Estee Lauder • Youth Dew • Fragrances

Liita on 1/10/2009 10:10:00 PM more reviews by Liita

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Relaxed, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Eeek, eww, just to remember the smell of this thing makes my stomach upset, to think I love EL perfumes so much! but this definitely awful!! one lippie because I don´t have the choice to give 0 lippies

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*TOP REVIEWER* horsechick101109 on 1/10/2009 10:05:00 PM more reviews by horsechick101109

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

THIS STUFF REEKS. I refuse to believe that Tania Sanchez (from Perfumes: The Guide), and I were smelling the same thing. When I asked my mom, she said it smelled like one of her great aunts. Ew. Now I am going to shower and use a ridiculous amount of boy wash.

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kamaile on 12/30/2008 7:24:00 PM more reviews by kamaile

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

I used to steer clear of this fragrance like it was the plague. It seemed so strong and old fashioned. Yet, a woman I worked with wore it and she really wore it well. She was so classy and intelligent--and she made YD smell so lovely. Today I sprayed some on for the heck of it, and it dried down to the most lovely and warm scent--comforting, spicy and, dare I say, sexy. This is really a beautiful classic. If you like warm and spicy oriental scents, this is a must have--you just have to get over the Youth Dew stereotype and give it an honest try. Update: Still enjoy YD, but find it's not for me. I will also consider this a great, though.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

andrea171 on 12/17/2008 12:20:00 PM more reviews by andrea171

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I don't care if Grannies wear it. I love it. I'm sure part of my love is nostalgic as my mom had the dusting powder in her bathroom cupboard for years; so to me, all things makeup have a Youth Dew smell about them. I have the EDP and the oil and I love them both. I don't wear them as often as I'd like though...

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* flairgirl8 on 12/14/2008 10:47:00 AM more reviews by flairgirl8

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This does not smell warm, spicy or sexy. It is a very strong, synthetic blend of jasmine, rose and lavender. This is very potent and a little goes a long way and will last all day. It definitely smells like something from grandma's closet. It is similar to EL's Cinnabar.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Laurel15 on 12/1/2008 1:05:00 AM more reviews by Laurel15

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

There are two reasons why I have to review Youth Dew. One is to discredit the myth that it is a fragrance for old ladies. The other is simply because I love it.
Not long ago, I worked at an EL counter, and white-haired women would roll up in their wheelchairs to purchase Youth Dew. At Christmas, the aqua packaged gift sets would fly off the shelves as reliable presents for mothers and grandmothers. Trendy young sales girls would whisper their contempt for it, and there was much shrieking and drama if someone accidentally sprayed it at the counter.
However, none of Youth Dew's matronly reputation among the cosmetic associates was based on how it actually smelled. Youth Dew is sweet, spicy, warm, comforting, and very sexy. The original 1953 ad featured a shadowy photograph of a naked woman about to slip into a bathtub - quite edgy and daring for the times.
Yes, I've smelled it on countless elderly women in my lifetime, but what strikes me is their unmistakable loyalty to this fragrance. In the 50's, these women were hot, young, fine dressers, and Youth Dew had a smoldering, womanly sensuality and a sweetness that probably made it equally appropriate for pic-nics and office luncheons. This was no old lady scent when it debuted.
Chances are you have smelled Youth Dew before. Last I checked, Estee Lauder still keeps a tester on their counter. It is very strong, with a hefty sillage. This is a fragrance for a woman who is comfortable with her sexuality. I recommend a few strategically placed drops of bath oil, as the EDP can be sharp and overpowering. I hope Youth Dew's grandmotherly associations will diminish, as new generation discovers this gem of a fragrance. It can purr like a kitten, and seduce like a rhinestone choker.

