Black XS by Rabanne

Bought it as inspiration and it smells like soft pineapple, probably due to the lemon mixing with the sweetness. Reminds me of lemon or pineapple candies; it’s very light and makes me think of Bogoss or Qaed Al Fursan. If the original is like this, I’d go for something more potent and masculine like Hacivat or Hawas Black.

Amazing perfume! I found it for $50-$60, cheaper than usual. If you get a chance, try it. It’s an EDT, so it projects more than it lasts, but it’s a beast, and if you can get it cheap, all the better. The original packaging is the best; the new Paco Rabanne version isn’t bad but doesn’t reach the 2005 version. It’s incredible for anyone over 15, citrusy and sweet but super masculine, a beast for the night. 100% recommended.

I remember it as very sweet, youthful, and novel for its time. I’m not sure if it was the mix of praline and patchouli, but there was an ingredient that made it incredibly rich and candy-like. I’d love to have it back just to remember those years, but currently it’s not my style, though it was definitely a precursor to what this designer was releasing.

I got it back around 2008. I was used to fresh marine fragrances, wearing CK ONE a lot for uni, also nautical. But the salesperson at the perfumery told me to try this, saying it was novel and youthful. I tried it and loved it because it broke the mold. I started using it for the nights out that never stopped, and people always asked what I was wearing; I felt exclusive since almost no one in my circle wore it. A plus was the bottle, totally black in the shape of a Zippo lighter, I loved it. What a shame they changed the packaging; I’m thinking about buying it again but I hate the new one, plus I heard they reformulated it and it doesn’t feel like that wonderful mid-2000s classic anymore. In terms of performance, the 2000s version projected and lasted exceptionally. I’d use it again for the nostalgia.

REVIEW OF THE OLD VERSION (2005-2017): 2 HOURS OF PROJECTION, 8 HOURS ON SKIN. SCENT: Sweet and spicy opening with a light citrus touch. As it dries down, the citrus disappears leaving praline, cinnamon, and cardamomo, with an ambered vanilla base and deep patchouli. USES: 100% for night, ideal for winter or fall. Perfect for parties, dates, or dinner. It’s heavy, not for heat or daily wear. For me, it’s not 100% youthful; it was popular almost 20 years ago, but usable from young adults to people in their 60s. It reminds me of late 2000s electronic parties: Converse, dragon jeans, lumberjack shirts, gel hair, and music at full volume. SYNTHESIS: If you love sweet and spicy perfumes, this is for you. The post-2018 version (new bottle) lost some qualities, but it didn’t age poorly and still fits current trends. For nostalgics, there’s no comparison: it remains a night classic.

If you bought the 2018 version in the new bottle, please review that one instead, because the one in the black bottle has nothing to do with the current formula. The scent doesn’t even come close, although the longevity might be similar. It starts with a zesty lemon, then moves to sweet and spicy notes, with a praline base that’s very chocolatey, patchouli (that classic 90s vibe), and black amber. It’s nothing like the grey icon; there’s no marine or aquatic notes here—just dark resins like balsam and incense. This is a beast for night outs and parties, not for these cool evenings we have now, but for those freezing zero-degree nights I remember from 2009. It’s a shame what they did to it (conceptually similar to Axe Dark Temptation), but Perfumes Europeos in Mexico and LatAm already has an excellent vintage copy. Switch and move on for now. My keyboard is glitching and my computer won’t let me type properly, damn it. Blessings.

A blue fragrance with a sweet touch thanks to the praline. It’s fresh… not a heavy, cloying perfume!

One of my favorite Paco Rabanne fragrances.

Hi friends, let me tell you, I went to a small-town pharmacy to buy aspirin and spotted the heavenly image of an XS Black in the 2005 Zippo-style bottle in the window. Obviously, I was hooked and emptied my wallet to buy it. The excitement of opening it and seeing the 50ml bottle—slim, elegant, textured—was incredible. Even more exciting was spraying it three times until that expected explosion of liquid. The batch number corresponded to November 2022, impossible!!! But then I read that that number repeats every 10 years, meaning it has 11 orbits around the sun… But it’s fantastic: sweet, fruity, caramel, and woody. The praline from back then and the wonderful patchouli. The 2018 bottle adds three more notes: carnation, citrus, and ebony, making it more citrusy and woody, less sweet. A marvelous find and it wasn’t cheap, almost as much as the current one, but it was worth it.

I was able to try the old version, and it’s a great perfume: sweet but not gourmand. It has a very refreshing opening, feels very masculine, and has excellent performance. Quite versatile in my humble opinion, preferably for shoulder seasons, day or night (though it’s here, in the evening, where I think it shines best). Rating: 8.5/10

I bought the set when it was new and it was a beautiful, special experience. An aroma that surprised me, like several others in the set. Totally recommended.

I remember Iggy Pop doing the ad for this gem. It’s an exceptional and versatile perfume, the best from Paco Rabanne in recent years. It has good projection and longevity that can be overwhelming if you overdo it, something newer creations lack. The perfect balance of its notes has created a timeless, refined, and authentic vanguard; a scent that only generates good memories. Cheers.

This scent is a gem. I have two well-vintage bottles that I hope will last me forever, and a sealed one I’m not sure dates to 2019-2020 but with the old Zippo-style bottle. I have it for sale, interested parties via private message.

I love this perfume; it has an exotic and exquisite aroma, also addictive. I gave it to my husband as a kind of self-gift for myself, haha, I love smelling it on him.

Hello perfumers. A delightful fragrance, but as far as I remember, the old bottle was discontinued. What happened is that the other day I saw it online on a trusted site for 57€ for 100ml and I took it. For me, it still seems to be the same composition as the old formula, although I’m not an expert by any means. Whatever the formula is, it still smells delicious.