Rumba

Since this week I'm wearing RUMBA by Balenciaga daily in order to focus me entirely in on this extraordinary fragrance. Balenciaga's Rumba is a potent scent grenade , as it could not be stronger and more luscious for me. Someone describes it as "harmless" and suitable for warmer days, but I don't think so. On the contrary, I'm deeply pleased that many fragranticans do not perceive it as a " typical 80 firecracker ", which surprised me ... For me, Rumba is a madness mirage, as it could not be more intense and hotter . Perfect for the cold season. A composition like Rumba's one is no longer common today and it may shock younger noses. Rumba is an extrovert, fruity - chypre animal, floral, velvety and heavy stuff. Ultra feminine , seductive and hot. * Hot * would not be the right word for it: it's probably a mere understatement. In fact, it is fierce, sunny and dark, mystical and profound as Spain in XVI century would be: it is probably the scent that St. Teresa of Avila would have smelt during her visions. Rumba unfolds on my skin to a fiery scent cocktail. Two delicate whiffs and even my room smells enticing. This passionate fragrance is comparable to the strength and Sillage of Youth Dew, Opium or to older Oriental Serge Lutens fragrances. One can almost taste the Rumba on the tongue. The composition is balanced around waxe-y, sacred notes of honey and incense and they do not appeal to everyone for sure. It takes quite a bit of self confidence to wear Rumba. The fruity top note, especially the plum, floats throughout the fragrance flow which is probably obtained without banal synthetic-fruity manipulation. It smells more like a delicious compote or a spiced plum jam. The flowers in the heart notes form such a perfect unity that I can not smell one by one. Even the dominant tuberose for me is not recognizable and restrains, almost hides itself . The base note is similar to the overall impression, that doesn't change much during its impressive projection: more than 12 hrs. I would almost call it a linear fragrance, because everything is so harmoniously composed around honey and incense. You shouldn't overdose it, otherwise you'll probably induce a headache to the ones who dislike fierce fragrances. Everyone should be careful with this fragrance grenade. Ted Lapidus has taken Rumba in the 90's. Whether the smell has now also been reformulated, I can not notice any relevant difference between the old formulation and the recent one. My comment refers to Balenciaga's original .

Rumba is perfect for these cool coastal days and I will be enjoying this a lot in fall and winter months as well. I haven't worn it in warmest temps but it would probably bloom if modestly applied. I've had these little carded samples of Balenciaga Rumba for a long time. I didn't really pay a lot of attention to it as I have so many perfumes and samples as well. I had, however, been hoping to luck out and get some vintage Dior Poison but kept missing out. One day I was sampling the Rumba again and ran across the reviewer (conti-alessia) who mentioned this as being Poinsonesque. I kind of paused and it was like it finally made sense to me! I finally understood the lemming that Rumba was trying to answer for me! It really does have that same feel to me and I've forgotten about the Dior now. Rumba is my thing! I bought an older bottle of the Balenciaga version and when it came I sprayed it and thought it had gone bad. Then I remembered to spray it through the uptake tube and after that it smelled beautiful as ever. It is a smooth spiced floral and someone else mentioned it smelling like being surrounded but a hundred spiced beeswax candles. That's a very accurate description. Rumba makes me think of honeyed candied fruits and lush orange blossom bouquets. Rich and full and opulent. Here's the important part, DO NOT OVERAPPLY! This is a bold perfume and has potent power! One or two sprays strategically placed is perfect! It mellows down to a pretty scent that reminds me of a spicy clean smell not unlike the way clean fresh clothes smell (thank you Downy and Snuggle.) I mean that in a great way! I've also discovered that Burt's Bees lotion for dry skin is the perfect moisturizer to layer this over. B.B. has a soft vanilla scent and it gives the perfumed a honeyed base to go over. There's your PSA for today! So glad I didn't give a pass to Rumba! It's a new found love for my collection.

