Men’s Fashion

9 Fragrances that Smell Similar to 1 Million

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1 Million by Paco Rabanne has been a best-seller and dominant nightlife fragrance, for over a decade now. It’s success has bred plenty of imitators  to try and capture the lower end of the market.

With so many options out there, one could effectively recreate much of what 1 Million gives you, for a lower price. In this post, I want to provide eight options for guys looking for a cologne that smells similar to this famous scent.

Scents that are Close to 1 Million by Paco Rabanne

Apple Inspiration

Woody Green Apple by Dossier– Woody Green Apple is Dossier’s take on this type of aroma. Perhaps not the same level of spice as the Paco fragrance, but it matches most of what we want, for a cheaper price and with solid performance.

The apple, mint, and grapefruit come on nicely, early in the wear. Then, things will warm up with the cinnamon, tobacco, and floral notes.

This currently runs for $29 per bottle, as of this update. Super value proposition for what you get with Woody Green Apple.

Elixir Alternative

Error 419 by The Dua Brand– 1 Million Elixir is the popular flanker right now, of the original 1 Million. Error 419 is the ‘inspired by’ alternative to Elixir from The Dua Brand.

Elixir is a scent that starts out with a strong apple note, flanked by floral notes that have a fruity tinge to them. The opening is sweet, warm, rather unique versus the original while paying homage.

The dry down will be more about the vanilla note, rose, cedar, and tonka bean. Freshness and smokiness sit underneath.

This is a Dua that I have yet to try, but I have owned over ten from this brand and they do a great job. If you want something that smells like 1 Million Elixir, this is probably your best bet.

Another Inspiration

Santorini Sails by Oakcha– Here’s another option that is inspired by 1 Million. I don’t really get the name in relation to the Paco Rabanne, but the notes line up with what you’d expect.

I haven’t tried this or any scents from Oakcha yet. But, with all of the positive reviews and the inexpensive price point, I figured that I’d add it to the list for those that want to try it out. As of this update, it’s priced at $30 per bottle.

If they can get the weighting of the notes even somewhat correct, Santorini Sails should be a great deal.

Royal Flight

Le Male Airlines by JPG- This is a flanker from the Le Male series by Gaultier, that I picked up shortly before I purchased my bottle of 1 Million Royal. I was also probably $40-50 cheaper, at the time.

Though, limited supplies of this one may have changed, depending on when you’re reading this.

Note: this is different from the travel edition of the original Le Male EDT, I’ve also seen that labeled as airlines, but that’s just a different box. Check my picture below, Airlines is a different cologne in a darker blue bottle.

This is an alternative, that has a lot of close overlap with the newer Royal. Citrus, cedar, lavender, and cardamom (especially) are the notes that are shared between these two colognes.

Airlines is both sweeter and has a spicier cardamom note than the one found in Royal. The citrus note is less of an influence than what you get with the Paco Rabanne. Granted, the cardamom is also heavier.

The dry down isn’t the same, but as a 1 Million Royal alternative, this is really quite nice. I prefer Royal, but would take this if it were priced at a heavy discount versus Royal. Le Male Airlines Review

Sweet and Inexpensive

Lomani Ab Spirit Millionaire Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce– If you want a low cost close impression of 1 Million, Ab Spirit Millionaire, can fit the bill. I mean, it even takes the gold color scheme of the Paco Rabanne, and utilizes it.

This one is much more vanilla, than what you get with 1 Million, but you do get a warm, sweet, and somewhat spicy fragrance. As it dries down, the amber and spices become more pronounced.

You won’t get the beastly projection, Millionaire is more moderate, but the longevity is good. For the price, it’s worth a try.

The Super Cheapie

Cuba Royal By Cuba, 3.30-Ounce– Royal is a fragrance, which often gets compared to 1 Million by Paco Rabanne, and it is easy to smell why. Royal is warm, starts off quite sweet, and has plenty of tobacco/spice during the dry down.

