Yves Saint Laurent • Belle d'Opium • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* nathaliez on 10/6/2012 12:45:00 PM more reviews by nathaliez

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This is like the little sister of the original Opium, for me still too oriental, so it isn't a favorite of mine
But in terms of straight oriental scents this is nicely made!! I like Vapeurs way better
It is fresher, on me Belle is too heady, too oriental
But it is definitely a more wearable version of the original, that I find suffocating!!!
Nice incense note mixing nicely with the floral notes, not overly done.

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RoseMosco on 9/30/2012 3:06:00 PM more reviews by RoseMosco

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

My sister was kind enough to give me this fragrance after finding it did not work for her. I use it on occasion, sometimes combination with the legendary no.5. The smell is quite spicy and very lovely. reading other reviews I see many users have picked up on fruity notes but on my spin it is predominantly spice, floral then a slight fruit. I enjoy the warmth of the fragrance and find it suitable in the fall or winter weather and for evening use in the spring/summer. I would definitely purchase this fragrance again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tessture on 8/19/2012 11:37:00 AM more reviews by tessture

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Reminds me very much of the original, but is lighter and much easier to wear. A very pretty, light oriental, if such a thing exists. I'm not a huge oriental personality, but this is quite nice.

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xdollpartsx on 6/8/2012 10:35:00 AM more reviews by xdollpartsx

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond, Kinky, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I love this perfume with a passion! I actually had this forced on me buy an insistant shop assistant lady and wow, I am glad she was so forceful! This is a bottle I have always avoided simply because the bottle looks far too expensive and maybe appeared a little...pretentious in my eyes. I expected it to be overrated. This is a 'don't judge a book by it's cover' lesson! I believe I was gabbing away about what kind of perfumes I usually like to the lady, trying to pry her away from pulling out the grand looking royal blue bottle to spray and the moment she sprayed onto the tester stick, I shut up. I was quite overwhelmed, the jasmine and peach infused with sandalwood is pure magic! There is a spicey punch to it too which makes it so unusual. I walked around the store with this for maybe 10 minutes looking through other perfumes and I could not stop smelling this. I asked for a sample on my wrist and I swear, I could still smell this the next morning after showering. the dry down stays well rounded on me, the perfect blend of floral and wood with the faint hint of spice and a gorgous musk to pull the notes together.

Belle D'opium is lavish yet well preserved, a confident fragrance with longevity. The bottle looks so regal on the dressing table, it really goes with the scent. A garunteed get noticed fragrance with an air of mystery and sexiness in a class of it's own. Worth the money in my opinion however this is usually cheaper online than in superstores!

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sealegg on 4/25/2012 7:09:00 PM more reviews by sealegg

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly   Eyes: Brown    

I like how perfume smells different on everyone, and I respect that everyone has their own opinion. I got a sample from a swap, and at first I was taken aback by it, just by sniffing the bottle.... it didn't smell good by itself, so I thought "Hey, it might be better on my skin." I was only half right. It smelt SO good after the first spritz and thirty minutes went by and it started smelling generic on my skin. I can't really describe the scent, it is in fact indescribable to me. However if the top notes stayed on my skin I would have bought this perfume in a heart beat.

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iodine on 2/25/2012 12:22:00 AM more reviews by iodine

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Well, I remember loving the package on Opium, but not the juice. I sprayed this sample on and thought--where do I know that from? It's not That generic, but, but..... It's taken me several hours and a couple of sprays, but I finally got it! Flowerbomb! That's what it smells like. Not bad, just not better. Or worse. Just the same, to me.

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darkmist on 1/16/2012 2:29:00 PM more reviews by darkmist

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I loved the warm spicy amber scent! A very pretty and soft Autumn/Winter scent. Sure it's no where near as complex or deep as the original Opium but this was meant to be the lighter and more casual cousin and I think the Belle d'Opium did a great job. It fades after 4-5 hours but I am quite happy with this perfume.

