Fragrance comparison

Version Black vs Basic Instinct

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 189 ratings analysed

Version Black

Ulric de Varens

3.9537 votes

Rank #18,062 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Basic Instinct

Van Gils

4.05152 votes

Rank #9,033 OzonicAquatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basic Instinct takes 4 of 8 categories.

Version Black
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Basic Instinct
Choose it for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Version Black3/8

Basic Instinct4/8

Ratings & consensus: Basic Instinct
Community sentiment: Version Black
Longevity: Basic Instinct
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Version Black
Versatility: Version Black
Note pyramid (duration): Basic Instinct
Fragranxe ranking: Basic Instinct

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Version BlackUlric de Varens

Basic InstinctVan Gils

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 59%Had 15%Want 26%

4.05/ 5 · 152 votes

Have 65%Had 35%Want 0%

Category winnerBasic InstinctRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

19%Love

65%Like

8%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

37 votes

38%Love

43%Like

11%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

152 votes

Category winnerVersion BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityBasic Instinct

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value81

Category winnerVersion BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

lavender69%

floral61%

ozonic100%

aquatic92%

citrus84%

woody77%

sweet69%

white floral61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

CitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangePineappleNutmeg

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderFreesiaViolet

Base4-6 hrs

MuskWoody NotesTonka BeanPalisander Rosewood

Top15-30 mins

CucumberMelonMandarin OrangeLavenderBergamotPineappleNutmeg

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomRoseVioletJasmine

Base5-7 hrs

MuskRumWoody NotesOakmossPatchouliAmberVetiver

Category winnerBasic InstinctLongest dry-down: 5-7 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall42

Winter17

Day100

Night32

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter7

Day100

Night39

Category winnerVersion BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex15

Women4

Casual 47%Work 32%Date 12%Party 9%

Men86

Unisex12

Women3

Casual 40%Work 33%Date 15%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,062

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#9,033

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerBasic InstinctHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Do not let the dark name fool you. Version Black by Ulric de Varens is not a heavy, brooding night scent. Instead, it bursts open with a bright blast of mandarin orange, tart pineapple, and fresh cardamom. The initial alcohol lift settles quickly on skin, revealing a clean heart of French lavender, delicate violet, an…

Reviews →

Basic Instinct by Van Gils delivers an invigorating rush of crisp cucumber, sweet honeydew melon, and bright mandarin orange right out of the nozzle. Created in 2002 by master perfumer Pierre Bourdon, this scent captures the golden era of early two-thousands aquatic freshness with an unexpected twist. Instead of disso…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Version Black or Basic Instinct?

Basic Instinct takes 4 of 8 categories. Version Black is rated 3.95/5 from 37 votes; Basic Instinct is rated 4.05/5 from 152 votes. Choose Version Black for a citrus and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Basic Instinct for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Version Black or Basic Instinct?

Basic Instinct lasts longest (Basic Instinct 60/100, Version Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Version Black or Basic Instinct?

Projection is very close: Version Black 52/100, Basic Instinct 52/100 for sillage.

Do Version Black and Basic Instinct smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Pineapple, Nutmeg and Lavender.

Is Version Black or Basic Instinct better for summer or winter?

For summer, Version Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Version Black is the stronger pick. Version Black suits daytime wear; Basic Instinct suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Version Black and Basic Instinct?

Version Black has top notes of Citruses, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Pineapple, heart notes of Lavender, Freesia and Violet, a base of Musk, Woody Notes, Tonka Bean and Palisander Rosewood. Basic Instinct has top notes of Cucumber, Melon, Mandarin Orange and Lavender, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Rose, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Rum, Woody Notes and Oakmoss.