Reviews of Opium pour Homme (1995)
by Yves Saint Laurent

Although the original Opium for women is one of my most hated fragrances, I have to respect Opium PH for the mere fact that it stays true to the spirit of the original, which is a rarity in fragrances released under the same name for both women and men. It doesn't smell exactly like the original, but it does capture the blazing, spicy feel of the original Opium for women.

Therefore it almost goes without saying that Opium PH is an intense fragrance. To my nose or my skin, OPH smells almost like two different fragrances, depending on whether you're wearing it in hot or cold weather. In hot weather, it's simply overbearing; I bought my first bottle of this just recently, in the heat of summer, and wearing it felt like I was being shot in the eyeballs. It's just too heady for me to wear in hot weather. Now that the weather has cooled down significantly however, especially in the evening, I am finding OPH to be a lot more agreeable, and quite good.

I'm not particularly good in picking out individual notes in fragrances, and Opium PH presents an especially difficult challenge for me. Part of the reason I find OPH so intense is because there seems to be so much going on in this scent, so many spicy notes flying around in all directions. I really can't tell what's in this, except lots and lots of SPICY THINGS, to state it academically. This isn't to say that it's not a well-crafted scent, but rather that it's a challenging scent. It's exotic and extremely bold, never really evolving over time but rather simply calming down over time. I respect fragrances like this.

What I like most about Opium PH is that it truly embodies what I think of when I hear the words "exotic oriental fragrance". I don't think it's a great fragrance, but it's certainly a good one. It's not a scent I'll be wearing often, but during the right time of year and in the right situations, I'll put this on to make a bold impression.

Love this in the EDT (I understand the EDP is very different, but have not smelled it). It's amazing on my boyfriend, drying down to a masculine woody scent with just enough vanilla to round it out without sending it into the candy zone. He wore it tonight while we were out to dinner, and it was just right--I'd catch a slight whiff of it now and then--perfect sillage. Wonderful masculine evening scent.

Like the EdP's opening salvo, the EdT has a dark fruit hue too but it's sharpened up with star anise bringing out the blackcurrant more so. There's a dish that I like at the local Tapas joint that serves a stuffed prune with mint cream filling that reminds me of the EdT. In it's next phase, the black pepper and ginger bring the orientalness to the foreground. Each is excellently blended never tilting the balance too much over the edge. Finally, the vanilla/amber accord finishes off much like the EdP but with a lighter and slightly woody finale. Lighter and spicier than the EdP and more versatile for wearing too though I have trouble with this one in the heat.

Yves St. Laurent Opium pour Homme.

I used to love wearing this out to bars and clubs in the 90's and it was very often my preferred scent for those nights.
What I loved about it was the spicy and sweet mix that was like nothing else I owned at the time. The pepper note in the heart was always a favorite and once it would settle into the vanilla and cedar at the base it would be the olfactory soundtrack to the end of a fun-filled evening.
What Basenotes has helped with is my appreciation of the top of this fragrance. I don't remeber ever noticing the currant, at the top, cut ever so slightly by the anise. Now, these notes blossom right away and then fade into the spicy, hot heart of this that I still enjoy. I remember the base being more vanilla laden in my younger days but lately it is the cedar that dominates with the vanilla playing a supporting role and thus making it less sweet than I remembered. Either way this scent is still a favorite and while I have come to discover others with this spicy heart I like more (Ormonde Jayne Man, Patour pour Homme) this will be a baseline scent for me.

This was the very first cologne I ever owned. My freshman year in high school was when I first tried it on and I loved every moment of it! All the females in class were blown away by this scent. The fellas on the other hand despised it, but had to concede that I stepped my game up excellently! A great all-around fragrance for home, office, school, and even the lounge. The key: wear it in small amounts on your pressure points(neck, wrists, etc.) and allow it to dry before you dress. You will get double-takes all day.

