Cafe

It's 3 weeks before Christmas, and my Mom is unpacking our decorations. There are boxes of lights, boxes of ribbons, bows and paper, a big box for the wreath we have hung on our door for as long as I can remember, and then the box of candles-both electric and wax-that we deck the halls with each year. I open the lid to the box of candles and there it is: the smell of Christmas to me. Bayberry, pine, spruce, cinnamon and cloves. That smell can only mean one thing-well, it did before I tried this fragrance! I've been wearing Cafe by Cafe now for 4 days straight. I wanted to get the best impression of it that I could so I made it the only bottle I took with me for a long weekend trip. It is safe to say, I have found a new favorite frag for my Top Ten list. This is the EDT I am reviewing, and with that being stated, I will tell you the longevity of this EDT is fairly good (upwards of 10 hours on me so far) but the sillage is nothing to write home about. I can catch wafts of it as I am moving around but otherwise it's pretty close to my skin. Hubby says he can smell it from about 6" and his sniffer isn't very sensitive. However, I had to get him VERY close for him to even pick up on it. It's not a head turner. The bottle is Dollar Store chic, indeed. It isn't impressive, but the spray works great on it so far and it's a FINE mist, which I always appreciate more than a targeted stream. Maximum coverage with that atomizer. When I first applied it all I could think of was Wassail. It's this incredible spiced wine drink served at the holidays full of every conceivable kind of spice. My cousin makes a wine-free version at Christmas and this is almost exactly what that initial mist called to mind. Then after about 10 minutes the wonderful carnation/patchouli notes began to warm on my skin and this frag really opened up and started to shine. It's a sweet smell, but not sugary or jammy. This has NO fruit to it. It's a calming, comforting smell that I expect from this type of Oriental frag. I absolutely LOVE the spices in this. That's what I tend to go for, though. If you don't want to have someone tell you that you smell warm and homey, then don't wear this. For all it's comforting overtones, it's also very opulent to me. This is a rich frag-not cheap smelling, in my opinion. I think if the formulation had a tad more carnation in it then it would almost be cheapy. My bottle had just the right blend and with that powdery soft patchouli blending with it, it's still very "foreign" and a bit mystical. There is a touch of incense to this as well that I also love. I highly recommend this wallet-friendly frag to those of you who love a warm, rich, but not over the top frag on those chilly winter days. I would probably wear this in warm weather, too, but only at night. Not a warm-weather, daytime wear for me. LOVE the Cafe by Cafe!!! Great value, excellent scent!

An incredibly inexpensive copy of YSL Opium 1977 version. I remember vaguely when this stuff came out, but I was already in the throes of YSL Opium and what did I want with a scent that was described as a cheap version of Opium. It was the go-go 1970's; yes, YSL Opium was expensive but there was lots of it around and you didn't worry about there not being any of it around when your little bottle was empty. What a difference 43 years can make. At least 5 major recessions later and yes, there's lots of 1977 Opium around, but at much higher prices proportionately and who knows where the prior owners have been keeping their little bottles. (Oh, it's such a pretty bottle, I think I'll put it here in this window.) In the meantime, Cafe Parfums of France keeps cranking these bottles out. (Maybe they aren't; maybe they're all remainders. I dunno.) It doesn't replace YSL Opium 1977 version, but it's a really good scent and it makes you feel like for once you've gotten a good deal somewhere. I mean gosh, this stuff is going on eBay for less than $15 for a 3.3 oz bottle. The bottle itself is tacky, and the plastic sprayer, cap and upper bottle cover are of the cheapest and probably most brittle plastic I've ever seen on a perfume bottle. I'm already wondering how I'll fix it when the whole thing breaks into 20 plastic shards in my hands. But right now it's great. Woodsy and dark rosy and lots of patchouli, but not quite as redolent as YSL. It has better manners. Doesn't last quite as long, maybe 4 hours unless you've doused your clothing along the way. Great stuff. And thank you to whoever either reviewed this in the last 10 days or wrote an article about it. I saw whatever it was, and bought a bottle on your recommendation. Otherwise, I'd still have forgotten all about it.