I was somewhat hesitant to even try this fragrance after hearing Rumba describe as loud and in your face. People who described it that way must have been talking about the Lapidus version because I'm certainly not getting that here. There is no denying this is a big fragrance, in line with other classical fragrances of its day, but it is not aggressive or overwhelmingly so. What I am getting are florals dripping in honey (love that tuberose 💖) combined with delectable, slightly boozy fruit. The addition of leather distinguishes it from other loves of mine in the same fruity floral vein, Dily's and Fath de Fath, modernizing it a bit and being different enough where it's not redundant having it in my wardrobe (as if I really needed a reason 😂). Though this starts out as a fruity floriental, it ends up as a gorgeous mossy, woodsy, fruity chypre. And despite the kitchen sink abundance of notes, I don't find it too much or unwearable at all, at least compared to other heavy hitters of the day. Then again, I did dab it on so spraying might give a more aggressive result. I am still curious about the Lapidus version though, but I can't imagine it smelling any better than this, especially since Lapidus is so inexpensive. I'm suspicious over whether the quality of ingredients is on par with this. Since I have my doubts about that I would like to get my nose on a sample to see if my suspicions are correct or not. Or even to find out if maybe Jean Claude Elena thought he might have been able to improve on the original formula. Whatever the case, as of now, I am just enjoying this mini that is so potent and long lasting with just a few dabs that I doubt I need anything bigger at the moment. It just occurred to me that this is how I imagined Rochas Femme would smell, but that pungent cumin note ruined it for me. So glad I found what I was looking for here.

Wow , what a perfume ! Very sparkling fruity opening which makes you think Rumba is a well chosen name : you feel like dancing beautiful gypsy dances ! Then a suprising spicy carnation appears to freshen fruits and ... what a second and big suprise for me : leather here is gorgeous as it is so well surrounded by santal ; oakmoss is not overwhelming and it is beautiful . A must have for all vintage strong perfumes lovers in my opinion as I find it quite unique .You would think of it as an oriental but in the end you feel the chypre soul : the rumba is danced by a couple unlike the gypsy Buleria :-) . A great BIG perfume and a perfect signature fragrance for these days ... if you apply lightly :-) In my opinion Rumba Passion by Ted Lapidus has nothing to see with Balenciaga Rumba . The former is a rather linear modern scent not to be compared in richness and depth to Balenciaga's and to classics in general and they do not smell the same at all as Rumba Passion is dominated by rose and patchouli . Anyway Rumba Passion is nice and longlasting too , both aspects are not that frequent in newborn fragrances unfortunately . I would never buy Rumba Passion but I could wear it sometimes as I ( strangely ) find its rose and patchouli pleasant for a casual scent . But Balenciaga's Rumba is another music and dance !

This is big 'ol fragrance from the 80's! Big, brassy, bold, in yer face! Even the bottle and packaging screams BIG 80's ... !!!!! First spraying amazing, big 80's, middle tones, big 80's but then comes the drydown and that is so gentle it's amazing too! Honeyed plum notes, the spices and vanilla just come together so beautifully! This is BIG and it shouts loud to start with. But so do a lot of the newer perfumes on the market - I can name Elie Saab for one - it is just that the newer compositions have, what we have come to regard as a more modern scent! But what is perfume - it is an art of composing a symphony to be worn rather than listened to; or it is a loving caress of our olfactory senses (no, not an assault on them as some of the more modern fragrance makers seem to think) it is like a beautiful piece of chocolate - to be savoured rather than gorged on! Rumba is all of these and more and I think the name could now be changed to Zumba rather than the more gentle Rumba; as it is far more complex, exotic and energetic.....!!!! You will definitely not be overlooked when you wear this and I can see it being worn perfectly with some of Balenciaga's more exotic haute couture gowns! NB: This review is for the Balenciaga version and not the Lapidus one!

If you like an old school powdery floral oriental chypre with leather, imagine one that fell out of the sky dripping in plum and honey and pretty much any desirable note you can think of and you have Rumba. It’s a dream fragrance if you like this style. Magnificent actually. The bottle is a little less than desirable and it has the bad plastic cap but just ignore it because what’s inside is worth it. It’s what a lot of people refer to as “old lady” and if you’re like me as soon as I hear that description I break out a note pad because that usually indicates something good. I have only smelled the old Balenciaga version with the dark juice. No idea what the newer one smells like. But the old Rumba will blow your socks off, again if this is the kind of fragrance you enjoy. This is a mega powerhouse so it’s a bit of a surprise that it was co-created by Jean-Claude Ellena. Rumba and First are quite a departure for him but when he decides to go large he goes to Jackson and doesn’t mess around. Scent is subjective and one person’s “OMG this is the best thing I’ve ever smelled in my life” is another one’s “meh”. For me, it’s a 10/10.

