Youth-Dew by Estée Lauder is a classic feminine scent that has been loved from generation to generation. I recently discovered this beauty while researching ageless vintage fragrances.
However, when I finally sniffed Youth-Dew, its bold-smelling tone blew my mind.
With a curious mind, I further researched and, after months of trials, found the perfect list of Youth-Dew smell-alikes.
Now, through this write-up, I’m gonna share my findings in detail.
What Does Youth-Dew Estée Lauder Smell Like?
Youth-Dew by Estée Lauder is a captivating and opulent fragrance for women. It has a well-balanced aroma of rich flowers tuned with some sensual spices and woodsy notes. This enticing, spicy floral aura ends with the warm smokiness of incense, oakmoss, and tolu balsam.
Now, let’s check out the premium notes present in Youth-Dew by Estée Lauder:
Top Notes: Spices, Aldehydes, Narcissus, Lavender, Orange, and Peach
Middle Notes: Spicy Notes, Cloves, Cinnamon, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, and Lily-of-the-Valley
Base Notes: Incense, Tolu Balsam, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Amber, Vetiver, and Vanilla
The timeless appeal of Youth-Dew strikes with exciting spicy notes beautifully blended with some rich floral accords. However, I was particularly drawn to the aldehydic fruity undertone that amazingly blends in with all those bold spices.
The middle smells somewhat similar to the opening. You will mostly pick the creamy spiciness of cardamom and clove, along with rose and jasmine.
However, I could definitely feel a lot more was going on in the core.
Incense is quite prominent during the dry-down and lends a cozy, sensual feel, mingling with some woody vanillic base accords.
This warm, spicy, floral perfume smells sexier on a chilling winter night and stays up for over 15 hours.
What Perfumes Smell Similar To Youth-Dew Estée Lauder?
Youth-Dew is considered the sexiest perfume ever formulated, which Josephine Catapano created in 1953. Yet, many find this ageless creation a bit outdated for modern women.
Hence, in this segment, I’m gonna describe some similar-smelling yet modernized dupes for this vintage perfume.
So, let’s check out the best Youth-Dew by Estée Lauder alternatives:
1. Opium EDP By Yves Saint Laurent
Top Notes: Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, and Lily-of-the-Valley
Middle Notes: Myrrh and Jasmine
Base Notes: Opoponax, Amber, Patchouli, and Vanilla
YSL Opium will be by far the closest modernized version of Youth-Dew till now. I will say this fragrance is more like a granddaughter, which is vastly improved but carries a similar spicy, warm punch.
It opens with a touch of zesty bergamot that soon blends into airy, floral lily-of-the-valley nuances. The core entices with the spicy, resinous myrrh balanced with indolic jasmine.
The dry-down is my favorite part, which entices with the sexy, dark aura of patchouli and amber. Then, opoponax intensifies the creamy elegance of vanilla while adding more maturity and classiness to the base.
I think YSL Opium EDP expresses the sexy elegance of a woman to the highest level possible.
Additionally, I got around 14 hours of longevity and enormous sillage from this best smelling Yves Saint Laurent perfume.
When To Wear
Fall and winter is the perfect time to get the best out of YSL Opium EDP. This is extremely warm and can be your clubbing or date-night perfume for the cold evenings.
Why Should You Buy
- You’ll feel confident wearing this perfume.
- Smooth, gorgeous, and elegant dry-down.
- Outstanding performance.
- Premium quality.
- Refined spicy, floral tone.
2. Womens 157 By Palermo Perfumes
Top Notes: Spices, Narcissus, Aldehydes, Lavender, and Orange
Middle Notes: Spicy Notes, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, and Lily-of-the-Valley
Base Notes: Incense, Tolu Balsam, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Vetiver, and Vanilla
If you like vintage blends and looking for an exact clone of Estée Lauder’s Youth-Dew, I suggest trying out Womens 157 by Palermo Perfumes.
The top presents a similarly bold, spicy, floral quality. The spices are a bit watered down in this dupe, but I could surely feel the lavender and aldehyde behind the spiciness.
Apart from cardamom, the rose is very powerful in the heart and creates a magical harmony of sensuality and richness that no man can ignore.
The dry-down comes with a dark, mysterious sensation with a strong, smoky, balsamic aroma, mostly highlighting patchouli and vetiver.
Overall, this cheapo really gets the job done with its enticing aroma. Plus, only a few sprays of this beauty will stay with you for the whole day.
When To Wear
This Youth-Dew replica is the perfect perfume to make your flirtatious outings or special nights in winter more exciting and enjoyable.
Why Should You Buy
- Cheaper price.
- Almost 90% similar to the original.
- Lasts over 12 hours.
- Strong projection.
3. Obsession Calvin Klein
Top Notes: Vanilla, Basil, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Green Notes, and Peach
Middle Notes: Spices, Sandalwood, Coriander, Oakmoss, Cedar, and Rose
Base Notes: Amber, Incense, Vanilla, Civet, Musk, and Vetiver
Obsession by Calvin Klein is a sexy, amber, spicy fragrance for women that was released back in 1985. And if you’re looking for a smoother and more refined version of Youth-Dew, Obsession is a great option for you.
This legendary Calvin Klein fragrance starts with a bold, spicy, citrusy punch. Then, it significantly smoothens with vanilla, rose, and woody notes around the core.
At this stage, the aroma will wrap you with its endearing warmth and creamy blanket.
