Our take
What does Young Man smell like?
IKKS has dressed children and teenagers for years. In 2016 the French label released Young Man, an eau de toilette designed for boys. Retailers tend to recommend it from about 12 to 15. The box looks like a milk carton, a nod to the brand's sense of humour. No perfumer is credited. The opening plays on fruit: grape and blackcurrant, with basil keeping it from tasting like syrup. The heart borrows from grown up codes. Lavender, coriander and liquorice sketch a simplified, slightly sweet fougere. The base stays light with white musk, cedar and sandalwood. Overall it smells clean, like a good shower gel, which is exactly what a first fragrance should do. It does not last long, and that is probably intended. Compared with an adult classic like Jean Paul Gaultier's Le Male, which also leans on lavender, Young Man keeps the idea but makes it much softer. Think of it as a first step toward that kind of scent.
When to wear it
For school, sports or weekends through the warmer months. Two or three sprays are fine and nobody in class will mind.
It belongs to the Woody, Aromatic family. Young Man is one of 4 creations by IKKS in our encyclopedia.
