Belle d’Opium by Yves Saint Laurent

A unique fragrance, truly one of a kind. It reminds me of Lattafa’s Bade Al Oud Amethyst, but while that leans unisex, Belle is distinctly feminine. It’s hard to pin down; it changes depending on who wears it. There’s a creamy incense note—nothing churchy or heavy—blended with jasmine and gardenia for a sweet, enveloping floral. It feels sophisticated, perfect for someone with personality who doesn’t want to smell like the crowd. The longevity is short, perhaps because the incense wasn’t intensified enough to give it its peculiar character. It’s beautiful and special; please bring it back to the market.

Belle D’Opium is my favourite flanker. This oriental opens with opulent, sweet florals (Casablanca lily, gardenias, jasmine), balanced by the bitterness of mandarin and spices (white pepper), all wrapped in realistic pipe tobacco and warm, woody, herbaceous notes with leather and honey, mixed with incense smoke. It has a peachy fruity accord that gives it body, blending into incensed soft woods. Creamy sandalwood and patchouli give it an almost chypre touch, settling into warm amber and sweetened vanilla. Belle is elegant and highly sophisticated.

I disagree with the latest reviews. I haven’t found anything similar in Argentina. Perhaps they reformulated it before discontinuing it, but my 2012 edition is quite the opposite: unique and sophisticated. I bought it blind and it took time to understand, although I’m not into intense sweets. The tobacco note and the rough lily make it different; the incense adds mystery and the patchouli is subtle, with classic chypre work. This unconventional combination makes it unisex, where traditional feminine notes fall by the wayside. It follows the old school seeking originality and elegance, not sugary ingredients like current launches. It’s the best flanker that connects with the original Opium from 1976, while the Black Opiums went the gourmand route. In my experience, longevity and sillage are spectacular, worthy of YSL. What a shame these houses dismiss their own achievements.

You’ve smelled many similar fragrances… that’s what you think at first. It reminds me of Zara from the early 2000s. I’d define it as a fruity floral: ripe fruits bathed in roses and lilies with an ambered incense reflection. It shares that aura with Elle In Love Again or Vice Versa, though they aren’t identical. I think neither the name nor the era did it justice. It resembles Elle quite a bit, but it’s not the same. Its only flaw is performance: for me, it projects almost nothing from the first fifteen minutes and lasts just over five hours.

Feminine and sophisticated, elegant yet noticeable. It’s potent. The key is not to overapply it so it remains elegant rather than an olfactory slap. It’s more suitable for night than day and works better in cold climates due to its consistency.

Walking with friends through a village in Elvas, Portugal, we stumbled upon an old perfumery with glass shelves from the 80s and 90s. I couldn’t resist and went in. I nearly fell on my arse at the treasures I found: discontinued perfumes not available for over 10 years. I couldn’t hold back and bought Belle d’Opium. I gifted it to my older sister on Christmas in 2011 when it launched, and she spoke very highly of it. A few months ago, I went to the Selfridges department store thinking they would have the official 30ml YSL, but they told me it had been out of stock for years, bloody hell… what a pity. But now I know why: after just two hours on skin and clothes, there’s nothing left. After that time, you can’t smell it at all. I thought it might have gone off while in the shop, but upon checking, it was from 2010. After reading reviews, it reminds me a bit of Chanel’s Coco Noire. I love its opening and its performance for the first hour, but afterwards… byebye, it vanishes without saying goodbye. With how much I wanted it, any toilet water performs better than this lovely Belle d’Opium. I adore its packaging.

Belle d’Opium: I bought a 30ml vial at a golden price; it’s discontinued but worth it. At first, the fruity notes stand out before quickly giving way to frankincense and sandalwood, along with peach, which are the ones that stand out most to me. It has a moderate trail, leaning towards weak. The only drawback is that I like to smell perfumes without having to bring my wrist close to my nose. Otherwise, I love it: elegant, warm, enveloping and intoxicating. It’s for evening wear, with a magical and seductive air. Good longevity, feminine. I imagine a woman at dusk in a white chiffon dress by the sea. I think it suits colder climates better, but it fits any season. It’s a pity it’s discontinued; I’ll use it sparingly to enjoy it for longer, to dream. The vial is beautiful; mine looks like a jewel.