I like Opium pour Homme. I like it a lot, but I don’t know if I’m ‘mature’ enough yet for this one. It smells beyond my years. I’ve never liked to thing that fragrances have an age bracket, but perhaps 23 is too young to wear some scents.
First spray reminds me of bay rum, or maybe Gaultier2. It’s boozy and very Vannilic.
The booze note evaporates quickly, and leaves me with a herbal, aromatic scent that reminds me of Jicky, but nowhere near as animalic.opiumph
There is a slightly Peppered, soft Ginger note. It’s not an abrasive, OTT Ginger, like the one used in Dior Homme Sport.
Driesdown into a soft, sweet Cedar and aromatic scent and the Lavender is what strikes me most at this stage. This is what smells too grown up about Opium for me. I’ll have to keep Opium for years, just to see if I ever feel like I’m mature enough for it.

In my, albeit limited, experience, Opium perfectly describes a spicy oriental... it smells exactly like what those words conjure up when I hear them.

I get a very warm, rich blend of spices that bring to mind wandering through some far eastern market on a humid day, followed by an equally rich, but sweeter dry down. I can imagine it wouldn't be to everyone's taste, but so far I love it. Longevity is tremendous.....I washed the dishes last night 10 hours after applying it and instead of being washed off it came back full force...... amazing.

A very highly addictive scent in the true sense of the word. Fellas; once you ty this, you and the special women in your life will be hooked FOREVER!! Enjoy...

I would hardly wear this on the day, its...well yes darker than that so to speak. I don't want to take to many hits of minty oriental booze if I would want to concentrate on work, school, or anything the like.
I don't like the minty touch much at all, but when I use some Opium that doesn't concern me.....atleast I hope so for the bottles safety.

Quite yummy. Im not sure I love it, but seems loveable and very vibrant.

OMGGG this smells soooooooooooo good. Deep, mysterious, spicy, woody, vanilla. Loves it.

One of the greatest men´s fragances! Rich, sumptuos, oriental. Very original and exotic. Masculine and classy. Good sillage and longevity, nice vanilla drydown. Another Jacques Cavallier masterpiece.

Exotic.
Heart-clenching.
Dark.
Selfish.
Menacing.

Words cannot describe how much I love this scent. It moves people. Literally. Wore this to the dentist one day, just a little on the neck, and the female hygienist said that she could not concentrate on what she was doing. It is so sultry, dignified though, dark and definitive, unapologetic, and truly unique. I cannot even use it as much as I like: I am scared that I am going to run out!

Even above Ungaro III, Narciso Rodriguez, Black Orchid, this is by far the darkest scent that I own. It made me fall in love with vanilla again. And that name... Opium... Like some other reviewer has said, the moment I take a sniff even from the bottle, my eyes get heavy and unfocused with pure and unlimited ecstasy.

In many ways, I find this scent close to Must de Cartier Pour Homme: both are somewhat sweet yet masculine, yet where Opium is dark and warm, Must is cold and hazy. Another positive thing is, YSL created gorgeous summer versions of this pantheon of scents- two of which are equally sublime.

Opium pour Homme is a statement. It creates a man - it creates 'the man'.

Everyone has already said it all. Sweet, spicy, woody, balsamic oriental goodness. If you don't like sweet, you may not like Opium PH. I love it.

I had given up on this one. I tried to like it, but somehow it gave me a headache. I left the bottle untouched till my girlfriend tried it a few times and got compliments all over from other women. I was surpised, but when i smelled her i couldn't believe it. Opium pour homme was amazing on her...I guess it is a flagrance that you have to give time. Do not be turned off about the strong sharp smell right after you apply it. After some time the edges fade and then you will be rewarded. Opium pour homme still gives me some doubts when it comes out of the bottle but everybody around me seems to be crazy about it..

sweet and spicy but not enough to detract from its masculinity. its woody notes stay noticeable throughout the sweet, vanillic drydown. a good fragrance for those nights where you want to smell unique

Sweet boozy and spicy oriental. Smells so much like Paul Smith London but with a sweeter note. This stuff seems like it should be from the 80's powerhouse realm but was formulated in 1995. Reminds me a little of Tommy for Men without the synthetic fruits though it might be my nose playing tricks. This is definitive fragrance.

