual, unusually long-lasting; the essence of femininity. Excellent for bedtime, I always keep the bath oil too as it is very economical used as perfume. Plus, it is a real man-pleaser!

Im not trying to be funny, my Grandmother wore this! She swore by it and it brings back fond memories. I would say its oriental but not spicey at all. Its very clean and classic.

This one is a masterpiece, i absolutely adore it, its perfect... perfect! The composition is so rich, developing, the incense, patchouli, balsams and vetiver in the drydown.. strong perfume, not for ppl who love them light. Eventhough its strong, its also very pleasant, it doesnt make me choke like some others and in the begining reminds me of cognac :) a real must have, cant wait to buy it.

I agree with ljubica.I don't like the scent myself but my best friend does and i think it smell beautiful on her.
As you so rightly said to many women this represents the epithome of elegance and sexiness.
Well put liubca.

I find it very similar to Opium.

Yuck! The most overrated perfume there is to my mind! Or maybe I just don't 'get it'? I know it's a 'classic' and has its following but it's way too overpoweringly spicy; - 'bitter' almost.
Like Marmite I reckon you either love it or hate it, there's no 'sitting on the fence' with this one.

For some reason, Youth Dew makes me think of molasses cookies- maybe it's the color, or the heaviness, or the spices. I favor oriental scents- spice is the thing- but Youth Dew isn't exactly my style. I know it's a genuine classic, and I've read Joan Crawford (and my mother) wore it. To me, it's a little bit matronly, grandama's perfume.
Youth Dew isn't the worst- just not my personal cup of tea. The spice would be ok if it were not in such an overbearing scent.

Although I'm not a great fan of spicy orientals myself, plus I read some very dicouraging comments from the people whose grandmothers used to wear it and who associate the smell with 'church going old ladies', there are people around who really appreciate this fragrance, and to whom it is an epithome of elegance and sexiness.
Because of such people, especially those I got to know on this site, I decided to give it a try.
After I tried the perfume, and didn't like it particularly, I came across the bath oil, which turned to be a completely different thing.
It is much softer, much more rounded than the perfume, and it has sweet and sexy smell, which is at the same time rather clean, not in the least bit animalic.
All in all, it might not be my thing entirely, but it still has some charm and I'm not going to give it away.

YUCK!!! I have tried so many times to like this so called classic, but it just smells so bad. A friend of mine wears it, and she smells good, like baby powder and musk, but I cannot stand it.