This a review for Café by Café Parfum/Cofinluxe, Parfum de Toilette, still containing Oakmoss and Treemoss in the ingredients list. (I know there are no other versions but I always like to make it clear.) What a lovely and warm spicy fragrance! And so underrated! I agree with many reviewers that it does bear a resemblance to YSL Opium, however I dare to say (and I am expecting stones my way) that Café is even better than Opium. It is spicy with an earthy hint of patchouli, but the rose gives Café a sweet soapiness that makes it a lot less aggressive to the nose than Opium. It also smells less dated to me, although I believe this is because Café did not define an age, like Opium did. One interesting thing about Café (and I found this to be true to many other Café Parfum fragrances I own) is that it is not a layered scent. What I mean is that, at the dry down, you don't smell many different scents unfolding on the skin - the smell remains the same from almost the first spray. This is not necessarily bad. Café is an uncomplicated fragrance - what you smell is what you get - and this is precisely why it is one of my favourite perfumes for daily wear. The bottle is not very imaginative, but I like its vintage minimalism. It suits the scent. The 30ml one is perfect to carry in your purse or bag. Café is a softcore Oriental perfume, for those who enjoy showing their spice off but don't necessarily feel like knocking passers-by out. It is warm but soft, intimate. It can be worn during the summer without fear (I have even worn it at the beach). Granted, the longevity is not its greatest strength, but it's cheap so you will not feel too guilty about reapplying it.

A couple of hours ago, I received the delivery of this fantastic bottle of perfume that cost a whopping 8 Euros. I had already tagged this fragrance as potentially curious and was quite keen to at least try it out. Given its low cost, it was easier (and cheaper) to order a new full bottle, than to keep me going on adventures with decanters. Today, although I was inclined to try a women's perfume with a strong osmanthus note, out of mere curiosity, I decided to go ahead with this also feminine fragrance as a SOTD. Right from the start it appears as an amazing scent (for the price) of rather spicy resins, which dry out acquiring soapy and powdery facets. In other words, it starts unisex and then leans towards a more feminine hue. This is a truly surprising and rather underrated gem. In reality, it is a perfume with a scent reasonably suggestive of being a lighter flanker of YSL Opium's feminine version. Perhaps it is a little too gentle to fully replace Opium, but it is certainly easier to wear and makes it possible to use an "Opium-like" scent in an office environment. It also reminds me slightly of Chanel Coco, which I reach for even quite often. So it seems like an irrefutable "two-for-one" deal, albeit in a poor bottle worthy of hiding. Performance is quite average and that is surprising too. With such a low price I expected a longevity of 2~3 hours. But I can assure all of you that it lasts more than 6 hours with 3 sprays and projects over an arm's length. If I would have to rate it globally right now, I am comfortable suggesting an 8.0 out of 10.0. Music: Norah Jones - "Don't Know Why"

I recently bought this because of the overwhelming amount of votes, as very similar to the good old Opium (1977 version). It is completely true. This is the early Opium I used to buy and loved to bits. I even have to vintage versions at home (keep them like treasures) and I tested all tree of them together, and there is no noticible difference. The dry-out is a little softer in "Café" and the longivity is a little shorter on skin. On clothes however it last days and still smells amazing. I am extremely happy to have found this, since Opium is now but a mere shadow of its former self. I have known Opium ever since its introduction, and loved it as simply the best scent ever made. I feel I can therefore speak with some weight, when I compare "Café" to Opium. Opium scent does not only hold memories of youth and passions to me, it also holds the memory of a time when parfumes were done right. If you miss the vintage Opium and hate the new terrible versions and their harshness, "Cafe" is for you. Meeting with this wonderfull scent again (allthough under another name) brought tears to my eyes. It is that good!

Here's a mean trick to play on a perfume snob: decant some of this darling and send it on with no explanation. I predict you will receive a call about the Nuit de Noel you sent them: is it EDT? It must be vintage since the top has gotten a bit sharp, etc. I am baffled that more people aren't loving this juice. It's rich, clever and well made. The ingredients seem to be top-notch and there's just enough itch when it goes on for me to believe that it's one of the last true oak moss scents standing. The interaction of the rosemary and vetiver is amazing. There's also something creating a lovely incense that isn't called out in the notes or the ingredients. The cinnamon and citrus sparkle. This stuff is constantly on deep clearance. Do yourself a favor and pick some up. If the utterly hideous bottle embarrasses you too much get a pretty crystal bottle on eBay and decant. If embarrassed by the brand look vague and say "something French". Sillage: 3-4 feet Duration: 4 hours and counting Fabulosity: La Vie en Rose Price to value ratio: the diamond as big as the Ritz 10/10

Primeiro perfume onde a saída com limão realmente me cativa, me dá aquela sensação de chá de limão bem quente e confortável, com especiarias. Ele vai fechando cada vez mais incensado, exotérico (casa exotérica como muitos falaram aqui), me imagino usando argolas douradas nas orelhas bem exageradas, com uma camisa de tecido esvoaçante com uma certa transparência de mangas longas, bem bruxa, bem cigana e mística num clima ameno, combina muito com o pessoal de humanas bem "vibes", certamente um perfume para quem pode carregar (com poucas borrifadas, claro). Saída: Limette e verbena. Coração: Artemísia e Rosa. Fundo: Patchouli, incenso, musgo de carvalho e alecrim. Obs.: Sobre essa embalagem horrível (rs), eu arranquei a parte marrom de plástico e ficou bem mais bonitinho o perfume, vou fazer isso com todos que eu comprar. Em breve posto no Fragram como ele ficou. ↓ https://www.fragrantica.com/fragram/fp/238581

