Aug
03Opium epitomizes Yves Saint Laurent’s fascination with the orient. This fragrances marries lush florals, rich spices and deep wood notes to bring forth an enchanting and mysterious aura that is notably oriental. Incredibly delicious and addictive, Opium’s potency is far out and simply unmatched.
The dominant notes include tangerine, plum, cloves, coriander, carnation, lily of the valley, rose, myrrh, opoponax, castoreum, cedarwood and sandalwood. While it’s true that Opium is a classic oriental in its own right, it is subtle enough for daytime. The musky undertones, in addition, makes it perfect for intimate moments.
According to foetidus, a regular contributor at basenotes.com, he believes that Opium indeed lives up to its name. It provides a feeling of euphoria from sniffing the richness of the fragrance. He added, “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 holds longer than the usual openings. The middle level is floral: I get a strong carnation as well a definite jasmine complete with indoles… 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.”
Opium is one of the many fragrances that’s often imitated. But the end-result of the Opium-wannabes didn’t come any close to the formulation of the original. Opium offers a carnal olfactory experience, the others can try harder.
This fragrance is beyond the contemporary oriental perfumes. The notes may come off as too 70s or 80s, but that didn’t shun the perfume aficionados who know what a true potent oriental perfume really is. Opium’s versatility goes as far as men wearing it. It is not marketed as a unisex fragrance to begin with, but some men prefer, strangely as it seems, to wear the women’s version.
Opium perfume is regarded as one of the perennial classics in the Yves Saint Laurent fragrances. People’s scent palates may have evolved over the years, but Opium stayed on. The same oriental fragrance three decades ago continue to flourish.
