Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

Product Purchased by IMBB

Hi Beauties,

Today, I will be reviewing my first product sponsored by IMBB. My heartiest thanks to Sanjeev ji, Rati, Jomol, Neha, Jasmine and the entire IMBB team for making this possible in my life. I am living my dream through IMBB, and this is like a beautiful birthday gift to me. I want to thank everyone who has supported me.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum released in the autumn of 2014. Fragrances are extremely personal, though, certain fragrances have a strong fan following. Just like our superstars, certain fragrances have achieved total iconic status. Fragrances like Opium (YSL), Poison (Dior), No.5 and Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel), Shalimar (Guerlain), L’Air Du Temps (Nina Ricci) are some of the iconic fragrances since times.

Yves Saint Laurent has never tasted as much success with any other fragrance as they have done with OPIUM. That does not mean that Opium has got a mass appeal. No, definitely not. Infact, you will meet many people who absolutely hate it. But, like it or hate it, you can never ignore it. That is Opium for you. And, I guess Yves Saint Laurent wanted to cash upon the name to taste that same success again, hence the name Black Opium.

About The Product:

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum presents a darkly sensuous and thrilling fragrance for women. Master perfumers Nathalie Lorson and Marie Salamagne, in collaboration with Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc, developed the composition. The face of the perfume’s campaign is British model Edie Campbell, shot by Daniel Wolfe.

Created for modern heroines who seek adventure above all else, this electrifying fragrance is like a shot of pure energy. An adrenaline boost that encourages you to pursue unspoken desires and live life to the fullest, always seeking the next electrifying encounter.

This newest chapter in the opulent Opium saga is as free, confident and glamorous as ever before, with a fast-paced, contemporary twist. A terribly addictive and impertinent gourmand floral that smells so good you’ll want to taste it.

At the heart of Black Opium is an addictive black coffee accord blended with luminous white flowers, the ultimate play of shadow and light. A gourmet dose of vanilla envelops the fragrance in celestial beauty, creating a trail that is indulgent, sensuous and absolutely unforgettable.

Top Notes: Coffee, Pink Pepper.
Heart Notes: Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Vanilla.
Base Notes: Patchouli, Cedar.

Ingredients:

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

Price:

GBP 44 for 30 ml. Also available in 50ml and 90ml variants.

My Experience with Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum:

Black Opium is not even remotely related to Opium, except for the brand and the name tag. Whether you’re an Opium hater or lover, this is a beautiful fragrance for you. I am a self-confessed OPIUM addict; so I just had to try this one out as well.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

As much as I like the perfume, I hate the way YSL has named it. They have totally encashed on Opium’s popularity to create a mass appeal. I feel they could have named it something else, and it would not have raised as many eyebrows. Creating an entirely different fragrance and then, making it sound darker, sexier and more dangerous than Opium; that is so not done YSL.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

Ok, enough of harping on the name! Now, let’s talk about the fragrance. Black Opium is so not black. It is not dark or dangerous. In fact, it is a very comfortable fragrance to wear; with a sweet chocolate-y vanilla-ish flavour with a hint of coffee and spice to it. Just what we want and get at our local cafe.

It is definitely for the winters; or the colder climates. It has a heavy dose of coffee and vanilla in it. And, both of them are my absolute favourites. The top notes do last for a couple of hours; after which the coffee disappears and vanilla takes over. Other accords are those of pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, patchouli and cedar. These notes are comparatively weaker, but they do help in adding a bit of a twist, that hint of spice to an otherwise plain vanilla. I love that it not only smells comfortable but also luxurious.

The perfume comes in a black colored textured bottle sprinkled with silver shimmer; very similar to the Opium bottle, only with a change of color. One to two sprays on the pulse points are good enough for 4 to 6 hours.On clothes, it lasts much longer, in fact, for days.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

In conclusion, this perfume will not make you immediately stand up and take note of it. It is not a landmark-creating perfume. It is not even an important perfume. It is in fact; an average perfume. Does that mean it is bad? No, absolutely not.

This perfume is at the top of the game. But, it still grows on you so much so that you ultimately fall in love with it. You may want to use this everyday; and that is perfectly fine, especially in these colder months. People may come to associate this fragrance with you and not in a bad way at all.

In fact, when Opium is associated with mature women on one hand, Black Opium is for all, on the other. Opium haters are definitely going to like this; and so are the Opium lovers. Sillage is moderate, but I actually like this intimate sort of perfume. You may apply it, sniff it, and then forget about it; but this one will never leave your side; never leave you alone. It will always be in the background, working its magic.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

Pros of Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum:

• Beautiful, sturdy, simple and compact packaging.
• Notes: Coffee and Vanilla (my favorites).
• Lasts 4-6 hours on pulse points and, for days on clothes.
• You cannot go overboard with this, though, one to two sprays are enough.
• Moderate sillage.
• Feels comfortable, yet luxurious.
• Good for cold winter months.
• Good for all age groups.

Cons of Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum:

• Expensive.
• Not available in India.
• Not as black and dark as it sounds, except the packaging.
• Not as iconic as its namesake (Is that a con, I wonder!).

IMBB Rating:

4.2/5

Am I in love? Well, the evidence is in the bottle. You can make out from the pictures, I have used up quite a lot of it in the past one month. So yes, I guess I am. 😉

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7 thoughts on “Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum Review

  1. Wowwwwww….look at that packaging – great stuff you have got doccie and thanks for mentioning me*happydance* *happydance*

    I had ysl limited edition opium oriental fragrance, didn’t like it a bit, though the other versions are a hit 🙂

  2. I fell in love with it from first spray itself. . Its too hard to resist it .very feminine ..very exotic …sensual. .very sexy ..n very me. It leaves sparkles wherever do u spray .. u can see it shimmering.Nt like other ones … 🙂

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