Opium Rouge Fatal (Collector's Edition 2015)

When I first wrote about this edition below, I was expecting nothing but just another marketing trick from L'Orèal. But I was wrong. I know Opium since my childhood, I always was fascinated by it's enveloping and powerful scent, and I can officially declare that this Rouge Fatal edition has recreated the magical fragrance in perfect accordance to the original formula. It has incredible sillage and longevity - until you will wash it away with a soap. If you really love Opium and if you are ready for the encounter with it's highly concentrated version - go for this edition, it will not disappoint you. But if you got used to lighter modern variations of Opium, then this one might hurt you. It's really hot, as promises the red lacquered bottle. Pure thrill.

The only thing I like is the colour of the bottle, though I'm really in two minds: the bottle should better have been kept unchanged since it was beautifully designed from the very beginning. Every time L'Oreal tries to make the classic YSL perfumes more up-to-date they fail with a taste and understanding of the brand. Same story with Kouros, etc. And when they say they even outperform Mr. Sieuzac with their new version of Opium, it sounds insulting. It's really too much, even for such a soulless monster like L'Oreal.

this perfume is beautiful, close enough to the vintage opium. Enough to satisfy my vintage opium addiction. I need to get a bigger bottle.

الاحمر القاتل لون سان لوران المفضل .. العطر عبارة عن صرخة اصدرتها تلك الجميلة للفت الانتباه .. صرخة ذات دويّ عالٍ

I grew up adoring 70's Opium (both Femme & Homme), pilfering a few spritzes from my grandma's bottle every chance I got. Oh how spicy, elegant and present that was. This new concoction is everything but. I've read that other resurrections fail to deliver too. For some reason, YSL decided to take a classic and ruin it by making it into a dull, ambery, cloying mess that smells like Johnson's baby shampoo with not even a glimpse of the spices that made its ancestor so alluring. I had high hopes after reading a few comments that claim this is quite like the original. The search for the holy grail (Opium 1977) ensues.

Warm and soapy Classy and wait a minute..., i think it's more masculine... I have no idea about this ^_^

Red Opium (Discontinued)Limited Edition A girl friend of mine who tired of this fragrance after only one spritz just gave it to me for free! I'm the biggest fan of the original vintage Opium ('77) which I reviewed last year, a fragrance that has been part of my life since the 1970's and which I'm very fond of. There are too many strong memories and emotions attached to that perfume. There is not a single reformulation of Opium that can top the original. Even as such I'm open minded enough to try the newer editions. First of all wow. The bottle. The bold and fire truck red color is very much to my liking. I have red hair that goes well with this color and the scent though not at all as bold and 'red' in it's coloring as the original, is pleasant and quite nice. Normally I prefer bolder Oriental perfumes and not just 'nice' perfumes but I'm drawn to this one for some reason. Opens with a sweet citrus note with the tart juicy mandarin which comes and goes rather quickly but is totally fresh and invigorating, energizing, a spray that just puts you in a jovial mood. Summer time scents compared to winter time in my opinion. The white jasmine flower is the dominant scent here and it's joined by a rather green lily of the valley and a patchouli. The green notes are quite soapy like green bar of soap (think Irish Spring) almost bordering on the cheap drugstore stuff but not bad. It reminds me of a new Emeraude. Green-floral. Then the fragrance does a 360 and goes from soapy flowers to a warm musk with spices cloves vetivers and amber. These are more subdued Oriental notes compared to the original. I don't get the incense or myrrh but it is quite dry like warm skin and musk or like sunshine on pavement or on grass. This is a masculine or 'unisex' fragrance so guys if you like to wear women's fragrances that are actually unisex by today's standards check this one out but since it's no longer around you'll have to get the new formula for Opium which was released around 2009. This is a much more intense version of that one but it can be quite screechy if one puts too much of it on. In the lightest application it's powdery and quite clean, very fresh and soapy, herbal and absolutely enchanting. Smells great for a summer night soiree or a beach get-away. When dry it reveals itself as a warm winter musk to wrap yourself up in.

My local YSL counter sells this limited edition Opium flanker and last time I was there I had a sniff and asked the sales assistant whether the fragrance was the same or slightly different from the current Opium formulation. I was told that it's EXACTLY the same fragrance and just a limited edition bottle for the holiday season. Much as I appreciate the original Opium for the groundbreaking classic it was, it's not one that I've ever worm myself so my nose isn't fine-tuned enough with regards to this particular perfume to be able to tell whether the SA was correct, or whether this edition is actually more intense than the current formula or more 'mysterious' than the original Opium. However, I'm inclined to agree with the SA that it is probably the same juice as the current formula in a different bottle, which is pretty disappointing as far as I'm concerned.

Look at this rating of 2.28. Soap, soap and more soap. This is a sour, over soapy, sharp and intrusive mess that I had to scrub off my wrists the moment I applied it. There are so many beautiful perfumes around, I have no idea what the few people here like about this. (Sorry guys) Only it's name is attractive to me now. (I remember Opium being gorgeous back in its day) Is it me or the perfume itself that has changed? Not a 'safe' blind buy in my opinion. I nicknamed this SOAPY OPI!

Sono molto curiosa di provarlo: le note sono interessanti e sebbene possa sembrare l'ennesimo flanker c'è da apprezzare sicuramente il fatto che non abbia tra le note le solite attualmente in circolazione. Molte delle nuove fragranza sembrano l'una il clone dell'altra! Purtroppo come tutte le novità arriva in ritardo dalle mie parti ma spero che almeno Sephora per Natale lo riceva così da poterlo testare sulla pelle!

It seems to be a bit more intensive than the original Opium in today's formula. I can't say how far it is away from the original, I guess it's much lighter than it was back then. But judging on its own terms, this one has a touch of class regardless. ****

sniffed it and l love it ..so sad it is discontinued .... love the spice feel to it ... very wearable for also men .. Reminds me of some indian spices may be its the clove note

Smelled it today...really can't see any difference:( maybe a bit sharper...but hmmmm no, not much of a difference. kinda disappointed