Jean Amic4 fragrancesPortrait →
Jean-Louis Sieuzac18 fragrancesPortrait →
Raymond Chaillan13 fragrancesPortrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Yves Saint Laurent · Sold as feminine
Opium (1977)
The sultry intimacy of a secret rendezvous, where spiced florals mingle with warm amber and myrrh.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Opium (1977)Premium · $100–250
50%Similar accords, often for lessYouth-Dew · Estée LauderMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares 6 of its 26 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
Main Accords
Amber Spicy
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 1977 by Yves Saint Laurent and crafted by perfumers Jean-Louis Sieuzac, Jean Amic, and Raymond Chaillan, Opium is a hypnotic study in contradiction. Sweet plum and coriander open with deceptive lightness before yielding to the sensual embrace of spiced carnation and rose. The fragrance then settles into a warm, resinous base of myrrh and amber that lingers like incense smoke on silk. Its name and Orientalist marketing sparked real organized protest from Chinese-American activists, leading to extensive press coverage that boosted its notoriety and sales. Opium is both delicate and commanding—a whisper that demands to be heard.
Given its strong sillage and long-lasting nature, one or two sprays are sufficient. It projects well from the start and maintains its presence throughout the day, so layering is not necessary. Best enjoyed in cooler environments to prevent the warmth from becoming overpowering.
Fig. 01 — Opium (1977), Yves Saint Laurent
Where to buy.
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Jean Amic
The Roure heir who scented an eraJean Amic was a French perfumer born in 1935 in Paris, a direct descendant of the founder of Roure, the fragrance house established in 1820, and son of perfumer Louis Amic.
Co-created with Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Raymond Chaillan
Designer Yves Saint Laurent
More from the house · founded 1961 · France
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalOpium (1977)Yves Saint Laurent · Premium · $100–250Estée Lauder · 1953Youth-DewShares 6 of its 26 notes$40–100★ 3.74 (6,093)49%Match
Calvin Klein · 1985ObsessionShares 6 of its 20 notes$40–100★ 3.74 (10,719)
With Yves Saint Laurent Opium Extrait de Parfum 40th Anniversary Edition
Adds floral, white floral and citrus; shares mandarin orange and carnation and 3 more notes.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 45%, disliked or hated by 22%.