What does it smell like?
Main smell: warm spicy and woody. It opens with carnation and plum, moves to carnation and honey and dries down to oakmoss and patchouli.
- Came out
- 1991
- Lasts
- 6 to 9 hours
- Best in
- fall
Basic Black notes
Top notes
What you smell first
Heart notes
The main smell
Base notes
What stays on your skin
Smell profile
Main accords
How strong each part of the smell is
Best seasons and time of day
Bill Blass Basic Black EDC in detail
Basic Black EDC comes from Bill Blass. This one is the Eau de Cologne.
Who will like it
The strongest accord is warm spicy (100%), followed by woody and amber. You will probably like it if you enjoy warm spicy and woody smells and notes like carnation and oakmoss. Less obvious notes include ylang-ylang, ylang-ylang and civet. Perfume fans rate it 3.96 out of 5.
Basic Black through the year
The best time of year to wear it is fall. It is less suited to summer. Ranked by season: fall, winter, spring and summer. Its warm smell feels best when the weather is cold.
Price and value
The usual price in Europe is about €29. That makes it one of the more affordable picks. It costs less than Jil Sander #4 and Ungaro Diva.
For work or for evenings
It works better at night than in the day, so it is a good pick for evenings, dinners and going out. Its warm spicy side feels cosy and rich after dark. For daytime, Jil Sander #4 is a lighter match.
Bill Blass perfumes worth knowing
The house has 15 perfumes here, led by Hot, Nude and Amazing.
How far Basic Black spreads
Projection is strong: people around you will notice it. Two sprays are usually enough.
Perfumes that smell like Basic Black
Similar picks to try: Jil Sander #4 (16 shared notes), Ungaro Diva (14 shared notes), Paloma Picasso (12 shared notes) and Parfums Gres Cabotine Variety (14 shared notes).
Quick answers
When did Basic Black come out?
It came out in 1991.
Can men wear Basic Black?
It is made for women, but anyone who likes the smell can wear it.
Does it last long?
It lasts about 6 to 9 hours on skin.