Yves Saint Laurent

Black Opium

Eau de Parfum For Women

A modern gourmand fragrance centered around coffee and vanilla with dark, seductive undertones. Bold and addictive with sweet and spicy elements.

What People Say

The coffee opening is rich and authentic without being bitter, creating an intoxicating gourmand that actually smells like espresso beans

Vanilla and patchouli in the base create a creamy, slightly dirty sweetness that's seductive without being cloying

Pink pepper adds the perfect amount of spice to cut through the sweetness and prevent it from being one-dimensional

The jasmine and orange blossom heart keeps it feminine and floral despite the heavy gourmand elements

Becomes overwhelmingly sweet in the drydown when the vanilla takes over completely

The coffee note disappears within the first hour, leaving mostly vanilla and synthetic sweetness

Projects like a nuclear bomb in the first few hours and can be suffocating in enclosed spaces

Great for

Young women who want a bold, attention-grabbing gourmand that smells like dessert with an edge.

Not for

Anyone who dislikes sweet fragrances or finds gourmands too heavy and food-like.

Longevity

8-10 hours with excellent longevity, becomes a skin scent after 6 hours

Projection

Very strong projection for first 3 hours, can fill a room

Value

Reasonably priced for designer quality but you only need one spray

Where to Buy Black Opium

by Yves Saint Laurent

Best Seasons

๐Ÿ‚ fall โ„๏ธ winter

How It Compares

vs. Afnan9PM Femme

Afnan 9PM Femme is widely known as a budget dupe for YSL Black Opium, so it's worth figuring out how close it actually gets and whether the price gap is justified.

Read the full comparison โ†’

vs. Afnan9PM Pour Femme

Afnan 9PM Pour Femme is essentially a budget-friendly dupe of YSL Black Opium, sharing nearly identical notes, so the real question is whether the designer name is worth the steep premium.

Read the full comparison โ†’

vs. ALT. FragrancesNoir

ALT. Fragrances Noir is a direct dupe of YSL Black Opium, sharing nearly identical notes at roughly one-quarter of the price โ€” so the real question is how much the differences actually matter.

Read the full comparison โ†’

vs. DossierAmbery Vanilla

Dossier's Ambery Vanilla is a direct dupe of YSL Black Opium, sharing nearly identical notes, so the real question is whether the original is worth three to four times the price.

Read the full comparison โ†’
See all 8 comparisons โ†’

Related Articles

Similar Fragrances