Confession: I’m stuck in a five-year fragrance rut. Nina by Nina Ricci, described as a “modern fairytale fragrance aimed at a younger audience,” has been my signature scent since high school days. As much as I love my Nina, I recently hit a milestone: my 21st birthday. I’m more of a grown-up now, at least when it suits me, and I need a fragrance to match.
With impeccable timing, I received a sample of YSL’s Black Opium in the November edition of ELLE magazine. Black Opium is a gourmand floral, part of the same fragrance family as my much-loved Nina. However, YSL’s new offering is marketed as a feminine glam rock fragrance rather than a dreamy, girly scent.
There have been many interpretations of Opium, but I’m most familiar with the original fragrance launched in 1977. My dad bought it for my mom as a gift when I was a kid. An intense spicy oriental, Opium was far too bold for my mom who has always been one for understated glamour.
Black Opium could not be more different from the original statement fragrance, explaining why Opium fans have accused the latest interpretation of losing sight of the essence of the brand. With its black glitter bottle and model Edie Campbell as the face of the fragrance, YSL tried to cultivate an edgy image for Black Opium. However, the actual fragrance doesn’t quite match up with this glam rock vision.
In the official description, the top notes are pink pepper and orange blossom, followed by a heart of jasmine and coffee and then base notes of vanilla, patchouli and cedar. In my experience of the fragrance, I get plenty of orange blossom and jasmine, but the coffee barely comes through. YSL claim that a “contrast of light and dark” is at work in Black Opium, but the patchouli and cedar fall short at providing a darker, earthier aspect to the fragrance.
When subjected to the boyfriend test, Black Opium failed miserably. I spritzed on a dash before heading over to my man person’s place for a second opinion. He was not impressed by Black Opium, describing the fragrance as something a middle-aged woman would wear when trying really hard to be the ‘cool mom.’ Definitely not what I was aiming for…
YSL’s Black Opium failed to replace my favourite Nina by Nina Ricci. The fragrance is far too sweet for my tastes, but I’d love to hear about your experiences of the product. Black Opium is available in 3 size variants: 30ml at R 695, 50ml at R 975 and 90ml at R 1245.
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