Best Opium (1977) by Yves Saint Laurent Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

White is a bright and lively fragrance built around the friction between hot spices and suave florals. The cinnamon, clove and cardamom opening suggests candied red hots, which makes it all the more surprising when the melange of rose de Mai and lily of the valley softly asserts itself. The undertone of tagete, with its bitter herbalness, keeps White from getting too “pretty-pretty”.

Tiger Rouge summons the mythical Red Tiger, embodying the soul of the Indian wilderness. Fierce black pepper, pimento and paprika contrast with blood orange and lemon myrtle, with cinnamon and cloves weaving through the landscape. Muscular Hainan oud and Indian vetiver put meat on the bones, while rose, cherry and pomegranate add bright, voluptuous beauty.

The green, relaxing scents of the Tuscan countryside blend with the liveliness of exotic spices. Cypress and Cinnamon, Bay and Pepper, Tomato and Cardamom leaves all dance together to create a rich, fresh, unique fragrance.

Santal takes its inspiration from a Sandalwood fragrance originally created in the 1800s which has then been given a distinctive contemporary edge.

Warm sunshine at twilight. Tangerine dances with bergamot in this cashmere, jasmine and patchouli-based choreography. With a whopping 50% of perfume oil, this extrait is persuasive enough to beguile any unsuspecting soul who crosses your path.

This monster of an “anti-perfume” is simultaneously clean and dense, the olfactory interpretation of the building material. Aptly encased in a grey concrete bottle, this eau de parfum is an astonishingly diffusive blend of sandalwood, rose and spices, with a powerful smoothness that mimics the material's satisfying surface.

This perfume is perfect for the time-travelling adventurers among you, perhaps going incognito as a runaway princess at a fin de siecle European royal court.

In 1864, Prince Oscar of Sweden and his wife Sophie bought the Skabelycke estate overlooking the majestic Öresund strait, where they created their summer palace.

This summer palace is known today as Sofiero (Sophie-Ro) one of Europe's most beautiful parks.

As you step through the gates of Sofiero, you are enveloped by a calm feeling of happiness as a sea of flowers floods your senses with hundreds of different forms and colours.

The perfume is designed to transport you to this floral paradise on a warm and sunny summer day.

From the park you wander into the palace, where the antique wood panelling emanates nuances of sandalwood and amber, infused with fresh sea air through the open windows.

Let this sumptuous formula transport you to Sofiero.

Silphium was a plant widely renowned as a spice, medicinal herb and perfume ingredient throughout the empires of classical antiquity, outshining both saffron and cinnamon. It was praised by Greek philosophers and writers, as well as Roman emperors and cookbook authors. The demand for Silphium eventually became so overwhelming that it was harvested to extinction, and the taste and smell of the once greatest spice in the world were lost in time.

This extinct plant was reconstructed by researching assumed relatives of Silphium, using aromachemicals (the molecular building blocks of scents) to create an accord reflecting historical descriptions. This is set against a background of ancient incense, woods and leather.

Gothic balsams: smoke of the ritual fires, quiet splashes of jasmine, moist earth, frankincense, deep woods. ​

Starring

(these fragrant materials reanacted the Dark Side of the Goddess  story):

Myrtle e.o.
Bergamot e.o.
Juniper berry CO2 extract
Frankincense e.o.
Frankincense abs
Benzoin abs
Patchouli e.o.
Cedarwood Atlas e.o.
Vetiver e.o.
Myrrh e.o.
Cassia abs
African wormwood e.o.
Nutmeg CO2 extract
Ylang-ylang e.o.
Jasmine sambac abs
Jasmine auriculatum abs
Castoreum tincture
Cinnamon e.o.
Tagetes abs

Important notice:

Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).

Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.

However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.

Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.

Terram captures the Mediterranean embrace of autumn. The path winding up from the beach is silent. Sweet aromatic notes of dry soil and clifftop pines float in the air. A haze of ambery benzoin and dusty patchouli settles over musk. Warm, woody, still — this is a fragrant mood that comforts and lulls.