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mya2403 on 1/11/2012 10:53:00 PM more reviews by mya2403

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I am in Love with belle d'opium. I can't stand the original but I love this it smells sexy and my hubby loves it which is a plus.

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*TOP REVIEWER* staciarose22 on 12/25/2011 11:25:00 PM more reviews by staciarose22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Women who wear the original on a regular basis are usually over 55, and they prefer the stronger classic. This is what initially deterred me from even picking it up because it's the signature scent in that age group, and our sense of smell is connected to memory. You don't want to date a guy and his mom or grandma wear a certain classic, even though you appreciate it's scent. I'm 29 and I wear it only on certain days or evenings out because it was intended as a sensual perfume. Belle d' Opium was geared towards a different generation, from 25-35. Anyone younger might say it is strange to their nose, and older obviously crave the original or something more floral. Opium has been reformulated from what it was in 1977. Now you can't exactly say this is mass market. Even in Opium's heyday it didn't appeal to everyone and this is the same. It all depends on the perception of the wearer. To me this is right on target with fragrance trends. It's not too fruity or floral, and it's rounded off with a woodsy patchouli... You don't need a perfume to be incredibly in your face for it to leave an impression. Fruity patchouli's are starting to be more common, but honestly this is unlike most mass market fragrances. The packaging is wonderful, but for an EDT from YSL this is lacking something. Some substance perhaps, a backbone. It's a shame that since YSL passed away he cannot oversee fragrances and designs. You can tell where the line is drawn in YSL fragrances. Parisienne just makes me ill, but Paris is the better of the two. I have to do more testing, for now it's only a 3 rating.

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4Bella on 9/4/2011 9:53:00 AM more reviews by 4Bella

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Smells great, poor sillage, though.

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BrigitteS on 8/31/2011 12:16:00 AM more reviews by BrigitteS

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Perfume is a very hard thing to review because it will smell different on everyone. Because everyone's natural body oils are different and when mixed with Belle D'Opium will smell unique. If you are interested in the perfume I would suggest going to the store and trying it on yourself and it may smell wonderful on you and horrible on someone else. I personally would not read perfume reviews because they are extremely personal and tailored to every person's individual smell.

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russetandvermilion on 8/16/2011 5:44:00 PM more reviews by russetandvermilion

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this perfume but I agree with the other reviews that it isn't as good as the 1980's Opium that I remember. I have to say I adore the bottle. The bottle sold me (who can resist a pump that looks like red licorice)? This fragrance is a little on the floriental/fruity side and it really strong and a bit cloying on me..but it is growing on me in a good way. I would buy another bottle of this again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tabloid on 8/9/2011 4:42:00 PM more reviews by tabloid

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

If you like the original Opium, you will be very disappointed with this. All it shares with the original is the name; instead of a unique and beautiful spicy Oriental, it's a cheap fruity-floral mass-market fragrance. Shame on whoever decided to cash in on the name and reputation of Opium to lure unsuspecting consumers into buying this.

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beth54 on 5/17/2011 6:06:00 PM more reviews by beth54

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I used to adore the original Opium in the 80's. But I have gone through phases in what I liked in fragrance. I haven't worn Opium in years and tried it on a few days ago- and whew! Strong and overpowering!! Now don't get me wrong, I adore strong statement perfumes-but this was almost a totally chemical smell. So I thought the Belle form might be better-sadly it wasn't. Smells like toxic chemicals all mixed together. I wouldn't spend a dime on this one! also, my tastes have changed-I detest Opium-it's almost sour and waay too spicy. I can't see how it could be attractive to a man. I spritzed a tiny bit on and went into my husband's office and he wrinkled his nose and said"What in the hell is that smell??" Case closed!