Stop the world- the rumours are true- this is the best likeness of the original Opium you'll find anywhere. I'm amazed (through years of trying to find an affordable original bottle) nobody told me this sooner. Ignore the pyramid- I think the top notes are misleading- just thinking extremely soapy aldehyde bomb with spice and sandalwood, and if you know the original Opium, this is that. There is, of course, a minor difference: the drydown lacks depth and quite the addictive quality of original Opium. But look, for £8 on Notino, this is such an incredible steal, and people will *think* you're wearing Opium. (I was slightly confused as something called "Café Café"- the fruity one in a different bottle- exists and the one I bought was in a slightly different colour bottle than those I've seen, and not listed as "Cofinluxe"- but be assured, it's the same thing. Opium fans- just go for it.)

To be honest, I originally saw the bottle and thought it would be some kind of coffee-like scent, especially with a name like "Cafe" and coffee beans on the bottle. I was a little dismayed that it completely, did not smell like coffee but also over joyed at what it DID end up smelling like. a mildly spicy incense-y dream. A bit heavy but it's absolutely delicious. The spices are definitely prominent and while there is no incense, it definitely smells like there should be. It's intense and gives me the feeling of something a littler darker, a little more sacred. Definitely a colder scent but it's lovely. Lasting time would range between 7-8 on clothes, and even then it's still there, just very faint. A friend commented that it was quite a "womanly" scent.

I woke and the second thing in my mind ( The first thing was giving thanks to God for another day ) was that I just crave Cafe . So I spray liberally and I love it. It's almost spring here and being that this is the Caribbean U might think that it is not apropiate for hot weather. But as they say it is sister of Opium but lighter perfect fot hot weather. It wont suffocate you it is just perfect . It is cheap (mine cost $10 for a3.04 oz ) but it smellls so expensive. I realy love it . My most sincere critic is my son and he loves it he says it is diffrent to most of the perfumes out there. This for me is a keeper. vintage Opium is incredible, but so expensive. It may be cheap but just give it a try. You may be surprise!!!

Simply wonderful, a classic. For those who grew up in the 80s and 90s and are super used to aromatics, you will love it. I think that perfumes nowadays are too sweet, they all have vanilla, pink pepper, peony...it all smells the same. This one remained unique and bold, different and striking. Simplesmente maravilhoso, um clássico. Pra quem cresceu nos anos 80 e 90 e está super acostumado com os aromáticos, vai amar. Eu acho que os perfumes de hoje em dia são doces demais, todos tem baunilha, pimenta rosa, peônia...fica tudo o mesmo cheiro. Esse aqui se manteve único e ousado, diferente e marcante.

This absolutely does not smell like Opium or Cinnabar. I have every vintage oriental known to man and woman and also a nose. I can't believe none of the reviewers are talking about how this is an inexpensive but not cheap-smelling dupe for Chanel Coco. I actually like it more. I am not a Chanel fan. It goes on like a vintage chypre or aldehyde then warms up and lasts a nice long time. This is one of the best blind buy inexpensive fumes I have bought. A winner. I sprayed the heck out of myself because usually the cheap perfumes don't last or project. Whew. This one is a walking cloud of Chanel.

This is one of the few blind buys I've ever made. I wanted to try it because of the glowing reviews it's received here. It does not disappoint! Cafe opens with coffee, chocolate, and cinnamon. It is hot, rich, creamy, and exotic -- like a cinnamon mocha. Next to arrive are roses: big, silky red roses. Cafe looses some of it's heat in the drydown. It turns soft, a bit powdery, a bit vanilla. Although it is a "hot" oriental it is not overwhelming and would be perfect for summer. How this luxurious scent can be so inexpensive and relatively unknown is beyond me. A must have.

his is a good copy of a spicy Opium sh fragrance. Not sure why its called cafe, as there is nothing coffee about it, Bottle is kind of cheap looking, but the fragrance itself is worth the purchase. Strange, as an Opium copy I would have expected cinnamon and the like - but that isn't listed in the notes.Carnation and citrus is listed, and I don;t detect that. It makes me wonder if the listed notes are even correct? anyhow good silage and ok longevity, but may require a few more than just one or two sprays. Nice for fall/winter. Not overpowering. Happy with my purchase.

