Opium (for women)

Tarya

Oriental masterpiece. Fantastico! Warm, sensual, powerfull.

desmondorama

I’ve been obsessed with the whole concept of “Opium” since it’s launch in 1977 – which epitomised “The Disco Years” and the adoration of Yves Saint Laurent as a fashion icon of the era.

It took me decades before I was able to buy myself a bottle of this ‘Oriental Magic’ and I now wear it with pride and reminiscence of a bygone and magnificent Zeitgeist.

As a male in my 50’s I should really be wearing the male version of this fragrance, but I’m more attracted to the sexy exotica of this Opium.

I do not recommend it for younger women (or men) but definitely to the mature and worldly person who understands the mystique and feeling of what this perfume brings.

afraafra

Great drydown, great sillage and flowery opening, in the same vein as Amouage Gold and Rochas Femme.

nesca1502

Not for me at all! I don't like its strong smell, I read on another review that it smells like a man's fragrance and I agree! I'm just not the type to wear so spicy and dry fragrances, my skin chemistry just don't go well with them so I prefer floral or fresh fragrances.

kastehelmi

I love it, it embodies my idea of what an "oriental" fragrance should smell like...Rich, sophisticated, sexy...Even if it is "mature" I don't think it's "old-lady" at all! I smell the sandalwood, and amber, two notes I really love. But it's balanced, and I see the long list of notes give it that distinct body that makes it so I can't smell the individual notes so much. I agree that it is a stronger scent-I receive oompliments whenever I wear it, but I know when I've applied too much, and I would worry about suffocating people when I dance close-embrace tango if I laid it on too heavy. Nevertheless, one of my favorite scents ever.

morgataria

I most wear it in the winter.I like when people are brave enough to put on strong and heavy oriental fragrance like Opium in this nowadays-light-perfumed-world=) Sadly this scent is underestimated.Don´t judge Opium after the first sniff!Not one of my absoluty favorites but I think it´s truly a perfume-art.

riri

Very bold, classic and elegant perfume.
Sadly, got bunch of tissue paper that similar to it scent :(

krmarich

Some love it, other hate it, no matter what, it gets attention. I think the biggest problem with Opium is its bold and spicy character. Overwhelming at first, then comforting and unforgettable. It shouts, shocks, then whispers and soothes. I do not get the "old lady stigma" many reviewers seem to hook onto this jewel. It is too complex to describe for the uninitiated. Otherwise, the list of ingredients are built upon the other, making it difficult to pick out. It gets worn perhaps by too many. Fortunately, it scares many ladies away. I have smelled it on men on occasion. It has an Old Spice quality to it. It stands the test of time. If you are an Opium, use just a drop. Its so strong!

EvelynDFrech

I keep coming back to it. The best and most interesting perfume ever made. Luxurious and elegant, sexy and exciting. For evening or interesting day-meetings. This is my perfume. Together with Opium eyeshadow and Yves Saint Laurent powder no 1, that is me. I'm 25.
The Poudre Satinée pour les Corps is also fantastic. The scent is much lighter in the Body Moisturizer.
The wonderful design makes you want to collect all of the bottles, the candles and oils.

I have not yet tried the other Opium fragrances, I will enjoy trying them but I'm not sure I will like them.

Mellyhelly

Originaldeftom said:
"it is a classic and fits perfectly to a rich bitch red haired mature single late 40ies plus woman who's got all the money but is desperate for a man....get the picture?"

Oh, yes! Got it perfectly!
Opium is such an obnoxious, harsh, rude scent. No poetry, no dream, no softness, no mellowness. It's cold and harsh like a cold smoking pipe.
For some reasons people think it's sexy... well, it can be sexy as a smell in itself or nice on a clean young woman with strong personality, but worn by mature women it's not sexy at all. Actually it mingles with the mature chemistry to create the desperate for man type. Of course it is a classic for some reason. It had to be very original when it came out. Now it's so dated in a bad way. It smells better and "oriental" on fabrics the day after you put it on, but what the utility?
I had at least three not-so-nice encounters with Opium:
1) a lady dressed to impress at a funeral
2) an acquaintance that stunningly fits teh above picture plus slightly stinky armpit (bleurgh, time for lunch!)
3) A teacher at school many years ago which I didn't like.