A good kind of garish does exist and it's something like Balenciaga Rumba. It is the pinnacle of kitchen-sink floral amber, boasting a grandiosity that has given it a cult status of sorts. A bitter marigold blast and tart raspberry contrasts with a thick prune-whip plum accord and honey drizzled all over a panoply of white florals, including an indolic jasmine. It has this throaty quality, smoky with bangs over one eye and dancing in candlelight—in fact, there is this beeswax candle facet just as the flowers start to hush. Then the line "she's got incense, wine, and candles, it's such a freaky scene" comes to mind as an incense sensation enters, and the musks and sweet leather funk in the dry down is super-freaky, too. In summary, Rumba is loud, rich, and takes no prisoners. Wear it daringly, or wear it sparingly. From its punchy pungency to its sensual smolder, this is either one for the completist or diehard collector (like me) or for a certain personality that has no fear. I mean, no fear, as in you will unequivocally get attention wearing this bold number.

**Update** I finally found a vintage sample on eBay. Not of the pure parfum but of the edt in a size no longer made, 10ml. LOVE. Now I remember the smoky nightclub smell. I carried the little bottle around with me yesterday. So it's been indeed reformulated and they took the tobacco accord out for the most part and replaced it with a plum/pineapple rush. The pure parfum is not the same as it was but still a gorgeous scent like no other. The original parfum was love at first sniff. Images of a smoky nightclub came swirling out of the bottle, with rich, aromatic pipe tobacco. A club that you had to go down a long stairwell to get into, well below street level. People inside were laughing and happy and wearing brightly-coloured satin clothes. The vintage edt remains on my arm after 24 hours. Would also make a fabulous masculine with the leather and tobacco notes. Get your hands on the original and don't settle. Anything that makes you want to carry the bottle around and sniff yourself all day? If black velvet had a smell, this would be it.

I had a bottle in the early Nineties and I purchased one a few years ago... I cannot really detect any difference between the fragrance I remembered and the one I can smell now. I checked and it is still the "Balenciaga" one, not the "Ted Lapidus" one, that seems to have been reformulated. Rumba is a very bold and sensual fragrance, starting with fruit, tuberose and jasmine and then slowly turning into strong incense and musk. It is not an every-day fragrance nor an office fragrance, and one needs to be careful because spraying too much of it could really make you and the other people feel overwhelmed! Very nice Eighties fragrance anyway, tremendous staying power and sillage. Update: last week I sprayed it on while I was wearing a sweater, then I put it back into the wardrobe... I just noticed that, after 5 days, some of the fragrance (a delicious creamy incense) is still there around the neck and on the sleeves. Its longevity is incredible!

Ok....I am not really at the point where I'm able to distinguish the different components of a perfume and describe them, so... I tend to review on how they make me feel. Rumba makes me uncomfortable.....like I'm taken to some wierd wig shop or laundr-o-mat from the 70's that's been left untouched until now. (Even though this scent was created in the late 80's...it's just what I picture). If i breathe this perfume in deep it reminds me of the smell of the warmth that comes off clothes just out of the dryer. I recently got my bottle in a trade with 1blondeangel and I am soooooooooo glad that I got it! It's creepy but I love it! It is strange and awesome! I really want to know what the creator of this scent thought when he/she decided that this was the final product! I will treasure weird Rumba forever!!!!