Warm delicious chai latte! I bought this blind after reading the notes in it and the reviews and I got it for a great price so I figured if I hated it I would not be out alot of money. I can see wearing this perfume in the fall and winter and over the holidays. Warm and cozy with just the right amount of spice to make it interesting and comfy cozy but inoffensive. It kind of reminds me of a cross between Giorgio red and Opium only more subtle. YUM!!!!!!!!

This fragrance is better than I expected. Sure i read all the great reviews and I see it listed often as an unsung hero. This was a blind buy for me and I knew I would love it but, who knew I would really love it a lot? It's very spicy, warm, and smooth. I should have bought this one sooner especially since it's so inexpensive. I like this way better than many of my pricier perfumes. Thank you everyone for suggesting it, I love it!

Oh yeah, Opium and Cafe Cafe are much alike. I have Opium on one hand and Cafe Cafe on the other and the opening is very similar. Lots of spice. But Opium is rounder where Cafe Cafe is more sharp when it comes to the drydown. Sillage is great on both but Opium stays on longer. Someone said "Opium light" and I can agree to that. If you can't buy Opium, try this one. It is really wonderful and with a very nice price for a big bottle.

Lillybee has one of the BEST noses on this site! After reading her review here I bought this one blind and love it!! Very warm, spicy, and comforting. I don't really get a real coffee note, although, I am somehat reminded of light cappuccino. This is very creamy, woody and just a little spicey. Perfect for a summer's eve or any winter day or night. What a deal, too! I can't believe this is so shamefully cheap!!!

As I am almost done with the bottle of Opium I purchased in late '80s, I have been looking for something similar, and from the reviews on here I thought this would be a good choice. In side-by-side testing it is very much like Opium, with a spicy warm opening that softens to something a little creamier after about 10 minutes on the skin. A nice substitute and the price is just a fraction of the cost.

This is one of the best vintage hidden gems out there! It’s a soapy take on YSL Opium —and not your regular soapy but something sparkling which only aldehydes produces. In fact, although aldehydes aren’t listed, Cafe smells like a blend of YSL’s Opuim and EL’s White Linen. I own both and when layered they smell like Cafe. So this is a vintage double duty, a true bang for your buck.

Beautiful! I agree that it shares a facet or two with vintage Opium. The warm sweet cinnamon, and soft incense is very similar. However it does not have the wonderful spicy sultry drydown of Opium. Still a quality perfume, warm, interesting, and unique. Although the bottle is not so elegant, it certainly deserves a place next to my Shalimar EDP. Love.

I experienced a scent memory of Avon's Topaze when I sprayed this for the first time. A good friend of my mother used this....I think it was late 70s, maybe early 80s. Anyway, I thought of her immediately. I love the flower patch in the woods impression on the top, and the creamy spice of the drydown. Very nice.

This is very similar to original YSL Opium of the 70's. Only a lighter version. It is masculine in today's standard. My mom wore the Opium in the 70's. Now l wear this since it is an inexpensive alternative and very unisex. My friends love it on me. I love it too.

Cafe is 100% better than modern Opium and smells identical on my skin to Vintage opium except it is lighter and actually more wearable for modern environments. It has a touch of Cinnabar in the dry down which is another plus. Its super affordable too.

This smells exactly like Bain de Soleil orange gelee, which I love. Cafe also reminds me alot of YSL Opium but dial it down 30%. It's less intense than Opium but every bit as beautiful.

Guest_ totally agree!! This is a sister to KL, besides the obvious spices there is something of a (white) flower very subtle...I really get the KL feeling when I smell this!

Imagine you took a squirt of Opium and added a dash of Mandate to the opening notes. Cafe is softer and more feminine than either Mandate or Opium.

This perfume is fantastic! The spices dominate here! It is a sister to Opium and the more refined KL. GREAT perfume, especially for the price!!

