Euphorisme d’Opium is in DSH Perfumes’ YSL Retrospective Collection for the Denver Art Museum. Can you guess which epic perfume this one is inspired by?
I think we often forget what a scandal YSL Opium was in 1977. In today’s world mega pop stars are bragging that their perfume smelling like “expensive hookers” and the media latches on to a statement about blood and semen. Countless mainstream perfumes outright sell sex. For example, there is a perfume line called “Sexual” and they have such perfumes as “Sexual Sugar Daddy”. I’m not saying that risque perfumes didn’t exist before Opium. I’m saying that for whatever reason, Opium was extremely scandalous when it was launched even though it was exactly what people wanted. It was a perfume about bliss and escapism- either it be with drugs, or sex or drugs and sex. I could go on and on about this, but I won’t…or I’ll at least save it for another day. I’m here to review DSH Perfumes Euphorisme d’Opium.
Euphorisme d’Opium opens as a spicy bitter citrus and aldehydes over fresh florals – carnation and rose, and lilies. There’s a creamy peach that adds a freshness to this spicy floral. It has a cloud of spices – pink pepper, clove, cinnamon. The heart is a spicy floral sweetened by a raw, sensual honey. The dry-down is warm and smoky incense and resins. The civet adds a depth that you just don’t smell in modern perfumes. It’s an intoxicating fragrance.
Opium fans are aware that in 2010 the perfume was reformulated. Euphorisme d’Opium is closer to the original but isn’t a 100% dupe. In relation to Estee Lauder Cinnabar (you can’t talk about Opium without speaking of Cinnabar), Euphorisme d’Opium is smoother and doesn’t have such an aggressive, growling top/opening. In comparison to the pre-reformulated Opium and Cinnabar, Euphorisme is sheerer and more approachable to a “right now” audience. For example, original Opium wore like an Afghan coat, Euphorisme d’Opium is more like a satin kimono sleeve robe with an exotic print.
Notes listed include aldehydes, bay laurel, bitter orange, mandarin, peach, pimento berry, pink peppercorn, Bulgarian rose, carnation, cinnamon bark, clove bud, Eastern lily, grandiflorum jasmine, honey, ylang ylang, amber, cedarwood, civet, East Indian patchouli, incense, musk, myrrh, Siam benzoin and vanilla.
Give Euphorisme d’Opium a try if you like spicy florals. Or if you like the obvoious, YSL Opium, Estee Lauder Cinnabar, Aramis JHL, Chanel Coco EDP, Calvin Klein Obsession, Malle Noir Epices, and/or Gloria Vanderbilt. I see this as a unisex fragrance and an excellent perfume for cooler climates. The spices cut through low temps.
Euphorisme d’Opium has average projection and above average longevity.
Euphorisme d’Opium comes in a few sizes. The 1 oz EDP spray retails for $125 at DSH Perfumes.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A tribute to the original YSL Opium. If you or someone you love is complaining about “new” Opium, buy them this. It’s a lovely tribute.
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I want that DSH-YSL 5mL set so bad.
breathesgelatin recently posted..Esprit d’Oscar
Not to be an enabler, but you need that sampler. I really like all of them. They’ve been very fun to sample.
I like at least 3 perfumes from the collection (including EdO) so I’m trying to decide if to go for the one I like the most or to buy a set.
Undina recently posted..Entertaining Statistics: November, 2012
[…] sultry Victoria at EauMG writes, in […]
[…] I sort of think of Fou d’Opium as “Opium Light”. It has a lot going on but it has a sheerness to it that makes it wearable for day or even in the summer. It’s a beautiful “flanker” to DSH’s Euphorisme d’Opium. […]