Opium 1977 Parfum

Version from 1977
Opium (1977) (Parfum) by Yves Saint Laurent
Bottle Design Pierre Dinand
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7.9 / 10 474 Ratings
A popular perfume by Yves Saint Laurent for women, released in 1977. The scent is oriental-spicy. Projection and longevity are above-average. It was last marketed by L'Oréal.
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Main accords

Oriental
Spicy
Woody
Floral
Smoky

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
CloveClove BergamotBergamot CorianderCoriander LaurelLaurel PepperPepper PlumPlum Citrus fruitsCitrus fruits JasmineJasmine Mandarin orangeMandarin orange
Heart Notes Heart Notes
CarnationCarnation CinnamonCinnamon Orris rootOrris root PatchouliPatchouli PeachPeach SandalwoodSandalwood Lily of the valleyLily of the valley RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
MyrrhMyrrh OpoponaxOpoponax FrankincenseFrankincense Tolu balmTolu balm AmberAmber BenzoinBenzoin CedarCedar CistusCistus MuskMusk SandalwoodSandalwood VanillaVanilla VetiverVetiver CoconutCoconut

Perfumers

Videos
Ratings
Scent
7.9474 Ratings
Longevity
9.2346 Ratings
Sillage
8.9332 Ratings
Bottle
7.8348 Ratings
Value for money
8.346 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 02/11/2025.
Interesting Facts
Perhaps Opium is the most popular perfume by YSL. Launched in 1977, the name was deliberately provocative: There was great public anti-drug protest and the perfume was initially banned in the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates. In the U.S., it was again for sale, after a study proved that there were no drugs in the mixture and that the use of it would not encourage drug use.
One year after the market debut, there was a launch party at Studio 54, with Andy Warhol among the guests. This party was said to be a sumptuous Bacchanal beyond decency. What ever really happened there - the rumours about it contributed to the legend around Opium. Opium set the benchmark for a renaissance of oriental (floriental particular) perfumes in fragrance fashion, in a time chypres and aldehyde patterns were favoured.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Opium (1977) (Eau de Toilette) by Yves Saint Laurent
Opium (1977) Eau de Toilette
Cinnabar (1978) (Eau de Parfum) by Estēe Lauder
Cinnabar (1978) Eau de Parfum
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Reviews

17 in-depth fragrance descriptions
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
9
Scent
Athenaida

41 Reviews
Athenaida
Athenaida
Top Review 11  
Dreaming of Vintages
Sometime ago I tried some Opium from a big 4 oz bottle and it was
a m a z i n g !!

I saw an endless paradise.
I felt real warm carnation waves...
My hair bathed in moonlight coconut.
My heart beat sandalwood hard.

and...the next day...paradise still being there with some amber on my chest...
I tried Opium in a perfume store.
Oh my why.....
It was strong, bitter and so...chemical......

I forgot to tell you my Opium is about 24 years old.
why they killed this jewel...Oh why Oh why do you destroy such a gems like this one...
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind..!
1 Comment
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
GothicHeart

86 Reviews
GothicHeart
GothicHeart
Very helpful Review 10  
Words could never be enough...
-It is a scent of contradictions, like the ancient incense of vespers and the fleeting musk of an one night stand.

-In small doses, Opium is not incompatible with dining, clubbing or romance. Used excessively it will ward off flies, humans and evil spirits.

-A spectacular incense of monstrous proportions.

-The smell of Marco Polo's clothes as well as come back at Venice from his journey along the silk route.

-I particularly love to apply a single, small squirt before bed. The smell is just heavenly. And all night I dream of the hanging gardens of Babylon...

-I know why this perfume is called Opium. It is totally addictive...

-Good lord, this is chemical warfare of the highest concentration!

-God, Opium... what are you doing to me?

-Is it possible not to be consumed by its beauty?

-This is a sin. It must be.And the name, God that name! The whole thing is criminal.

-The Opium is the most glamorous and dangerous girl ever appeared from Paris, seducing one feeble admirer after the other as she moves along.

-Holy mother of god, this is amazing!!!It is just to die for...

-OPIUM feels more like an impressionist painting about life and love on the ancient Silk Road. Truly you can't appreciate what an oriental fragrance really is until you've smelled this masterpiece.

-Oh god, I literally felt like this perfume had a death grip on my throat.

-Even after 32 years on the market, this scent still screams "OBEY ME."

-I like it because it doesn't try to be likeable. It's just there.

-I do believe that this perfume wears you...

-While I do not wear it regularly, when I do, I intoxicate.Seduction in a bottle...

-This is what I imagine the spice from Dune smells like...