Based on the name and the coffee bean designs on the bottle, I was kind of picturing an oriental with a coffee bean note in there somewhere. Not quite, but I liked it...then I realized it was very similar to Opium so I washed off the Cafe and started a side by side comparison. The Cafe is a mini, so probably a perfume, and is likely from the early to mid 90s. The Opium is an EDT I got in mid-2000s (but could have been made earlier), so it's not the newest one, but not vintage either....not sure how many reformulations it went through. OPENING Opium: immediately fragrant and has a colder sort of spiciness, slightly soapy, but not in a bad way. Cafe: initial huge burst of alcohol smell (I think it might be the perfume going a bit off due to age), then a sweet spiciness, and at this point, better smelling than Opium. 20 MINUTES: Opium: starts to develop some sweetness and the spiciness is warming up. Cafe: similar to the sweet spiciness of the opening, but a little more mellow. So, here, Opium is starting to catch up. 1 HOUR: Opium: now a warm vanilla with a hint of spice. However, the interesting thing is depending on the whiff I take, it alternates between warm vanilla and only spice. Cafe: the spiciness has subsided and is now a warm spicy vanilla. 3 HOURS: Opium: very faint, almost gone. Cafe: still there, still nice...I'd consider it's longevity to be moderate. I always get less than others, so I'm not surprised. To sum it up, Opium is more complex and interesting, while Cafe is linear, but does starts off great right from the start. The main olfactory difference to me is that Cafe has a more noticeable Patchouli note. They both smell like they are of good quality, but Opium is definitely higher quality, though it should not factor in when you choose which one you like better, because they are both very very good. I would choose Opium if asked, but I don't really have to choose...because while I do love smelling these 2, I won't be wearing them outside the house since I don't think they fit my contemplative and moody personality... For those interested, I will update later with additional comparisons when I open my vintage 1980s Opium parfum.

Oak moss lovers, take note! This spiced gem's box still lists extracts of evernia prunastri (oak moss) and evernia furfuracea (treemoss) among its ingredients. Cafe opens sharp and bright with fresh squeezed lime juice and a sprig of rosemary, ("for remembrance", in the language of flowers), followed quickly by "spices" (mostly cinnamon), woods (dry, not resinous) and mosses made deliciously "chewy" by a well-blended patchouli. The dry woodsy notes create a feeling similar to what I detect when I visit antique stores filled with lovingly polished old wood furniture. Prejudices being what they are, I think that if Cafe came in a minimalist bottle with a niche label there'd be more people praising it. Now, if you want a fine pedigree, you're in luck. I just noticed that Cafe's nose, Jean-Jacques Diener, also created the magnificent & luxurious Must de Cartier. With Must in my lifetime top 10, I'd have sought out Cafe long ago if I'd known they were both children of Mr. Diener. I sat up and paid attention when I saw that Malegria, NLS, tessture and lillybee all have written words of praise. Thanks ladies! It's a cliche by now, but I really can't stop smelling my wrists. As for similarities with Opium, I'd agree they share the same feeling, but I've always had trouble breathing around Opium (in any concentration) and can happily say I sniff all the best of what I liked about Opium before it wrapped its big meaty hands around my neck in attempt to choke me to the point of death. My 90ml bottle of parfum de toilette arrived today and I think it has to be the least expensive full bottle I've ever purchased that I liked so much, immediately! I keep a short list of fragrances I'd like to try whenever the "smelly monkey" has a free shipping deal and, boy howdy, was this ever a deal! $7.43, to be exact. I've saturated myself and my wool sweater and as I inhale I can't stop smiling! I won't apply this so heavily when I'm going anywhere out of the house but right now I'm loving this fragrant cloud around me.

This is a very spicy scent that is tempered with the notes of amber, rosemary, and lime, giving it a very unique coffee-like scent compared to the other warm and spicy perfumes that i have in my collection. My grandmother gave me this back in the late 90's as a birthday present when i was a very young teen (maybe twelve or thirteen) and i have quite fond memories of it. Not being much a connoisseur back then, i would wear it at random times throughout the year, day and night, in the warm Panamanian environment. Eventually i forgot about it and just recently dug up my old bottle, which was not even used halfway. Upon smelling it after spraying it on, i was immediately transported back to when my grandmother had first given it to me and i smiled. Although the top of the bottle is missing, it still has a lot of meaning for me as my grandmother is now gone, and i will cherish this perfume for as long as i'll live. As an adult now who is much more patient and knowledgeable about her fragrances, i can now say that this is a fragrance that is better suited for evening wear. Although perhaps the odd person or two might be able to pull off wearing it during the day, i would personally find it a bit too aggressive for day wear. This isn't the type of fragrance that i, now as an adult, would purchase since i tend to lean more towards flowery fragrances, but i understand now why my grandmother would've purchased something like this for me. Considering that she was from the era where fragrances like those by Myrurgia were the rage, she always gravitated towards spicier scents. This isn't the type of spicy fragrance where after drying down, it will become sweeter like with Spark from Liz Claiborne. It will stay firey. The sillage and longevity leaves a lot to be desired, and at least on me, it stays close to the skin, so you might want to be mindful of that.

