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A new perfume by Yves Saint Laurent for women and men, released in 2025. The scent is powdery-sweet. It is being marketed by L'Oréal.
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Main accords

Powdery
Sweet
Floral
Spicy
Smoky

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Moroccan lavenderMoroccan lavender Clary sageClary sage FrankincenseFrankincense
Heart Notes Heart Notes
Bourbon vanilla absoluteBourbon vanilla absolute Orris concreteOrris concrete Ambrette seed absoluteAmbrette seed absolute
Base Notes Base Notes
InkInk AmberwoodAmberwood

Perfumer

Ratings
Longevity
7.7224 Ratings
Sillage
7.2222 Ratings
Bottle
8.5199 Ratings
Value for money
6.4160 Ratings
Submitted by Omrfrq · last update on 01/28/2026.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the Le Vestiaire des Parfums collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Punk romantic by Valentino
Punk romantic
Sogno in rosso by Valentino
Sogno in rosso
Blanche Bête by Liquides Imaginaires
Blanche Bête
Bois Doré by Van Cleef & Arpels
Bois Doré
Velours (2016) by Yves Saint Laurent
Velours (2016)
Black Tie (Eau de Parfum) by Celine
Black Tie Eau de Parfum

Reviews

24 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Nanaafromgha

157 Reviews
Nanaafromgha
Nanaafromgha
Helpful Review 5  
If I were to become the sexiest ballpoint pen…
I would smell like this!!! I’ve come across ink notes in perfumes before, but this is the first time I’ve actually wanted to smell like black ink straight out of a pen.

I’ll admit, the opening of Muse feels incoherent cause that ink note is just so realistic and intense (especially if it’s a note that’s new to you). It’s strange, but in the best and most artistic way possible. As it begins to settle and make way for the other notes, you are met with a sweet and slightly boozy vanilla, wisps of lavender, and a creamy orris. Not iris the flower, orris the earthy root that accompanies the flower. You also get hints of the frankincense and dry woods. It’s very dark, mysterious, but also has a “come closer” vibe to it. I know I call just about every fragrance sexy, but this one is reallllll sexy. It’s very addictive and it’ll have you sniffing yourself like a fiend. And the purple juice is the cherry on top. This kind of iris is quite novel to me, although I have seen it compared to Velours (2016) and Black Tie Eau de Parfum.

Performance wise, this has been great so far. The sillage is strong for the first few hours and it’s not a scent that dies down quickly. You’ll continue to get wafts of it as you move, even around the 6-8 hour mark. I must say this was a very successful blind buy for me, even though I would NOT recommend blind buying this. The season in which it’s been released confuses me (it’s very hot where I am now), but I am so pleased to add this one to my small collection of iris scents and to my fall / winter artillery.
2 Comments
Omnipotato

464 Reviews
Omnipotato
Omnipotato
4  
Iris/sandalwood with nothing interesting to set it apart
Muse opens with an aromatic dry iris that makes you think it’s going to go in the same direction as Dior Homme Intense (2011) but instead there’s a soft sandalwood in the base instead of the dryer cedar/vetiver combo. I was hoping the frankincense or ink note would materialize and make it more interesting but it never happened.

Essentially it’s like Santal Austral Eau de Parfum but with the focus on the iris instead of the sandalwood. Or like Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum without the cardamom or tea notes. It’s alright, but not premium, either in material quality or complexity, compared to, say, Iris Torréfié. Muse would have been better suited to YSL’s department store line rather than their private line in my opinion.
0 Comments
itscoraline

185 Reviews
itscoraline
itscoraline
Helpful Review 3  
Tattooed Iris
Opens with a lovely purple floral incense that is swiftly joined by gentle iris, warm musk, and soft vanilla. The ink slowly reveals itself about 90 minutes in, a smooth dark line of calligraphy winding through the composition.

Overall, it’s beautifully balanced on my skin: the iris isn’t too powdery, the incense not too spicy or overpowering, the vanilla more creamy than sweet. The ink gives it just enough of an edge that I feel elegantly composed without being stuffy or conservative, like I’m wearing a delicate iris tattoo.

Projection is soft, which suits me as I prefer quieter scents, and longevity is moderate at 6-8 hours. I regard it as unisex but the iris and vanilla combination may read as feminine coded to some.
0 Comments
Caroleanne81

208 Reviews
Caroleanne81
Caroleanne81
2  
Instant love!
It’s been a long time since I fell instantly in love with a scent! This was an immediate full bottle buy for me, and I bought the biggest size. I love the opening and find it so addictive.

Muse is a very comforting, classy, sophisticated, mysterious, sexy, feminine scent. I can smell all the notes, but I really love the ink. As a hater of Blanche bette and Gris Charnel, both of which I find dull, I don’t think this smells similar to them at all. Smelling them side by side, Muse is actually very close to Black Tie Eau de Parfum. It has the same elegant, powdery, softness but with the addition of the ink note, setting it apart from any other fragrance on the market. Perfect for spring, autumn and winter, and suitable for any occasion. 100% signature scent worthy! Now I can take Black Tie off my wish list. This is so very well done and just absolutely stunning!
Updated on 07/04/2025
0 Comments
schnauzer

106 Reviews
schnauzer
schnauzer
0  
I remain uninspired
Smells a bit like the makeup aisle at some cosmetics stores — powdery, creamy, soft, and somewhat artificial. It's nice enough, and blended very well. It stays close to the skin, and doesn't last too long, which I find a bit disappointing given the price point.

What I'm missing in this perfume is some sort of personality. A muse is supposed to inspire. I don't know if ink is the place to look to capture this idea.
Updated on 10/11/2025
0 Comments
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Statements

99 short views on the fragrance
3
Comments about there being ink in this are true. The scent feels very intellectual and elegant.
0 Comments
2
Arguably my favorite release of 2025. This is what I want designers to dare do more often: create something new, unique and intriguing.
0 Comments
4 months ago
2
Watery vanilla. Sounds awful but it’s actually stunning. Metallic, clean but there’s just a glimpse of something comforting, but only just.
0 Comments
8 months ago
2
Starts out weird. Ink? With time, becomes lovely -- soft, powdery, lightly sweet. Truly an evolution. Can't stop smelling it!
0 Comments
1 month ago
2
I just tried this with Commodity Paper. It works. Especially with a dark wool coat and crisp white shirt. Combo is exactly unisex IMO.
0 Comments
2
”Le Vestiaire - Velours | Yves Saint Laurent" , are u back?!
Different shadows of latex (maybe Ink) dancing with floreal vanilla. Amazing s
0 Comments
1
Interestingly semisweet and inky with hints of iris and ambrette up to the drydown where the vanillas get drunk and the amberwoods go nuts.
0 Comments
1
This one I cherish. An amazing fragrance with inky note that is just mmmmmmm.
0 Comments
10 months ago
1
Meh start, like an old room, but then becomes a powdery velvety smell, with dark Gris Dior tones with Ink and Incense. Intriguigung scent!
0 Comments
1 day ago
Wet ink & dust in your grandma’s office. Very cool! The ink vanishes and it becomes a powdery vanilla. Would recommend to fans of ZouZou
0 Comments
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