Baby Cat

Baby Cat, inspired by Yves Saint Laurent Babycat (2022)

Pepper arrives first, two kinds of it, alongside elemi, a tree resin with a lemony, peppery smell. The vanilla shows through soon after, yet the suede accord stops it turning sugary, so the effect is closer to supple leather than to custard. Olibanum (frankincense) and a saffron accord run through the middle with a dry, smoky spice. On skin it ends on vanilla and cedarwood, still faintly leathery.

About the original

Babycat joined Le Vestiaire des Parfums, Yves Saint Laurent's exclusive couture-inspired collection, and was announced in April 2022. Dominique Ropion is credited as the perfumer. Its theme comes from the leopard print Yves Saint Laurent used in his 1968 couture. The house writes the name as one word, and the Babycat candle it also sells is a separate product.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Yves Saint Laurent stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

YSL pitches it for evenings and late nights, and the texture matches: dense, peppery and resinous. It is best read as a vanilla for people who find most gourmands too sugary. The suede and the frankincense lend it a leathery, churchy depth that will not suit a buyer hoping for a clean, simple vanilla.

Related scents

• Yves Saint Laurent Caban
• Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo
• YSL Black Opium

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Pink Pepper, Black Pepper, Elemi

Heart notes: Olibanum, Saffron Accord

Base notes: Vanilla, Cedarwood, Suede Accord

Pink pepper and black pepper open it, given a citrus-resin lift by elemi.

In the heart, olibanum brings a dry, incense-like smoke, and the saffron accord adds a leathery spice that ties it to the suede.

Bourbon vanilla, cedarwood and the suede accord make up the base, which reads as vanilla-scented leather.

Is Babycat a gourmand?

Not in the dessert sense. The vanilla is prominent, but pepper and frankincense give it a resinous edge, and the suede accord makes it read partly as leather.

How does Babycat differ from YSL Caban?

Both belong to Le Vestiaire des Parfums and share a peppery opening with elemi and olibanum. Babycat then turns to vanilla and suede, while Caban centres on tonka bean over sandalwood and patchouli.

Is Babycat for men or women?

Yves Saint Laurent sells it as unisex.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Yves Saint Laurent and Baby Cat are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Yves Saint Laurent in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.