Opium Fleur du Shanghai Yves Saint Laurent for women

A nice change in the light citrus notes in the opening. They do not last long, but they certainly give this version of Opium a special moment. The fragrance then develops into a light, clear and transparent version of Opium, with a reasonable staying power and a very delicate sillage. A nice option for warm weather or when a bigger than life perfume is not appropriate.

I love the original Opium best! It is strong, not everyone can carry it off, and you only need a little to last a lonnng time! Shanghai is a soft version of the original and to me, less floral and much less spicy. It starts off as a softer version of the original Opium, but then the dry down is abit smokey, it is still pretty and floral, but there is a definite smokiness that the original Opium does not have (on me). It starts off fresh, oriental floral and pretty, but drys down to smoke, which I don't particularly like. The perfume rebounds with the floral, but it takes hours and by then it's not worth it, because its so light I can barely smell it so I have to reapply and the whole cycle again! The bottle is pretty with the painted white flowers showing through the liquid, but for me, not worth the price. For me, I will stay with the original Opium which is part of my permanent fragrance wardrobe. I was thinking of using this as a room spray because it was too nice and expensive to toss.

First of all, let me just say that I like this perfume a lot.I never favoured Opium and some types of vanilla give me a two-hour migraine. As I collect mini perfumes I got a mini bottle and smelled it, that was it....I was branded for life. Seriously, I spray it once and get compliments from people.
I am not an expert and not much of a nose but I smell oranges and citruses as top notes and then, after 30 mins, bang it hits you, a surge of spices and smoke, not unpleasant, though. It is not dark either. A sweet sensation of warmth surrounds you, it gives you the feeling of a warm scarf. Of course, I live in Greece where it is 20'C in late November, so wearing this perfume is a big no-no on most days.
Then again I read rithacha's review and I was astonished. She mixed Fleur de Shanghai with another perfume and loved it even more. To me that was eye-opening, as I thought that mixing perfumes was like a sacrilege, a monstrosity. I wore a plain Escada signature (the green one) and tried Fleur on top,mmm... not bad. I have just found a way to wear it. My students know that I have reached school just by my new discovered scent, and find it pleasant
Thanx rithacha!
Thanx Fleur de Shanghai

I'll preface this by confessing that the original Opium is one of my all-time perfume dislikes. It's far too heavy and spicy for me; even on the coldest days its noisy screeches give me headaches.

But this flanker? Yes, oh yes. At its heart, Fleur de Shanghai still has that Opium prominent carnation-myrrh-patchouli smokey harshness, and I still wouldn't recommend this ashtray combination for summer. But it's much more light and versatile than the original. The citruses in the opening are brighter and the other florals slightly more pronounced. The overall feel is rounder, softer.

Fleur de Shanghai is not Opium, but it is a marvelous interpretation that does not resemble anything else on the market. One spray is enough per application. The sillage is as in-you-face as a floor-length fur and ostrich feather cloak. The climate is hot and dry. Opium fans should not be disappointed.

For me, Fleur de Shanghai is still to harsh and intense to wear alone under normal circumstances, but it layers beautifully. It adds an intense woody-smokey kick to other perfumes, like Infusion d'Iris or Givenchy Pi.

its a beautiful creation , complementing the legacy of Opium for sure . its actually way lighter than the original but still possessing sort of heaviness & abit thick smell like the original . u could find the unique soul of Opium in but in more modernized lighter edge-rounded way ,
certainly less spicy & smoky , more sweeter & more flowery-sunny for sure.
very good longevity but certainly shorter than the original , with powerful sillage , caution should be exercised when applying . thanks