On me it's not so bad, but doesn't make anything useful. And too recognisible.

minimalist

very few scents make me sigh.Opium does. A masterpiece imo

Cris_Venesza

Very sweet and full of power , not my type, it's a perfume for a mature woman , only 2puff and you die . A classic perfume for a mature woman .

mellybee

It is marvelous! A truly oriental spicy indeed. It made me sneeze after the first sniff. Later it sweetened and became a beautiful warm fragrance. To be quite frank I couldn't detect the individual notes, this is a well balanced composition with the harmony of the notes. I feel confident and sexy by wearing this. Opium is most suitable for those romantic nights.

eljayebee

One of the few perfumes that my nose doesn't get used to and 'block out' after the first few minutes.If you put this on you will be treated to wonderful wisps of the beautiful strong scent every time you turn your head.One of two perfumes(the other being Ciara) that ALWAYS bring comments and questions from strangers every time I wear them.

snobuni77

I haven't smelled this perfume in ages...since I was about 13 (Im now 29) I kind of forgot what it smelled like.I knew that I hated it when I was younger
so
being that tastes change, I gave it anoy spray tonight.My first reaction was .."UGGGGG" but I think I would have had that reaction no matter what it smelled like because I was pre Ugg'ing' it if you know what I mean.I was expecting it to smell bad so that's what I got.
BUT
I was wrong.
This has the most unique spices & aromas all blended into one that I couldn't stop smelling my sleeve all night.I don't know if it smelled so good because I had Hanae Mori on underneath it & thats what made the dry down was extra yummy
or
if it was solely the Opium that dried down like that.I am thinking it was solely the Opium.
It reminds me a lil bit of the Original Poison with the oriental spices they have in common.I haven't smelled Poison in a while either but Ironically I use to LOVE it.

I am very glad I tested this again & I am now beginning my search for a bottle of my own

honeypoppyseed

Who hasn't smelt opium? If you haven't, it's almost like you haven't been properly schooled in perfume. It's a pretty classic scent, and a heavy weight at that, no one doesn't know when it walks in the room. I find that the only issue with this is that it can be distracting if you, your outfit, your vibe, just isn't totally inline with it's essences. It's the classic oriental, and all the classic notions of oriental seem to derive from this scent. For me this scent reminds me of independent women in europe, who have children and work and move about without any excuses or help. They are movers about their fields and scenes and enjoy life and independence. This scent brings back memories of my beloved aunts and mentors, and I can't wait till it becomes an appropriate scent for me (I'm in my 20s, so it's a bit silly for me to wear it).

Ester

I retried this perfume today after many years and I must say that now I find it even worse, than when I was a girl and smelled it for the first time. There is one “old” note, that I also find in Rive Gauche and in Obsession, but in Opium it’s the strongest. Actually I think Rive Gauche is very similar to Opium.
But no matter how much I don’t like I still admit Opium is a good name for it – if you smell it for a while you get a kick.

originaldeftom

This is THE DIVA of all perfumes. It is so overpowering that it chokes my throat. Very 80ies Joan Collins, think huge shoulderpads, think powerhungry (business)women, think opera divas, this excess galore.

I actually hate the scent but admit it is a classic and fits perfectly to a rich bitch red haired mature single late 40ies plus woman who's got all the money but is desperate for a man....get the picture?

katyas

My ex-husband bought an Opium gift set for me the 1st Xmas after we were married. I like the scent - which is warm, spicy and very sexy - but it is SO strong ... I have to be uber-careful about how I put it on - just the tiniest of squirts - so that it doesn't overpower me. Plus the scent clings to my clothing until the next time I do laundry, so I know that I'll either a) want to wear the item of clothing and use Opium again or b) just wash it so I can use some other fragrance.

pimentosugars

The eternal sizzler! It's for tigresses; Bambi had better stay home. Mandarin and jasmine and pepper top notes, fresh without being sweet or soapy followed by a combination of cinnamon and vanilla that doesn't default to perfume-come-bakery. Where labdanum honeys it up, pepper cuts across, where oppoponax makes it warn and gives it a lazy seductive buzz, some elemental charm - woods? sharp herbs? - wakes the senses.

