I'm tempted to make this the shortest review ever and simply write, “Interested in Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium? Go buy Chanel Coco Noir or Tom Ford Black Orchid instead.” Black Opium’s vibe is the same as these fragrances, except less sophisticated. Its fruit is similar to Coco Noir’s, except sweeter. Its earthiness hints at Black Orchid’s truffled hazelnut, except muddier. That about wraps it up.
However, I have post to fill. To help you get through it, I’ve bracketed entertaining trivia here and there.
Black Opium, a flanker to the 1977 classic, Opium, was developed by perfumers Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc. Its notes include coffee, pink pepper, orange blossom, pear, jasmine, vanilla, musk and cedar. YSL Beauté labels it a “Floral Coffee.”
[Speaking of coffee, Honoré de Balzac reportedly ingested the equivalent of 50 cups of coffee a day by pulverizing the beans and eating the resulting dust. To move on to another beverage, Balenciaga is said to have mixed up terrific — and strong — martinis. His secret was to dry the ice cubes before adding them to the pitcher.]
If you’re looking for a coffee-scented fragrance, Black Opium will likely disappoint you. Its coffee is present but plays second fiddle to the fragrance’s whopper dose of vanilla, fruit, and what smells to me like gardenia, although it isn’t listed in the notes. Only the slightest jasmine tingle livens the fragrance, and even the pink pepper seems to have been gobbled up whole.
[In French, pink peppercorn is “baie rose.” The “Pepper Pot Polka” is a good tune to learn if you’re just getting started on the accordion. A pepper pot is actually a stew. The Philadelphia pepper pot is made with beef tripe.]
The other night, I spritzed on some Black Opium and proffered my wrist to friends. This is what they said: “It smells like grape juice,” “Candy shop,” and “Wow, that’s really sweet.” They all liked the name, though. No one picked up its coffee note, and no one added it to his birthday list. I had a plan to wear Black Opium to work and get my coworkers’ opinions, too, but I knew I only had one more trial of this stinker left in me, so I saved to wear writing the review.
[Terms of endearment are often related to sweetness, including Sweetie, Honey, Sugar, and all their many variations. Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, supposedly referred to her sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, as “Cookie,” because she was plump. The Mitford sisters called her “Cake.” Like Balenciaga, Queen Elizabeth (now the late Queen Mother), enjoyed gin. Unlike Balzac, she probably drank more tea than coffee.]
I’m wearing vintage Opium parfum on one wrist and Black Opium on the other, and to me they don’t relate at all, scent-wise. Opium is commanding, but the fragrance is sophisticated and provides space for you to savor its spicy, floral, and resinous facets. Black Opium is simply loud, thick, and fruity-sweet with a little bit of earthiness to ground it (barely). If you find you like Black Opium, drop by the drugstore to pick up a bottle of Parfums du Coeur Body Fantasies Sexiest Fantasies Va Va Voom! and save a few dollars. If you almost like it, Coco Noir (especially in parfum) and Black Orchid might be better choices.
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium comes in 30, 50 and 100 90 ml Eau de Parfum. It’s sold in Europe now and will be available in the United States later this year.
Wait, this isn’t even out yet in here in the US? I really don’t understand staggering release dates in the instant modern digital world, other then to make people interested in the said fragrance pay exorbitant shipping since it’s getting sent from Timbuktu…Hope no one did that for this one though, I was tempted to do it with the Versace Oud Homme but I digressed thanffully and waited till I could actually smell it.
YSL parfums was once such a GREAT parfum company, make me angry at how they are tarnishing that legacy with Manifesto and flanker after flanker.
I recently wrote a paper for a class about the original adverts for Opium and the controversy that ensued from Chinese-American activists and the anti-drug brigades.
Anyway the ad, with Jerry Hall sprawled on the floor in a luxe chinoiserie decorated drug den with “For those who adore Yves” splattered across the top of the page, would of never made it to print or post in 2015. Whether that is a good thing or bad thing…idk!
I agree–YSL fragrances were wonderful, and until as recently as the Tom Ford era, too! I still wear Y and Yvresse from time to time, and I’d wear M7 and Nu if I had some.