I ordered this recently after reading so many favorable reviews, all with different impressions. And at such a bargain, I could afford to take a risk! I was curious about its similarities to Opium, and was taken in by the promise of rose and spices. On my skin, sadly, this promise was not kept. The mysterious, vague "spices" are not there, and the rose barely so - but in their place is something just as good. The strongest note for me is the verbena and lime, which calls up images of big white bars of soap. So clean and refreshing, especially for summer. The rose is not strong; it mingles in the background, hiding shyly behind patchouli. The herbal combination is very farmer's market, very 70s. Unique enough to stand out among the typical array of women's fragrances with their gourmand and fruity profiles (no offense intended, I have love for them too!). However, the dry down is when Cafe truly blossoms for me; the vetiver comes out to shine then, and I can almost forget about the missing notes I crave. It becomes earthy, almost smoky, and once the sharper, brighter aromatics fade, it wears like a woody musk. Despite my unmet expectations, I still like this fragrance very much. I don't agree that it's only meant for cool weather, though I may have to reassess how its performance changes during the colder months. As it stands now, I consider this perfume appropriate for almost any occasion. I'll stop short of calling it a crowdpleaser, because the opening sharpness can be offputting, but anyone could wear this, anywhere, at any time of day. What an unexpected delight at such a good price! EDIT 6/25/22: On this terrible, warm, humid day, I finally caught a whiff of spice. It was cinnamon! Praise be.

Last week I picked this up on ebay for under $8 US including shipping. After reading most of the reviews here, I wasn't confident that I was going to love the scent, but figured for that small of an investment I could afford to take a chance. The moment I spritzed it on my wrists, I was immediately in love. How is such a delicious fragrance readily available at such a fantastic price? I don't know, but I'm sure glad I took the plunge. So far, I am not noticing opening vs heart vs dry down on my skin. For me it is all wonderful, delicious spices from the first spritz until it fades to a skin scent. On me, the sillage is medium and as for longevity, I would say on me it sticks around 3-4 hours. At this price, I can reapply as often as I wish! For me personally, I wouldn't wear this to an office job where you sit near coworkers. I'm sure there are some out there who won't love the fragrance as much as I do, and I could imagine even a tiny bit of over-spritzing could potentially cause problems. I think this is going to be heavenly in Autumn and Winter, especially while wrapped in a quilt and drinking my coffee - of hot cocoa! However today the temp here was 90 degrees F and I still enjoyed every minute of it. I know I am going to make every effort to keep this frag in my collection at all times. I would recommend this for all who enjoy spicy perfumes. Oh! I just thought of the thing that has been in the back of my mind, reminding me of this scent that I couldn't recall. This fragrance reminds me of smelling spiced, mulled cider in the Autumn. Autumn is my favorite season, and I love all of the smells associated with the season. Perhaps this is why I love this perfume so much. Enjoy!

Amazing spicy-incense piece which dries down to a little soapy and powdery. A truly surprising and underrated gem. I stumbled upon it by accident as I placed an order for two items and was supposed to get free shipping if I order two perfumes, but the shop didn't have Caron Pour Un Homme in stock. I decided to look around, perhaps I find something inexpensive that I would rather order than pay the shipping, because if I order another fragrance, I can at least discover one more of them, instead of only getting it shipped. Weird logic but I'm sure some people understand it, would you rather pay for shipping or for another bottle of new scented territory? So I found the Cafe brand and checked some reviews and I couldn't believe my luck when I saw what they wrote about this. I ordered a 30 ml bottle. Then after it arrived, I soon followed up with a couple 90 ml bottles, because it is so special I wanted backup. This is really like a toned down Opium. A bit too soft for my taste but my coworkers probably appreciate when I use this instead of Opium (which I use for more special occasions because it feels like a protecting, guiding spirit which knows everything and shows me the way, therefore I keep it for the days when I need that the most). It also reminds me to the ever amazing Coco, so it is like having two very good things in one tacky bottle. Sillage and longevity could be better, but I have no problem with refreshing the scent. I am sure there are people who find Opium too much (not me), they may even prefer this piece for its softness.

Mmm, I just love that spicy incense & patchouli! I recently snagged a cheap perfume lot from eBay for one bottle alone (Coty's Nokomis), and got four additional bottles I'd neither tried or even heard of - Cafe included. I wasn't expecting much, but found myself very pleasantly surprised. A delicious, creamy and mysterious oriental, packed with spice and woods. Cafe does bear a striking resemblance to Opium, but there are a few differences. First, the price for Cafe is incredible (currently $12.50 on Amazon for 3oz). Of course, it may not last terribly long, but at that price, you won't mind refreshing the scent throughout the day if need be. It's less potent than Opium, which makes it a little more accessible and possibly less offensive, sillage-wise. It's on the creamier and sweeter side, where Opium is more of an ancient, smoky frankincense blend. It's perhaps a little more dated/less timeless than Opium, and very obviously '70s, but this just gives it a cool vintage vibe in my opinion. Perfect for your inner gypsy!

