YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum vs Yves Saint Laurent Y Eau de Parfum

These are two different fragrances for two different wearers, so the choice is mostly about who you are shopping for. Black Opium is a women's gourmand built on coffee, vanilla and orange blossom, warm and sweet, and it suits evening and date wear. Y Eau de Parfum is a men's fresh woody fougère of bergamot, sage and geranium over tonka and vetiver, versatile for daily wear and special occasions. Y has the far larger review base and a strong reputation for longevity; Black Opium's following is smaller here but loyal, and its 1.7 oz bottle is the more compact of the two.

• Choose the Black Opium if you want a sweet, coffee-and-vanilla women's scent for evenings and date nights.
• Choose the Y Eau de Parfum if you want a fresh woody men's fragrance that works from the office to a night out.