Gardenia

I really like this fragrance - however, I don't think it's a close dupe to Black Opium as most say. I own both fragrances. The drydown isn't drastically different but BO is slightly sweeter. Gardenia has a very, very long lasting and feminine drydown which I love. If I spray it on my clothes, I'll get whiffs of that DNA until I wash them again - so longevity is phenomenal despite sillage being moderate. It copies the YSL DNA drydown extremely well. The first spray is where you feel the most difference from BO. Gardenia is a bit more alcohol intense, more floral and lighter - less sweet overall despite still having a slight hint of coffee. If you've ever thought: "I wish there was a more daytime-focused version of Black Opium", get Gardenia because it fits that bill. I generally wear Gardenia if i want something like Black Opium during the day and the original Black Opium for nighttime. Gardenia's also office and work appropriate, I'd say. Feminine and youthful, not very jarring or as bold as BO. I'd say it can go all year-around as a signature even: I don't personally wear it in Winter because I tend to prefer more intense gourmand/darker/sweeter perfumes when it's really cold out. All of this being said, it's an amazing perfume for the price point it's at and one of Zara's most well-achieved fragrances.

So I got the shimmering leg oil because I already own Black Opium which I read this is supposed to be a dupe for when I bought this one. This really does smell like Black Opium! A teeny tiny bit of this leg oil goes a very long way for me! It is very moisturizing, and doesn't irritate my skin at all. One slight squeeze of the pump and all sides of my lower legs are very well moisturized with a tiny bit of glitter (you really have to look for it to notice which idm). I dare say I could have spread this oil to the top of my feet/ankles which get very dry and/or my thighs because this is incredibly moisturizing. I haven't been wearing this one long enough to comment on longevity yet, however. For $12.90 for 1.7 Oz of this shimmering leg oil, this is a hell of a steal though in my opinion, wow! This also gives me CH Good Girl vibes as well, but it is a much lighter/less bitter scent than that one is.

I bought one of those tiny 10ml bottles from Zara because I've heard it smells like Black Opium and wanted to see if it is true and compare both scents. It is an exact dupe! The scent is sweet-ish, you can feel the coffee and spices, vanilla too but it is not the main note in my opinion. It is definitely the sexiest perfume I own, I bought the big bottle shortly after. Gardenia is also the first perfume I've received a compliment on and this is something really importat to me as I have a pretty big scent collection at home. It is also very long lasting - I can often feel it on my skin even after a shower. Definitely worth the money, bravo Zara!

Hard grape candy with a yummy coffee caramel center--like chupa chups. (So why oh why is it called Gardenia?) The grape part is like a punch in the nose by an obnoxious tween, and the topnotes smell really cheap. I loathed it so much the first day, it was relegated to toilet spritzer. But then, the lush coffee, caramel vanilla scent comes through, and it's amazing. The WC has never smelled so good (too good--it's weirding me out). I'm tempted to give the bottle a good scrub and rescue the poor cinderella. Or look around for a gourmand that doesn't start out so offensively. I just want half of this perfume--the second half.

Gardenia, or the fake twin of Black Opium. If you do a blind test, the two fragrances are fraternal twins. They are very similar, but there are some subtle differences if you dig just a little deeper. While Black Opium is the more serious, deep and dark twin, Gardenia is the lighter, floral, and brighter one. I must admit, though, that Gardenia has the DNA of the Zara fragrances; a bit of a screechy note, but overall, Gardenia is a well-made floral coffee fragrance. Wonderful dupe and even a perfume that can stand on its own. Hats off Zara!

Definitely smells like Black Opium's softer little sister! I was never a fan of the original (too sharp), but I love this one (2021). The orange blossom is not strong at all in here (thank God), and you're left with a quite tasty sweet vanilla-coffee scent. I get a hint of patchouli in here, but it might be the notes combo confusing me. Tip: pair this with Tobacco Vanille (or a dupe) to turn your arm/hair/whatever into the tastiest coffee-sprinkled smoky vanilla cake 🤤

What is this alchemy! This smells like sweet vanillic coffee in warm weather and like heady gardenia / white floral when it’s cold. Some nights when I’m craving desserts, I just spray this all over myself. Also, I remind myself I have this every time I think I need to purchase another thick and addictive vanilla fragrance. I also have BO, and Gardenia is much sweeter than that, which is ok because they cater to entirely different vibes despite sharing a DNA.

Dark beauty! Every once in a while Zara has a legit fragrance with longevity and sillage to compete with the big names. Zara Man (the blue 2012 edition) and now this. It's still going strong, projecting hours after I first applied it. When you get tired of fresh, bright, sparkling notes, this is a good segue. It's smooth but not too sweet. While it isn't boring by any means, it isn't so unfamiliar that you can't wear it casually or in the office.

