Estée Lauder – Youth Dew – Spice laden classic from the 1950s – 10/10.
As I draft this post, it’s the week before Mother’s Day, and if everything goes smoothly, I will post this review on Mother’s Day. Synonymous with many women, including my mum, the ever-enduring Youth Dew, released in 1953, originally began as a bath oil. Coincidently, and for context, 1953 was the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation. Such is the unwavering nature of the scent that, in all likelihood, we’ll still be discussing/wearing Youth Dew in 2093, 70 years after the Coronation of King Charles III. I wonder which of today’s contemporary perfumes will still be kicking around as part of the olfactory landscape towards the end of the century?
Anyway. I digress. The bath product (which doubled as a skin perfume) eventually became so popular that a stand-alone spray perfume version emerged and changed everything. Before Youth Dew, women wouldn’t buy perfumes for themselves, preferring to receive them as special occasion gifts from their loved ones. However, Youth Dew’s relative affordability and availability made it a popular vanity staple for generations of women. As evidenced by the level of perfume left in the pictured bottle, my mum wears/wore it a lot. My memory of the scent takes me back to the 80s and 90s.
Youth Dew announces itself in true vintage style. The unmistakable opening aldehydic flurry isn’t quite as dramatic as classic Chanel, but it isn’t far off. In tandem with the aldehydes, the composition’s heavy, spicy embrace seems from another age. Certainly, something that unsurprisingly eschews modern perfume trends. For contemporary noses trained on sugary fruity florals and shampoo musks, Youth Dew is quite a shock to the system.
Listed in the top notes are bergamot, peach, and orange. However, I don’t pick up much in the way of freshness in the opening or any part of the erroneously named Youth Dew. If there is any citrus here, it’s more of a sharp festive-like spicy orange. Indeed, it’s quite a challenge to unpack everything happening with Youth Dew.
In simplest terms, Youth Dew is a spicy, smoky cola-like scent. Though, there are moments when the cloves and cinnamon evoke spice-infused Christmas pudding and mulled wine. And even though the name Youth Dew isn’t indicative of the perfume, the juice colour certainly is. The name is so far off the mark I’m convinced someone from modern-day Le Labo must have built a time machine and traveled back to work in the marketing department of Estée Lauder in the 50s.
The spices make up most of the framework for Youth Dew. I’d even go so far as to say that one must like cloves to enjoy the perfume. However, there are certainly some balancing floral notes, but they are difficult to distinguish. Undoubtedly narcissus and ylang-ylang make up some of the floral structure. They combine to give the fragrance an opulent, rounded, smooth character. Still, they have some bite, with a slight indolic edge. They are nothing overly dirty, but they unfurl with just enough sass to know they mean business. There are no shrinking violets in Youth Dew’s floral bouquet.
In the end, Youth Dew dries down, leaving behind a memorable dusty ambery, balsamic trail. Smoky ambery vanilla and sticky resinous balsams provide a comforting, familiar blanket of warmth. The rich tapestry of notes works perfectly on cold days around the fireplace, watching the autumn leaves fall from the trees outside the window.
Youth Dew immediately takes me back to my youth and early childhood. The definitive scent lingering in the air of those first tentative days of school when mum would walk me to class, learning to ride a bike, the cosy warmth of her hug ensuring everything would be alright. Time may have moved on, and my mum’s perfume choices may have changed, but the memories always linger. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums, but especially to my beautiful mum!
Which scents reflect your youth or remind you of your mum?
Note: All images are my own. Thanks to my mum for letting me borrow her bottle of Youth Dew (and sneak a cheeky spritz or two) for the week to take photos and write this review.
Quick Notes:
Launch Year: 1953.
Perfumer: Josephine Catapano.
Top Notes: Spices, bergamot, orange, peach, aldehydes.
Mid Notes: Spices, cloves, cinnamon, ylang-ylang, orchid, jasmine, rose, carnation, narcissus, cassia, lily-of-the-valley.
Base Notes: Frankincense, patchouli, tolu balsam, Peru balsam, oakmoss, amber, vanilla, musk, vetiver.
Longevity: 12-14 hours.
Projection: 6 hours, high.
Season: Autumn, winter.
Alternatives: YSL Opium, Chanel Coco, Estée Lauder Cinnabar, Calvin Klein Obsession for Women.