I really want to find a bottle of Rive Gauche Homme, M7, or Jazz, but I’m to lazy to ever look on eBay.
Ebay can be risky, anyway. Hopefully serendipity will send some your way!
Not to brag, but my Mom gave me her 100ml Nu last year. She was ready to donate it to her church thrift store and I said “Mother,hand it over!” It is great,easily worn by men too.I gave her some Bath and Body Works some such to donate. Instantly sold she said lol
Score! And I agree, Nu is fabulous no matter your gender!
“Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, supposedly referred to her sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, as “Cookie,” because she was plump.”
I always heard it was because she actually the daughter of her father, the 14th Earl of Strathmore, and his french cook…thus why they called her “Cookie”. The scandal lover in me is inclined to unfairly believe that one, but guess we will never know.
Happy Monday Angela, sorry for the long comments! I feel like I’m in the Pacific Northwest today, its unusually cold, foggy, and drizzly for South Georgia.
Well, my information is from Wikipedia, so your story may well be true!
Enjoy the foggy drizzle. After a few months, you get used to it…
I think that rumor has been around for years and Lady Colin Campbell put it down as fact to make a buck and get headlines, so take it with a grain of salt.
Ahh I will enjoy since probably by next week I’ll be back in shorts complaining bout the heat!
I won’t be doing that until July (sad face here).
Thanks for suffering through this review – sounds like something I don’t even need to sniff (although I am now intrigued by Parfums du Coeur Body Fantasies Sexiest Fantasies Va Va Voom! after clicking through to your review of that one!) Thanks also for the entertaining trivia – what a fount (or font?) of arcane knowledge!
I really wouldn’t bother sniffing it unless you are completely absorbed by that type of dense, fruity, “noir”-style bombs. And I really can recommend Va Va Voom for fun!
I’m drafting you for my Trivial Pursuit team.
And I’ll pass on Black Opium.
I’m honored, although I have to say that I fade under pressure! And good move on the Black Opium.
ICONIC brand,and BLACK OPIUM??Such a provocative name!One would have expected a dark,mysterious,oriental-resinous-incensey,murky broth!a True Witch’s brew in other words!How the mighty have fallen…I shall cling to my vintage Rive Gauche,and my last remaining drops of vintage Opium.It’s already widely available in South Africa.Tested it:Diluted Kool-Aid.
I know–they really didn’t deserve the name. “Black Opium” should be saved for a fragrance that really earns the title! (That said, I bet plenty of people will buy it based on its name and marketing alone.)
I certainly would have yes:Back in the days of “blind buys”…lol
I would have been very tempted, too, especially if I’d found it at a discount. Let’s hear it for “older and wiser.”
Hehe.Yes.Somewhat wiser,as I still do “reputable” blind buys every now and again!(How can you go wrong with Amouage,IMHO?!lol).At least in this case:A LOT of bottle collectors might be thrilled by it.
This Amouage blind buys are tempting–but deadly! (At least to the wallet, they are.)
Black Opium Black Schmopium. I want to know how you dry ice cubes. Wipe them with a cloth before using? Would that make a difference? Intrigued …
You know where I got that fact? From the Balenciaga book you recommended! My guess is that it would make the most difference if you were storing ice in an ice bucket, and it had time to melt a bit. If the ice comes straight from the freezer, it should be plenty cold and dry. Plus, a tiny bit of melt “opens up” a martini, in my opinion. That’s why I don’t hold to those nasty plastic things you can buy and freeze and use as ice cube substitutes.
Speaking of Couturiers and books, has anyone ever read Paris a la Mode by Celia Bertin? It’s a pretty interesting look in the world of couture and the various masions and their venduses in the 1950’s.
How could I have missed that one? I’ll have to get my hands on a copy!
The best parts to me were the section on the venduses. Each house would have multiple venduses, all fighting over the limited amount of fabric for the customers they were in charge of. I can imagine it would make a great series or movie, the Devil wears Schiaparelli…lol
It was such a different world then! Kind of amazing, and fascinating.