I really love this fragrance, it was almost a “gateway” perfume into Black Opium before I could get it but now that I have it I find Gardenia to be... pretty different? it’s not an exact dupe at all, Black opium is a lot sweeter, spicier and heavier imo while gardenia is a lot less heavy and has a stronger.. or different coffee note I actually slightly prefer it to black opium especially in the hotter months/mornings

It smells like coffee, jasmine and a bit of vanilla. Even though jasmine wasn't on the list, it seemed that way to me. You can use it anywhere, it can be boring in summer time because it is a very sweet scent, but I use it because I like the scent in general. It's much nicer than black opium, the coffee note doesn't bore you, it's pretty nice. Consider it too sweet

Beautiful, delicious smell. To be honest, I only bought this cause it was on sale and I ended up falling in love. I just use it as an everyday perfume for uni, but it would work for night time as well. The sweet coffee and floral combination is amazing. The scents do not overpower each other; instead, they blend together perfectly. Definitely will repurchase.

Such a great blend of notes! It smells kind of sweet, but with a dark mysterious undertone. The vanilla and coffee notes are quite strong. Smells similar to YSL Black Opium. I'd say it's more suited for night-time, but I love it so much that I honestly wear it all the time. I'm also very pleasantly surprised by the longevity, as it lasts almost all day on me.

It smells like a sweet warm cup of cappuccino and I smell some white flowers in the background. It ́s the exact dupe for YSL Black Opium, the longevity and sillage is less but for the price it ́s really amazing how good it smells. I got the new bottle yesterday, it ́s not in the database yet, I posted a picture on fragram, I think it looks adorable 🖤

Not a dupe of black opium but definitely similar. A more stripped back version, not as deep and sensual. This is my everyday perfume it's perfect for every occasion and layers with other scents very well. Generally very likeable and at an amazing price- I got mine in December sales for ~£14 but I would be happy to repurchase at full price

Doesn’t smell like black opium, doesn’t smell like coffee either! My High school favorite sweet perfume! It’s sugary sweet, slightly softened by vanilla, and very floral. This might give someone a toothache. It’s very nostalgic to me. Something what made me love gardenia, but I doubt she is present in this perfume

I am blown away, this perfume is so good for what you pay. I do not smell coffee at all, which is good for me because i don't like that. Very close to opium le perfume, but gardenia is more in your face from the moment you spray, like a lot of zara perfumes are. Why even bother with the expensive brands anymore?

It’s so close to black opium but it lacks the depth of black opiums base notes. Saying that, it’s incredibly close as a dupe and lasts a lot longer than most Zara perfumes, and amazing value. Can’t wait to wear this, one of my instant new favourites.

love love this one! favorite zara perfume so far! its a classic for a reason def. beautiful and perfect for every weather. however, as predicted, the sillage and longevity is bad. 8/10

My favorite Zara perfume so far, it's a very deep, musky, sexy scent, very much a night fragrance. It does not last very long, so when I use it I always have to reapply it

LOVE IT It’s black opium and hundred silent ways’ younger sister. Absolutely beautiful fragrance, I wish they’d come out with an elixir version. It’s so pretty and sweet.

it does smell like black opium a lot but more floral and less coffee and it stays on my clothing all day so its great for the price point

It's Black Opium without the Licorice and Pepper <3

Black opium dupe in great price,end of story.

This perfume literally haunts me. So, my sister had a bottle in 2018-2019? I think and in 2020 she gave it to me, so I was wearing it. I know some may think differently but to my nose this is quite a bold and heavy scent (not in a bad way). Unfortunately, I was experiencing a lot of struggles in my life while wearing it. I was only 15, very underweight due to an eating disorder and brutally heartbroken by my first love. The christmas of 2021 my sister bought a bottle for me, which is so kind of her.And naturally, after that period in my life I have been associating this scent with only bad things to the point of getting incredibly nauseous upon smelling it. When I tell you, I have done my best to avoid the bottle, but I couldn't throw it away because it was brand new, literally untouched. Anyways, while decluttering my collection I gave it another try, the perfume has changed from clear to yellowish and I'm pretty sure the scent has macerated. I've been really into Black Opium and its flankers lately, so knowing that this is a dupe is pretty cool. Somehow I really love it now, and if you have Mod Vanilla, I suggest you pair them. It's strong and longlasting. I still have some flashbacks of bad memories with it but it seems to be growing on me. Thanks for reading:)

This is quite nice, but very generic smelling, on my skins it pulls a dark and intimate vanilla, it also has incredible longevity, I sprayed it last night as I can still smell it almost 24 hours later. It's good for what I paid for, my chemistry tends to hold on to vanilla fragrances the longest. Smells like black opium. I like it. Update y'all, left this in a drawer for over a year, and today it is actually quite nice! Time goes so fast, cherish every second. Kind of strong, a bit heavy not very complex, it's sweet and dense, lingers nicely and leaves a nice soft scent trail when sprayed on clothes. I'm so glad the weather is cold this month so I can finally pull this bad boy out. Think of a sweet dark coffee full of creamer, sugary dense and bold with hints of orange blossom and in a bed of vanilla not pure something more. It does smell cheap at first, but it kind of works for what it is.

