Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Pure Illusion
What does it smell like?
Main smell: sweet and gourmand. It opens with pear and orange blossom, moves to coffee and almond and dries down to vanilla and patchouli.
- Came out
- 2017
- Lasts
- 6 to 9 hours
- Best in
- winter
Black Opium Pure Illusion notes
Top notes
What you smell first
Heart notes
The main smell
Base notes
What stays on your skin
Smell profile
Main accords
How strong each part of the smell is
Best seasons and time of day
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Pure Illusion in detail
Black Opium Pure Illusion comes from Yves Saint Laurent.
Other Yves Saint Laurent perfumes
The house has 88 perfumes here, led by Myslf Yves Saint Laurent, Kouros and La Nuit De L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent Le Parfum.
How long Black Opium Pure Illusion stays on skin
It stays on skin for about 6 to 9 hours, so one spray in the morning can carry you through the day. It lasts longer than Dossier Ambery Vanilla and Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Illicit Green. Base notes like vanilla and patchouli are the part that stays longest on the skin.
Who will like it
The strongest accord is sweet (100%), followed by gourmand and vanilla. You will probably like it if you enjoy sweet and gourmand smells and notes like coffee and vanilla. Less obvious notes include pink pepper, jasmine and cedar. Perfume fans rate it 4.04 out of 5.
Black Opium Pure Illusion: day or night?
It works better at night than in the day, so it is a good pick for evenings, dinners and going out. Its sweet side feels cosy and rich after dark. For daytime, Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Illicit Green is a lighter match.
Price and value
The usual price in Europe is about €45. That puts it in the middle price range. It costs less than Dossier Ambery Vanilla and Carolina Herrera Ch Good Girl.
Best seasons to wear it
The best time of year to wear it is winter. It is less suited to summer. Ranked by season: winter, fall, spring and summer. Its warm smell feels best when the weather is cold.
Other versions
There are 4 other versions of this perfume, released between 2014 and 2022.
If you like Black Opium Pure Illusion, try these
Similar picks to try: Dossier Ambery Vanilla (9 shared notes), Carolina Herrera Ch Good Girl (7 shared notes), Ocean Pacific Op Black (10 shared notes) and Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Illicit Green (5 shared notes). For a cheaper option, Ocean Pacific Op Black starts from €18.
More questions
Can men wear Black Opium Pure Illusion?
It is made for women, but anyone who likes the smell can wear it.
When did Black Opium Pure Illusion come out?
It came out in 2017.
Does it project well?
Strong. People around you will notice it.