I really want to read that book! The book about Balenciaga that Angela and I have mentioned goes into some depth about the work of the vendeuses. They worked on commission, kept their own book of clients, and were indeed quite competitive. As a business practice it may have made sense for the house overall, but Balenciaga’s most successful vendeuse, Florette, admitted that it wasn’t an especially nice way of making a living.
I really enjoyed the book–swallowed it whole after work one night! Thank you for the recommendaiton.
Just to chime in about Yves Saint Laurent, there are 2 great documentaries about him- one is from Empire films, and it’s actually 2 docs in one. It has footage with his muses, his mother and interviews with him. The other is “L’amour Fou” which is too much Pierre Berge, but lots of great images from their many amazing homes. It’s interesting to see how Yves worked, and what a uniquely creative individual he was. I think he really loved woman and wanted to advance their standing. What’s also interesting is how small the old fashion shows used to be. Not the big (empty) extravaganzas they are now. Watching these documentaries give you an idea of what Yves would think about the state of fashion and celebrity now…. and probably “Black Opium”.
I’ve seen L’Amour Four, but not the other one. I’ll definitely hunt it down. There seemed to be something so open, so vulnerable about YSL. I think about how he used a heart as a motif in so much of his work and in his annual New Year’s cards. He fascinates me.
I mean L’Amour Fou, of course (I’m going to turn off the autocorrect on my keyboard. It’s driving me nuts.)
Ah then, I missed the detail about the ice cubes. So drying them eliminates the melted surface water that is not really, really cold? I get it.
I think Celia Bertin’s book is referenced in that book – I did notice that. It’s high on my reading list too!
Yes, I think it’s about dilution. They did mention that his martinis were particularly strong…
Its a very thorough, non- judge mental nor jaded look at the particular world of Parisian Haute couture and the cogs that kept it turning.
Sounds great!
This has been here in Canada since November. I sniffed it and thought yuck! Not one bottle sold through Christmas but plenty of Opium did. Working at the Lauder counter plenty of
Cinnabar sold too. I have not worn that one ib ages.Two sprays of it lasted FOREVER! It could beat the crap out of Black Opium lol
I’d much rather wear Opium or Cinnabar than Black Opium, but I’m surprised it hasn’t sold better, really. I wonder what the marketing strategy is that has delayed its release in the U.S.? It seems like this would be its greatest market.
Angela, none of the new YSL fragrances are slling in our store. Even a Manifisto giftset with a free YSL mascara and lipgloss did not. Only Opium.
Selling
I guess Opium is a perfume that will always have fans!
“That about wraps it up. However, I have post to fill. To help you get through it, I’ve bracketed entertaining trivia here and there.”
Thanks for a good laugh. =:o)
I’m glad you appreciated it! Honestly, I was stymied as to what to write.
Sorry that was a bit off topic.
Not at all!
Good work, Angela! At least this has led us to some great book and film recommendations, right?
Those looking for black perfume might also try Nasomatto Black Afghano or Montale Black Aoud.
Black perfumes–a great idea for a future post!
The good, the bad, and the totally unworthy of the name!
Ha ha–that’s perfect!
I traveled Asia over x mad and NY , this was everywhere in the airports . Only the perfume educated see through the glitter falcon that hides the truth that YSL fragrance is below par .
This review was clever and made me laugh , thank you as I’m in bed with a bit of post holiday tummy sickness. I needed a little lightheartedness.
It really is amazing how powerful marketing can be–I admit that I fall for it from time to time. But here, I really do believe the emperor has no clothes.
So sorry about your tummy! I’ve heard the flu is awful this year, too. Take care of yourself.
Perfume releases like this just depress me. How on earth can they take a sweet fruity syrup and call it Black Opium? It doesn’t even make sense. Are the people employed by these companies really that clueless? Obviously, yes. It sounds like original Opium is more worthy of the title Black than this one.
I’m sorry you put yourself through this but every now and then I guess it is inevitable.
The sad thing is, I’m sure it will sell, at least right out of the gate (although Vera Jayne says it isn’t moving in her store). I can’t imagine it staying on the shelves too long, though.
