Reviews of Opium (1977)
by Yves Saint Laurent

I don't have much to say about this fragrance since I am speaking from early childhood memory
We all remeber the smell of our mother when we were children right?
well I remember this smell and have asked to my mother lately what she was wearing when I was around 5 years old
-opium by ysl she said, offered my by father (who are a conouiseur in the domain ;)
The only thing I could put my finger on from these faded memories are the suble soooooo soft`n'subtle musky-powdery-sandalwood smell lingering around my momy's neck
AAAhh good old childhood olfactive memories
there are these smell that just hit you in the heart, so disarming, no resistance possible, that just bring out something engraved in the deepest inconscient part of your brain
there are many notes and fragrance that has these on me:
natural bergamote, lavender :) benjoin (papier d'arménie), fahrenheit by dior (big time, don't know why, weird so pleasent mesmerizing effect), basil, paco rabanne ph and of course Opium by YSL
ok this is getting a little bit to personal
but I'm sure all of you smell addicts understand what I mean

carl999, I think if you like it, you should wear it. Me...I don't like this on me, but strangely enough, I like some of the other orientals, especially Imari, by Avon. I just wish they would make this in a strong perfume. I like Cinnabar, its ok.

Gives me a headache. Im not into the strong, wintery scents though. it really does make me sick.. great bottle though! the base notes are alright

At first it has an unpleasantly sharp and plasticky note, but then it mellows into a decent oriental, very traditional in style, with perhaps mostly tobacco.

I was 13 when this perfume came out and I desperately wanted it. It was so daring. I told myself I loved it, forced myself to love it, but whilst I am an oriental lover, I cannot honestly say I love it. I can't honestly even say I like it.

In the past 30 years I have regularly sprayed both the extrait and the edt when at counters, and once again willed myself to love it, but alas it is not to be. This smells flat and monotonous on my skin, drying almost immediately to nothing more than sandalwood and vanilla. I hoped that as my body chemistry changed, it would smell better on me but it never has and I've decided to stop trying. Unfortunately people who know I love orientals but don't know me very well keep giving me the damned stuff.

Instead my husband wears it and I wear his Opium for Men which has become one of my favourite orientals. Now we both smell mysterious and sexy and no one ever guesses that we are wearing fragrances meant for the opposite sex.

Go figure.

I wore Opium when I was 18 (imagine!). To the relief of everyone around me, I assume, I stopped wearing it around 19. I avoided it and actually detested it for years, but recently made the acquaintance of a chic lady who wears it quite well. So, though I still cannot wear this, I no longer wish a black hoodoo hex on anyone else who wears it.