I was wearing Opium for years, still do and I think that this perfume if it has to remind something it is indeed Opium. I am surprised to read that some people cannot see the resemblance. Judging by the colour of the bottle etc I believe that it came out as an Opium alternative or dupe. Like Chanel N°5 and L'aimant. BUT, if you really really love Opium, no, this is not the same as Opium. It is something similar, it has the general vibe, but no it hasn't got Opium's complexity and depth. It is a nice spicy oriental fragrance but unfortunately to me it doesn't have that much lasting power. I live in a very cold country and the maximum it stays to me it is 3 hours and after I have sprayed 10 times. But anyway, even with that litle longevity, I cannot complain since the price is very low. I suggest it for cold weather and evening or night.

I wouldn't care to compare this to Opium, but I suppose it's the only frame of reference many of us have! Cafe itself belongs to Opium's CATEGORY, more than it's aura. It has both a creamy aspect and a freshness, something I find completely unexpected. Personally, the exciting part about Cafe is that it's an Oriental I can easily sport in hot weather. Better yet, it's remarkably refreshing! I think it's that Aromatic accord I notice and love. :) Cafe has low to moderate sillage and longevity, but in this case that's not a deterrent to me. I feel I'm using a luxurious body spray, ideal for the dog days of summer! Five Stars Update - I've since sampled VINTAGE Opium, and here the resemblance is considerably more pronounced. Cafe is like a higher pitched version, lacking some of the deeper, 'dirty' notes of this Opium. I like them both!

After finding out how cheap it was ($15.75), I decided to give this baby a chance--I'm a man! Café for Women smells really nice. You can feel mainly spices, musk, and incense on a soft flowery layer (by account of the rose); it's a little strong when first sprayed, but it settles down after five minutes and becomes very pleasant. To me, Café is definitely a unisex scent, and it does smell like YSL Opium. Longevity is moderate (4-5 hours), and projection is rather low. It performs best if worn on colder days, but it would work well on warmer nights. It's really pleasant to wear; it's also dated (well, I don't care), but totally inoffensive. I've heard it's not widely available nowadays (at least in my country), so it's worth having, especially if you like 80s orientals.

Wonderful fresh smelling perfume to me ... I think from the combination of spices and patchouli. I love patchouli as it always seems to add a bit of freshness. Based on the short list of notes, I'm amazed how beautiful it smells ... it reminds me a bit of Maja (rose, patchouli and cloves). It smells like it comes from Spain. The biggest problem with this perfume is it's name and packaging. It gives the impression that there's coffee in it and looks cheap. If it was called something like 'Espalina de parfum' (the spicy Spanish dancer) and packaged more like the Chanel fragrances, it would have been a lot more popular ... LOL!!!! Like Tiger84, I too stumbled upon this perfume to save shipping costs ... so glad I did ... bought some reserves too!!!!

This is a gem. I purchased it a blind buy on Fragance.Net and I received it yesterday along with Balmain Amber Gris. On a whim, I decided to layer them together and it is beautiful. But back to Cafe, on its own it is a beautiful sister to Opium but doesnt require the same financial commitement. I have been wearing it since a 6:15 am and it is currently 1:30 pm and I can still smell it a few inches from my wrist. A second application may be necessary, but for the price I don't mind. Although the bottle is cheap and tacky, the juice inside is beautiful and worthy of a better bottle. I can see myself buying another full bottle of this in the near future. If you are trying to decide whether or not to pick this up, go ahead it is very nice.

Thank you princess_buttercup for the bottle! This is definitely not unpleasant, but as soon as I sprayed this I was taken back to my childhood. It smelled like a wooden chest of drawers in my house that my mom kept candles and doilies in. Specifically, this smelled like candle wax on me, maybe an old Christmas candle that had lost 98% of its scent. There is something strange about it that I like, but there is also something melancholy about it. Maybe I just miss being a kid. Absolutely no sweetness and totally void of coffee (what's with the name and artwork on the bottle then?)- but it certainly has great staying power for the price and I give it points for being unique. I don't know that I can wear this, but I do like smelling it.

Beautiful, warm, spicy. This was another blind buy for me. When it arrived this afternoon in the mail I couldn't wait to spray a bit on my wrist. At first sniff I thought, "Wow, that is strong" second sniff, "Wow, that's Opium!". Rushed here to see the notes on this and the first thing I see is all the references to this smelling like Opium. I am delighted! I have been trying all week to win various auctions on e-bay for a bottle of YSL's Opium! I'm finished bidding...this was MUCH less expensive and smells enough like it for me! Bigsly, there is no coffee note in this perfume. I'm not sure why others are thinking it is there...the name, maybe. Other Cafe Perfumes such as ,Cafe Intenso, have the coffee note, but not this one.