@Kelleysmall I never smelled the parfum concentration but I own an Edt old bottle whose box has no bar code so it was presumably produced before 1988 . It smells very strong and it has leather and oakmoss notes . I love it ! Is it possible that you smelled the recent Ted Lapidus version of original Balenciaga Rumba if you find it watered down ? So many notes were unfortunately banned in the last few years in perfumery : this is not breaking news ... Rumba is a powerful daring fragrance for women who also enjoy perfumes for men . I wear it often if it is not hot . I do not find it as elegant as the other Balenciaga old creations such as Le Dix , Fleeting Moment , Cialenga and Cristobal : Rumba is more for exuberant women than elegant and 'perfect' classy ones :-)

I really can't stand how people say "This would only be suited for going to the theatre or opera or dinner or a grand evening." It depends who you are and what you look like how you carry yourself. I wear this whenever I feel like it. I wear it to work and to the shops and out for dinner or with friends. I put a dab on both sides of my neck. I have had several compliments I think because I don't put too much on and I always try to leave the house well put together. I never lool scruffy so maybe I can pull it off. It does have a strong smoke odour that comes and goes but I have never put people off with it. Just use a little bit and please ladies, if you feel like wearing it, then wear it stop only wearing perfumes for a certain occassion. You only live once!

After mistakenly receiving Rumba TEd Lapidus and deciding to keep it, finally got my hands on Balenciaga Rumba to compare both. While their notes are identical Ted Lapidus Rumba feels heavier and more retro while Balenciaga is a more youthful rendition and yes they are very similar. I prefer Balenciaga more as it's lighter, easier to wear. Anyway, this is just such a nice smoky, sweet, leather, plummy, boozy, peachy, surprise. You will definetely notice honeyed marigolds and carnation. This is a sexy night time type of scent for a confident badass woman wearing her favorite leather jacket on a date. Moderate longevity. Something in it reminds me of another classic like Amarige. Simply gorgeous. In Love.

One feels as if they r following a trail of Musk and vanilla into the woods.Shortly u come upon a huge plum tree dripping with fruit.YOU look down and notice u r standing in a very congested flower garden that reaches uo to embrace u.Vines of jasmine,tuberose at ur feet,orchids growing here and there with their lovely throats reaching nout nto the stars!But wait,I look to the right,and there is a massive magnolia tree.White blooms with lil alien centers ,begging me to come and take in its beauty.I finally smell the scent of the trail again.its a very girly girl all vanilla and lace riding a horse on a magnifecent shining leather sandle.THe aroma leades me blindly on following this magical scent!

I'm not good at picking out specific 'notes' in perfumes. I use 3 criteria to judge a scent I initially like - can I still catch whiffs of scent hours after application? A scent can be very nice when you spray it on, but if it's gone in 3 hours, it's useless to me. - do total strangers compliment my perfume during the day? and does my husband say how nice I smell without being asked,"do you like this one?" Rumba passes muster on two out of three (no comments from total strangers yet, but I've only worn it a couple times so far).I'm afraid I disagree with Mals86,I don't find this elegant, and my husband detects a bit of skank (not a bad thing!) Not boring, I like it very much.

Vintage Rumba EDT to sum her up...TECHNICOLOR. "Technicolor became known and celebrated for its highly saturated color" This is technicolor in a bottle. Its fruity, its floral, its leather, its dry, its incense, it takes you everywhere with the volume turned up. I loved it. This is too much, expertly blended, big powerhouse perfume. Sometimes it nods to poison then changes her mind, morphs into something else. It is just bright, loud, flashy and wonderful. Just like Technicolor old movies... mousy, weak, subtle perfume lovers need not apply.... Edit: I also came upon the parfum in a black bottle. So chic, the plums and the florals.. richer than edt. Gorgeous.

Rumba. Wowza. Yes, what everyone has said before is true. Believe them. I was greatly reminded of great honey infused scents such as Teatro Alla Scalla, and Plum lovlies such as Rochas Femme. But.... What is absolutely knocking my socks off is that on me, this dries down to one of the most gorgeous leathers I've ever experienced. So.... a fun, wicked scent... for the beginning of the night when you are dancing with a handsome stranger, then... what follows is up to you. If this fragrance stays the night with you, you will be having a sultry and sensuous night, for sure.

Absolutely one of my favourite perfumes, and I mean the pure perfume, which seems to be impossible to find if you can't get it from Enchante; that's the only place I can find the real perfume. The edt is just not the same, but a very watered down version. When I bought this scent in the early 90's, it always smelled like a smoky nightclub. Lately, I cannot smell any leather accords at all but plenty of honey and plum, and pineapple for sure, but no leather or that rich "smoky" smell. They've reformulated. Still, there is nothing at all like it on the market - nothing.