Is it an exact match? No, but when talking about a $10-12 option, it is close enough. For instance, this doesn’t have the same leathery scent nor the distinct mint.

While this is fairly strong, it doesn’t have the same sillage or staying power as 1 Million. Nonetheless, Royal is a fantastic option, particularly as a nighttime wear for guys who want to save money.

A Subtle Secret

Antonio Banderas The Golden Secret for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 6.75 Ounce– There is a distinct similarity between The Golden Secret and 1 Million by Paco Rabanne, beyond the bottles looking closely related, they also share many of the same notes.

The Golden Secret is like a more subdued version of 1 Million, with slight differences that become noticeable, once you have worn both colognes. Out of the options, this might be my favorite smelling one, just not the strongest of the bunch.

The Golden Secret has a nice leather note and some spices from ingredients like mint and nutmeg. Smooth and masculine.

Similar but Different

Armaf Club de Nuit Man Eau de Toilette Spray 3.6 Ounce– Club de Nuit is a really good value play. Compared to 1 Million, it isn’t as sweet, but has an amber-laden profile.

That being said, it isn’t a super heavy spiced cologne, but it is there. It has a soft powdery quality at times, during the dry down, with a nice touch of leather.

Armaf is probably the least like 1 Million, out of the bunch, but it is related and has its own lovely quality. Plus, the performance is really good.

Halloween Time

J. Del Pozo Halloween Man Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– This one is kind of different from the rest, with its sweet fruity/boozy apple martini start, before it settles into something closer to 1 Million.

At that stage, it has the usual leather, amber, and cinnamon notes. It’s got that same sort of spice, with a similar sweet aroma to our subject. It actually sort of reminds me (at times), a bit of a 1 Million flanker called, ‘1 Million Cologne’. Interesting stuff.

There is a cumin note in here, that some people don’t really like, but it does get better further in the wear. Which, it’s understandable when it mixes with that apple martini. Still, this one can be a decent pick up for really cheap.  Halloween Man Review

7 Fragrances that Smell Similar to Cool Water

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Davidoff’s Cool Water, was released in the late 1980s, and has been a very popular men’s cologne ever since. The current formulation, isn’t quite the same as those original bottles, but it is still a very nice scent.

With such popularity, there are going to be similar options or just straight up clones of such a fragrance. With Cool Water, I think there are fewer (probably zero, to my knowledge) exact matches of its aroma.

However, there are some select fragrances, which come very close while providing their own unique experience. In this post, I will present seven such options, of colognes which smell similar to this Davidoff classic.

Colognes That Smell Like Davidoff Cool Water

Vintage Inspiration

His Dua Water by The Dua Brand– As I said, the newer formulations of Cool Water aren’t exactly the same as the vintage bottle. However, the Dua Brand has released their take on this scent, based on older bottles of this Davidoff classic.

His Dua Water aims to recapture the magic of the late 1980s edition, all while still hitting that super affordable price point.

I haven’t personally tried this one out, but I have bought a bunch of other fragrances from the brand. The usually get very close to the designer perfume that they’re inspired by. It can take a few months for the cologne to reach its full potential, so, don’t panic if it’s not exact at first…it’ll get better and better.

The High End Alternative

Green Irish Tweed By Creed For Men. Millesime Spray 4.0 Oz (Packaging May Vary)–A masculine scent that dates from the 1980s yet still has amazing drawing power even today. It is categorized as a fresh woody smell featuring notes of lemon verbena and sandalwood.

The opening of Green Irish Tweed is a mossy woodsy sort of scent. Is this very similar to Cool Water? Yes, for part of the time, but not the whole wear. It also lacks the aquatic aspect of the Davidoff. Not exact, and GIT, is a better fragrance.

After it’s initial opening period, however, I feel like GIT really comes into its own with a smooth citrus vibe, which is refined and elegant. Green Irish Tweed has a bit of a blend between soapy and powdery, during its dry down.