This is definitely a bit more floral than Black Opium. I don't get much of the coffee note. For me it's mainly vanilla and orange blossom! It's not the overly sweet kind of vanilla though. It has more of a mature kind of sweetness. If you wanna compare it to Black Opium I'd say this is a much more casual version of BO, it's definitely a non-offensive everyday wear kind of perfume. Perfect for the colder weather! It's not very long lasting, it'll last you about 6-7 hours. After wearing it for a whole day there's not much left except a really musky scent, but I seem to really enjoy this? It's a super cozy musk. I've had this perfume for over a year now and I can say it's definitely something you need to try if you're looking for an affordable gourmand scent.

I agree exactly with what Twentzel said. This is like a muuuccchhh lighter version of Black Opium that one could easily wear during the day without overwhelming their neighbors. It's still a warm vanilla floral with a hint of coffee, but much less aggressive. For a purported Black Opium dupe, I'd actually describe it as soft, warm, and pleasant. It doesn't last that long, but I got a 90ml bottle for about $8CAD. Can't complain. Edit: I've been burned by a number of Zara fragrances that were not what I had hoped and smelled way cheaper than promised. This one, however, has been a pleasant surprise that I'm reaching for way more often than expected.

I have never smelled black opium but people say this is relatively close. I do own another “similar” perfume to YSL BO which is Rabanne Pure XS for Her. Gardenia smelled similar to Pure XS for Her but lacked the needed woody, and smoky facets of its caramelly popcorn note that adds so much more depth. Gardenia was rather fruity and syrupy which I’m not rlly the biggest fan of [scent profile]. If I had to choose between BO (gardenia being my reference) and Pure XS for Her? I 100% would choose the latter because it has more umph. Would still love to smell YSL BO someday for a better analysis !! 🫶🏻 Anyways, strong projection and weak longevity.

Black Opium is more complex, this is similar but not a dupe. I actually prefer this, I like the simplicity, it's a yummy composition of a few notes, it's warm, sweet and dark. I don't really get coffee in this but I didn't in Black Opium either, to me actual coffee scent is something totally different. This is more like sugary artificial coffee flavored dessert blended with a floral smell, which is sensual and sexy. I sprayed this with a few other fragrances at Zara, and this one stayed the longest on my clothes. It's not very strong but really good for a Zara fragrance.

I blind bought a full 3oz bottle for $14 and I'm so glad I did. WOW! Its lovely and perfect for everyday wear and bedtime, Its not cloying or boring either. The orange blossom is very light and really not there unless you are really concentrating. The coffee isn't too strong and perfectly intertwined with the vanilla, on me this lasts all day. It also has this almost creamy/milky likeness to it that make the coffee and vanilla even better. Over all it is simple but beautiful, expensive smelling despite the price, and definitely signature scent worthy.

I snagged this one from Zara knowing it's a dupe but without ever smelling Black Opium. Oops! So I can't speak as to how it compares to that one as a dupe. I sprayed it onto my shirt and it really smells like Flowerbomb to me, which is funny because Zara has another dupe for that. I find better longevity with Zara perfumes spraying them onto my clothes and a bit on my skin to sink in. This one is a decent performer, imo. Definitely not a beast but that might make such a gourmand scent more tolerable in warm weather instead of suffocating.

So I walked into this knowing very well it was a coffee/vanilla fragrance so was not surprised. But wtf is with the name, Zara? Anyhoosie, I quite enjoy this, and if you are expecting a coffee/vanilla fragrance, that is exactly what you are going to get with no surprises. Enjoyable, similar to Black Opium or dare I even say CH Good Girl. I feel like this is the fragrance I would reach for if I had to go somewhere for a very short time and I didn't want to waste money on using the more expensive BO or GG. It's an "It'll do" fragrance.