I had completely forgot about this perfume until today when I walked by a vintage perfume store. It reminded me of my friend back in the 90’s. This was her perfume and once in a while she let me use it, back then I was not able to spend money on perfumes or anything that it wasn’t necessary. I cant wait to go back to the store when its open so that I can finally buy it after 20+ years. This is a very sexy provocative smell and performance is amazing! Very seductive. Im speaking of a vintage Rumba so early 90s

The force is strong with this one. This is the most outspoken cousin of the three incense sisters, ie, Rumba(BALENCIAGA, NOT TL), Tabu, and Ciara. This opens with a spicy (actually feel the spice in the back of my nose), fruity insence blast. I just discovered this at my front door at 7:40am, and my morning nose did get rather a surprise. Yes, it's hot, but I could imagine wearing this in summer as well. With a flowing maxi dress, hair out, and way too much eyeliner on. Sexy, mysterious, and loud.

@ Iris it ... no, not watered down, but recent versions (and I always buy the pure parfum) seem to be missing the leather and tobacco notes. It's just different. I still love it but the "smoky nightclub" aspect of it is gone :( It love the pineapple plum notes but this isn't the Rumba I used to buy and wear years ago. So many fine fragrances have been plain ruined by reformulation. Namely Shalimar and Vent Vert, Chloe, etc. Why can't they leave a good thing the heck alone? :)

I found a bottle by Balenciaga on ebay and I love it. There is plum, plum, honey and plum riding on a leathery base. There are also florals in the background, in fact, there is actually a lot happening back there, but plum definitely dominates. When I wear this it makes me think about drinking sangria and going to evening summer parties on the building rooftop. Rumba is not a wall-flower but the one who wears this is womanly, sexy, and ready to hit the dance floor.

Oriental woody? No. Chypre through and through. Beautiful. Intricate. Zesty with fruits... woods... herbs... and sharp, interesting florals amped up with aldehydes- all leading to a fabulous drydown that ends on oakmoss, amber, and patchouli, with subtle threads of animalic notes woven in. And it lasts... like, it's definitely detectable 24 hours later. Truly, I feel it's a shame that dense, complex perfumes like this aren't made anymore- what an absolute treasure!

I definitely have a nose. And, I disagree with most of the posts here. I do love Rumba. It is deep and seductive. It is heavy and sexy. But, it opens as a chypre and stays a chypre. It does have a spicy, woody mix that some might call floriental but this is not a floral and not fruity. It is not incense either. Not tobacco. Leather is a note but very well blended. This is a big perfume for those who like Balenciaga, carnation scents, chypres and spice. Love it.

Rumba, my love! :-)) I will always love Rumba, reminds me of the careless times when I was a student! I had Rumba in the early 90s when it was signed Balenciaga. I got a big bottle today and nothing has changed! Still the same rich and sexy scent that I remember. It is made by Ted Lapidus, but apart from this change, all stays the same, the perfume, the bottle, the box. Wear it at night, on special occasions, or when you want to hypnotize your man :-)

Mmmm, very unusual. Lovely plum, honey and dusty marigold, and lots of some exotic fruits and flowers all well blended together. Rich and memorable scent. Quite strong, but thankfully, not syrupy sweet at all though classified as 'sweet" and 'fruity floral'. Loud and retro, but pleasant and rather uncommon. I love to wear it in colder weather - cold crispy air helps making those wonderful dusty notes in Rumba be more pronounced and clear.

yet another mouthwatering fragrance! i have the Ted Lapidus version (edt). what could I say that not has been said? this one has quite a character, in a good way to me though. it is fruity, powdery, smokey so thick i feel i could bite it. Makes me wonder what the Balenciaga version was like - modernity usually means nowadays that they "water up" the big bold perfumes. This is one of those I am sure will use up a bottle.

