Christian Dussoulier10 fragrancesPortrait →
Olivier Cresp273 fragrancesPortrait →
Rosendo Mateu59 fragrancesPortrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Rabanne · Sold as masculine
Black XS
The backstage after a high-energy concert, where spicy sweetness mingles with the lingering smoke of incense.
Full bottle: Mid-range tier, typically $40–100. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Black XSMid-range · $40–100
89%Similar accords, often for lessAl Basel · Swiss ArabianBudget tier, under $40 · shares 6 of its 10 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
HeartThe Soul
BaseFoundation
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2005 by Rabanne, Black XS was created with an explicit rock-and-roll, transgressive persona that drove strong sales momentum among young men. Perfumers Olivier Cresp, Rosendo Mateu, and Christian Dussoulier crafted a fragrance that opens with the bright freshness of lemon and sage before diving into praline and cinnamon for a sweet-spicy warmth. The base notes of tolu balsam, black cardamom, patchouli, Brazilian rosewood, and black amber create an intense, smoky finish. Black XS has become iconic not just for its bold composition but also for spawning numerous limited-edition flankers that capitalized on its youth-market popularity.
Apply Black XS to pulse points for maximum impact — its bold notes project well but settle into skin over time. The praline and cinnamon are most noticeable in the first hour before giving way to the rich base notes, which develop gradually throughout the day.
Fig. 01 — Black XS, Rabanne
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Christian Dussoulier
Two decades between Givaudan and FirmenichChristian Dussoulier is a Master Perfumer trained at ISIPCA who began his career at Givaudan, where he worked for eight years, before spending fourteen years at Firmenich honing his craft as a fine fragrance specialist.
Co-created with Olivier Cresp and Rosendo Mateu
The Black XS line
14 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Rabanne
More from the house · France
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Love it, not the price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalBlack XSRabanne · Mid-range · $40–100Swiss Arabian · 2014Al BaselShares 6 of its 10 notesunder $40★ 4.15 (55)65%Match
Zara · 2017Man GoldAll 5 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 3.97 (476)53%Match
Swiss ArabianShaghaf MenShares 6 of its 15 notesunder $40★ 3.87 (474)46%Match
ZaraZara Man GoldShares Lemon, Praline and Cinnamonunder $40★ 3.99 (428)
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Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 41%, disliked or hated by 15%.