XS Cologne: The Story Of A Cologne

February 7th, 2012 · No Comments

by Evelyn Bodhi

In 1993, the cologne XS Pour Homme was launched by the designer Paco Rabbane. The perfumer behind this creation was unknown.

XS Paco is available in the eau de toilette concentration. Fragrances generally come in one of four types of concentrations: eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, and parfum. Eau de cologne is made up of about 2% to 5% perfume oil; eau de toilette, about 4% to 15% perfume oil; eau de parfum, about 10% to 20% perfume oil; and parfum, about 15% to 25% perfume oil. Therefore, the percentage of perfume oil in XS Cologne is between 4% and 15%.

In 1983, Michael Edwards created a system for classifying perfumes called the Fragrance Wheel. According to this classification system, there are fourteen different Families. Paco XS is part of the Aromatic Family. Dominant notes of lavender and aromatic herbs are characteristic of perfumes classified as Aromatic.

Aromatic Family is further subdivided into four separate categories. These categories are Fresh, Crisp, Classical, and Rich. These categories are all distinctly Aromatic, however the fragrance notes get richer and deeper as you go from Fresh to Crisp to Classical to Rich. Paco Rabbane XS belongs to the Fresh subdivision.

There are three segments that make up a fragrance’s life, which are labeled Top Notes, Middle Notes, and Base Notes. These segments occur because each Fragrance Notes that composes a cologne or perfume has differing rates of volatility or evaporation. Therefore, XS Pour Homme goes through three distinct stages.

The Top Notes for XS Paco consists of Rosemary, Lemon, Bergamot, Mint, Tarragon, and Mandarin Orange. These fragrance notes evaporate quickly, only lasting up to 20 minutes.

Middle Notes are the most dominant, and usually last for the majority of the perfume’s life. The Middle Notes for Paco XS are Coriander, Juniper, Sage, Bourbon Geranium, and Brazilian Rosewood.

The Base Notes for Paco Rabbane XS include Amber, Patchouli, Vanilla, Musk, and Sandalwood. They are the longest lasting qualities of a fragrance and help to slow down the evaporation of the lighter notes.

What makes the Michael Edwards Fragrance Wheel so great is that it can help you find fragrances that you would like but never even knew existed. These fragrances Photo by Lagerfeld, Higher Energy by Dior, Gendarme for Men, Equipage by Hermes, and Lomani for Men are also in the Aromatic Family. Chances are that you will like them.

About the Author:

Evelyn Bodhi is a Perfume commentator for Perfume Shop Advisor, a website that has more info on XS Pour Homme. She has worked in the Fragrance industry for nearly thirty years.

Tags: Beauty Products