Ysayo by Puredistance: A Perfume of Shadows and Strength

Written by Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

Puredistance is a perfume house that always takes its time. Every launch feels thoughtful and intentional, and Ysayo, the newest perfume in the Magnificent XII collection, continues that tradition. This time, the brand steps into a darker, greener world – one that feels deep, earthy, and full of quiet power.

Photo credit: Instagram / @kristinakii.scents

The perfumer, Antoine Lie, grew up in the green landscapes of Alsace in north-eastern France. For Ysayo, he looked back at those early memories and created a scent based on experience rather than theory. You can feel that freedom in the composition: it doesn’t follow a clear path, but moves in a very natural and personal way.

Puredistance describes the perfume as The Green Samurai – a mysterious universe of nature, discipline, honour, and strength. And indeed, the scent has something of a warrior spirit: calm, focused, and deeply connected to the earth.

Ysayo opens with a mix of saffron, galbanum, chamomile, and artemisia. It starts sharp, a little bitter, and very green. The heart adds even more earthy and floral sensations with notes like celery seed, geranium, jasmine, and thyme. It feels like walking through a forest where the plants grow close together and the air is thick with their scent. It’s hard to really separate the notes when smelling the perfume, as they merge into one seamless fragrance.

The base is dark and heavy: cistus, patchouli, leather, and vetiver. This is where Ysayo becomes especially interesting on skin. On me, it turns very leathery, even slightly dirty, with moments where smoke seems to rise from the background. It’s a perfume that changes every time I wear it. Some days I smell more vetiver; other days the floral sweetness breaks through. Sometimes it feels warm and almost amber-like; sometimes it is cool, green, and shadowy. This is why it took me some time to write this review, to collect all the thoughts and sensations together.

One thing, however, doesn’t change with every wear – the perfume’s potency. Two sprays are more than enough so that everyone around you can smell it.

This is not an easy perfume, and it’s definitely not a trend-chasing crowd-pleaser. For my personal taste, it can be too heavy at times. But on my husband, something magical happens – even more new colours appear, and the scent feels more open, less sharp. We both agree that it suits him beautifully, even though it’s not a masculine perfume per se.

What stands out in this perfume is its quality – though from this house, you wouldn’t expect anything less. Ysayo is very well blended, rich, and detailed, exactly what Puredistance is known for. It also feels like a very personal creation – the result of a strong connection between Jan Ewoud Vos, the founder of Puredistance, and Antoine Lie. It doesn’t smell like anything else on the market.

Ysayo is a journey into a darker world of green – a world inspired by samurai stories, by discipline, by loyalty, and by the wild side of nature. It asks the wearer for patience and attention, but it rewards them with depth, character, and mystery.

[Bottle kindly gifted with no obligation to write about it]