Cafe is a semi-sweet, dry and woody oriental typical of its era, a far cry from modern day orientals. It starts out with a bitter wood polish note (lime?) then soon the woods come into play. It's not fresh wood but dry like old furniture. The patchouli and vetiver combo remind me of Shalimar without the floral notes. Later I detect a sweet smelling note of vanilla then amber. After 4 hours, the scent is a cloud of amber mixed with indistinguisable spices. The base notes definitely grew on me as they were reminiscent of the big florientals of the eighties like Opium but softer, and drier but spicier than Dune. I only have a miniature of this, so I'll keep it for sampling only or maybe occasionally wear it in winter.

The rosemary & verbena definitely give Cafe a soapy sort of opening, but as it dries down I start to smell the spices. I definitely detect cinnamon & cloves, but there are other spices as well.. they're just too blended for me to be sure what they are. A pleasantly sweet and woody amber base comes through about 30 minutes in. A slight soapy undertone remains throughout the life of the fragrance and makes me wish for a bit more warmth, but this is still a very enjoyable fragrance. Especially considering it can be easily obtained for under $15. I feel very comfortable wearing this and I think it will make a nice everyday. It's light enough that I feel it's appropriate to wear any time of year.

Cheapie fragrance, but very nice. I bought a sampler of this and was quite surprised how much I liked it. Some reviewers note a similarity to Opium, I notice a resemblance to Cinnabar. Cafe isn't as strong as Cinnabar, nor as sharp or rich. It's a warm and spicy scent that doesn't knock people over when they get a whiff of it - Opium does that. This scent seems perfect for layering, I've got some ideas about that ... maybe with Timeless? Or Ciara? Those fragrances all share similar notes with Cafe, let's see how they do together. I've ordered a larger bottle of Cafe, and I hope so much this scent hasn't changed. There's no coffee in Cafe, but I like it very much!

Thanks to ALL reviewers, I now have Cafe by Cafe and I love it ! Yes, it's like a lighter version of Opium, and yes, it has some similarities to Dune as well. Cafe is not one of those cheap smelling "knock-offs", however. Cafe is its own well blended beautiful perfume, with excellent ingredients, and it lasts as well as the expensive perfumes. Cafe is so affordable that it can be worn every day. IF you love the original Opium, do try Cafe by Cafe. You can't go wrong with this one. Note to those who expect Cafe to smell like coffee, it doesn't. Rather, the name "Cafe" refers to the many very small cafe style "restaurants" found near oriental spice markets.

On me it was a good perfume, a spicy patchouli/vetiver with a faint floral touch, not too sweet but not bitter or medicinal either.It is quite original now, when white flowery or very sweet fruitchoulis are all the rage and good to wear even on hot days, although this is better for cooler temps.It is quite long lasting (over 7 hours on my skin), although sillage that starts strong in the first hour decreases to a soft cloud soon after. But its originality (in terms, since it has an Opium vibe) makes it quite discernible in the crowd and people stop to compliment.This has aged very well (it is from 1978) and is a good scent with good performance.

Given the notes and the date of introduction, I think Café was designed to capitalize on the craze for orientals sparked by Opium. The box even reminds me of Opium's old packaging a bit--the colors, the gold lettering, etc. Swap coffee beans for the flower petals on the box and voila! That being said, I think Café is actually a little more pleasant and more wearable than Opium. As others have noted, this scent is softer, drier and maybe a little sweeter somehow? It's an improved variation on the original Opium theme. Café lasts for hours and at less than $15 USD per bottle, it's worth a try even if you already have Opium in your wardrobe.

This is wonderful. It brings a summer in the city with tons of street cafe's to mind. The scent really reminds me strongly of great vacations in warm, bustling cities, with the aromas of herbs and spices floating through the summer wind. When I am invited to a fabulous but casual dinner on an outside patio, this is so fitting, and if you cannot make it there, the scent will surely take you there in your mind. At least for me, this scent always works. Don't fear wearing this beauty in the summer, it is really light enough for an oriental fragrance to be enjoyed in the heat of summer. In fact, for me it's best worn on hot summer days

I also bought Cafe because of the reviews here and had gotten intrigued by it. After spraying it on I was immediately transported back to when I was a very young teenager, yes I remembered it then, I had owned a bottle of Cafe way back. And had forgotten about it completely! Well now I guess I had forgotten about it because it is a nice perfum but it is not that special (yes has great longevity). The day after my reunion with Cafe I also bought a new bottle of Dove original spray deodorant (never tried that one before). And I really couldn't tell the difference. So that's the soapy smell tots_eminem is talking about I guess.