Black Opium
A phenomenally popular modern feminine built around an intoxicating roasted coffee and white flower accord over warm vanilla. Edgy, rock-chic luxury for the modern woman.
Black Opium opens on Pink Pepper and Orange Blossom, moves through Coffee and Jasmine, and dries down to White Musks and Patchouli. At $100 - $165 it is a designer-tier price you pay for the name as much as the juice, with long lasting (8h - 12h) on skin. Sample before you commit, it is loud and polarising rather than crowd-safe.
ADEGBE ANALYSIS SCORES
Scores are AdeGbe's editorial analysis based on composition, concentration and community-reported performance, not a single personal wear test.
Approx. $1.00/ml, Based on the lowest street price ($100) over an assumed 100ml bottle for this concentration.
OLFACTORY PYRAMID BREAKDOWN
- Pink Pepper
- Orange Blossom
- Pear
- Coffee
- Jasmine
- Bitter Almond
- White Musks
- Patchouli
- Vanilla
- Cedarwood
EXPERT ANALYSIS, COMPOSITION & PERFORMANCE
Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent is a bright citrus-leaning eau de parfum released in 2014, composed by Nathalie Lorson. This is our research team's structured analysis of how it is built, how it performs, and who it suits, based on its composition, community-aggregated performance data, and the AdeGbe scoring model.
The Opening
The opening leads with bright citrus and juicy fruit facets, Pink Pepper, Orange Blossom, Pear set the first impression in the initial fifteen to thirty minutes.
The Heart
Beneath the opening, a floral and sweet gourmand heart of Coffee, Jasmine, Bitter Almond forms the signature most people will recognise.
The Dry-Down
The base is dry woods and sweet gourmand, with White Musks, Patchouli, Vanilla providing the depth and tenacity that carry it through the day.
Who Should Buy Black Opium
Black Opium leans feminine but is wearable by anyone who enjoys the style. Its season vector points strongest to winter, and its day/night balance makes it best suited to evening wear and going out. If you gravitate toward bright citrus and juicy fruit compositions and want strong longevity, it belongs on your shortlist.
Performance and quality are not in question here. The honest caveat is ubiquity: Black Opium is widely worn, so if smelling distinctive matters more to you than smelling excellent, factor that in.
PERFORMANCE INDEX & SUITABILITY VECTORS
PROJECTED PERFORMANCE TIMELINE
Projected from this fragrance's concentration, note structure and reported longevity, an analysis, not a single personal wear test.
Pink Pepper and Orange Blossom lead the opening before the volatile top notes burn off.
Coffee and Jasmine take over as the core character of the fragrance.
White Musks and Patchouli anchor the scent close to the skin.
A skin-scent of White Musks and Patchouli is what typically remains by now.
Wear It
- ✓Winter (40% seasonal fit)
- ✓Autumn / Fall (35% seasonal fit)
- ✓Evenings, dinners and going out
Skip It
- ✗Spring, it underperforms here (15%)
- ✗Summer, it underperforms here (10%)
- ✗Enclosed offices, lifts and meeting rooms
- ✗Go easy: 1 to 2 sprays is plenty
- ✗Hot daytime errands, it can read too heavy
Blind-Buy Risk
- • Balanced, conventional profile with no major red flags
- • Nothing in the published notes suggests an unusually divisive scent.
INGREDIENT SAFETY SNAPSHOT
Common EU-declarable allergens; can oxidise and irritate sensitive skin.
IFRA-restricted; coumarin sources carry a general pregnancy-caution flag.
White-floral declarables; usually well tolerated but listed under EU rules.
Generally well-tolerated base/fixative materials with low sensitiser risk.
This snapshot is based on the published note list, not a full INCI ingredient breakdown. Always check the box for the official allergen declaration and patch-test if you have sensitive skin. See full ingredient-safety guides →
MOST COMPARED WITH
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does YSL Black Opium smell like?
Is YSL Black Opium suitable for office?
Is Black Opium by YSL long lasting?
Is Black Opium worth buying?
Is Black Opium good for summer?
How many sprays of Black Opium should I use?
Is Black Opium safe for sensitive skin?
INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS
Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Black Opium.
INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS
Personalised calculators and scanners specific to Black Opium.
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