Yves Saint Laurent has a long list of women's fragrances once you count every flanker, collector's bottle and limited edition. The ones most people end up choosing between come from the Black Opium, Libre and Mon Paris families, plus a handful of older classics.
That is a lot of near-identical names, and picking the wrong strength or flanker is the usual way to be disappointed. So this guide is selective. It starts with the three bottles most people should look at first, then groups the rest by who they suit. Everything is drawn from the verdicts on our own perfume pages, compiled from wearer reports, and where the community is split we say so. Four bottles at the end come with a warning rather than a recommendation.
Each entry names the exact version covered, because "Libre" alone covers several different perfumes.
Start here
Libre - Eau de Parfum
Lavender, mandarin and blackcurrant over orange blossom and jasmine, on vanilla, musk, cedar and ambergris. Composed by Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm, 2019.
Our verdict calls it a daring white floral with an aromatic twist, and the lavender is the reason. It keeps the opening cool while the orange blossom and vanilla stay warm underneath. About half of the wearers who voted on longevity call it long lasting or eternal. If you want one YSL that is bold without being a sugar bomb, this is the one.
Black Opium - Eau de Parfum
Pear, pink pepper and orange blossom over coffee, jasmine, almond and liquorice, on vanilla, patchouli, cashmere wood and cedar. Four perfumers share the credit: Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Honorine Blanc and Olivier Cresp. Launched 2014.
It has more community votes than any other women's YSL in our data, over 33,000. It is a powerhouse modern gourmand: bold, sweet, sultry, with a coffee-vanilla core that is easy to get hooked on. It is a go-to for nights out. If the idea appeals but the bottle does not, we have a separate piece on the closest alternatives.
Mon Paris - Eau de Parfum
Strawberry, raspberry and pear over peony, jasmine and orange blossom, on patchouli and white musk. Dora Baghriche, Olivier Cresp and Harry Frémont, 2016.
The fruitiest of the three. Our verdict describes a gleaming fruit bomb on a musky chypre base, flirty and luminous, for someone who wants to be noticed without overwhelming a room.
For evenings and colder weather
Black Opium Over Red - Eau de Parfum
Cherry and mandarin over jasmine, orange blossom and tea, on vanilla, coffee and patchouli. 2024.
Black Opium with a cherry on top, and wearers rate it higher than the original. Our verdict calls it a juicy cherry-vanilla gourmand with a creamy coffee twist and a cosy, lingering warmth. A good choice if you like the original's idea but find it a little one-note.
Libre Intense - Eau de Parfum
Lavender, mandarin and bergamot over orange blossom, jasmine and orchid, on vanilla, tonka, ambergris and vetiver. 2020.
Libre with the volume turned up and a vanilla-amber base. It is a smouldering power scent that leaves a magnetic trail, and our profile puts its projection among the strongest in this list. Not a subtle bottle.
Libre Le Parfum - Parfum
Ginger, saffron, mandarin and bergamot over lavender and orange blossom, on vanilla, honey, tonka and vetiver. 2022.
The most concentrated Libre. Honeyed vanilla and saffron sit on top of the lavender, with smoky woods underneath. It is not for the faint of heart, and about two in three wearers who voted on longevity call it long lasting or eternal. Save it for evenings.
Black Opium Le Parfum - Parfum
Cinnamon, pear and mandarin over jasmine and orange blossom, on vanilla, coffee, patchouli and orchid. 2022.
The most concentrated version of the Black Opium idea: our verdict calls it a decadent vanilla bomb shot through with coffee and spice, best on cold nights. Wearers rate it above the original. Buy this one rather than the Eau de Parfum if the original smells thin to you.
Lighter ones for daytime
Libre - Eau de Toilette
Lavender, bergamot and mandarin over jasmine, orange blossom and jasmine tea, on musk, vanilla and ambergris. 2021.
