Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium EDP

Description

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium (2014) is one of the defining women's fragrances of the last decade, created by perfumers Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp, and Honorine Blanc. It reimagines the gourmand-amber in a darker, more rebellious register, a jolt of black coffee and bitter almond woven through white florals, resting on a thick vanilla-patchouli-cedar base. It's bold by design, built to be noticed rather than blend in.

Scent Character

• Sweet: 45%
• Woody: 18%
• Floral: 18%
• Amber: 9%
• Spicy: 9%

Translation: a rich, sweet gourmand-amber built on coffee and vanilla, with woody-amber depth underneath and just enough pink pepper and jasmine to keep it from tipping into pure dessert territory.

Fragrance Pyramid

Top: Pear, Pink Pepper, Orange Blossom

Heart: Coffee, Jasmine, Bitter Almond, Licorice

Base: Vanilla, Patchouli, Cashmere Wood, Cedar

Performance

• Longevity: Excellent, 8 to 10+ hours is typical, often lasting a full day and into the evening.
• Sillage: Strong. This is one of YSL's most potent, room-filling scents, especially in the first few hours.
• Projection: 2 to 3+ feet through the opening, settling to a still-noticeable trail well into the drydown.

Best Occasions & Season

• Fall and winter. The coffee-vanilla-patchouli base is built for cooler weather
• Evening and night out. A strong pick for dates, parties, and going out
• Women's fragrance
• Skip for: quiet office settings or daytime summer wear, where its strength can feel like too much

Concentration & Provenance

Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Perfumers: Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp, and Honorine Blanc
House: Yves Saint Laurent
Year: 2014

Try Before You Commit

The 3 oz / 90 ml bottle retails at $119.99. Because Black Opium is this strong and this distinctive, it's worth testing on your own skin first: 1mL at $4.50, 5mL at $18.99, or 10mL at $28.99.

100% Authentic

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FAQ

Is Black Opium for men or women?
It's a women's fragrance, one of YSL's most iconic modern releases.

How long does it last, and how strong is it?
Very: 8 to 10+ hours is typical, with strong sillage that carries well into a room, especially in the first few hours.

What does it smell like?
A dark, coffee-and-vanilla gourmand with jasmine and bitter almond in the heart and a patchouli-cedar base: sweet, but with enough bitterness and spice to keep it from feeling one-dimensional.

How does it compare to the original Opium?
Despite the name, Black Opium isn't a reformulation of the 1977 Opium. It's a distinct modern gourmand built around coffee rather than the original's spicier, more incense-heavy amber profile.