Puredistance YSAYO Review

J’s image of Puredistance YSAYO

YSAYO is a word created by Puredistance’s creative director Jan Ewoud Vos and is the name of the house’s latest release with master perfumer Antoine Lie. Lie takes us into his past and the greenery of his childhood region of Alsace in the north east of France. YSAYO is Lie’s passion and memories unleashed and raw, letting beautiful materials channel the depths of his emotions from his youth and the nature that surrounded him. Puredistance YSAYO cuts through quietly, letting it’s natural power shine, its presence is felt like that of the green Samurai whose visage it conjures, there, brooding in dark purple tones, bathed in earthy greens, a quiet yet striking presence. It flows with nature, not against it.

Puredistance founder and creative director Jan Ewoud Vos.

Vibrant verdant tones set the stage for YSAYO. Grassy greens with a slight waxiness gently move as if a light breeze has made them sway. It’s fresh with a gentle warmth from the sun that picks up of subtle touches of shimmering saffron which whispers of leather. Artemisia’s dry herbaceous give a nice sharp bite as the galbanum’s vegetal roots weave through the soft grasses. Yet, YSAYO has a beautiful calm feel, it reminds me of being up a mountain in Norway in the spring, fresh new grasses and greens dancing in the fresh breeze. Chamomile’s natural meditative side does this quiet magic. Greens of all shades weave through earthy undertones giving a contrast of dark and light tones making the feel of YSAYO one that’s incredibly evocative,

Master perfumer Antoine Lie courtesy of the brand.

Haitian vetivers nutty warmth arrives like the sun escaping from behind a cloud making the greens glow. Thyme teases out more subtle herbal facets stealthily moving between the fresher and darker tones, it’s all done so subtly as if nature is slowed down letting it wash over you. Antoine Lie is yet again working in a hauntological way where his memories of Alsace are painted in soft hazes of watercolour, taking his past and bringing it into our present, playing out each time to experience YSAYO. You feel the greens merge at the edges giving and abstract feel, you can’t quite see where they merge but feel it. It’s gives a beautiful dreamy sensation to YSAYO. The elegant use of florals also adds to this soft cozy haze. Geranium gives the greenery as subtle spice and abstract rosiness while jasmine adds gentle headiness when smelled up close. Antoine Lie is cleverly foreshadowing the things to come as YSAYO dries down.

PR image of green samurai for Puredistance YSAYO.

YSAYO has a lovely subtle savory facet from celery, it’s lightly used adding to the earthy woody elements while its spice works with geranium giving it’s a unique feel. It’s mossy too, soft and sunned, glowing with a lovely warmth shimmering with flecks of rich balsamics. Again all of this is handled in a delicate way giving you an experience of green like no other. The green samurai imagery feels perfect as it has a feel that fits with Japanese ideals of scent being quiet, as it blends with the nature around you, yet its other darker elements that give a presence. One that’s elegant and in touch with nature.

PR image Puredistance YSAYO.

Saffron shifts to a more leathery role in YSAYO’s final dry down. It’s given a lovely bodily warmth from Java and Haitian vetiver who both take the fore here too. Earthy, rooty aromas twist the greenery into a darker purple tone. Cracked worn leather feels supple from wear giving YSAYO a soft almost animalic purr, its restrained like a wild beast off at the edge of the forests darker heart we have adventured into after coming down from the mountain through the trees. The spices feel darker with a gentle dustiness giving the raw earthy Indonesian patchouli a cracked dry feel. Cistus brings us back to the calm of chamomile, though here it’s more a soft incense resinous lace-like plume, curling around us like a thought or dream. Its resinous side adds to the wildness and the allure of the leather. YSAYO is contemplative as the darkness descends, letting those fresher facets weave through as green and darker purple tones letting the vetivers shine while modulating them into Antoine Lie’s pure vision. YSAYO it’s a stunning refined raw expression of nature, letting vetiver stand out in ways I’ve not experienced before. Stunning!

Notes: Saffron, Galbanum oil Iran, Blue Chamomile oil Egypt, White Artemisia oil Morocco, Celery oil India, Geranium oil Egypt, Jasmin abs India, Thyme oil France, Geranium oil Madagascar, Ciste abs Spain, Patchouli oil Indonesia, Leather, Vetiver oil Java and Haïti.

Pure Perfume Extrait: 25% perfume oil.

Disclosure: Puredistance YSAYO was provided by Puredistance. Thoughts and nose are always my own.

J’s image of Puredistance YSAYO

Thanks to the generosity of a team member we have a 2 ml sample for one registered reader in the USA ONLY. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on j’s review and where you live. Draw closes 11/25/2025

Also read the reviews for Puredistance PAPILIO, MV2Q; NR 12; Rubikona; Sheiduna; Gold; Warszawa

Jan Ewoud Vos Creative Director’s article written for CaFleureBon: The DNA of Pure Vision

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