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hesperia on 3/21/2011 10:35:00 PM more reviews by hesperia

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

In these "sensitive" days, perfume is expected to be non-invasive, non-offensive, non-in-your-face, etc. In short, non-perfume. Also, there are women who seem to be absolutely TERRIFIED of looking, dressing, sounding, and even smelling older than 20. Hence, the worst, most damning criticism you can make of a scent is to say "Smells like a little old lady." Sends the Young-at-Any-Cost Crowd scrambling for cover, like cockroaches hiding from the light. And then there are the terminally sensitive ... let's not even go there.

In other words, gone are the days when perfume was the result of creativeness, imagination, daring, even love. When it brought to mind mystery, allure, romance, sensuality. The Forbidden Fruit. Oh, there's is plenty of fruit in scents these days. But rather than conjuring images of precious ingredients and of Mata Hari, they remind you of candies and Minute Maid.

Which brings me to Belle d'Opium. This is nothing but a fresh flanker of the majestic original. I cannot write the fantastic - almost hallucinatory - descriptions some people are able to compose when describing scents. All I'm going to say is that I was bitterly disappointed when I tried the sample I was given of Belle d'Opium. It's not bad, mind you. But neither are thousands of other mass-market scents. Like them, Belle d'Opium is nice, fresh. But it's generic. It lacks the character, the personality, the uniqueness of the original. This one is indistinguishable from so many other scents. And that is a shame. In spite of it's name, Belle d'Opium is Opium's plain, insignificant little sister.

Personally, I hate flankers. The manufacturers found a clever way to overcharge clients using a minimum of work and a total lack of imagination. Just dilute the original, add/remove a couple of ingredients, make some basic changes to the package, et voilà! A "new" fragrance. There ought to be a law against such rip-offs. Then again, there seems to be enough demand for them. I guess as long as they are marketed "for the young ..."

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*TOP REVIEWER* Cokioki on 3/15/2011 12:37:00 PM more reviews by Cokioki

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I took a trip to Kicks after I'd spent 25 relaxing minutes tanning. There I found this Belle d'Opium and fell in love straight away. I hate fruity, girly, icky-sweet scents like most celebrities seem to love when they launch their own personal perfume and this isn't at all like that. No surprise really, since it belongs to the 'Opium-family' YSL has created.


All in all a great perfume, the scent is exciting and really suits us younger girls since most of us find the the good old Opiums from the 80's to be way too heady.

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*TOP REVIEWER* dolcefan on 3/11/2011 9:02:00 AM more reviews by dolcefan

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I actually really like this; I've never cared for the original Opium, and this is like a breath of fresh air for me. Sultry but not overpowering. Mysterious and sexy but not cloying. The only drawback for me is it lacks the staying power I expect from top name perfumes. I would likely buy again, if not ask for it as a gift sometime.

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perfumegirl on 1/22/2011 9:07:00 PM more reviews by perfumegirl

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I have loved Opium since it came out and have all the Opiums, the summer ones are nice and a little lighter, I got this one because it was in the Opium family, pretty bottle others list the notes, it is nice I wear it but since I have all the other Opiums and the edt and edp, this is different and one bottle is enough, half finished already, just does not really smell like Opium, which is strange, worth a try not the real original Opium,

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*TOP REVIEWER* KKAI on 1/15/2011 12:17:00 PM more reviews by KKAI

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

First of all, I want to say that I will judge this perfume on its own merit and not in comparison to the original Opium.
It is not a bad perfume. Incense and pepper is what I mostly get with regard to the individual notes. I can describe it as dark and mysterious. Average staying power. Nothing groundbreaking and I wouldn't buy a full bottle, but if someone gave me this as a present I would gladly wear it as a night perfume.

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*TOP REVIEWER* marymary on 12/25/2010 7:31:00 AM more reviews by marymary

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Beautiful bottle but what a boring smell. I've tested it a few times, trying to force myself to like it but alas I cannot. It doesn't seem to have any top notes, it's all base - somewhat warm and spicy. It is not unpleasant - it's just not interesting, especially for the price. I would write a better description but in all honesty I can't remember it. Disappointing.

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