This is probably my favorite part of the wear. The performance is really quite nice. The sillage is strong enough to be noticeable, but not overwhelming. Plus, it will last long enough for a full work day.  Review of Green Irish Tweed

The Super Cheap Option

Aspen by Coty for Men 4 Ounce Cologne Spray– A fresh, green, and woodsier version of Cool Water. Aspen has that great sandalwood note, that is flanked by a prominent fir tree aroma.

This isn’t an overbearing forest smell, but is fairly well-blended, for a fragrance that is so on the inexpensive side.

A full bottle only costs around $10, and provides a similar yet unique, take on our Davidoff scent. It is a drier cologne, Aspen comes across as a wooded version, of the aquatic Cool Water.

The performance for something at this price point, is actually pretty solid. It’s not amazing but it doesn’t completely crap out, a few hours in.

A Bit of Cool, a Bit of Tweed

Egra Men by Rasasi– This one is another inexpensive option that can mimic lots of what Cool Water brings to the table. Especially, in the dry down phase. Actually, Egra Men also has overlap with Green Irish Tweed, while also still doing its own thing.

A bit spicier than the Davidoff scent early on. Sweeter and lighter than either GIT or Cool Water. It’s more of a GIT-like fragrance in the opening, then, becomes fresher and more akin to Cool Water.

Fir, oakmoss, and spruce give this cologne a greener quality than what I experience with the modern Cool Water bottles. I’d say that the Davidoff also, has more of an aquatic feel. This still gives you a violet leaf for the ozonic aspect of the aroma.

Overall, this is a pretty good fragrance for the price. Something different, with some softer iris notes, juniper, and some different woodsy ingredients.

Herbal, Less Aquatic

Bond No.9 Chez Bond Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce
Violet, sandalwood, and various citrus scents make this one a winner. One of the better scents from Bond No. 9’s collection.

Chez Bond is fresh and clean, plus, works well on both males and females. This also lacks the aquatic accord of Cool Water, but makes up for it, in other ways.

Chez Bond has an herbal tea-like opening with its actual tea note plus lemon and leafy greens, adding further depth to the arrangement. It feels airy and warm just like a cup of tea.

As it dries down, Chez Bond’s more substantial notes come into play. It’s a forest sort of smell with cedar and sandalwood elevating to the top to join the tea. This one is suited for everyday wear. Casual or at the office.  Read my Full Chez Bond Review

Smoother and Floral

ARMAF TRES NUIT 3.4 EAU DE TOILETTE SPRAY FOR MEN– Tres Nuit has a similar aroma to Cool Water, while taking a much more floral approach, to get there.

Iris, violet, and lemon verbena, are highlights of this fragrance which come together to create a fairly solid aroma close to that of our target scent.

This one has a more powdery finish and less of the soapy sandalwood. It is fresh and probably a smoother interpretation, of this sort of style.

A very nice lemon fragrance, with sandalwood, and the powdery floral notes. Another one, which lacks the aquatic element. Still, a very nice wear for the price.

A Distant Inland Cousin

Trefle Pur by Atelier– Ok, this isn’t going to be one to go with, if you want a near copy of Cool Water. However, Trefle Pur strikes me as a distant relation, with a similar structure.

Noticeably, you’re not getting the marine accord or the tobacco.

This one is however, quite green and fresh with its notes. For example, instead or mint, you get basil up top. Moss and musk are in the base. Neroli in the middle.

It’s a greenish floral fragrance for men, with enough spice and earthy/woodsy notes to keep it interesting.

Won’t be for everyone, and Trefle Pur is much more expensive.

10 Great Paco Rabanne Colognes

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Paco Rabanne has long been a big name in the fragrance world. However, the designer brand, has really come to prominence commercially this century, thanks to the success of the initial 1 Million. Just about everyone knows that cologne or has come across it, but what are some other top men’s fragrance options by Paco Rabanne.

In this post, I want to take a closer look, and give my take on what are the top scents from their line and link to my own full reviews of them.

Favorite Paco Rabanne Perfumes for Him

Note: I am again updating this post, to add new releases and indicate those fragrances which have been discontinued. Some of the fragrances are difficult to find, while others are still pretty available online.

