Reviews of Opium (1977)
by Yves Saint Laurent

In 1977 when I was a child my beautiful black-haired Thai aunt wore Opium, and she smelled like Siam to me. She ate the most fireliciously strange and interesting food I've ever smelled (I didn't dare try it - she made us Westerners watered-down versions that made us sweat copiously and drink gallons of milk). Somehow Opium and her own personal smell, which was unique, and on the verge of unpleasant, complemented each other perfectly. I didn't know it was Opium until years later in high school, when a friend gave me her bottle, a BIG bottle of edp no less! "This smells vile," she said. "Take it."

What a trip! I whiffed the bottle and was instantly transported to winter 1978, my aunt's first snowfall - she was from a small village in Thailand and I don't think she really believed in snow. She was so thrilled, she stayed out with us playing and building an ornate snowman, marveling at the dead trees that we assured her would be back, alive, in spring. When we came in and took off our Winter clothes, she was redolent of Opium and the smell of her own hair.

Of course, it smells different on me. Still, the druggy, toasted wild vanilla and spice qualities, the almost-rotting falling apart florals, are so beautiful, so enjoyable to wear, I feel very sorry for people who can't wear it. For indeed, when my friend tried it again (I made her, I couldn't believe she didn't love it) she smelled horrid - all bergamot and cat urine. At the time I had no idea perfumes depended so much on us to make them live, and I have been interested in scent, and what it can do, ever since. Opium was my first olfactory love. Even now I wear it way too often. It is certainly an evening scent, a scent for special times, but I tell myself it's OK for daytime if I wear just a teeny bit!

This is a classic worth giving a solid try. Get a sample of the the EDP or pure parfum, and put this on your pulse points after a workout, or when you haven't bathed for a day. You'll be amazed at this young classic.

This used to be my signature scent .I wore for three years and received lots of compliments, but like other things in my life I moved on. Now my mother wears it beautifully and sometimes I borrow it to remember the old good times.

An enchanting spice cabinet, in a good way.
The florals play off the sweet and pungent smoky flavour.
This perfume was what my father gifted to my mother when they were intimate.
Needless to say, one whiff, and I stole the idea of it for myself.
While I do not wear it regularly, when I do, I intoxicate.
Wonderfully composed and unfortunately underlooked.
Seduction in a bottle, much love.

I wanted to say something fresh, uncommon and informative about Opium. I wanted to sound omniscient and, even, clever. But like most consumers who share their opinions on Basenotes, my writing is droll and useless drivel containing minimal information. And then you read a review like that of Opium parfum by "MarksCarltonLane" (below).

We're all talented at something. But this person is truly gifted. I couldn't have said it better if I'd had 50 tutors and parfumeurs advising me.

Opium parfum deserves "MarksCarltonLane's" incomparable review.

WOW!

When I smell for the first time in my country from my friend. She got from tourist opium sample and use it. I smell it and I want this perfume. I ask her which perfume do you ware?! "Opium". When a tourist ask me What you like to buy for you. I said I want perfume "Opium" and I got it. Yes......! I was happy and now I can buy it with my own salari Yeah....!
I love love love love this perfume.

I have to admit that my Opium substance abuse is pretty limited to the “Opium Lite” of the summer versions, Fleur de Shanghai being one of my all-time favourite perfumes.
Opium in its parfum form (which is what I am reviewing here) can be likened to a smoldering smoke of incense and spices and a thick chai tea. It opens with clove buds stuck in the peel of dried orange, familiar like a pomander and intensely so. Pimento berries also add a more complex aspect to the mostly-eugenolic character of the opening; pepper suggests dryness and cinnamon adds sweetness.

The heart notes are floral, most notably orange blossom and carnation. But to say the heart feels floral would be an exaggeration. Although jasmine, rose and ylang ylang are present, they are hidden behind plenty of carnation and more cloves; the floral notes in this oriental in particular have the role of smoothing things out without sticking out or showing their true colours.