This is the richest most sumptuous men's fragrance out there. Spicy, woody, fruity in turns, rich dark exotic, but somehow managing to stay fresh and powerful without being cloying. The dry-down is nothing short of intoxicating. It's so fruity, yet rich masculine and totally addictive.

I love wearing it, and every time I put it on it still feels like a "new" smell, rather than being a tired old thing.

The smell lasts all day on me, and considering that my skin usually kills off most fragrances that's very good going.

Given that I live in Australia, the winter vs summer fragrances don't have the clear climate distinction that they would in the northern hemisphere, whence people often wear the darker fragrances in summer and vice versa, so I'm often wearing this one to the office. And I always always, no matter how many times I've worn it, get the obligator "Oooh, gee, you smell nice," or "What are you wearing? It's sexy?"

another classic oriental scent! this has 2 b runner up 2 jaipur! i luv this scent. even tho im not attracted 2 smells like this. Opium has always stood out! its classy yet sophisticated. 4 those with class! 9/10

This daring oriental fragrance has one of the best mixes of sweet and spicy scents, making it very suitable for autumn and winter. It's not for everyone, as it's very different from all the classic scents, but if you are the person who doesn't want to stick with the bunch and to be "the guy who smells really interesting", this is a great choice.

My initial thought was: wow, a really strong and loud Micahel by Michael Kors but with mint and vanilla. And that is my final conclusion. I really enjoy Micheal but Opium is like a Ferrari while Micheal is a Ford Mustang. The Ferrari...I mean Opium is bright, loud, exotic, in your face. You can't miss it. Very nicely done. A bit of man musk plus a bit of slight amber, it is dark but shimmering and cozy (thanks, vanilla) yet manly as the man ,usk is not shy at all.

One are the worlds for a best man's fragrances! Bold, indecorous, and provocative, aristocratical basis, in brief phenomenal! The fragrance vibrates on the end of a day yet. The launch vigourous golden yellow sparkling, a sting is felt, the fragrance turns into a sweet, in which they vibrate in the future, strongly later then, they prick the fruity-spicy harmonies. Exceptional, lasting and strong fragrance, in this manner economical. OPIUM is the constant piece of my fragrance wardrobe.

I am a late convert to this. I'll be honest, I don't like the topnotes at all. In fact I don't like this at all until I've worn it for an hour.

But women love it.

As I do a fair bit of acting, I have to from time to time kiss women apart from my wife. I had to kiss someone on stage recently when I was wearing this and she whispered in my ear breathily "oh my GOD you smell SO good".

I am not a guy looking for a woman (I'm happily married), but if I were, I would wear this. I get more compliments wearing this than almost anything else I wear.

Far, far preferable in its edp form. The edp is rich and sweet and truly Oriental, while the edt is more about spice and sillage and a certain dryness I can't quite put my finger on. Both are good frags; however, the edp version is a truly GREAT frag.

makes me feel dark and dirty!!!!!!

Opium Pour Homme opens up strongly with a full bodied, star anise-spicy / black current / citrus accord; very sweet, a bit exotic—definitely Oriental; in fact, it could serve as the definition for a classic Oriental. It is bright and pushy and delicious. Although the opening is dramatic and quite potent, that potency lasts for only a short time—the drama settles down to a sweet, somewhat esoteric, somewhat spicy Oriental middle. It is not a sillage monster—it pretty well stays close to the skin, but still it presents a strong character. It is its drydown that the exemplary lusciousness comes to fore: Woody, sweet, indulgently vibrant, smooth, and rich

I don’t have call to wear it often—it won’t do for the office, so each time I apply it, I’m startled by its richness and depth. It seems that I remember its exotic, edgy nature, but I tend to forget its richer qualities. This is a brightly luxurious fragrance—sumptuous, too strong for the office, but not really loud or excessive. Wearable, but serious—not laid-back.