-It caused such a stirring in my loins that I'd track and hunt a woman wearing this down forever. BRILLIANT!

-Treat yourself to the parfum. There is nothing in the world like it.

-Opium is intoxicating and heady stuff. Something no wicked, decadent girl should be without.

-It is my default fragrance. The one I want to be remembered for. The one I want to be buried in.

-When it comes down to Opium, I'd have to say I'm a total sucker for it.

-Dear God!!!What on earth is this???How could you ever create such a temptation???

-Opium is timeless and magical, and it is still THE Oriental.

-Proof that there is a heaven.

-I admit it, I'm hooked. I always heard that opium was highly addictive...

-This stuff should be illegal...

-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, it will be a best friend for ever ...

-It’s a bit of a creepy feeling, like meeting one of your old boyfriends, or someone’s walking over your grave...

-Opium 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.

-I thought I bought a scent,I got Lilith in a bottle...

Do I need to say more?...
1 Comment
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
ScentFan

333 Reviews
ScentFan
ScentFan
Very helpful Review 8  
An Eastern Oriental
Having avoided Opium all my life because it sounded just too gauche, I finally sniffed it the other day and was sunk. Opium is a quite fabulous oriental in the style of Panthère and other greats of the genre, except as its name implies, this one was truly born in the east. I'm sure if you added a wonderful incense perfume like Jovoy's Liturgie des Heures or Naomi Goodsir's Bois d'Ascèse, to any classic floral oriental, you'd get something close to this. Think Panthère with lots more frankincense, as well as myrrh and opoponax. The result is far more than I'd guessed, a hypnotic fragrance that could have perfumed emissaries traveling China's old silk road, something Marco Polo might have smelled at Kublai Khan's court, only to be disbelieved in Europe when he told of the marvels he'd found. Projection and longevity are great and I expect sillage is, too. When you tire of smelling like a potentate (Bal à Versailles) or growling like a panther, wear Opium and smell like China's only female dynastic ruler, Empress Wu Zetian.
3 Comments
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
7
Scent
Missk

1357 Reviews
Missk
Missk
Very helpful Review 8  
One of the best classic orientals - pre-reformulated that is...
Oh, how I love spicy orientals from back in the day!

Back then perfumers knew what they were doing. They knew how to create a sensual fragrance that would last decades. They understood the art of perfumery.

Opium is one of those breath-taking scents. A seductive blend of spices, smokey incense and floral notes inter-mixed with subtle fruits. A scent that requires an acquired taste for sure, but one that you can hardly push aside.

The woman that wears Opium is very stylish and as some might agree, exotic. There's an element to Opium that is rather dirty and shocking, like the scent of a heavy smoker or the scent that lingers in the air after a night of passion. While some will find Opium repulsive, others will love its blatantly sexual appeal.

For an EDT, Opium lasts and lasts, so I assume that both the pure parfum and EDP could possibly last on the skin for days, (that is if you didn't shower). I highly recommend.
0 Comments
8
Scent
Mujo

54 Reviews
Mujo
Mujo
Very helpful Review 6  
Vintage Opium
Opium is one of the hardest scents to review. Because I love it so much, I seem to fall short in words to express my love. Nevertheless I will have a go. I have tried several reformulations, but my love is for the original version. The current formulation is so weak compared to the original and so completely different. I have 2 versions of the EdT: the 1st bottle is somewhere from the late 70's until the first years of the 80's and the 2nd bottle is from 1994. There is already a huge difference between those 2, but the '94 version is also very nice. My review will be for the original formulation though.

Just sprayed it's overwhelmingly strong. I only need a tiny bit. I can directly smell the incense combined with a somewhat soapy (makes me wonder if there is ambergris in the original composition) and spicy cloves. It takes a few minutes to settle into a delicious, warm, sweet, spicy, mysterious and oriental brew of the gods. And it last for more than 10 hours on my skin. After I finished my 30 ml bottle, I will probably not be able to find a new one. On the other side, seen the strength it will take quite a while. I will defintely cherish my treasure.
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Statements

3 short views on the fragrance
FernqueenFernqueen 7 months ago
Literally smells like a compact to me, 100% powder. I don't get any of the spice ("spice bomb"?!) or resins. Regret falling for this one!
0 Comments
TzapanTzapan 1 year ago
Decadent opulence.The myrr, opoponax, olibanum and benzoin exceed all its flowers!
It must come back!
0 Comments
CheckinCheckin 9 years ago
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
7
Scent
Week 1: This is too strong and spicy. Week 2: This scent is actually pretty good. Week 3: OMG I LOVE IT!
0 Comments

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