33 out of 34 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* WenchMartha on 11/22/2008 6:21:00 PM more reviews by WenchMartha

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I like it ok but wouldn't buy for myself and here's why: my mother wore this for YEARS while I was growing up. That's not a bad association; it's just "hers". As for the old lady association I'm here to tell you, I'm an old lady myself now. So I asked my mom when she started wearing this and she said she couldn't remember for sure but before she hit 40. So that means she was younger than I am now (she's in her early 70s). Lemme tell you about old lady: she wears Miss Cherie and loves Pink Sugar so there you go. Age ain't got nothin' to do with it but I do remember this as being particularly heavy. It even LOOKS heavy so spritz sparingly and who knows? If you're young, you may even love it.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Angela1013 on 11/22/2008 4:05:00 PM more reviews by Angela1013

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

I enjoy reading all the love/hate reviews on this fragrance. I tried YD today for the first time after passing it by a million times and I am smitten with it. The edp is great, love the warm patchouli spicy jasmine scent. I heard about the bath oil so I purchased it, why not, I can use it as perfume or pour in my bath I can't wait. This smells mysterious and rich, whats with the "old Lady" comments? Its old fashioned yes, but that dosen't mean it smells bad. Personally, I've always admired the way some mature women smell and have always wondered what they were wearing. It's body chemistry not the age of the person and sometimes medications can effect the way a fragrance smells on someone. At least the classic fragrances have character and depth with some risk and romance in their concentrations compared to some of these shallow fruit juice sugar uninteresting shouldn't even be in perfume catagory concoctions of now. I guess it's a matter of "preference" I love interesting perfumes and YD is one of them and I know I'm not alone in this.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* Melloney on 11/7/2008 4:15:00 AM more reviews by Melloney

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Blue    

Youth Dew is a vintage ,classic ,heady strong perfume with its own personality - for those who appreciate different accords , I guess this comes with age and testing many different fragrances.
Musty - it is not, grandma like - it is not .
I love Youth Dew - it is phenomenal and I love all the accords even the patchouli in it even though I dislike patchouli greatly.
It's warm, only slightly spicy on me. It's more a deep oriental powdery floral perfume with a touch of chypre on my skin .
I know people say it is too strong but i think it depends on whether your skin' eats' perfume like mine does. I can use 5 sprays without causing the room to clear !
I will never say this is for old ladies - that's just insulting for everyone. It's just a matter of taste !

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* fatbottmdgrl on 10/22/2008 11:36:00 AM more reviews by fatbottmdgrl

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

UGH!!!! You want to smell like a 90 yr old Grandma..Use this!! By far some of the most horrible, overbearing fragrance I have ever smelled in my life! Maybe it worked in the 60's but this stuff REEEEEEEEEKKKKKSSSSSSS!!!!!!! Do not buy it, unless you need a Christmas present for Grandma!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shadow_Witch on 9/13/2008 11:51:00 AM more reviews by Shadow_Witch

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm surprised by how hated this fragrance is. Surprised and perplexed. My husband can't keep his hands off me when I'm wearing it. He says it smells great and is conflicted because it is both work-appropriate and devastatingly sexy all the same time. I'm a nurse and I work in a nursing home. I wear just one tiny spritz of the EdP between my breasts and get nothing but compliments from men and women of all ages all day. All year round. All I hear is "You smell soooo good." "You smell like the Lush store." "You smell so clean and aromatherapy-ish." However the compliment I get the most is "You smell so glamourous and comforting at the same time. What are you wearing??". I also wear the bath oil. Some days I wear a dab of the bath oil rubbed into both forearms and the spritz of EdP between my breasts and it's never too much and always, always. always elicits compliments. Especially in the dry summer heat! I always have a dusting powder as well. Funny thing too, when someone asks me what I'm wearing and I tell them, the reply is always "oh yeah, that's my favourite." *shrug*

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* chayaNY on 8/16/2008 2:34:00 PM more reviews by chayaNY