I was surprised by how wearable Opium Pour Homme is. It's sweet for sure, but not as sweet as I would have imagined, given the reviews here. Not as sweet as say, Hanae Mori's men's fragrance, and much more natural smelling than that one. The fruit note in it was also a surprise, and to my nose, just the right touch to blend with the spices, giving it a little "lift." Overall it is exotic but familiar and comfortable, unique, and enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised.

I actually prefer this men's opium to the women's. It is not so strong or cinnamon, clove spicy. I also very much like the addition of the cedar. I am a woman and wear mostly women's fragrances, but this one seems unisex to me.

Very powerful! only need a small amount on, but one of the sexiest smells on the planet, have had the most compliments ever when wearing this many women just love it!

I was very curious about Opium pour Homme when I first smelled Opium pour Femme. Both are heavy oriental scents that last a very long time after spraying. OpH is very rich and spicy. I feel the vanilla and the pepper the most. This scent is not for everyday wear. It calls for a night at the opera or at the theatre with someone u would like to spend the night with. It's very sensual and mysterious but at the same time gives the wearer respect from the others. Sophistication and warmness are at their best here.

First off, I can see why some would think that this is too sweet/heady/strong. This IS a very powerful, opulent offering by YSL.

I wasn't sure myself in the beginning, I didn't think I could pull it off. Instead I was thinking about getting the Eau d'Orient version, which has less of the sweet base and more citrus (lighter all in all), but because of the approaching colder seasons I went with the original edt. And I don't regret it. This is a truly mouthwatering oriental because of its rather daring, fruity top and middle. It lasts very long, and progresses to a rich oriental base. Truly addicitive.

For those that would like to have more emphasis on the darker aspects, I would recommend checking the edp version.

P.S.: Don't overspray!

I bought a bottle of this years ago at the duty-free shop in the Orlee airport in Paris and barely used it because -- until recently -- I did not use cologne. I have no idea why I'm interested now (middle age maybe?) I started using it out of the blue about a year ago and I have to say I really really like this scent. Warm, sweet, heady -- but not cloying at all. A very pleasant dulcent but manly scent that I can imagine wearing for years and not tiring of it. It seems to be the antithesis of strong woody scents like Hugo, but very similar to Hugo No. 6 which I think is quite comparable. You really can't go wrong with this fragrance.

It's defnitely not for everyone. And you have to be the type who don't give a damn about what people think about you to carry it aroud, because a vast majority will hate it.
For me, I must admit, the name plays a significant role in it's charisma. It's one of those fragrances you keep among many, for those few days when you KNOW exactly what you want to wear.

A unique and wonderful blend, and a powerhouse in sillage and longevity (especially for an EdT). The blackcurrant note is wonderful and at once avoids the citrus notes we are all used to smelling in nearly every fragrance, yet isn't at all out of place. The spices are strong yet lovely, and the basenotes are subtle yet supply a sturdy foundation. Truly a classic, just don't overdo it!

One of the best YSL fragrances. Women I know get crazy about this scent. Sweet, stronge, confident and long lasting!

This is another great one from the house of Yves Saint Laurent!!! Now I don't know why but when I spray this one the initial smell reminds me of a carbonated soda or something like that, that's kinnda stupid but it's the truth. It does smell great sweet and spicey like moms apple pie!

I agree with "nearfantastica" - this is not for the timid and those who play it safe! This was one of my first purchases(30ml - very safe!) and couldn't get enough of it. Sad to say, perfume prices here went up rapidly mid to late nineties and I had to make do without. Rediscovered it again and am on my 3rd 100ml! The only thing now is that I can't wait for the Opium EdP on order which receives even better reviews!!