The underlying resins are what make Opium stand apart from Tabu and Youth Dew though; if Tabu concentrated on the patchouli and vetiver and Youth Dew is all about indole and eugenol (even more civet than in Tabu) – Opium returns to the cradle of perfume civilization by using a large proportion of opoponax with its powdery, animalic and resinous-sweet qualities, backed up by the dry and sweet bitterness of myrrh and the woody-dry qualities of patchouli. There is a touch of sweetness that is never overly done originated in vanilla and benzoin resin. Both notes serve to accentuate the hint of sweetness present in opoponaz and myrrh. There is no animalic element here that I’m aware of. The pairing of eugenol and resins creates a deep reaction, perhaps connected to the history of incense and Chinese herbal medicine which is quite appropriate with the name borrowing from one of the most ancient and potent drugs used in human history (it was used as far back as in the Sumerian civilization, which is also the oldest civilization to have used incense).

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

This perfume is so sexy and exotic. When I close my eyes I can almost imagine myself in the romantic world as described by Pearl Buck and so many others. This fragrance is spicy and oozes unashamed sensuality. Definitely a scent for a special night.

This review is under revision.

A magnificent and extremely loved fragrance: The fantastic reviews here are proof of what a beautiful and sensual fragrance it is.

Opium is timeless and magic, and it is still THE Oriental. Aldehydes and bay are prominent in the opening with a shadowing of cinnamon and orange. I find the opening controlled by the bay and I love it because bay has always been a favorite note of mine. The opening is warm and exotic and noticeably unisex. It lasts longer than is typical for openings. The middle level is floral: I get a strong carnation as well a definite jasmine complete with indoles. The other floral I can’t separate out from the accord, but I can identify the cinnamon and bay from the top that are still present in the heart, maintaining the exoticism of the fragrance. Opium comes by its name honestly: By the time the heart notes are almost over, I feel a bit drugged from sniffing the richness of fragrance. Maybe there's actually no opium in the mix but the fragrance does provide a definite bit of euphoria – it’s a feel good feeling. The base is Oriental and feminine to the extreme, and it is the most complex and interesting level of the fragrance; it is just plain enticing – blended sandalwood, patchouli, amber, vanilla, incense, opoponax … smooth and powdery and proof that there is a heaven.

I think this was my very first REAL perfume love. I had to have been about 9 years old!!! Maybe 10. I remember putting it on and loving it. I have to question what my teacher thought of me to be wearing such an adult scent. It was spicy and warm and musky and sweet. I felt very grown up and probably did not fit in at all in my small little elementary school in the country of middle-of-nowhere Idaho. But then...I have always been called "weird" (but in a good way). Suffice it to say I have been around and seen Paris, Dublin, the Cliffs of Moher, Venice, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague....Luxemburg, Belgium, and Germany..San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York...and if this is the result of being "weird" at the age of 9/10, then so be it! I think this is the fragrance that started my elusive love for all fragrances and my curiosity for the out of reach.

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.

I cannot wear Opium. Sour slightly musty cinnamon is all I get when I use it. But on my mother it smells like heaven must. I would love any perfume to smell as good on me as Opium does on my mother. And the drydown on her is totally different from the drydown on others who also wear Opium. On my mother it practically becomes a skin scent. You have to be very close to her to know she is wearing perfume at all. The spiciness disapears rapidly and what is left is this silky shimmering golden scent. That is the only way I can describe it and that is what I think when I smell Opium on Mom. No real sweetness, no spices, and absolutely nothing floral. *SIGH* I would give my left kidney for any perfume to smell that heavenly on me. So far I have not found the HG. Mom has though.

Too often over applied, and it's legions of lousy imitators have not helped this fragrances reputation; but if used sparingly a whole other world of scent. A sensual experience unto itself. This is what I imagine the spice from Dune smells like (the book, not the perfume by Dior).
Saint Laurent botched the male version, unfortunately. He needs to introduce a unisex version of the original that's a little more suited to a man. Many men love the original Opium, but are held back from wearing it by the more overtly floral elements. However, I used to know a black guy who was a real macho deliveryman, and he had absolutely no qualms or embarrassment about wearing it. It was always a pleasure when he was around.
Get rid of that ghastly Opium Pour Homme, please. It was a mistake! House of Yves, are you listening?