“developed by perfumers” – four of them. May be that’s where the issue starts.
…just as they say ” …too many nannies and a baby ends up without an eye”
However, am I the only one who noticed the homage to the original Opium in the form of the model, clearly with the 80thies styled hair? The model wouldn’t be out of place on one of those ad prints form that era but in a somewhat “different” pose, lol.
And as they also say, “too many cooks spoil the broth.” (Of course, it’s hard to know exactly what the story was here.)
And, oh yes, that hair!
Thank you, Angela.
Always enjoy your reviews: very interesting & fearless choices from old gems-in-disguise to new “actions d’exercer” like this one for example.
I wonder is it easier to write about a “good” perfume or a “bad” one?
I don’t like writing negative reviews very much, although of course I’ve done plenty of them. I feel bad for the perfumers who put so much work into them, and some people surely like the nasty (to me) fragrances, too. But for the bigger lines and splashier launches, I feel it’s my duty to warn people!
Ditto about felling bad for the noses who were trying to create another “timeless”.
Somehow I always think that at least some of not-so-lucky-from-the-start perfumes could end up being ahead of its time or way-too-much ahead of its time.
Obviously (or most likely) it’s not the issue here, but it’s good to leave some room for the future guesses and experiences, wouldn’t you agree?
I guess that’s how Angel started out–ahead of its time. And now it’s massively beloved!
Ha-ha! Exactly!
I do remember very clearly sniffing Angel back in the day, just soon after it came out in the 90-thies and absolutely hating it. I got a sample which I still do have and now quite cherish :).
Well, what can I say; in those days I was not “into perfumes” and , plus, I was very young. That was a definite plus!
What a shame. YSL’s marketing department always makes me want to try their perfumes (Manifesto! BLACK OPIUM!), but experience and reviews like yours may have finally convinced me to stop actually smelling them. I think I’ll stick to the wonderful Black Opium of my imagination, available only at great expense in a faraway city. (Perhaps in the exotic and glamorous Albuquerque I envisioned as a Partridge Family-loving child.)
I love that! Maybe that fantasy Albuquerque is also where my dream bedroom is, the one that looks like the inside of I Dream of Jeannie’s bottle!
Ok I know this topic is dead but yesterday at work I noticed one of the girls putting out valentine gift sets of this. 30 ml with free YSL mascara and kohl eye pencil. She gave me a large sample and the juice is PINK! Why am I suprised? Lol.Two large sprays later I could barely smell it just a whiff of vanilla. If this was in a pink bottle with a feather flower on top you would not notice the difference. Mr.Slimane the designer for Saint Laurent named this fragrance publicly as having nothing to do with it. OUCH Wonder how it would smell when Tom Ford was at the helm. Rant over.
Whether it was because of Tom Ford or not, YSL’s fragrances were so much better in his era! It sounds like Hedi Slimane doesn’t have a lot of say about YSL Beaute today.
He does not and what a shame. He is very talented.Angela, check out
his spring 2015 collection.It is very YSL!
Much more than Black Opium is anyway lol
OMG Angela, you really know how to crack me up
I’d largely ignored this “flanker”, (term used loosely), to a frag I really loved back in the big hair and shoulder pads days, and still hoard my vintage bottles.
I just decided to read this review I’d skipped after following discussions back when it premiered. I’ll never skip your reviews again. It was a mistake. You made my day
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! We aim to please.
I tried this on for grins. Since when did black equal “fresh” or “fruity”. Because that’s all that I got from this, unfortunately. I don’t see how “coffee” enters into it, because I detected absolutely no coffee note anywhere while sporting this…
In my opinion, it was “safe.”
I want to cry when I think of all the glorious old YSLs like Rive Gauche, Y, and Yvresse. Black Opium is a pox.
Just for your consideration, I don’t love black opium but I do like it. I absolutely hate Tom Ford’s black orchid. It reminds me of an “old lady” smell and has much more of a powdery note that turns me off at the slightest whiff. There is a big difference between the two that could make or break it on either side for a lot of people.
Thank you for commenting! This is a great observation for someone who’s considering sampling it but can’t decide.