As much as I wanted to understand Zino and I couldn't for the longest time, I knew I liked this but was plain afraid of uncorking the bottle of this genie. I first discovered Opium PH in 1995, when it was launched, and when I was in Gibraltar. As soon as I smelled it I knew I had to approach this mysterious and addictive concoction with caution and respect. I was in an environment that supported a strange mood. Gibraltar has a mix of all people from Europe and Africa; shoppers, hagglers, drug pushers, etc. like a scene from the movie Algiers. After that, I smelled it a couple of times until recently (yes, 10 years later), I finally gave in. The opening fruit and spice is unsurpassed. Brief pepper is next and then the vanilla and cedar (which I'm usually not a big fan of). It works and does not quit. Like most other YSL's this is sheer luxury to me. Better for more mature persons IMO.

The female version is considered by some women repulsive, while very few daring ones actually use it. But the male version is better than i expected- truly an Oriental classic , intoxicating, addictive like its name. Interesting spicy and woody notes, besides this unique fruity touch reminding of berries also to be found in the female version.
Inimitable French style, sesuality and romance.

Although it's not as rich as the EDP, I find this one more versatile during warmer nights. There's a fresh note that smells minty, which is absent in the EDP version. It's long-lasting and has plenty of sillage to boot. Although amber isn't listed as one of the notes, I swear I detect it in the drydown. It starts off a little synthetic smelling, but later develops into a very sophisticated scent. I believe all fans of the oriental scent category should try Opium PH at least once in their lifetime.

I have been going on about Voleur de Rose being my favorite scent. But lately I have decided to make Opium my signature scent instead. VDR is a bit to excentric for me. This isnt. Benb

Not for the faint hearted. A lush mix of spice, pepper and sweet edible fragrance. Sillage factor is great. EDP preferrable.

Oh - I remember this one, must get a bottle soon.
it was vanilla with all hints of sweet Japanese Temple incense and flowers , but spicy enough for
the intended male market. Stable through the whole
6/8/10 hour life but moody , sultry , opulent -
perhaps a hint of aloes wood. Great night scent.

Opium pour Homme makes me go weak in the knees. I take a deep whiff and my eyes practically cross in ecstasy. It's both spicy and sweet, and so long lasting. Smooth, but not "boring smooth." Very exotic and sensual. And there's something ... dense about it. Forgive my choice of words, "dense." Maybe a better way of putting it is that it has a tremendous integrity to it. It's formidable.

(1 part)Licorice
(1 part)Pipe tobacco
(1 part)Sugar

Mix thoroughly and take a bath in it.

Sweet, peppery, positively smoldering with spices. One of the most uncompromising male orientals out there. The staying power is insane, probably weeks if you don't shower. The supporting products are top notch as well (like always from YSL) and the deo-stick is probably enough for those who want to keep it light. Did I mention it comes in a concentrated version as well? =)

Compared to the original Opium, I consider this a failure. This is a very sweet Oriental. It’s well made, but it’s just not of the same caliber as the Original, but that’s not a huge issue. The EdT of OpH is a bit linear and flat; it lacks the depth that made opium what it should have been. The EdP, however, is worlds better; it’s richer, thicker, and evolves much better on the skin. If this is your thing, I seriously recommend the EdP!

It last very very long, and have a very consistent scent, it wont change since first you spray it until 3 hour, 6 hour, 12 hour, even after 24 hour. That's why if you wear it for sport activity the odor will remain unchanged & able to cover body odor.

This stuff is menacingly dark, broody, and eroticly charged, with a touch of a sweltering parisian street at 4am after a thunderstorm thrown in. ban it I say. (Im buying my fourth bottle soon)

Opium pour Homme is definitely a fragrance for the fan of the spicy oriental family of scents. It starts off as strikingly sweet, which is perfect for those morning blues. It soon calms down to a very spicy yet subtly sweet fragrance that continues throughout the day without fail. The bonus is, if sprayed onto pulse points, as your blood pumps faster and hotter, the fragrance kicks up again, and this time it comes back in a spicy-sweet aura. Its lovely how the ingredients manage to mix into another burst of scent, and the girls often wonder where that sweetness is coming from. Definitely one to try, and if it works for you, keep at it!