A bit too overwhelming for my taste. I live in a cold, wintry climate. Opium reminds me of grand old ladies with powdered faces and lace shawls - I'm just not there yet.

Gave this a smell at the local perfumery today, looking for a gift my a sister's upcoming birthday. While it'd have been much to much for her, I loved it. First smell, and I instantly thought ANTAEUS by Chanel. Couldn't believe it, even the lady assisting me thought the same. It's spicy, bold, floral, and caused such a stirring in my loins that I'd track and hunt a woman wearing this down forever. BRILLIANT!

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

I normally like fresh fruity florals so this one is a nightmare to me, but on a much higher scale than the typical heedy scents. It smells very 'old lady' in a sinister, unkempt/decomposing sort of way. If one could imagine what an unshowered Joan Crawford and Night of the Living Dead would smell like together or maybe Norman Bates mother - this is it.

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 am DESPERATE for Yves Saint Laurent to mark this a him/her fragrance...I adore it very much.

It is rich, smooth, spicey, soft, floral, very 70s AND 80s, woody, resinous, comfortable, desireable and potent. Its best qualities come out when used with care, never liberation...

I was walking through a mall here in Brisbane in the city 3 weeks ago, and smelled this on a man as he walked past. I knew very well what it was, as my sister and ex-girlfriend of 4 years wore it.

I immediately thought of going to The Perfume Connection to purchase a bottle, but couldn't quickly enough come up with a good reason or explaination for why I am buying it. I mulled over it for a while, and realised that that guy was probably gay, or had used his wife/gf's Opium - that made things worse.

So after an hour or so, I finally worked up the balls to go in and grab a bottle; to my suprise, the woman didn't ask as many questions as she usually did, but said "Ya know, strangley we've had a lot of men come in and buy this for themselves lately...dunno why..."

That made me feel a lot better. But I am still a bit "iffy" about wearing it; I live in a nice middle-class area, clean and neat, where a LOT of woman appear to wear this fragrance (along with Amouage Gold, Rive Gauche, Arpege and Chanel No. 5).

I know that there are a lot of other guys out there that wanna buy this perfume, but are too scared that it is not marked "unisex". I admit, I am still one of them! Come on YSL, it's not that much to ask for! Just this once?

Well, at least with this version of Opium, please? I don't ask of you to change the sex-branding of the other two Opiums, they have quite a nice femimine touch added to them - its just that this one is sooooooo rich and woody and spicey!

And sorry to say this to anyone who likes Opium Pour Homme - its horrendous. It was my fault for expecting it to be like Opium (for women)...

Great stuff!But a word of the wise - the main reason why sooooooooo many peole hate this fragrance is because it is applied to heavily, and has to long been associated with the 70s/80s. It is a power-house frag, but if used wisely, it does the job nicely. In addition, it has, over the past 15 years, spawned off 6 "me-too" lower-end copies, found at 2 dollar shops (dime stores), chemists (drug stores), and Big W. But none compare to the real thing.

This is a glorious perfume with quite an interesting history regarding its name. At Christmas the year it was introduced in the US, my dad had won 2 bottles of the 1 oz parfum at a Christmas party...I remember it came in an oval shaped black, gold and red cardboard box. Suspended inside the box was a small, weighty black glass bottle with its logo on one side and name on the other (both in gold), and stopper cap with attached rope and tassel with gold beads. Quite impressive and very high quality on all accounts. I couldn't believe my luck. I had this scent, one I had heard so much about, and the most expensive version ($150 EACH at the time), no less, before just about anyone else. TWO of them. It was love at first smell. Soft and powdery, voluptuous and heady. This scent smoulders. It is so pretty, it makes the wearer feel pretty. One of my all time top fragrances. Christmas is a wonderful time for this scent, too. Its sweet spice will always evoke memories of Christmas to me. Probably not the best choice on a hot, humid summer day, and I do prefer fall and winter for Opium, but I think in the right setting, it can be worn at almost any time of year. Treat yourself to the parfum. There is nothing in the world like it.