Same lavender, but radiant and breezy where the Eau de Parfum is warm. It is effortless and luminous, with sparkling citrus and creamy white florals. If you work somewhere you worry about overdoing it, start here.
Black Opium - Eau de Toilette
Blackcurrant, pear and mandarin over coffee, tea, jasmine and orange blossom, on musk. 2015.
It trades the original's darkness for juicy brightness. Sweet without turning cloying, and our verdict points it at daytime.
The classics
Opium - Eau de Parfum
Mandarin, bergamot and lily of the valley over myrrh and jasmine, on opoponax, amber, patchouli and vanilla. We cover the 2009 Eau de Parfum here. Other versions of Opium exist, including the 1977 original, and they are different bottles.
It is a legendary amber oriental, lush and spicy, and our verdict warns that it is not for the faint of heart or the summer sun. About four in five wearers who voted on longevity call it long lasting or eternal, the best figure of any perfume in this guide with longevity votes. Pick it if you already know you like a resinous classic.
Paris - Eau de Toilette
Rose, mimosa and hyacinth over violet and ylang-ylang, on iris, heliotrope and musk. Composed by Sophia Grojsman, 1983.
A powdery rose. Our verdict calls it delicate yet grand and says nothing else quite compares for anyone who loves vintage floral elegance. It is a vintage floral, so sample it before you buy.
Rive Gauche - Eau de Toilette
Aldehydes, honeysuckle and bergamot over rose, iris and ylang-ylang, on oakmoss and musk. 1971.
Metallic, cool and a little severe. It is divisive for some and a masterpiece for those who embrace its icy charm, and our verdict adds that you may get compliments and confused looks in equal measure.
Cinéma - Eau de Parfum
Almond blossom, clementine and cyclamen over jasmine and peony, on vanilla, amber and benzoin. Composed by Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, 2004.
Warm, golden and sweet in a floral way. Our verdict notes it has been reformulated and is loved anyway, and it has over 10,000 community votes. Sweet and floral rather than resinous, so a different mood from Opium.
The ones we would not recommend
None of these is a bad perfume to everyone, but our verdicts record a sharp split on each, so do not buy them unsniffed.
Black Opium Glitter - Eau de Parfum
It leans aggressively sweet: many find it cheap and synthetic, while fans love the marshmallow-coffee sweetness and strong sillage. If you want a loud gourmand from this family, Over Red and Le Parfum above give you more depth.
Black Opium Neon - Eau de Parfum
Fans like the electric, tropical sweetness. Critics find it lacks the original's depth, with poor longevity and an occasional cleaning-product note. Worth sampling, not worth a blind buy.
Parisienne - Eau de Parfum
A berry-and-vinyl rose that wearers describe either as a chic, playful rush or as a headache-inducing synthetic mess. There is little in between.
Black Opium Floral Shock - Eau de Parfum
Some adore its lighter, fruitier take on the original. Others find it generic. Do not expect a shock of florals.
Which strength to buy
Strength names are less consistent than they look. For Libre and Black Opium, our profiles rate the Le Parfum highest for longevity, the Eau de Parfum (and Libre Intense) in the middle, and the Eau de Toilette lowest.
If you are new to the house, start with the Eau de Parfum of whichever family you like. Move up to Le Parfum only if you want more depth, and down to the Eau de Toilette only if the Eau de Parfum is too much.
Questions people ask
What is the best YSL perfume for women? For most people, Libre Eau de Parfum. If you like sweet and gourmand, Black Opium Eau de Parfum.
Which YSL women's perfume has the most community votes? In our data Black Opium leads with over 33,000 votes, followed by Libre with over 20,000 and Libre Intense with around 11,000.
Which YSL perfume lasts longest? Opium Eau de Parfum has the strongest longevity votes of the bottles here, followed by Libre Le Parfum. Our profiles also rate both Le Parfum bottles at the top for longevity.
Which YSL perfume is best for daytime? Libre Eau de Toilette or Black Opium Eau de Toilette, the lighter versions of the two big families.