This is really one of my favorite perfumes...yes, its really a strong fragrance but in my opinion its for those people who can dare to wear strong perfumes...its strong in a spicy and exotic way...very romantic and got lots of compliments every time i wear this...this perfume is more suitable to wear during night time...and the best thing is that it last a very very long time...would definitely get a new bottle. :-)

Back in the 90's, when I would walk past someone they would say, "I can smell.. biscuits, or incense" or something along those lines, as if they were surprised to smell that smell, where they were. I never got an insult. I much prefer the Balenciaga to the Ted Lapidus. I don't mind Rumba Passion, or Fever. Balenciaga Rumba stands out from the crowd. I treasure what I have left of my BalenciagaRumba! 😊 7.3.26

Vintage (Dark Juice) review: This is a realm perfume, and I truly respect that. Absolutely unisex, dark, rich, full, warm. Lasts 12- hours easily. If it but had a bit of a bite to it, say a little oud or vetiver, some sharpness as well, it might be my favorite. As it is, it deserves a place on the shelf of any true amateur of real perfumes. They don't make them like that any more.

This has been one of my favorites for years, but i can't wear it unless I'm going to be outside or moving around for a bit, cause it's overpowering until it settles! Rich and strong and delicious. There is a lady who gets on my train who wears it too, if i stand near her i get wafts of it. It cheers me up when that happens, smelling it on other people is so very nice.

Rumba simply is rich rounded lasting sexy perfume for special occasions, cocktail parties. It could also be weared in office for Bossy Woman. It is not 4 very young girls. Lady from 30 up to 50 could wear it. I love it on me it reminds me with the 80's dancing movies...It seems 2 me Tango dancing perfume more than Rumba I like it :-)

The scent of a 21st Century Fragrantican Sorceress! Carefully crafting her own spellbinding perfumes amidst endless vials of the sacred essences of velvety flowers and dark-skinned fruits, she works modern-day magic under the dancing flames of hot beeswax candles, and somewhere...one smoldering wick.

WOWSER!!!!! An IN YOUR FACE PUNCH of notes.... strong, aldehydic, floral, smokey, honey, leathery & boozy unapologetic 80's vibe. It takes NO PRISONERS......& I do love it this way. They don't make 'em like THAT anymore!!!!! So happy to own & wear this unique masterpiece of a gutsy fragrance.

Very fruity , strong , oriental and womanly. Definitely a "night" perfume , don't wear this at the office ! I like this scent, but wouldn't wear it , as said scorpiosheep , this is for the mature, sexy ,very sure of herself woman , that i'm not , he he he.

I ́m so happy I made this purchase! This perfume is very appealing and long lasting.Very oriental and inexpensive.I get the leather notes of Cabochard blended with flowers and a little touch of fruits that softens the sharpness of leather.Beautiful.

i love strong perfumes...thats why i love this perfume...its intoxicating...a fragrance u can really call a perfume...though not all can wear this one..but i got lots of compliments when i wear this.

I love this! The leather note is what I was looking for and it is there but there is also a softness that is so comforting. For some reason my skin and nose find basil favorable.

This perfume brings good memories to me. It was my teenager fragrance along with "Animal." I would like to try it again now that I'm in my forties.

True vintage. Projection through the roof. Stays on me for days. Beautiful musky honey, plum, moss and amber. I will always want to own one. 10/10

I have the vintage (very Dark juice) and it lasts 24 hours. Unfortunately the scent is unquestionably feminine. Plus it's soft, so not for me.

I just received this for my birthday and remember I used to wear it when it first came out. It's like meeting a dear friend once again!

i love Rumba. its a happy scent with lots of honey and it always lifts my mood. its distinct and warm. i dont think its too loud.

Galya, ma c`e` un`altra versione di Rumba?! La mia e` quella della foto ma non sapevo che e` di Ted Lapidus.

Another great Balenciaga masterpiece!! What a genius feel for fragrance do those people of Balenciaga have!

Difficult love at the begining, so complicated fragrance but it`s forever! Lasting long. Masterpiece!

BTW, ladies did you know the noses who made Rumba? They are Ron Winnegrad and Jean-Claude Ellena!

Well Christine, it is a good friend alright, that stayes with you all day!! FANTASTIC perfume!

fantastic, so rich and strong, my mother used to smell this, it allways remind me of her

spicy, woody, sweet; chypre, heavy, sexy, strong, long lasting; sweet, carnation