If we write a review of Belle Opium starting from a comparison with the magical and unparalleled original Opium, we can’t be fair to Belle Opium, so I shake off those memories to describe this great perfume. Belle is exactly that, beautiful, addictive, and overwhelmingly sensual. Belle begins with beautiful white flowers that are gradually embraced by tobacco, incense, and a very noticeable sandalwood. After an hour, I can smell a bit of vanilla, amber, and a combination of very alcoholic fruits. This perfume enchants and attracts like bees to honey; what predominates most is sandalwood, incense, and pepper. Belle is a subtle oriental that embraces you, has charm and warmth, it’s very enveloping. Belle Opium is my favourite.

The current Opium line by Yves Saint Laurent is crumbling under its own weight: Opium, the pillar, being conveniently a body scent that doesn’t compete with the classic from the 80s, was re-formulated in 2015 and honestly ended up reduced to a vulgar dirty myrrh water with dead cloves. Black Opium has never seemed to me more than a Starbucks coffee brought to perfume (which is then bathed in artificial and syrupy vanilla). Apart from that, the most notable thing is Opium Pour Homme (which continues to make a ‘war’ in its own sense). Otherwise, they haven’t done anything more than re-package their fragrances in partially identical bottles (though more stylised), redundantly nauseating with their concepts and demonstrating tons of lack of inspiration in creating a new pillar (without mentioning an overwhelming greed). Belle d’Opium implants itself there as a solid and consistent fragrance, at least in my opinion, beyond the temporary grievances with Opium and the stubborn ‘aspirational’ nature of Black Opium (something darker than Opium could only be a perfume created from illicit substances). Belle d’Opium offers a close oriental appreciation that was once offered (and compared to the previous ones, it’s quite good). Belle d’Opium differs significantly from the aforementioned. It opens with extremely mature and exuberant floral notes that are quickly combined into an oriental contraption with predominant incense notes and tons of sandalwood (with purely floral conjugations); at this point, a certain fruity liquor hint begins to emerge. Subsequently, the balsamic accord monopolises the formula with the abrupt explosion of the incense note; simultaneously, this accord will give a ‘venomous’ texture to the preceding fruity notes (which are quite juicy and mature). Finally, a curious axis of lily of the valley with pepper is contrasted, which mixes the powdery axes of the flower and fuses them with the spicy essence of pepper. Appropriately, patchouli takes the lead, concluding with the evolution of the fragrance (I didn’t notice the presence of tobacco, and if I perceived it, I theorise it would be quite dry and coarse… very seventies). Belle d’Opium per se is not a strikingly innovative fragrance, however, this does not detract from its own charm; in fact, I sympathise quite a bit with it. Although its bottle reminds me of a sun set in the blue sky in all its splendour, Belle d’Opium generates no eclipse; on the contrary, it is a quite fleeting fragrance, with reproachable trail and longevity. Ironical is comparing it to a shooting star, because it was suddenly discontinued… Regrettable, as it is one of the most consistent fragrances Yves Saint Laurent currently has to offer, unless, of course, we consider their products prior to the L’Oreal acquisition, of which I believe only Paris persists and quite ‘invalid’. On the other hand, the quality of the notes was very attractive to me: brown flowers, fine woods, scruffy incenses, poisoned fruits, to name a few. I understand the nocturnal and cosmic character attributed to it (moreover, I absolutely support it), however, Belle d’Opium seems to me to be a star worthy of shining with its own light, but this light is so faint that it is easily overshadowed by the rest of the firmament.

