Acqua Di Gio vs 1 Million Paco Rabanne Cologne Comparison

For this edition of the head to head fragrance match ups, I want to do a comparison between two of the most popular men’s colognes, from the past few decades: Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani vs. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne. Which scent smells the best? Which has the better performance? Which is the better buy?

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Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. 1 Million

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

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1 Million

Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: 1 Million

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Opening

1 Million opens up with a blend of leather, rose, and citrus of blood orange and grapefruit. It’s quite sweet and bold, and creates a grape bubble gum like aroma from the jump.

Some folks aren’t too enthusiastic about the opening, but I like its charming beginning. This is all surrounded by a warm amber note. That amber warmth is enveloping and I really like the cooling sensation of the mint note that starts to peak through.

As it moves forward, it goes from sweet and cooler freshness to warmer spices, and a balanced period in between.

Acqua di Gio starts out with tangerine and bergamot citrus notes and a sea breeze note, which provides an upbeat and refreshing aquatic scent. There is also a floral aroma, provided by the jasmine. Some neroli and hyacinth, as well.

The citrus really comes across as a lemon and lime-led aroma. The newer bottles really have a nice amount of jasmine, when I wear it. Very nice.

Which is better? I really do enjoy both of these colognes and how each starts. Acqua di Gio has plenty of nice qualities, but I think I prefer the bold start of 1 Million. It is somewhat more interesting and has greater depth.

Though, coming back to both here recently, I have a great appreciation for wearing Acqua.

Edge: 1 Million

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Projection

Acqua di Gio isn’t a powerhouse fragrance. It is solid but moderate throughout the wear. 1 Million is pretty legendary, at this point, with its sillage and how it performs. 1 Million can fill a room, with not too many sprays, it’s a beast. This category isn’t close.

Update: 1 Million doesn’t have that same level of pop anymore, but it still does extremely well in comparison, and didn’t lose too much of a step. AdG is still about the same, but it gets lighter quicker.

Edge: 1 Million

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Longevity

Acqua di Gio gets me a consistent 6-7 hours of wear, each time I use it. Again, that’s a very respectable number, and good enough for most purposes.

Update: Newer batches that I’ve tried, are much more in the six hour range, maybe 5.5 hours much of the time. I can still get 7 occasionally.

1 Million, has always been 10+ hours, on my skin. Like, 13-15 hours into a wear, has not been uncommon. I haven’t tried newer bottles, so, I’m unaware of any reformulation. However, it’s always been top tier for me.

Update: Newer bottles only hit around 8, on my skin. Still, better than the current AdG offering.

Edge: 1 Million

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Versatility

This is where AdG has an advantage. This stuff can be worn in a wide variety of situations and climates and still work. It is a great starter cologne, daily wear, and is still versatile enough for dates.

It skews towards younger guys, but so does 1 Million. 1 Million is a colder weather scent with serious nightlife vibes. In fact, it’s a club staple, and has been since its release. It can be worn elsewhere, just have to go easy with it.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

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Overall Scent

Acqua di Gio is a really great scent and has been for a long time now. It’s just one of those colognes that you can throw on without thinking about it and feel comfortable that it won’t let you down.

It is a classic aquatic and will undoubtedly be a best-seller for a long time to come. If you’re in the market for an everyday wear, this will probably be a better option.

However, which is a better fragrance overall? I think 1 Million is superior and I prefer wearing it to the Armani cologne. It has a playful demeanor and women seem to really react positively to it, especially younger ladies.

I love the mint, leather, rose, citrus, and amber warmth. It’s so sweet and still smells really good to this day. Yes, it has more of a limited versatility than does AdG, but it makes up for it with the aroma and superior performance.

But again, if you want a greater use case all around, go with Acqua di Gio. The citrus, wood, and marine aquatic breeze is still amazing to come across after all of these years.

Winner: 1 Million