Givenchy Ysatis

     Ahh, Christmas. A time for giving. A time for getting. A time for getting really tired and smelling like L'il Smokies in barbecue sauce.

     Thank goodness my darlin' husband listens to me. I asked for Givenchy Ysatis for Christmas, and I got Givenchy Ysatis EDT* for Christmas. Yay for people who stick to wish lists! (I also got some Fiestaware from my husband of almost 26 years, but since this is a perfume review, I figured y'all didn't need to know about the lovely tangerine platter I've added to my growing Fiesta collection.)

     My sister sent me perfume samples; my husband got me a gigantic bottle of Givenchy Ysatis, even though I thought it was so expensive, I warned him, "You can get partly used bottles on eBay for really cheap." He must have found a bargain, because my bottle of Givenchy Ysatis arrived at the office the second day I was wearing Chanel No. 19, and it was a *brand* new bottle. Mint in box!

     The reviews from my family are mixed. My husband likes it. My son likes it. My daughter hates it and says, "Whoa. Strong." Then she makes a face. Hmph.

     Me? I like it a lot. It's a lot more powdery than Chanel No. 19, and not as acidic and terrifying as Private Collection. If you go to Fragrantica.com and look for "if you like Private Collection, you might like....," then you will not get Givenchy Ysatis as a recommendation. People who like Private Collection generally *don't* think of Ysatis as a replacement scent. Hmm. I like this. I am not part of the crowd.

     On the other hand, both Private Collection and Ysatis are ranked by Fragrantica users as "heavy" and "long-lasting." So they have that in common.

     [Side note: I am new to this fragrance obsession, but I joined Fragrantica.com and am starting to vote in the polls about whether I love something or not. I figure the more information they have, the more informative the site is.]

     There's a strange thing about it, though: I don't like it when it's fresh. I like the dry-down effect. At first, Ysatis is cloying and moldy to me, then it dries down to a more mellow version of itself. On me. I have no idea what it does on other people.

    And it reminds me, somehow, of Anais Anais, which I have not worn nor smelled in more than 25 years. I had a bottle of it when I was in high school. These two scents share top notes of orange blossom and galbanum, so perhaps that explains the sense memory I get.

     One thing I definitely like is that Ysatis is a strong, long-lasting scent that almost makes it through my entire workday without disappearing. I spritz one stinky, wet spray on in the morning, and by the time I get to work an hour later, it isn't stinky any more. And it smells great all day without overpowering my co-workers or causing clients to cover their faces and run away.

     I'm trying to decide what scent to try next. I have so many samples! I've loved the first two. I think tomorrow I'm going to try a sample that made me say, "Whoa, strong!" And I made a face. Who wants to join me for Arpege?