Nonetheless, I still want to keep a record of those harder find colognes, for those who are interested. Plus, I didn’t want to have to populate this list with the Phantom line, which frankly isn’t all that good.

Best Overall Scent

Paco Rabanne 1 Million Prive Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– There’s no doubt in my mind, that 1 Million Prive, is currently the best release by Paco Rabanne. The rest of the list isn’t in order, but I’m putting this as number 1, regardless.

Update: This one got discontinued. Which is sad, it really was a great cologne from Paco Rabanne.

It took what the original did and improved upon it. Prive is darker, more mature, and just smells better.

The fragrance is super warm and features an opening of apple and cinnamon. Yes, it has that 1 Million signature of sweet and spicy, but it also includes myrrh and tobacco to keep it from being overly sweet.

It doesn’t have the same insane sillage of 1 Million, but it is still strong, and lasts 9-10 hours on my skin. 1 Million Prive is awesome, full stop. This one is fairly underappreciated, it seems, but it is a fantastic scent.  Read my Review

Most Popular

1 Million by Paco Rabanne for Men – 6.8 Ounce EDT Spray– Always among the most popular and best selling colognes on the market. 1 Million has truly become a classic men’s fragrance and it is hard to go wrong with a bottle of this stuff.

While initially, it was weird to have an opening act that smelled similar to grape bubblegum, 1 Million endeared itself to so many people with its awesome sillage and performance. Update: It has lost some of this power, over the years. Still pretty good, however.

I love the blood orange and leather notes, here. I feel like this one has much more depth, than people seem to give it credit for.

This is an all nighter. A cold weather scent, that can absolutely shine on the bar/club scene. Warm, masculine, with spice. Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes.  My Review

Best Invictus Fragrance

Invictus Intense by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– This is my personal favorite from the Invictus line, it is darker, and indeed more intense than the original.

It might not be for everyone because it is a very boozy scent. You might also go with Invictus Legend, for a mid-point between Intense and the original Invictus.

Invictus Intense doesn’t have that same initial fruity burst, as the original. It is less sweet and the fruit notes are more subdued.

Invictus Intense instead opts for a warm amber with the marine accords. Then, you get a great malted aroma (whiskey), with orange blossom and woody undertones. This one seems smoother and more refined.

It’s warm with a slight spice, still enough sweetness, and good performance. It’s similar, yet different enough from the original, but just more pleasant for me to wear. Invictus Intense Review

Another Invictus Option

Invictus Victory– Update: For the last update that I did to this page, this replaced the original Invictus. Since then, Invictus Victory Elixir (see below) was released and is slightly better. But, this still deserves a spot on the list.

I also like the original and Invictus Legend, if you don’t want a warmer gourmand version, like Victory is.

The opening act gives me a nice dose of lemon, a general warmth, and a peppery kick to round things off. As it dries down, that’s when it becomes more of a vanilla and amber based cologne.

Quite gourmand and delicious, much more of a crowd pleaser scent, and outdoes the original EDT.

Sweet, with some tonka bean to offset the vanilla, but the latter note is really dominant between them. The projection isn’t too huge, but solid, and it will last for a long time on skin.

The Elixir Follow Up

Invictus Victory Elixir– For many, this will probably be your best bet from the Invictus line nowadays. Intense isn’t around as much (and not for everyone). Invictus victory Elixir is a crowd pleaser and great performer.

This is more focused and concentrated than the version listed above. It starts off being resinous, warm, with a good deal of vanilla from the jump. A bit of pink pepper and cardamom spice, with some light citrus touches.

Neither of which lasts too long. From there it’s a smooth and creamy blend of amber, vanilla, and tonka bean mostly. It has its fresh highlights and a period where the lavender really shines.

This is a well done mix from Paco Rabanne and absolutely deserves a spot on the list. Invictus Victory Elixir review

Cold Weather Fresh & Sweet

Pure XS– Pure XS is one that still kind of flies under the radar. The performance isn’t as good as the others on the list, though it isn’t terrible either. However, the aroma is very nice and can be an absolute joy to wear.

