Estee Lauder • Youth Dew • Fragrances

*TOP REVIEWER* Olfactoria on 1/8/2012 9:53:00 AM more reviews by Olfactoria

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

Oh Youth Dew, I've tried so hard. I've tried all the formats that were supposed to make you more user-friendly (tiny dabs of bath oil! light dustings of powder!). I've worn you in tiny amounts, only in cold weather, trying to liberate your Oriental loveliness from the notes I detest. I can appreciate how you might work wonderfully on other women's skin, and I acknowledge the craftsmanship that goes into you. But truly, all I want to do is get away from you the moment I've applied you. Is it the jasmine? The clove? The rose? No matter. In your presence, all I can think of is creaky antique dressers filled with moldiferous linens that have yellowed with age, and ladies' lounges sprayed with baby powder Glade to cover the smell of bad plumbing. You don't smell "old" to me in the sense of "classic" or "retro"-- you smell "old" in the literal sense of being sad, tired, obsolete, ready for your last rites. Sorry, I really wanted to love you and I know you can be beautiful sometimes. Just never for me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* crysna on 9/13/2011 11:02:00 PM more reviews by crysna

Age: 25-29   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

The first fragrance from the iconic beauty house ESTEE LAUDER, created by Mrs Lauder. This frag is a staple on my mom, aunts and myself:) this frag is so sexy, spicy balsamic type, well balanced with nice sillage and longevity! with 2 spritz and i'm done the perfect amount of youth dew!!! The bottle is so gorgeous, looks pretty! The price is so cheap for an EL fragrance! Cool :) will buy it again, 100% sure!!!! Old lady type but a sexy one.

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stayce on 9/6/2011 6:36:00 PM more reviews by stayce

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I want to like Estee Lauder, I really do. They're such an iconic house, and they've done so many classic perfumes, they have a reputation for good quality, and they've kept their prices very reasonable. Every perfume of theirs that I've tried has made me want to go scrub down with bleach.
Youth Dew has a lovely balsamic, spicy opening. Turin and Sanchez describe it as 'animalic cola,' and they're dead on. And then it smelled like I had just walked into a zoo. There are a LOT of indoles in that sucker. Now, I'm not terribly squeamish-- I wear Bal a Versailles and Shalimar-- but this went straight from 'a little dirt' to 'someone needs to hose down the elephant pen.' Too bad. My packaging rating is for the adorable baby-blue retro bottle.

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HanLuna on 9/2/2011 10:32:00 AM more reviews by HanLuna

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Ok i've heard so much about this ''controversial'' scent for quite some time and i've yet to try it.But last week, i finally got a bottle. I was surprised at how cheap this is. I am aware this is a very old school scent and mainly appeals to the older generations particularly the old ladies. But being in my late 20s,i was really curious as to how this smells like and why it is still around despite all the negative reviews everywhere.
It smells really overpowering and very spicy. I sprayed it on my wrist and even after washing it with soap,i can still smell it though not as strong. I like the bottle very much..probably one of the few reasons i decided to get it. Another reason is that i remembered reading a book on how Ms Lauder smashed a bottle of YD at Galleries Lafayette in Paris after the owner refused to let Ms Lauder sell YD in the store.
I agree with most people this is not for everyone. But i like it personally and i occasionally spritzed a little of this after taking a bath and relaxing after a long hard day.

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Varuca on 8/17/2011 2:21:00 PM more reviews by Varuca