Towards the base, you’ll feel a cozy, smoky, amber-vanillic aroma with a subtle touch of muskiness that is enough to keep your partner enticed for the next 12 hours.
Moreover, if you need something equally sexy for your partner, you can check out colognes similar to CK Obsession For Men.
When To Wear
The warm and erotic quality of Obsession is ideal for blind dates, clubbing, parties, or any casual night outs in the fall or winter.
Why Should You Buy
- You’ll get a lot of compliments wearing it.
- Warm, sensual, and classy aroma.
- High-end quality.
- Balanced spicy woodiness.
- Long-lasting.
- Strong sillage.
- Men find it really attractive.
4. Tabu Dana
Top Notes: Spices, Orange, Coriander, Neroli, and Bergamot
Middle Notes: Cloves, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Rose, and Narcissus
Base Notes: Amber, Civet, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Musk, Oakmoss, Vetiver, and Cedar
Tabu by Dana can be your Youth-Dew substitute if you’re newly discovering the world of sensual vintage perfumes. Composed by Jean Carles, Tabu is actually the inspiration behind our Youth-Dew.
So, naturally, they both share around 80% to 90% similarity throughout.
You’ll get an identical spicy, zesty aroma when you first spray this timeless beauty. But what differs is the green, neroli undertone that lends Tabu a bitter, floral quality.
Its complexity carries on with clove and a blend of soft, sweet, powdery flowers in the core.
The fragrance really shines in the base, where the resinous nuance of amber and benzoin exerts a dark, moody feel.
The dry-down has a consistent, mature tone coming from the woodsy notes. You’ll also get a slight musky, civet nuance that will compliment your unveiled mysterious side for days long.
So, if you’re looking forward to getting a great deal from a Youth-Dew Dupe, this perfume is the best you can get.
When To Wear
Tabu is a perfect night or evening-time fragrance when you need something sexy, flirtatious yet immensely elegant for special events in the winter or fall.
Why Should You Buy
- More powdery.
- Best for strong, spicy perfume lovers.
- Well-blended spices and floral accords.
- Strong, enticing aroma.
- Insanely low price.
- More than 15 hours of lasting power.
5. Cinnabar Estée Lauder
Top Notes: Spices, Cloves, Tangerine, Peach, Orange Blossom, and Bergamot
Middle Notes: Cinnamon, Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Lily, Rose, and Lily-of-the-Valley
Base Notes: Incense, Tolu Balsam, Amber, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vanilla, and Vetiver
You can use Cinnabar as a floral substitute for Youth-Dew. Bernard Chant and Josephine Catapano collectively composed this fragrance in 1978.
The classiness of Cinnabar begins with bergamot, fruits, and lots of spices at the top. From a spicy, fruity opening, it suddenly turns into a spicy, oriental aroma with a blend of rose, jasmine, carnation, and other flowers in the core.
These soft, rich, and sweet florals stay prominent for a good period of time.
Slowly, it settles into a smoky, powdery base, along with the head-turning aura of tolu balsam, amber, and sandalwood.
I could smell the evocative Cinnabar aroma on my skin even after 12 hours of applying. Plus, it is a beast when it comes to projection and sillage.
So, this is the perfect perfume when you need to create a bold, sexy, and sophisticated aromatic presence.
When To Wear
Cinnabar works great as a flirty, evening-time fragrance on the colder nights of the year.
Why Should You Buy
- Enormous longevity and projection.
- Nice powdery, floral facet.
- Dark, mysterious ending.
- Aesthetic and classic composition.
6. Black Orchid Tom Ford
Top Notes: Truffle, Gardenia, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Orchid, Spices, Gardenia, Fruity Notes, and Jasmine
Base Notes: Mexican Chocolate, Patchouli, Vanilla, Incense, Amber, Sandalwood, and Vetiver
Black Orchid is an amber floral perfume by Tom Ford. This masterpiece was beautifully created by David Apel and Pierre Negrin.
Its composition is very complicated and carries a blend of numerous complex accords. However, along with some innovative TF touch, this perfume presents a spicy, floral, incense DNA that I find really close to Youth-Dew.
Black Orchid opens with the heady and seductive facets of white flowers. The tanginess of bergamot and blackcurrant poke through this sweet floral tone, giving an intoxicating feel.
Then comes the core, which presents a nice and sensual balance of spicy, floral, and fruity nuances. At last, it settles with a dark, woody, mature, and gourmand base aroma.
Overall, TF’s Black Orchid is a master-class perfume that has all the qualities you may look for in a classy and seductive fragrance.
Above all, its intense, amber-woody scent trail stays up on the skin for the whole day with strong sillage.
However, this perfume is quite expensive. So, if you love its unique aura, try out reasonable fragrances similar to Tom Ford Black Orchid.
When To Wear
Tom Ford’s Black Orchid is an excellent choice for any special, formal, or casual events during the chilling autumn and winter nights.
Why Should You Buy
- Impressive performance.
- Compliment magnet.
- Both men and women find it attractive.
- Smooth, mature dry-down.
- Captivating floral tone.
- Refined and exquisite aroma.
Parting Thoughts
All the above-mentioned fragrances seamlessly convey the signature aromatic tone of Youth-Dew. Whether you need modernized or more balanced options, these are the alternatives you should opt for.
So, check them out, and you’ll surely get what you are looking for.
Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.