Age: Unknown   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I dislike this scent very much. I really hate scents with jasmine. Didn't realize that initially, but one by one every scent i cannot bear, turns out to have jasmine in it. Okay, I hate it. There I said it!
My mother in her 70's, also hates it. When someone gave it to my grandmother with the powder as a set years ago, my grandmother hated it! She would wear it only when she saw that person so as not to offend her. Because of that, she had it for years kept in a dresser drawer. I hated the way the drawer smelled, how even the room seemed to be overwhelmed with the scent a day or so later if you just opened the drawer. Then my mother got some as a gift some years back and said she would not even wear it when seeing that person, she couldn't, hated it that much. I have to admit, it made me kind of queasy. I love angel for ex, and know it's another love it or hate it. I get that many scents are, and respect anyone's right to love this. For me it's everything I don't want in a perfume. I smell this in passing on someone and I seriously have to get away from that person. It's a visceral, "blech!" for me.
Scents are very personal and as long as one does not over do it (um,you know who you are!;) I respect those who find something, stick with it, even it's not the latest thing.

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*TOP REVIEWER* fpih on 7/9/2008 3:00:00 AM more reviews by fpih

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

I am one of those who used to despise Youth Dew and all those heavy perfumes (opium, coco, etc) until last year when either my taste or my hormones changed completely. Now, I love this kind of perfumes and Youth Dew is one of my favorites. It is incredibly round and soft and warm without any sharpness (Cinnabar does that for me, it'sthe replica of Youth Dew plus spice on my skin) and NOT overpowering. Even during the hot Greek summer I can wear this one and it doesn't smell heavy or dark. Unfortunately, on me it's so soft (all heavy scents tend to disappear quickly on me) that I can't imagine it making its presence known during the winter, so I bought Cinnabar instead which is more distinctive with its extra spice. But as a perfume, I find Youth Dew a much better, smoother blend.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* ArizonaAngel on 6/26/2008 12:15:00 PM more reviews by ArizonaAngel

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I am not fond of this. I like sexy and spicy scents, but not this one. It is a VERY dark and heavy fragrance, sultry. Too me when I smell it a picture of a dim room decorated in red velvet and dark oak comes to my mind. I think the reason alot of people say it is an 'old lady' scent is because all of our mom's/grandma's wore it. My mom still wears it and loves it (almost too much, she OD's on it). I tried it twice but I just do not like the 'depth' of it. It's spicy with an almost foresty/deep mossy undertone on me ~ it's very cloying. I don't think it is the worst perfume I have tried, it's just not me at all. Seems too heavy for summer as well. I won't purchase this one.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* jd-jd on 6/26/2008 12:12:00 PM more reviews by jd-jd

Age: Unknown   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm reviewing the bath oil. This is a dark cola-colored oil in a flat bottle with an unremarkable cap. The scent is very 70's-80's (spicy floriental.)

The notes:
Top notes: Orange, Bergamot, Peach, Aldehydes, Middle note : Clove, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Cinnamom, Base notes: Amber, Tolu, Patchouli, Peru Balsam

As you can see, this is spicy-fruit with a base of amber and patchouli, but I swear there is something a bit animalic in the base as well. A few drops suffice to scent the bath. If you like LUSH, you might very well love this as it's a bit hippy-patchouli spice. The scent is definitely old-school and I would not wear it as a perfume, but it makes a luxurious oriental-style bath oil. Like Lancome's Magie Noire, it harks back to a different age.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ScotchNSmoke on 6/26/2008 11:01:00 AM more reviews by ScotchNSmoke