It starts off with a boozy liquor aroma, paired with fresh and spicy ginger/cinnamon, and the sweetness of vanilla and sugar. It turns warm and a bit resinous with the myrrh note and an underlying leather.

The dry down is mainly the vanilla and myrrh, which is quite cozy after the initial bold and confident start. Good stuff.

Update: Seems like the Pure XS line also got the axe. I’d go with Pure XS Night between these two or just go with Invictus Victory, if you cannot find a bottle anymore. As of now, it’s still widely available online.

Top Aquatic

Paco Rabanne Invictus Aqua Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– One of the latest flankers to the original Invictus. Invictus Aqua adds yuzu to the grapefruit note found in the original and than amps up the marine notes, in the beginning.

I really like it at this stage and the inclusion of the pink pepper distinguishes it from the other fragrances in the line.

It is fresh, sporty, with a slight soapy quality. Aqua dries down into a much woodier cologne. The end of the wear, is almost a pure sea water aroma, on my skin.

I’m not too much into that aspect, but the rest of the fragrance is good. The projection is decent and it went for over 8 hours when I wore it. Invictus Aqua Review.

Note: This was discontinued. However, they brought it back in limited quantities. If you want it, grab a bottle now, in case it goes away once again.

Another Elixir

1 Million Elixir–  1 Million Elixir doesn’t reach Prive levels of enjoyment for me, but it’s about as good as modern bottles of 1 Million EDT. Maybe even better, depending on your style.

For some, this will be the one to go with, if you don’t like the original EDT.

Vanilla and tonka bean will come to be the major players in this one. But, the opening is fruity and floral. Actually, the floral notes, outside of the rose come across as fruity. There is a nice apple note, a sweet osmanthus, and a rarely used davana.

It’s fresh and warm, without being too overbearing and heavy. There is a bit of the usual 1 Million spice in the blend, thanks to some unlisted cinnamon. But, this mostly comes across as a sweet fruity mix that transitions into a vanilla/tonka dominant one.

The longevity is great and Elixir won’t disappoint with its power to project. Elixir Full Review

million elixir review

Another for the Younger Crowd

1 Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne Eau de Toilette Spray 100ml– Probably the most youthful and different fragrance released under the 1 Million name. It is sweet and woody with a nutty aroma provided by hazelnut. It opens up with a tart plum note, citrus, and honey.

Update: This one is discontinued. Go with Royal instead, if you can’t find this. Actually, Royal is better, just find that one if you want this same sort of sweetish style.

This is paired with cedar and amber to create a warm, creamy cloud of almost edible sweetness.

This isn’t one that I can personally wear everyday, but, once in a while I really like putting it on. Mainly, for the plum and hazelnut combo, that aren’t present in all that many men’s colognes.

This one isn’t as strong or long lasting as its predecessors, but it still has a pretty strong sillage, and 6-7 hours of wear. Very nice with good versatility. 1 Million Lucky Review

Best Nightlife Fragrance

PURE XS NIGHT by PACO RABBANNE for men 3.4 Fl oz – I wanted to add another newer fragrance to this list and thought about including 1 Million Parfum. That one has a very enjoyable opening, but I think Pure Xs Night is better overall.

This one takes aspects of the original Pure Xs, lowers the booziness, and amps up the warmth and gives it more of a spice. Caramel, vanilla, and a bit of cacao. What’s noticeable is the ginseng note, that puts a different twist on things.

Delightful mix of spicy opening and a sweet gourmand type of dry down. Night has a thickness about it, like a nice enveloping cloud of scent.

Pure XS Night has a stronger sillage than the original, on my skin. Yet, it is still limited to the colder weather or late autumn or winter. Not one to wear in heat, it will melt. Pure XS Night review

Update: Discontinued, as noted earlier.