The whole "Opium" concept for men and women was a masterstroke from YSL.

This is a classic with its spicy, luscious notes and floral tones. Like other YSL fragrances, it's more an experience than a "smell".

I think it's beautiful, and such a seductive opulent fragrance for women. Definitely not for the demure or faint of heart, however! It's bold, heady and luxuriant, but above all it's grandeur.

Want a lecher--um, I mean a man's opinion? Still great after all these years. Yes I'm also referring to this frag. Been copied and inspired some masterpieces and some very insipid failures, but who cares? Opium is intoxicating and heady stuff. Something no wicked, decadent girl should be without.

Something about the way it smells reminds me of cola.

I have been wearing this fragrance for about 10 years. I love it because it's different from any other fragrance I've sampled. To others who love this fragrance - I have to tell you if you haven't tried the body cream, do so. The fragrance is even more potent and full-bodied than the perfume. A small dab on your neck and wrist will last all day long.

This scent took months to grab hold of me. A man I dated a couple of years ago told me this was his absolute favorite on a woman, so I purchased a bottle. The first spray - yuck. Same with the second, third, and so on. Even my boyfriend didn't like it on me, said it smelled "different" than he remembered. I thought maybe it was just the EDT that smelled funky, and wanted to purchase the parfum, but was afraid to spend that kind of money on something I didn't love. I wanted SO much to love this legendary fragrance. I adore spicy orientals in general, and they usually smell great on me, but this one just refused to comply...until recently. I sprayed some on before bed a few weeks ago, and woke up to the most GLORIOUS, seductive scent on my skin. I have no idea what prompted this change...it's the same bottle, and no dramatic changes in body chemistry for me...but I don't care, I'm just glad it happened! Now I wear this fragrance almost daily (or, more accurately, I think it wears ME). I ran into that old boyfriend recently, and he said "Is that Opium? It smells heavenly on you!". *Smiles* Time to finally splurge on that bottle of parfum...

There is truth to the notion certain scents work best with certain body chemistries.

On certain women this is HEAVEN. The rest of us are left to shake our heads in dismay and plain old envy. It never blossoms to the beauty it simply is on these other women.

ps. for a fragrance that is produced on such a huge mass-market scale, it is a masterpiece of quality. Truly.

I worn this from my mom when I was sixteen,and I hide me to macke up
charcoal eyes !!FEMME FATALE look
i wear it tooday but time to time because its a great one ,sommetimes I need it to confort me like teenager!!!

This is the female scent I most enjoy feeling on a woman. It is extremly sensual, luxurious and enjoyable. It really gives the impression that it is a dangerous and mysterious, interesting woman who is wearing it. For me it is too feminine for a man to wear. None the less. Ten thumbs up.
benb

Now you're talkin! This is my all time favorite. It is my default fragrance. The one I want to be remembered for. The one I want to be buried in. The one that is mostly ME! Nothing comes close. Not just for evening and not just for winter........all year .... anytime and any place. The parfum is da bomb. Have the confidence to wear it. OPIUM is my vote for the BEST of all perfumes..........IMHO.

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.

When it comes down to opium, I'd have to say I'm a total sucker for it. and the funny thing is, my mother has it too. I've always been the spicy scent type, sweet and light scents just don't go with me, but I never would have guessed I'd end up with the same scent as my mother...There is just one thing I don't agree with. Yes, it is a very heavy and sensual scent, but that does not mean it can't be suitable for younger people. I have it, I love it, people compliment me about it, yet I am 21...(I must admit I use the eau de toilette)...It really depends (I think) on whether you can handle the sensuality it harbours, and not on how old you are.

The start of it all for me. Flowers, spices and mystery all in a bottle. Opium was the first scent I had a gut "YES!" reaction to when I was 16, remained the only scent I wore until age 35. When my mother missed me, she would go to the nearest department store, spray "Opium" into the air in front of her, and walk into it. I don't wear it that often now, as the reconfigurd scent isn't *quite* as delicious (to me) as the original, but I still adore it. You never forget a first love, I think.

