Black or green coffee notes? (tell us & win YSL) One of the big fragrance successes of the past two years has been YSL’s Black Opium fragrance. It was an instant sensation in France when it debuted landing at the number one position at launch. This success quickly spread throughout Europe and now North American fragrance enthusiasts are discovering the unique scent. It is the first floral coffee scent with a high percentage of coffee bean notes. The original eau de parfum was the creation of no less than four master perfumers. Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc. (Fragrance houses will often use more than one perfumer to create a scent because each has his or her own specialty and mastery over certain notes)
YSL Black Opium eau de parfum
The original Black Opium launched in an eau de parfum version with notes of black coffee beans, pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli and cedar. It was meant to have a dark, mysterious mood but I find the coffee notes give it a comforting and uplifting feeling.
YSL Black Opium eau de toilette
In August 2015, YSL unveiled a new interpretion of Black Opium in an eau de toilette version. The new version arrived in the same flacon shape as the original but this time featured green coffee bean notes for a brighter effect. The perfumers used fresher, greener shades of flowers, tea and fruit for an energizing feel. The notes in the eau de toilette include: black currant, pear zest, citrus, green mandarin bark, green coffee beans, jasmine tea, sweet orange blossom, white musk, and white woods.
Edie Campbell
The face of both scents is British model Edie Campbell. She has also appeared in YSL Beaute makeup collection ads.
The Giveaway: I gave away both scents to one lucky reader. Brenda S from Canada told us her favourite. We drew her name at random from all the entries. Congrats Brenda!
747 Comments
Nathalie
December 30, 2015 at 12:42 pmBlack Opium. Happy holidays! @NJA1965
Elena T
December 30, 2015 at 12:35 pmI think I’d go with the black coffee version.
Debbie Browne
December 30, 2015 at 12:24 pmI like both since each one portrays a very specific mood. An evening out would pair well with the Black Opium eau de parfum and a fun, flirty day begs for the eau de tolette.
Allie
December 30, 2015 at 12:15 pmBlack opium<3 @icecreamtorrent
Nicole
December 30, 2015 at 12:08 pmBlack all the way @nautanki_D
LouLou L.
December 30, 2015 at 12:00 pmLiking the freshness of YSL Black Opium eau de toilette! @happylou12
daniela
December 30, 2015 at 11:55 amIt’s difficult to choose…i adore the original version,OPIUM,but these two new scents sound interesting.
courtney b
December 30, 2015 at 11:51 amI like the green bean one !
thank you! ;0 xoxoxo
Laurie
December 30, 2015 at 11:45 amI think I would love the original Black Opium more than the eau de toilette ! @herecomesL
Sean M
December 30, 2015 at 11:44 amBlack Opium for it’s vanilla
Tahlia
December 30, 2015 at 11:40 amI love the bottle with the green coffee beans! 🙂 @Tahlia_Flora
Roxana
December 30, 2015 at 10:56 amI love the Black one! is so elegant and the intensity is amazing!
@SparklyJourney
Alicia Baer
December 30, 2015 at 10:55 amYSL Black Opium eau de parfum appeals to me the most…..you had me at vanilla 🙂 @AliciaMBaer
Melek hanem
December 30, 2015 at 10:49 amBlack opium
@melek_hnm
Jennifer Carroll
December 30, 2015 at 10:43 amboth appeal but green coffee beans slightly more
@flutterby_90
ERIN MCSWEENEY
December 30, 2015 at 10:34 amGREEN BEAN FOR ME
@ERIN2470
Gabrielle
December 30, 2015 at 10:34 amThe black coffee version sounds the most alluring to me, but both seem like wonderful new iterations of Opium. @velvetwhip
Bee
December 30, 2015 at 10:19 amBlack coffee one! ⭐️ @accioscreenname
JC Rosen
December 30, 2015 at 10:17 amWhile I loved the Black Opium with black beans, the green coffee beans and lighter fragrance was a welcome choice as well. I think between the two, I’d go with green.
@JCRosen
Jennifer R
December 30, 2015 at 10:17 amYSL Black Opium eau de toilette @redfuzzycow
tatiana moya
December 30, 2015 at 10:16 amI like more YSL Black Opium eau de parfum.
@tatimoya1
chucky1012
December 30, 2015 at 10:10 amYes The YSL Black Bean version sounds wonderfull like coffee and I love it 😉 @chucky1012
Grammatiki
December 30, 2015 at 10:09 amI like more YSL Black Opium eau de parfum!!
@grammatiki89
Alison Braidwood
December 30, 2015 at 10:03 amI think black sounds more appealing. Green makes me think of tea, which I don’t really want in a perfume note. @Boomergirlz
Michelle L
December 30, 2015 at 10:01 amThe YSL Black Bean version sounds divine! @MBerniceLarkam