1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne

Today, I want to cover another entry from Paco Rabanne. This time it is a new take on the 1 Million name, entitled, Prive. Prive was released last year and as a flanker, retains some of the original elements of One Million, just taken in a slightly different direction.

As usual, I’ll cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase. Update: I have come back to this fragrance, to add to the review, after a few years of use. Also, Prive is now discontinued.

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What Does 1 Million Prive Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, apple, cinnamon, myrrh, mandarin orange, tobacco

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Prive Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

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My Full Wear Review

Prive is a flanker fragrance to the wildly popular original, 1 Million cologne. I actually really like 1 Million, so I was excited to see how they changed things up with Prive. Immediately, I enjoyed the smell of this stuff.

The cinnamon note is stronger than the original, and blends with the apple, to give it a sweetness that isn’t as candy-like as 1 Million.

1 Million tends to have that grape bubble gum opening and Prive is cinnamon applesauce at the start, in my mind.

Prive is darker and feels more mature than the original, though. Then, there is that lingering bit of citrus provided by the Mandarin.

Prive feels like Paco Rabanne took elements of the original and then bolted on other ingredients from Armani Code Profumo and added some myrrh and tobacco to round things out.

The tonka, apple, and mandarin are all notes that Prive has in common with Code Profumo, which makes these two scents seem related.

I love Code Profumo and really enjoy 1 Million, so Prive was right up my alley. The tonka give it that similar ‘creamy vanilla’ aroma that is present with Code Profumo.

As it dries down, Prive becomes much more of a cinnamon spice and sweet tobacco blend that is really quite lovely. 1 Million Prive is the type of fragrance, which envelops you, as you wear it.

It is very cozy, at its base, with the cinnamon and patchouli spice giving the composition a greater edge. This is a pretty straightforward scent, for the most part.

The final dry down, gives me: tobacco, tonka bean, cinnamon, myrrh, and whatever is left of the fruit notes.

The myrrh is an unsung hero in this fragrance. It adds a layer of depth and just a hint of exotic smokiness, that really sets Prive apart, from the rest of the 1 Million lineup. It’s odd that they went from this, back to a super sweet composition with 1 Million Lucky.

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Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, Prive does a great job. I will say, that it isn’t as heavy and intense as the original 1 Million, but it is well above average in this regard. It’s not a scent that requires much in the way of spraying to be effective.

Longevity, it is very long lasting, 9-10 hours appears to be the norm. Prive isn’t as good of a performer as the original, but it is damn good.

After using this cologne many times, I’d call its sillage strong for 3-4 hours, and then moderate thereafter. I consistently get that 9-10 hour range of wear from this cologne. Doesn’t seem to want to go beyond that on my skin, not that it’d need to in most scenarios.

I like this scent for colder weather, not sure how it’ll hold up in the heat, but I think it’d be out of place. Update: Coming back to this fragrance, it’s not great in the heat. Stick to the cold to moderate temperatures.

I could see wearing this scent casually, at the office, or school…BUT I think it’s made mainly for the night life.

Prive is a excellent selection for dates or just hitting up the bar scene. I have worn it out on the town, a good number of times, and have gotten lots of complements from different people. It’ll get noticed, but won’t be overwhelming those around you.

Personally, I can spray it on almost anytime during the winter and be fine with it. The versatility is probably its weakest point, though.

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Overall Impressions of Prive

Overall, would I recommend 1 Million Prive? Yes, I like it a whole lot. Code Profumo and 1 Million were two of my most used scents over the winter, along with Man in Black. Seeing how much similarities it shares with the first two, it’s hard for me not to like it.

If you don’t like warm, sweet, cold weather fragrances…then you might want to skip this cologne. However, I think this is another hit from Paco Rabanne, and might actually become my favorite from this designer.

Update: 1 Million Prive, is the best 1 Million fragrance, in my opinion. It beats out the original and even the newer release, Lucky. Update (Again): It’s no longer available. None of the others in the series, is quite like it. However, Elixir and Royal are two of the better editions of the 1 Million line.

Actually, it’s among the best designer colognes, available right now. It takes what was great about the original and adds a level of maturity.

The sweetness is there, but it isn’t overwhelming, nor is the sillage. It’s delicious, comforting, spicy, and stylish.