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I have to say, I am truly shocked by how many women in their 40's (even 50's) and younger give this a 5 review. This stuff not only smells like "old lady," it is known in the cosmetics industry to epitomize "old lady." I had a friend who worked the Estee Lauder counter 20 years ago, and she used to ask me why I liked EL so much because, apparently, they used to constantly have associate meetings where they would discuss "how do we capture a younger crowd?" I was in my mid-30's when she asked me this, and that was considered "young" for an Estee Lauder customer. I told her "my sensitive skin reacts to most cosmetics, and only EL has been gentle enough for me, and their cosmetics are subtle, as well as the lipsticks being long lasting w/o chapping." Then I mentioned YOUTH DEW. I told her I would never wear it since it reminds me of the blue haired old ladies on the bus when I was a kid, or my grandmother, who was perpetually 20 years older than her real age till she died (looked 70 in her 50's, and got worse). When I smell this rank concoctions, that's exactly what comes to mind. I feel nauseous because the old ladies I was around as a child who wore this would practically bathe in it (dead olfactory sensory), so being near any older woman wearing this as a child was overwhelming and unforgettable. The friend started ranting about how disgusting she felt this perfume is, and how only women in their 80's+ would buy it--but she said "THEY LOVE THIS STUFF!! They would FREAK if we didn't have it in stock, because they literally couldn't live without it!!" She then reminded me that this was one of the earliest Estee Lauder scents, and it has been on the market for about 60 years. "They'll never stop making it, so long as there are old ladies rushing the EL counters for their signature scent," she told me.
I have not purchased Youth Dew for all the reasons I mention above, but I have absolutely smelled it (many, MANY times), and I have even been stupid enough to squirt this stuff on myself at least once to see how it wears. It doesn't wear nicely on anyone, IMO.
I checked out the Tom Ford Limited Edition a few years ago, thinking maybe he could make it smell a little less.... gross? NOPE! Bad idea. Now I just received a sample of Tom Ford Black Orchid from Sephora, and I was dumb enough to squirt it on myself. AAAAAH!!! It's a Youth Dew knock off!! I screamed, "OH GOD! I SMELL LIKE OLD LADY!!" and my husband sniffed, and said, "Uh... I'm sorry. It does have some sort of hint of 'old lady' about it." That sample is now sitting in my purse to go to my 72 year old mother who tends to like things defined as "old lady" smelling.
I want to be fair here, and say that this is not meant to insult anyone over 70. Not every woman in that age group has blue hair or a dead sense of smell. Not every woman in the world has a strong mental association to "old ladies" reeking of this stuff, either. Still, any way you dice it, it's a fact that Estee Lauder has statistically managed to sell this potion almost exclusively to women who fit this description. It's the Old Spice for women, if you know what I mean. Nevermind the sexy "Ladies, look at your man, now look at me," ad campaign--the original Old Spice is 100% "old man," and anyone old enough to remember their grandpa's favorite cologne in the 1970's knows what I'm talking about!!
If you want to smell young and sexy, never touch anything labeled "Youth Dew" or made by Tom Ford. If you want to smell like Oriental spices and/or rich, deep exotic flowers, then dangit, this is just NOT the way to do it. Try Beyond Paradise, or virtually anything else less rancid.

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notagoodidea on 7/9/2011 8:44:00 AM more reviews by notagoodidea

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

The Way-Back Machine is fully operational here! YD (blue bottle) was the first upscale juice I ever bought... OK, made my mother buy, I was 13 yrs. old and couldn't drive myself to Neiman Marcus. My previous frangrances all came from the local drug store. Coty and Faberge were considered pretty exotic in a small Texas town during the early 70's. Thanks, Estee...you spoiled me forever and I'll be forever in your debt. Recently got a blue bottle from ebay. Time has taken its toll but that is to be expected with vintage.

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Bayspirit2002 on 6/26/2011 1:32:00 PM more reviews by Bayspirit2002

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Personally I cannot wear Youth Dew because it smells horrible on me but it is what my Mom always wore and it totally worked with her chemistry because EVERYONE ALWAYS complimented her on it! It smelled so warm and comforting (if that makes sense). I remember being a kid and watching her getting ready to go out and she'd spray her perfume right before leaving and I loved it! My Mom passed away 4 years ago and I have kept her last bottle just as a reminder. The other day I got into an elevator and a lady had it on and I thought of my Mom. It's funny how many people HATE this perfume but I really think it is all about your body chemistry and how it smells on you. It will always be a favorite of mine even though I cannot wear it.

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MissKisara on 6/23/2011 2:08:00 AM more reviews by MissKisara

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I'm sorry but this stuff just plain reeks! It is way too strong and too "old fashioned" smelling. It reminds me of Shalimar and Joy. Unfortunately the scent is so potent that it hurts my lungs and can nearly trigger an asthma attack. While there are people who do wear this on a daily basis, such as a few ladies in my office, I wish they would not apply it so heavily. Sorry Estee Lauder this may be a classic but I'm not a fan.

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hed67 on 5/13/2011 12:24:00 PM more reviews by hed67

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

ARRGH! This is the stuff my mom used to wear in the 1970's. VERY heavy. Always gave me an instant headache. Reminds me of industrial solvents. Just nasty.

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JenPhil1313 on 5/12/2011 4:42:00 PM more reviews by JenPhil1313

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

Sorry, but PEEH- EEW! I can't stand the smell of this stuff. I think, quite frankly, that it really stinks. Received it as a gift once years ago. Sprayed it on myself and nearly gagged. Apparently though it is a classic- so maybe this does smell nice on you if you have a certain body chemistry.... but not on me!

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jsnowden0001 on 5/12/2011 4:27:00 PM more reviews by jsnowden0001

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Youth Dew should be dabbed, not sprayed, and with a very judicious hand. Better yet, get the bath oil (an amazing value) and put a tiny drop on each wrist. You are now perfumed, not covered with fabric softener or plastic flowers. Like Mitsouko, this American masterpiece takes time to appreciate and perhaps some sophistication (not age, but outlook).

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*TOP REVIEWER* Kabuk1 on 4/30/2011 5:42:00 PM more reviews by Kabuk1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

My mom absolutely HATES Youth Dew(so bad that I used to get samples at the mall & hide them in her car just to prank her. Sorry mom!), but its really not that bad. I kind of like it, actually. I grabbed a tester strip of it at Ulta the other day & threw it in my purse. This morning I went to get my makeup bag out of my purse & thought to myself, "Hey, my purse smells like a renaissance fair!". Then I realized it was the Youth Dew sample I was smelling! That's what this smells like to me, it's a dead ringer for the musky, woody, incense-y smell of a medieval fair. I might just go buy a small bottle now, I can't stop sniffing this sample.