This is a very seductive perfume indeed, long lasting, for me more provocative at the end than at the beginning; perfect for evening and winter. Why don't I wear it? For the same reason I don't wear Angel; everybody wears it. Also, on some diva level, I want a pretty bottle, and the old one doesn't look special enough. I look to the new version, the Opiium Elixir Voluptueux, with its new design and glass stopper, to renew a sense of class and glamour.

anca.ionescu

I like to wear it when I have exams.It gives me strenght and a sense of power.
I would not use it for any other occasion,but to impress the audience and feel powerfull.

sjanira

It's ok but a little too strong for me. It's definitely a classic, one that will never fade.

juliaferron

I think I smelled Opium once 12 years ago and I can VERY DISTINCTLY remember the scent. Deffinitely not for most people, me being one of them. I wouldn't even come close to it without feeling faint and nauseated.

scarlett5stam

I don't like this, I had in sample and I think it is for old ladies. Too strong: carnation, patchouli and apopponax.
Not for natural or glamour style.

d dolce vitta

My first parfum!!! this parfum belong to my mother who does'nt like oriental parfums, so i cat it . And in my opinion is very clasic and the notes of heart still all day long. Ideal for a strong a more that a woman.

gravdal

this is one of my favorite perfumes. i first smelled it when i was a kid on my mother and tried it on myself then which was horrible on me...too strong, and too complicated... but then i got older and turned into a woman it started to smell great on me and i just love it so much afterward.... real classic.

0_o

I was so disappointed about this perfume. When I smelled the bottle it was nice, but when I put it on I smelled like an old woman who can't hold her piss. YUCK. It is very long lasting though, I tried to wash it off but couldn't get rid of the smell for the rest of the day. A friend of mine also has it, and on her it's a very nice patchouli scent.

azuriiita

wow... its a dark mysterious fragrance. Elegant, classic (this is a recognizable attribute) The most dense scent that i did smell until now. Extremely recharged.
But, for some reason i can't endure Opium. To me is dark, repulsive, smell strongest sweet nauseating smoking like marihuana. Or something like walk in a old store of old clothes saturated whit a lot of scents in a disgusting way...It gives me a headache...
However, i am reading comments about differences between EDP, EDT and Perfume... i don't know...

Carla

A roborant oriental mix creating a dark mysterious drama. A definite classic I use to wear until it became a fragrance owned by everyone.

dina

Strong and dark fragrance. However, its not sultry or seductive. It smells a little masculine which makes it wearable at the office.
I read in many forums that it's of the 10 most sold perfumes over the world.

BlackAmberMoon

I love the way Opium smells hours after it's been applied. Initially, it's too harsh (unless you have the pure parfum), but many hours later? Ooh-La-La! Mystical and magical potion. It's best to wait for a final judgment until you've smelled the drydown. Very few perfumes compare to this beauty.

Suzy

My favorite fragrance since the late 70's and which is my signature scent. It is very strong, so I use only a little of the perfume or use the body cream. It really lasts and I love the spicy, warm scent that I find clinging to scarves and jackets long after I have worn them.

PerfumeEmpress

The king of perfumes! I LOVE this perfume. Being a fan of oriental, strong, spicy perfumes, this is one of my favorites. I have a lot of scents, but I always keep a bottle of this handy.

Malegria

A precious, precious one.A mesmerizing and intoxicating fragrance, it has a wandering soul. I can easily see it on a lady dressed in velvet, and on a Bohemian exotic dancer.But - it creates some boundaries for it`s mistress, it makes her to act and do everything to be worthy of this heaven sent elixir.

The combination of spices, woods and flowers in Opium is superb and can`t be compared to any other creation!I adore the base, it is sultry, warm and slightly oily.Opium is absolutely gorgeous in pure perfume, if used sparingly. Other concentrations just won`t do - they don`t capture the magic of this unique fragrance.