Indeed, a thoroughly late 1970s-1980s fragrance (as a previous reviewer noticed).
I found it way too harsh, and still do.
I used to wear it in winter, because it felt too heady for summer. It didn't help.
It always struck me as a "unisex" fragrance, and I simply don't like those.

Today was a day off for me and I puttered a bit at Sephora, sampling some of the scents that you Basenoters have been discussing. I sniffed Hypnotic Poison and knew it right away, for some reason it reminds me of the East Village (?) liked it very much, but not enough to bring it home with me. I also tried Tocca's Touch, and felt somewhat conflicted...it makes me feel like I should be sitting in my study with the fireplace lit, writing letters and reviewing the menu of the day, like the protagonist in Rebecca, but like her, felt like I was not quite up to the task of being Mistress of the Manderly.

But then I crossed paths with Opium and omigod, this scent speaks to me. But I asked myself...am I the kind of woman who can wear this scent in public? It is so sensual, seems to be a boudoir fragrance, and also , in the back of my mind, it reminds me of my Mother...SHE is the kind of woman who would wear Opium. Have I gotten to this point in my life, that I can wear a scent reminiscent of Mom? And also be turned on by it? HOLY COW! WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN????
THIS is a scent that makes me think I should be in the boudoir draped in velvet , wearing high heels, and nothing else. Am I brave enough to declare the intensity of my sensuality as I go about my daily business, amongst my neighbors, my co workers , the crossing guards, the grocery checkout boys? After an afternoon spent in the arms of Opium, I decided, sure I can, what the hell.
I notice a number of folks mention that this is a fragrance for "older" women. Yes, it is true that as a twenty something, I would have turned away from its heady wafting notes. But it is also true that many women hit their sexual peak as they round the bend of forty, certainly true for me, THANK GOD! Opium gets FIVE O's from this "mature" woman.

I love Opium, always have. It is one of the few classics that I have never gotten tired of. Spicy and sweet without being too sweet. The spices are so well blended that no one note dominates and I have not found a scent that has so many spices that blend so beautifully together creating a smooth living spice of it's own. It is not floral at all. My husband probably likes it on me even more than I do. I will always keep a bottle or two.

My God, this is amazing. So warm and comforting but with an edge that makes it oh so sexy. I know this is for the ladies, but after smelling it on my best friend's wife, I had to buy a bottle for myself. I haven't been brave enough to wear it out in public yet, but it can totally turn my boring evenings at home into something special. A glass of red wine, my favorite cardigan, a special DVD, and Opium. Mr. Roger's eat your heart out.

Dear God!!!What on earth is this??? My aunt Helen used to wear this in the early 80's and I didn't like it then. I still don't. This is simply horrid. One of my work colleagues came into work with this on a test strip and I couldn't help but notice the faint smell of unwashed dirty body, not in the sexy MKK way, but a filthy unhygenic way. She told me that the YSL counter had a special offer on with an Opium scented candle. Why bother? I'm sure you could get the same effect by leaving a pair of dirty knickers on a hot light bulb.

Ahh, Opium, the queen of the orientals. It's a very sensual, enticing, enveloping, exotic, strong oriental scent. Not for the type that usually wear light oceanic, cool perfumes, as this is totally the opposite. This has class, precense, assertiveness. It is for the exotic woman who feels like the queen of the Nile when she wears it. Very me.

Bravo to calchic for her excellent review of YSL's Opium! In addition, there is a noteable spicy carnation topping this glorious blend. In a strange and wonderful way it reminds me of Bellodgia by Caron (which I love). Although they are very different scents, their carnation commonality really shines through for me. This is surely one of the finest fragrance creations you'll ever experience.

Love it, but not on myself. On others - it smells absolutely divine (if not overdone, but that's pretty much true for all fragrances). One of the classics, immediately recognizable.

I am looking at my bottle now with only about 10 percent of this beloved juice left. I used to use my mother's at least once a week as a teenager and highschool girl (much more sophisticated than my Anais Anais, or my Crabtree and Evelyn Freesia, at the time). My mother used to wear this almost every day in the late 70s and 80s and I loved to smell it lingering in the house long after she left. I remember she would always get the parfum on the cord for Christmas. This is one of the sexiest fragrances my nose has ever known. I don't think I will ever be without Opium in my collection as I am sure I would go through withdrawals.