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

Adore it (suddenly and recently) but USE SPARINGLY. Or use the body powder.
And I'm not an old lady - I'm a 35+ professional but can no longer stand sweet stuff - fruity florals are out, anything gardenia is aack, can't take Piesporter, pop/soda, sweetened anything. Give me good black and green teas, naturally flavored fruits and veggies, scotch and Campari, oaky tannic red wines, arugula and gorgonzola - and Opium, Tabac Blond and Youth Dew in small quantities.
The key with a fragrance is never to overwhelm - its more of a Zen thing. Wear a bit that captures interest, draws others in, give you yourself a bit of an olefactory thrill during the day - do not gas anyone with the fumes. And that means you, lady on the elevator yesterday who reeked of raspberries and grape jelly. Take it back to Victoria's Secret or BBW and tell them that it made you smell like a Strawberry Shortcake Doll! Horrors!
Obviously Youth Dew has its haters, as well as its lovers, as it is strong and edgy - but how many modern niche frags are strong and edgy too? Would they be getting their love if they were sold at the Estee or Clinique counter instead of internet or NYC/Paris only? Let's not get carried away with categories or overly impressed by marketing machines (and the niche and the indie market just as much as the commercial - just in different ways).
So, call me an old lady if you must, but keep your Happy and your Kenzo Amour and your Angel away from me, my good handbag, my Halmari Estate broken leaf orange pekoe, and my Youth Dew!!

23 out of 24 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

carela13 on 6/7/2008 11:12:00 PM more reviews by carela13

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I do not rate this as old lady because it would be disrespectful to my grandmother whom love. She also dislikes this fragrance very much. I rate this fragrance in the category of unpleasant or hidious. It is by far, one of the most offensive perfumes on the market. It smells of skunk musk. This and another fragrance that comes to mind come close in their interpretation of skunk. It stays on your clothes too. The very color of it hints of what the fragrance will evoke. It takes a very unique person to wear this and pull it off. . .

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* sherrie09 on 6/4/2008 4:49:00 PM more reviews by sherrie09

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I hope when some of you become "old ladies" some young "ladies" will say your perfume stinks like old ladies! That said, Youth Dew and I have been on-again off-again over the years. It is indeed potent, and you must be careful with that. I smell a lot of patchouli in it. I've had the lotion, bath oil, and edp. The lotion is particularly nice, imo. The bath oil is rich, spicy, rosy, and vanillic. Recently I was at an Estee Lauder counter and sniffed the YD edp bottle, and it smelled sweeter than I recall from years past. I'm rather in the mood for it again, so I may purchase a small bottle. Youth Dew is considered a classic. It's not everyone's cup of tea, and never was, but it is a classic, broke new ground in its time, and there is something to be learned there if you have the interest.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Nixe on 4/19/2008 11:34:00 AM more reviews by Nixe

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I used to use the deodorant in this, and for many years, I've been smelling this at the counter every once in a while. To me, this is the epitome of sweet, sweet, dark, syrupy woods and humidity, and although I don't love to wear it any more, it's a beautifully nostalgic scent.

It makes me feel like a teenager in the first throws of romance in a blazing hot, sticky summer in the innocent, suburban/rural 1950s, basking in newfound womanhood. I could be wearing crisp blue gingham and share some lovely secret words with my mother on a white, eyelet lace bedspread with the hot summer breeze floating in through the window, before dabbing this on from it's perfectly classic blue bottle with gold script, and gaily skipping downstairs to sit on the porch swing with a new romantic interest while fireflies float around and crickets sing our serenade.

There are absolutely no edges to this fragrance. It's golden, rich, sticky and deep, and I can't imagine a more unique and innocently sexy smell. Youth Dew is the perfect name for it, and it will always have a special place in my heart.

6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* urstandingonmytoes on 4/13/2008 1:47:00 AM more reviews by urstandingonmytoes

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

I know that on some women this might be amazing..and if that's you then enjoy it--life it too short to give up something you love because other people don't like it. However, for me its a headache inducing NIGHTMARE. I've rarely hated a fragrance as much as I do this one...one possible reason is that a woman I worked with used to literally BATHE in this stuff ...I wasn't able to get to know her well because I couldn't stand to carry on more than a minute long conversation, because I held my breath the entire time--no joke. I don't pick up the nuances that some of you do, because my reaction to this has and always will be to hold my breath until I can get out of the elevator or out of the building away from it!

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