PR

mm..wasn't impressed with this one, I tried it twice, nothing happened , nothing clicked..maybe I need a tester and to use it for some period of time to appreciate it, I don't know

rdecelasa

This is simply my favourite winter scent. It is something magic and mysterious about it. Usually I wear it only for myself, when i am at home and the smell of this perfume it is like real opium ( i imagine :) to me. Im addicted to this perfume.

woogyjones50

The perfect scent for when you want to get noticed. A sophisticated scent that is very spicy and powerful. I suppose it is very easy to overdo it with this perfum because it is a heavy scent. But it smells lovely on my clothes after I wear it and the staying power is incredible on the skin. I love it.

SheVampire

Jean Amic and Jean-Louis Sieuzac made a master piece. Beautiful oriental classic which I love since I was teenage.So sexy, so provocative and elegant.It's spicy, it's strong, but at the same time it's so sophisticated and classy.One of my favorites.

bulyov4e

I have an edp of Opium which was meant for my mother. She rejected it and I was lucky to gain the right to dive into his cloud.
Carnation and cinnamon are the main notes that I feel with every fibre of my body. MMM, delicious like Christmas cookies! However, I wouldn't say it is sticky! Not overpowering for me, though it was not my love in the teen ages;0) The fine powdery trace that it leaves on my skin overnight is as comfortable as a cashmere scarf! My finding for the winter!

Vickalena

I bought "Opium" some days after Yves Saint Laurent has passed away... I just wanted to have "little something" in memory of Maestro.
At first I tested it in EDP, which is very sharp. Now I understand WHY it is called Opium - the more I try it, the more I like it... I have it in a pure perfume, and it feels very rich, spicy, oily, hot and very tender at the same time. With time I feel more flowers in it, not only spices.
The bottle is another story... My first impression was "cheap brown plastic" packing. Now I know that this red-brownish bottle resembling the style of traditional Chinese paintings on the wood... I see an imitation of bamboo branches and stylised Chinese house with unusual windows and secret doors... This scent reminds me of sweet-spicy air of Hong Kong, on the narrow streets, with thousands of marvel-shops.

girlsrideharleys2

I wear this exclusively in the winter. And tend to wear Opium 'Fleur de Shanghai' in the summer. Very incency and spicy. The scent lasts forever. My husband doesnt care for the 'stronger' scents but, thats okay, I wear it for me!

Mado Haddad

I'm really surprised with these many good reviews!!!!
I'm just going to say : When I sniffed it, I thought it was a fragrance for men & I can't convince myself with the opposite AT ALL !!

eccentricJ

I'm not of fan of Opium...to much going on and very strong.

Allegra

My mom loves this stuff, it's been her favourite perfume since the 80's. I find it too spicy, strong and intense as I like more subtle fragrances. And consider myself yet too young to wear it, it is a signature scent for mature, self-confident women who stand their ground.

guest_Ruke

My mom use it to her signature sense. I think this one is so sexy and feminine. Top note is very strong but wait a minite the heartnote is so classic,and basenote is very warm.

I think this one suit for 30up or adult. Because I spays its on my skin when its dry I don't like.

dianachif

Opulent and sexy. Ususally I wear it at the sofisticated parties.

Nuppu

Great oriental classic, spicy, rich, dark, sexy and opulent. And strong, so I prefer wear it in body products and then get subtle (rare word with opium), not owerpowering scent.

benzippo

An icon, a legend and a classic.
A hard act to follow to earn such status right?
So no matter what are said about Opium, these remain the fact!!!

For those who cannot stand it, it simply means that they have yet to reach the pinnacle of opulent in life....

guest_marijana

this is legendary perfume, but very strong even in edt version. It easily gives you headache, so it is highly recommended to use it in very small quantities...

rebella

My favouriteperfume when I was a teenager, in the 80`s. But unfortunatly I cant stand it anymore, it gives me headache. But still I like the overkill with this perfume, it has totally rejected the term "less i moore". :)

caribou55313

Meditatively beautiful in parfum form, otherwise the sillage can be quite intense. Very striking composition; love the oppononax note!

pimpnazt

The smell is a bit overwhelming and makes me think of what bitter old ladies smoking cigarettes waiting for their long lost loves to come back smell like -- bathed in the scent. It's not an attractive scent to me, at all.

magda

a very elegant perfume,classic of course!

elgab89

One of the most revolutionary orientals at the time, now a classic. Gorgeous perfume, very classy. For evening.