"Black Opium, but sweeter." Doesn't last long on my skin but definitely sticks to my clothes, although even then you have to be close. Slightly Victoria's Secret bodyspray smelling, and maybe this is where the supposed fruity notes (Zara's website lists peach and raspberry) are coming out. I find that it dries down to something like Eilish, with a cocoa butter/vanilla note. Certainly worth the £13 I paid for 90ml, to make my real Black Opium go further :)

Gotta join the party: why is this called gardenia? Haha. That aside, I feel like I really have to pile it on in order to smell it, otherwise it's more of a skin scent, which bums me out a little. Can't deny I'm down with a cold though so maybe I'll come back and edit this if I feel differently in the future. Lovely fragrance, on me it's a sweet dark coffee-vanilla blend with an occasional whiff of floral. Haven't tried Black Opium, now I'm intrigued!

It’s been awhile since I smelled Black Opium, and I can’t recall much but know that I liked it. I can’t tell whether this one has similar notes, but Gardenia is very pleasant. I like it a lot! I think if I remember correctly, I don’t think coffee stood out with Black Opium as I would have remembered better. But this one, I can detect coffee. It’s an easy, nice perfume to wear. I have no idea why this is called gardenia, however.

Lovely Christmas present - very close Black Opium dupe. Not a gardenia in sight or any other form, this is straight up what the notes listed says it is. Whoever is responsible for naming fragrances at Zara needs a good long holiday. Am available if you need a stand in, Zara (God loves a trier), just saying. Good for colder weather and much more affordable than BO.

Some people say it's a dupe for Black Opium, but I'd more accurately describe it as a 'dupe' to Christina Aguilera's Glam X. You get the strong notes of vanilla, subtle hints of coffee, and even subtler nodes of floral. As with many ZARA perfumes, it doesn't last long (2-3 hours max), but it's a nice and versatile scent that many people will enjoy.

As others have pointed out : what does it have to do with Gardenia??? I find that it's very pleasant and smells exactly like the notes listed. The orange blossom is stronger some days for some reason? It doesn't project quite enough for me but it lasts a long time on fabric imo. I got it with Orchid for 8 euros and I'm happy with my purchase :)

Like it, even get backup bottle of it. I love coffee note in perfume. Something here is syrupy synthetic that is slightly off putting otherwise it's good scent. Dry down is also good, not too much change from initial spray. Not overly similar to BO but have same dna.

it was delivered in the mail about a week ago. It smells good and after spraying it for the first time tonight i can still smell it after about 5 hours so far, but i haven’t had it long enough to say more than that. I’ll revisit this review after a few more wears.

Gardenia does it's job well. It has a strong opening note and then settles down to a pleasant vanilla scent. The longevity falls in the medium range, and i think it's decent for the price. It's worth adding this perfume to the collection.

This is better than Black Opium because it doesn't have that bitter dry down that Black Opium has. I do not like Black Opium because of that. Also this one is less sweet which is a plus for me. I like it once in a while.

A watered-down version of Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, which is good, because the YSL version is too strong and suffocating. This one is more gentle, it can be used daily and it won't offend people's noses ☕

It's warm and sweet and creamy. Wasn't a fan at first but as the juice got darker, the scent got warmer. Perhaps it's the warm vanilla and it's gorgeous now. This after having it for two years.

Nice replacement for Black Opium in a pinch, or like me, use it as a layering base. Zara could work on its longevity though, this one's barely there 1 hour in.

Way longer on my skin than Black Opium. I was super surprised. If I want to have this smell will always buy Gardenia over the YSL..

exact dupe of the YSL black opium perfume, but it doesn't last that long. It's still very good tho for the price. Would recommend.

There’s something about the dry-down that I don’t vibe with but a great dupe for BO nonetheless.

Nice fragance, Black Opium dupe, no longevity you have to reaply every hour or 2

I'm late to the party of appreciating Black Opium. Obsessing over it, actually. I read a poster said Black Opium smells like a young stylish girl all dressed in black, ordering her cup of joe. Which is exactly how I want to be seen. BO also makes me feel sexy and mysterious and my SO loves it on me. However, I found it to be way overpriced, so I searched for cheaper dupes. Gardenia was said to be a sweeter, longer lasting version of BO. Having sprayed BO and Gardenia on my wrists and comparing them, I can't help but to be disappointed. The opening of Black Opium is softer and the notes are more nicely blended. Whereas Gardenia opens harsh, with a strong alcohol smell. The dry down is bitter and reminds me of a cold leftover cup of black coffee on the kitchen counter. To my surprise, I found BO to be sweeter even though the sillage and projection is poor compared to Gardenia. Gardenia lasts longer on my clothes but is nowhere to be seen after 30 minutes! I tried everything, spraying less to spraying more, on clothes and on my hair. Even moisturizing my skin before spraying. All to no avail.