If you’re looking for Opium, you’ll be disappointed. It’s an intermediate step between Opium and Black Opium, with their countless variants. An attempt to make a more versatile and modern oriental than its predecessor, with different bases: the opulent myrrh of Opium, the floral and smoky wood of Belle, and the sweetness of the coffee in Black Opium. What will come next? Nevertheless, I reserve my Opium for my darkest nights and stick with Belle for my night outs. At first, I notice a sweet mandarin liqueur, ripe peaches, and a touch of plums. It doesn’t last long, because quickly the white flowers settle in: soft, subtle, and creamy gardenias and jasmines wrapped in an intoxicating aroma of pepper, incense, and pipe tobacco. The base is led brazenly by smoky sandalwood and a warm blend of resins, amber, honey, and cinnamon. An elegant patchouli adds consistency, making itself felt in light bursts. I notice a subtle memory of opium and Jungle l’elephant in the trail of spices, amber, and patchouli. A very soft oriental that you can wear without fear of over-applying. Ripe fruits, white flowers, and warm woody spices. If you like current scents but want an oriental that doesn’t smell like fragrances of the past, this is a modern one that melts into your skin, winking at the past. For a woman with lights and shadows, a little mystery isn’t bad from time to time. And don’t think I’ve forgotten you: the woods, smokes, spices, and resins make it perfect for unisex. Although being very soft, it can be used in all seasons, I like it more in autumn and winter and better for the night. Semi-formal, sophisticated, and so sensual that right now it competes in my wardrobe with Midnight Poison. But: as my colleagues have correctly repeated, its trail is scarce, lasting about an hour, then it’s skin scent, which is very good if you intend for it to be your most intimate aroma. Its longevity is barely 3 hours on me, which is the duration of a cologne! Bufff! Very angry that YSL has me. Instead of discontinuing it, it would have been better to reformulate it for good, put a good fixative, and relaunch it? Instead of doing what they’re doing with all their fragrances? Where do I sign up, if I have to chain myself to the doors of a perfumery, I’ll take my sleeping bag and no one will stop me! Ayyy pity, penita, pity! The bottle is at least a hit. It changes the opaque amber-brown of Opium for a more transparent violet-blue and looks very beautiful. A shooting star… what wouldn’t I give to be able to transform it into a midnight sun!

A nocturnal fragrance, embracing, warm, and addictive without being the protagonist or scandalous, nothing intrusive, discretely sensual. The only thing I ask of it is its longevity: on my skin it lasts 3 to 4 hours, fortunately on my clothes it can last all day.

I tried it a few days ago looking for intense fragrances, as I notice I’m losing my sense of smell. I wanted it intense, different, sophisticated, nothing sweet, nothing gourmand, nor very classic… I tried with original Opium, with Eternity, with Obsession, but this is the one that fell in love with me, it doesn’t resemble any other perfume, except that it has a hint of Opium (brown box). The saleswoman who attended to me, I think she was from the Burberry brand, went on smelling all of them for me and even suggested I leave my Belle Opium for Burberry Body and not even there!!! I don’t smell the grace in the Body and it seemed to me a bit misplaced that she suggested I leave it and take one of her line. I bought it unexpectedly, as I was going to buy another fragrance and I found it with a 60% discount and I couldn’t resist. I’ll comment later on how the trail is, for now 5 and a half hours have passed and I can still smell it on my arm!! Happy!!

I’m absolutely obsessed with it; it’s incredibly sensual and has me hooked.

It’s a shame they’ve discontinued Belle d’Opium. I suppose complaints about it not being the original have sparked many criticisms. I bought a bottle a couple of years ago; being a user of the original Opium, my personal scent, I had to open my mind and avoid comparing it directly. I was surprised by the lack of notes from the original, but it fell in love with me and all my friends. I receive many compliments from men; they say it’s very sensual, perhaps due to the light smoky tobacco mixed with flowers, a femme fatale scent. It smells of spicy, smoky flowers with a vital, fresh, soapy touch, featuring Stanley plum and wild fruits. There are no resins or gourmand vanilla. It’s the most subtle and least intoxicating scent of all the versions, yet it shares with the original the dark, nocturnal, and sensual concept thanks to the tobacco and incense. It could be comforting in winter, but I prefer to wear it on my skin in summer (I only spray perfumes without musk, as it’s a strong allergen). It’s my substitute for the original Opium for summer evenings. Usage: summer and autumn nights, daytime but mostly nocturnal, occasional, formal, city and countryside. Bottle: 9.5. I love the shape of the original and the golden spray with the safety ring. What I like most is the night-blue gradient that fades, leaving a transparent central window, simulating a full moon. The presentation is a declaration of intent.

I loved it. In my opinion, it’s a blend between a masculine and feminine fragrance… I don’t usually wear unisex perfumes as they don’t suit me, but I want this one. It’s delicious, sophisticated and characterful. It’s one of those that evolves over time and I love every phase.