Women's Perfume Essens W142 — a Fragrance Inspired by YSL Black Opium

An oriental fragrance for bold and sensual natures

🏛️ The Legend of YSL Black Opium

This fragrance was launched in 2014 and instantly became a symbol of boldness and nightlife. It was created by a whole team of legendary perfumers — Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc. Olivier Cresp is one of the most commercially successful perfumers in history, the author of Light Blue and Angel, and Black Opium became his third icon.

🔗 A reborn fragrance. Black Opium is not a standalone gesture but a rock-and-roll interpretation of the legendary Opium (1977). The original Opium was spicy-oriental and provocative, with a scandalous name, Saint Laurent was accused of promoting drugs. Black Opium kept the provocation but changed the genre, from spicy orient to coffee gourmand. This is the most successful attempt to relaunch a classic for a younger generation.

🌸 The fragrance pyramid. Top notes are pear, pink pepper and orange blossom. The heart is coffee, jasmine, bitter almond and licorice. The base is vanilla, patchouli, cashmere wood and cedar. Licorice and bitter almond give the dark, slightly bitter depth that distinguishes Black Opium from «sweet vanilla». And cashmere wood in the base is not a decorative note, it softens patchouli, creating the «enveloping» effect for which the fragrance is loved.

🎬 Advertising. The commercial was directed by Daniel Wolfe, the photography was by Txema Yeste. Later the face of the line became Zoë Kravitz, American actress and singer.

💎 The bottle. The design was developed by Fabien Baron and Stefano Pilati, the same Baron who created the bottle for Lady Million. The «black glitter» is actually star-shaped sparkles symbolizing the night sky. The Deluxe version is adorned with 3,700 Swarovski crystals.

How it sounds and wears. «Coffee with vanilla syrup spiked with licorice, on skin after a party» is a recognizable description. The start is sweet pear with pink pepper and orange blossom, almost fizzy. In the heart bitter coffee meets jasmine and almond, creating that very contrast of «caffeine and the night city». The base is warm, syrupy, vanilla with patchouli and cashmere wood. Concentration is Eau de Parfum. Longevity is legendary, 8–12 hours, on clothes until washing. Sillage is powerful, many describe it as «fills the room». Fragrantica rating is 3.86 out of 5 with 22,000+ votes.

⏳ The line. Black Opium has spawned one of the most extensive flanker lines of the 2010s, Eau de Toilette (2015), Nuit Blanche (2016), Floral Shock (2016), Intense (2018), Extreme (2019), Neon (2019), Over Red (2023), Illicit Green (2024), as well as dozens of limited editions with unique prints (lightning, zebra, palm trees).

📖 Stories of Four Notes

Pear — a juicy fruit with honeyed sweetness. In perfumery it sounds bright and appetising, adding freshness and joie de vivre to the composition. It is what makes the opening of the fragrance so sweet and memorable.

Pink Pepper — a spicy note with a light pungency and a berry shade. In the top notes it creates a sense of intrigue and piquancy, and together with pear and orange blossom it unfolds especially multi-faceted.

Coffee — an invigorating note with bitter warmth. In the heart of the composition it creates a contrast with sweet jasmine, adding character and depth to the fragrance. It is coffee that makes Black Opium so recognisable and modern.

Vanilla — warm, creamy, enveloping. In the base it softens the patchouli and adds comfort and sensuality to the fragrance. Vanilla gives the composition a soft glow and creates a feeling you want to return to.

👤 Portrait of the W142 Woman

She is bold and free — and not afraid to show it. Her presence cannot be ignored: a sparkling gaze, a light smile, natural seductiveness. She loves nightlife, music and bright emotions.

She suits leather jackets, dark sunglasses, bold accessories. She loves coffee, travel and conversations until morning. Her style is rock-chic without vulgarity, where every detail speaks of inner freedom.

Essens W142 lives with her all day: in the morning it unfolds with juicy pear and pink pepper, during the day — with a coffee-jasmine heart, and in the evening it warms with vanilla, cedar and patchouli. This is a companion fragrance for those who value a bright yet noble presence.

⚖️ Original and Essens W142 Side by Side

The only difference is the price and the bottle. The scent remains recognisable from the first seconds.

✨ Women's perfume W142 by Essens is a bold oriental fragrance that unfolds with juicy pear, invigorating coffee and warm vanilla. It embodies all the magic of the French perfumery school — it is an exact analogue of the legendary YSL Black Opium. Every drop conveys the recognisable accord familiar to fans of the original, and gives a feeling of freedom, sensuality and appeal.

A versatile fragrance for any season and any occasion. Try it and see for yourself.