11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

fenlady on 4/12/2011 6:16:00 AM more reviews by fenlady

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

When I was a shy teenager I plucked up courage and asked the fascinating older beauty assistant at the local pharmacy what she was wearing as her scent, because I loved it! She said it was Mitsouko, but when I tested that it didn't smell anything like her. I later tested Youth Dew, and found it was exactly that scent, and when I challenged her, she admitted she'd lied because she was embarrassed about the name! Which I can understand, because I am, too.
But the scent itself I love - it's warm, rich, spicy, Oriental, and full of amber and incense. Not what I'd wear on a summer's day, but quite wonderful in autumn and winter. I wear the EdP but based on the reviews I've been reading here I'm going to try the original bath oil.
I don't think you have to be any particular age or type to wear this scent. I'm a fragile-looking pale blonde, and the lady I first spotted wearing it was a plump brunette. It just depends on whether it likes your skin chemistry and whether you enjoy this type of perfume. If you want to smell like Cleopatra - as another reviewer said - or like a Russian Princess (as Estee Lauder claimed), do give it a try. Just don't be too embarrassed to ask for a tester!

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*TOP REVIEWER* combatmedicwife on 4/10/2011 7:29:00 PM more reviews by combatmedicwife

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Dang it. It's hard to put into words what I want to say about this one.
Cute bottle! Charming story! Beautiful on a vanity.
It's something I'd wear if I was spending the night alone, but sensing that it's a fragrance not everyone likes to smell, I would maybe wear this for my own enjoyment. But that's not why I wear fragrances, to be perfectly honest. I'm not sultry or brunette or mature enough to pull this one off. It's spicier than my enthusiasm can keep up with.

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iwasatreeinapastlife on 2/26/2011 3:46:00 PM more reviews by iwasatreeinapastlife

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

This is truly a scent of my childhood, my mum wore it when I was tiny and she says she bought it because her grandmother (my great grandmother) wore it! She doesn't wear it anymore (she says it's too strong for her) but I've decided to keep up the tradition because I adore it! Though it is quite, well, loud, I think my fashion sense and personality is too, so I guess it suits me. I think the bottle is beautiful too! I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you fancy something quite distinctive this is the one!

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martas777 on 1/27/2011 10:09:00 AM more reviews by martas777

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

It smells bad. I can't even describe it. Old, rooten smell. Yak

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AllyMack86 on 1/27/2011 9:57:00 AM more reviews by AllyMack86

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

OMG - this stuff is a near DEAD RINGER for Shalimar..*gags*. I dare say it's worse! It has the same musty, skank stank minus the old lady Guerlinade and tonka thing going on. Straight up putrid musk with some grass thrown over it. No wonder it looks like stagnant urine. I think I'll buy a bottle just to spray it all over my allergic-to-everything husband when he's asleep..
LOL!

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voxamoeba on 12/2/2010 4:15:00 PM more reviews by voxamoeba

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this, but it is very strong, so I have to go easy or I kill the local wildlife. For some reason it makes me feel like Madonna.

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*TOP REVIEWER* dioraddict84 on 12/2/2010 3:18:00 PM more reviews by dioraddict84

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

Back in the day, Estee Lauder (the woman) would run into department stores and break a bottle of Youth Dew on the floor and women would apparently come flocking to the counter to buy it. This scent is an oriental spicy fragrance. Top notes are aldehydes, orange, spices, peach and bergamot; middle notes are cinnamon, cassia, orchid, jasmine, cloves, ylang-ylang and rose; base notes are tolu balsam, peru balsam, amber, patchouli, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, vetiver and incense.

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*TOP REVIEWER* youdroppedabalmonme2 on 11/21/2010 1:45:00 AM more reviews by youdroppedabalmonme2

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

This one gets a 3-lippie rating from me, not because it's mediocre, but because it is a marvelous classic (5 lippies for craftsmanship) yet I cannot wear it (0 lippies for wearability).

On the right body chemistry, Youth-Dew is a drop-dead sexy Oriental with a lovely juxtaposition of warm, unctuous spices and a cool, loamy patchouli/powder finish. (The bath oil version is the way to go; the spray is just too much screeching aldehyde.) My grandmother--who could rock leather pants and angora sweaters in her 60s--wore the YD oil and it was a glorious experience to smell it on her.

However, the jasmine is what ruins this composition on my skin. Jasmine always goes fecal on me. It's why I can't wear Opium, either. When I apply Youth-Dew, I feel like I am wading toward its potential glory through a river of... well, you know. And I never get there, I just keep wading through the... yeah. I will say that trying to make YD work on me is what inspired me to start wearing patchouli again, because that's the closest approximation of what I love about YD minus the jasmine.

If you've been put off by "granny" associations, do give this classic a try with an open mind. If it works for you, it will unlock your sexuality like no one's business. Rowr!

11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No