My husband likes Opium very much, but on me it has no staying power. I used to wear it once in awhile for him, but for an oriental I believe it needs a little more depth on me. I have stopped using it now because I've found some more sophisicated scents that DH likes & that are more me; such as Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme, Gucci Accenti & Guerlain's Samsara. Overall Opium is still a nice scent, I would repurchase

wow
im not going to write as much as mark
just it stinks!
only for the over 50's

To me, Opium is as much an experience as it is a fragrance. I have a fondly recalled history with it, as when I was a teenager I worked up my nerve to wear it (from my mother's supply, initially) by "training" myself with the more user-friendly Cinnabar by Estee Lauder (from my sister's supply! This was eons before I became a hard-core fragrance junkie with an extensive collection of my own.) What drew me to Opium and draws me still are the dramatic images and scapes it conjures; I know it's more about the Far East but I tend to endow it with incredibly exotic Middle Eastern, Saharan associations, visions of "Lawrence of Arabia" and the call of the desert, the sensual allure of the souk, and so on and so forth. And as Yves himself was born in Algiers and has long resided in Morocco (part time for a long time and now permanently, I believe), this all makes sense to me. From Opium's dark spice-spiked plum opening to that rather startling note of carnation to the base of bottomless, almost narcotic resins, you're in for a spellbinding, transformative journey here. I freely admit that Yves is my ultimate in terms of favorite fashion designers; I honestly feel everything he's ever touched has turned to genius, and his fragrances are no exception. How one individual could have dreamed up concepts so diverse and "scent scapes" so defined and self-contained as Opium, Rive Gauche and Paris is a source of never-ending amazement to me, as Opium alone is worthy of awe.

What a magnificent,classic,undying perfume.
Trully a masterpiece of spiciness and resinous-woody undertones with opoponax , incense and benzoin. Still with us after all these years.
It doesn't offer any favors , you don't have to just like it , you have to love it and if it loves you back ( skin chemistry going on ) it will be a best friend for ever , as it has been for me.
I only ever use the EDT ( the EDP is vile! I can't understand what they were thinking ) and the pure perfume , about which experts say it is even more velvety , and wear it mainly in cold , cold weather. I retire it in spring and find it makes me long for the first crisp days of autumn.
It's also super lasting leaving a trail on clothes until they are laundered , which I find sexy.

It's been a signature for years , since I have been a teenager actually , even in times when such perfumes were frowned upon - think ozonic obsessed late nineties - and a lot , and I mean A LOT of people ( men and women )have complimented me on it , said it is magnificent , light and ....flowery.(!!!) I guess it blooms on my skin :)
There are people who wrinkled up their noses after they learned what it was ( at times when it was very unpopular ), but they had ALREADY complimented me!

So you see , if it suits you , wear it and don't give a fig about what other people say. They wish they could wear it too!!

Many moons ago, before Noah came out of the ark, I used to bathe myself in this before going on a girls night out. You might guess, in those days, I used to drink a bottle of martini before jumping in the cab with my girlfriends. Remember this is before ‘ladettes’ were invented. Now I am totally embarrassed, because I can’t think what I liked about it. I remember complaining my mum’s Estee Lauder smelled like cats urine, but this is much worse. Now when I see it or even get a tiny niff of it I cringe. It’s a bit of a creepy feeling, like meeting one of your old boyfriends, or someone’s walking over your grave…

