Black Opium Neon by YSL

Black Opium Neon is one of the flankers from the best selling Saint Laurent line. I’m making my way through the perfumes from this line, in order to catch up on the reviews. Today’s entry was released by YSL in 2019. How does Neon Smell? Does it last long? What are the differences? Is it worth a buy?

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What does Black Opium Neon Smell Like?

Notes include: coffee, dragon fruit, mandarin essence, orange blossom, jasmine

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Neon EDP 2.5 oz 75 ml Women NEW

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My Full Review

Let’s see how YSL describes this perfume: When dark coffee meets the vivid & audacious dragon fruit. A vibrant & luminous addiction flashes through the new Eau de Parfum Neon.

Upon first spraying, Neon is noticeably different from the original Black Opium EDP, but you can still pick up the DNA of the original. After all, they still share coffee, orange blossom, and vanilla notes.

However, the weighting is completely different, as the coffee and especially vanilla are toned way down. The opening gives you a very citrusy smelling blend of dragon fruit and mandarin orange. I like it, as it gives Neon a nice burst of energy and a fairly tropical vibe.

That’s another aspect of this one that I like, Black Opium Neon is ultimately a lighter fragrance without the heavy embrace that the original could have.

To me, the opening act is mostly the fruit notes sitting on top of a prominent orange blossom with some jasmine thrown in. It feels sweet in more of a candy-like way for a gourmand. Like, more bubble gum and Starburst versus a baked goods gourmand.

During the dry down, is when I really start to get the original Black Opium vibes. I can pick up more of the coffee and vanilla notes, but really it becomes about the floral notes. Like a softer version of the original, with the fruit remnants still lingering.

Then, the very end of the road is a pretty faint by this point, coffee accord. A little orange blossom, still in the mix. It’s kind of surprising that the coffee is really the last one standing, but that’s just what it is.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This isn’t a heavy fragrance, nor does it have a crazy amount of projection. Actually, it’s pretty moderate as a whole. From the description, I was expecting more of a loud club banger, but Neon doesn’t fit that bill.

I mean, you could wear it out in the nightlife, it’s just not going to fill a room. Spraying it on a t-shirt, I could pick it up from about 6 feet away, at its max. On the skin, it seems to be around that same level.

This one has a bit better staying power than Illicit Green, but not too much. On me, it’ll go just over six hours, maybe getting close to seven. However, it’s not going to be a massive double digit hour perfume, on skin.

Seasonally, it isn’t limited to the autumn and winter like the original. But also, it isn’t one for the summer months. Depending on where you live, it’s probably good through late springtime.

Neon feels more well put together than the original, with a somewhat more mature vibe. Not to say it’s old lady-ish, but the heavier coffee and vanilla gourmand features aren’t popping out as much.

This can be worn in a variety of situations, day or into the nightlife. You’ll probably just have to reapply if you’re making that transition. Neon isn’t a formal fragrance.

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Overall Impressions of Black Opium Neon

Overall, do I like Neon? I do. In terms of how it smells, I like it slightly better than the original. It has more balance, is lighter, and I enjoy the fruity top notes. Dragon fruit is a nice touch.

The performance and sillage isn’t as good. Not terribly bad wear, but it doesn’t hit the same level as its predecessor.

If you didn’t like the original Black Opium, I doubt that this would change your mind. If you already own Black Opium, you probably don’t need this, unless you want to round out your collection.

For those who are just in the market for a Black Opium fragrance…it’s worth a shot to see if you prefer this edition. It’s not way better, but I have a bit of a preference for how Neon comes across.

Neon is one of the better releases from this line, but not the best of them.