Name and concentration
YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum. Yves Saint Laurent describes the original Black Opium Eau de Parfum through a contrast of dark coffee, white flowers and vanilla. This reference explains the gourmand idea without claiming a personal wear test or mixing it up with Black Opium flankers.
What does the concentration mean?
Eau de Parfum is the concentration category used for this edition. It does not by itself reveal an exact oil percentage or guarantee a number of hours of longevity. Bottle capacity and concentration are different specifications.
Bottle and edition identity
The dark sparkling bottle and central round window are widely recognizable. Several editions share visual features, so the full concentration and variant name matter more than color alone.
Officially highlighted scent notes
Dark coffee
Coffee is the headline facet of YSL's description. A coffee note evokes roasted-bean bitterness, but the note label alone does not prove the presence of natural coffee extract.
White flowers
The house balances coffee with the softer impression of white flowers. This is a broad floral descriptor; we should not invent a complete list of individual flower materials from it.
Warm vanilla
Vanilla adds a sweet, warm direction. A vanilla note is an olfactory description, not a guarantee of one specific natural ingredient or equal sweetness for every wearer.
A brand's highlighted notes are not necessarily a complete three-stage pyramid or disclosure of its chemical formula. We do not invent an opening, heart and base hierarchy where none was supplied.
How can its scent be described?
The advertised tension comes from dark coffee against soft white flowers, supported by vanilla. This is a useful scent profile, but not a brand-confirmed top-heart-base sequence.
This interpretation is based on the brand's published description; it is not a personal wear test or performance measurement.
Fragrance family and accords
What does this family describe?
YSL uses warm, spicy and gourmand language for the EDP. In perfumery, gourmand refers to food-like scent impressions; it does not identify edible ingredients or disclose a formula.
Scent note versus ingredient
A brand's highlighted notes are not necessarily a complete three-stage pyramid or disclosure of its chemical formula. We do not invent an opening, heart and base hierarchy where none was supplied.
How is this edition different?
Read the edition name
Black Opium includes distinct flankers such as Le Parfum and Over Red. Check the full name on the box before using a note description from another edition; a shared collection name is not proof of the same composition.
How to sample and choose it
A sensible sampling method
Sample on paper, then on skin when possible, and revisit the fragrance after its first impression. Climate, skin and perception can affect the result; performance cannot be promised for every wearer.
Making a choice
When comparing sweet fragrances, evaluate whether coffee or vanilla is more prominent to you, and whether the floral facet softens the contrast. Do not use labels such as 'intense' or 'warm' as a measurable longevity claim.
Common questions
What are the original Black Opium EDP's main notes?
YSL highlights black coffee, white flowers and vanilla.
Is the original Black Opium gourmand?
Yes, the brand explicitly uses a gourmand, warm-spicy description.
Is Black Opium Le Parfum the same as EDP?
No. It is a separate edition with its own presentation.
Does a coffee note mean coffee extract is present?
Not necessarily. A scent note does not disclose the fragrance formula.
Key takeaways
Identify this version as Black Opium Eau de Parfum. Its official scent narrative is the interplay of coffee, white flowers and vanilla; do not transfer that list uncritically to a flanker.
Explore related pages
To understand notes and accords, read the guide to fragrance notes، For concentration labels, read EDT vs EDP vs Parfum.
Vanilla in perfumery · What is a perfume accord?
Read the existing review for this edition · Perfume encyclopedia