What separates womanhood from girlhood? Opium extrait. For those unaware of what "extrait" means, it's parfum, or, the highest concentration of essences allowed in parfumerie. Opium parfum is the most magnificent antidote to the waves of pubescent pop princess, foody/deodorant-style, mass-made scents that rule young fragrance buyers as the 20th century closed and the 21st century begins. Jean-Louis Sieuzac created this stand-alone masterpiece for a particularly fussy Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent. Talk about a league of its own! Opium cannot be compared to any other fragrance ... ever. Monsieur Sieuzac is well-known, too, for his creations Grey Flannel, Bel Ami and Morabito's Or Black. Although a relatively young parfum created in 1977 before most of today's younger female fragrance consumers were born, the jolt Opium must surely be to young noses, I find amusing. An example of the repellant effect is the way most young ladies respond to the first sniff of the legendary parfums Chanel No. 5, Chanel No. 22, Gardenia and Cuir de Russie. In my time as a Chanel beaute anlyste (sales associate), young women thrust their hips and shoulders back in abject horror -- if not contempt -- at the brash, potent, aldehydic burst from the neck of the flacons. Many would not even consider a second sniff. As Chanel trained me to do, I would ask a young woman to close her eyes as I waved a scent-sprayed (or dabbed) tissue under her nose. My, how times have changed! I have rarely encountered a woman less than middle age who appreciates the unbridled breath of cinnamon, pepper, orange, pimento and carnation. To say the least, Opium's provocative power may easily overwhelm, assault or repulse a less experienced nose. At the time of its introduction, Opium seized a huge following, reportedly climbing to the Top Ten best-selling fragrances of its initial three years on the market. Opium's once lofty position helped to ensure its continued presence in the worldwide marketplace. However, as many reviewers have noted, the fragrance seems so "afterthought" today; so dated and obsolete. I recall Opium's 1976 introduction; what a rare sensation! If for no other reason, the eyebrow-raising name commanded huge curiosity and drew masses to fragrance retailers. I was one of Opium's first supporters but over the years, I lost touch with it. My sin was never having experienced the extrait. Finally, one arctic fall day in late 2004, under stormy skies and a near freezing rain, I lifted the stopper on a "Parfum de Luxe" -- a limited edition, deep amethyst pendant attached to a heavy, braided black necklace with a bejewled tassel -- and moved my nostrils closer. Bursting from the weighty pendant, an exceptionally smooth, commanding cloud of carnation, cinnamon, pepper and orange held me in cashmere-like comfort. Such warmth and transformation from a flacon, I've rarely known, remaining my tireless pursuit in fragrance collecting. This was one of the great moments in my 35 years of fragrance studies and experiences. My experience on that November day could never compare to the eau de toilette of 1977 that I'd long forgotten. The parfum transcends all other versions for its far greater depth and durability. Heart notes of rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang quickly round out the composition as tail notes of vanilla, patchouli, benzoin and opoponax give Opium its truly magnificent dimension. I'm still bowled flat by this parfum in all its hypnotizing Oriental splendor and that feeling, I hope, will live for as long as I breathe. In my infinite search for the best fragrances of the ages, I don't accept critics' praises easily. How often have we all sprayed or sniffed a scent directly from the bottle and judged it too quickly! As I've long said, the "truth" of a scent is its drydown which may take hours; not seconds. Opium's place in fragrance history is earned partially because it expanded the vision of universal parfumerie, moving into entirely different directions than its marketplace peers in 1976. Another reason, perhaps, for Opium's significance is its staggering longevity given today's competition. Quickly, now; can you name another truly groundbreaking, memorable Oriental in recent years? If Opium debuted in 2005, it would still be seen as a rebellion or revolution in parfumerie but given the competition in today's youth-obsessed market, would it last? I think not. The "industry," as it were, is increasingly made up of numbers-crunchers wearing suits; not noses committed to purity, innovation and luxury. The drive behind the multinational, corporate approach is how to use cheaper, synthetic ingredients to lower costs and maximize profits. And isn't that sad speculation on today's marketplace? For my money and unqualified opinion, Opium parfum is one of the last truly visionary, marketplace-defiant, historically significant gifts from parfumeurs to the world. What a welcome revolution Opium was in 1976, yet, a discovery that brings me uncommon joy in 2005!

I really love this fragrance. It's not one I can regularly wear anymore, and on some days the carnation comes out too much and I don't enjoy carnatiion...but when Opium works, it works like nothing else. Something in this fragrance stimulates me and energizes me. It makes me feel ALIVE - even on gloomy dark days. It's sexy, warm, classic, and forever beautiful.

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.