YSL · 2014 · Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc
Black Opium
Premium$$$, 3 of 5
| 90 ml | $174 |
The houseFor womenWearers sayLeans feminine
VersionEau de Parfum
Black coffee and sweet vanilla over white flowers (orange blossom, jasmine), drying to cedar and patchouli.
YSL says
You’ll smell black coffee accord, orange blossom, cedarwood and patchouli.
More from YSL’s description
It also mentions Thrilling coffee, Ultra feminine white flowers, Sensual vanilla, Adrenaline-rich coffee, Vanilla, White flowers, Coffee, Vanilla Bourbon, Jasmine, Bourbon vanilla infusion and Patchouli heart.
Wearers say
From 6 Reddit threads · Read what they say
When to wear it
Fall, winter
only 2 sources
Where to wear it
Date night, going out
only 2 sources
Who it suits
Leans feminine · Younger wearers
only 2 sources
Mass appeal
Crowd-pleaser
Compliments
Compliment getter
only 2 sources
What’s inside it
What YSL names
What the label names
12 scent ingredients on the label, familiar names first.
A label must name certain ingredients, most of them ones that can cause allergies; some houses print more. It is never the whole recipe.
2 citrus1 herbs & lavender8 florals1 sweet
Herbs & lavender1
Florals8
Sweet1
Heart5
as it settles
7 more lines on the label, not there for the smell
Wearers say
Wearing it
Black Opium is a sweet vanilla-coffee floral widely known as a popular club and date night scent. Wearers report moderate initial projection that settles into a soft skin scent within a few hours.
How far it carriesFoot away to intimate scent bubble
It projects moderately for the first hour before settling into a closer scent bubble near the skin.
“even now, I just have to get my head to about a foot away from the tester to partake in the heavenly emissions wafting from it.”
Reddit post, r/fragrance, 2024
More from wearers · 1 theme, 1 quote
Some say
Some wearers note you can smell it a foot away initially, but it quickly dies down to a skin scent.
“After about an hour, the scent “died down” some and I felt like I could only smell it if I sniffed my wrist.”
Reddit post, r/fragrance, 2024
How long it lasts4–6 hours on skin
Wearers find the core scent lasts around four to six hours, becoming a quiet skin scent after the first hour.
“It wasn't hated upon release, but is a victim of its own popularity, especially since it's quite a strong fragrance with quite a distinctive style.”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2023 · 38 votes
When and where to wear itDate nights and evenings
Wearers widely view it as a classic evening and date night fragrance, though many wore it as an everyday signature during its peak.
“It was everywhere for many years. A lot of people made it their signature scent and I guess it pushed the rest of us away from it”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2023 · 84 votes
More from wearers · 1 theme, 1 quote
Some say
Some wearers recommend it as the ideal date night fragrance or night-out scent.
“the perfect date night fragrance.”
Reddit post, r/FemFragLab, 2025
Who it suitsReads young, worn by anyone
While predominantly marketed to and worn by younger women, wearers emphasize anyone who enjoys the sweet profile can wear it.
“Younger women new to fragrance tend to like black opium.”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2023 · 27 votes
More from wearers · 1 theme, 1 quote
Some say
Some wearers associate it with young women entering fragrance, though men also appreciate the scent.
“Buy it and wear it! It’s mostly just marketing BS anyway. I’ve worn my wife’s channel no. 5, Shalimar and black opium plenty of times.”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2024 · 22 votes
Appeal and attractionMass crowd-pleaser
Wearers report that despite fragrance enthusiast fatigue, the general public finds it universally pleasing and attractive.
“those same scents are generally crowd pleasers and widely enjoyed by everyone else”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2023 · 201 votes
More from wearers · 1 theme, 1 quote
Some say
Some wearers emphasize that the general public consistently loves and compliments the scent.
“Black Opium was “the it girl” back in 2014 and half the women in my friend circles wore it.”
Reddit comment, r/fragrance, 2023 · 84 votes
As a blind buyMixed: skin chemistry decides
While many love it, blind buyers sometimes regret it if expecting heavy dark coffee rather than sweet vanilla-florals.
“only smelled floral on me, sad I didn’t get the coffee/vanilla notes from it.”
Reddit post, r/fragrance, 2024
LayeringLayered with other favorites or vanilla
Wearers layer Black Opium with vanilla, coffee, or richer gourmands to enhance specific notes.
“purchase a smaller bottle just to use once in a while, probably to layer with other scents I like more.”
Reddit post, r/fragrance, 2024
From 6 Reddit threads.
Wearers say
Smells like it
For less
Ambery VanillaOn your shelfDossier · A few wearers call it a cheaper copyWearers also name as cheaper copies: Zara Gardenia. We hold no page for it yet.
Shoppers call a cheaper stand-in a dupe.
What wearers say, set beside the price each house asks. Noses differ.
Our match of the notes
Shares its notes
Ambery VanillaDossier · shares coffee, bitter orange (neroli, orange blossom, petitgrain), cedar (Atlas cedar), patchouli and 2 more
Reflection 45 ManAmouage · shares bitter orange (neroli, orange blossom, petitgrain), cedar (Atlas cedar), patchouli, vanilla and 1 more
Libre Vanille CoutureYSL · shares bitter orange (neroli, orange blossom, petitgrain), patchouli, vanilla and jasmineMatched by the notes each house names. A shared note is not a promise they smell alike.