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Ranking The One Colognes by D&G

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The One from Dolce & Gabbana is a line of fragrances that keeps chugging along and releasing new flanker scents. I recently revisited these colognes and also tried the one’s that I hadn’t gotten to yet, in order to do reviews for the site.

I figured that I should also create a ranking list of the best The One colognes for men, as a more accessible guide on the topic. So, here that is.

Ranking My Favorite Dolce & Gabbana The One Colognes

The Best

The One EDP– After going back over this entire lineup, the number one option is still The One Eau de Parfum. Taking everything great about the original EDT and adding depth and better performance. 

I grabbed a new bottle for myself, after years of not having any in my collection, just based on re-testing the EDT version.

I personally pick up more grapefruit in the early stages of EDP. That amber and tobacco combination is beefed up and is so fantastic when it hangs in the air. 

You do still need to go heavy on the sprays for this one to perform. With my bottle, I can get 6+ hours and sometimes around 8 with a good amount of spraying. Still not amazing, but it’s what you’ll probably need to do, if you really want to enjoy The One. The One EDP Review

the one edp review

Sweet, Warm, Fruity

The One Luminous Night– For some, this is the best of the entire line. I still think that it’s a notch below EDP, but I also have a bottle currently being shipped to me, since I got a decent price finally.

One thing is for sure, Luminous Night is the best of the limited edition Night colognes that has been released thus far. Update: If you can’t find this, Dua has their inspired take on this cologne.

The opening is a contrast between colder and fresh notes (basil and sage) versus the warmer sweeter notes, highlighted by its signature use of dates.

The fragrance will get warmer, sweet but not overly so. Amber, incense, and woods will round Luminous Night out and creates a fantastic cologne. Nice performance, not a complete beast, though. Luminous Night Review

Update: With my full bottle of this stuff. It can be hit or miss, as to how much I enjoy it. Sometimes, it seems completely like a sage and basil dominant fragrance. Other times, you get a more balanced use of the dates. 

It’s great on occasion, but not something that I want to wear on a daily basis, even in winter. Which, is when it is at its best. Still, a cologne that I’m glad I picked up when I could.

The Original Release

The One EDT– With the original, I will always love how this smells. But, the performance is bad. So, just get the EDP, since it’s basically  the same (more or less).

The EDT will get the third spot, but it wouldn’t be the one to buy, unless you really want to spray the heck out of yourself daily.

Revisiting this original version was great. That light grapefruit note, basil, and the warm amber tying everything together. It’ll only stick for 3-4 hours, if sprayed a lot in the same place, and that’s the main gripe. 

Again, just get the EDP and maybe one of the others that you like. The One for Men Review

the one for men review

Best of the Second Tier Options

The One EDP Intense– This one sort of gets overlooked, as it is the Intense version of the EDP, and doesn’t nearly hit the same level of enjoyment. However, I think that it is actually underrated, and is definitely in the top half of The One releases.

This opens up with a cooler blend of spice and woods. Sage, cypress, and cardamom are all apparent from the opening. A nice amount of spice, but this is a woodier version of the formulation, much like Royal Night (listed below). 

Neroli and cardamom have their moments, but this one actually has a leather note which will come to lead things and a resinous labdanum note, instead of just being the usual amber. The One Intense Review

A Spring/Summer Remix

The One for Men Grey– Grey often gets a bad wrap when compared to some of the others that I have placed below it. While I don’t think that it’s spectacular, The One Grey is marginally better than the others and changes up The One formulation.

What’s the deal with Grey? Well, it’s basically a summertime version of the original formula. The grapefruit in the original is given a large role, the fragrance is lighter and fresher, with much less of that tobacco and amber.

The opening goes bold with an array of spices, complementing the citrus. I get a lot of the basil, but there’s also: cardamom, sage, and coriander. All given more prominence in this when compared to EDT or EDP. 

The vetiver, lavender, and tobacco come out more later on in the wear. It’s clean and an easy one to wear on the warmer days of the year. The One Grey Review

Bold Spice, Dry Wood

The One Royal Night– I actually thought ahead of trying both of them, that I might prefer Royal Night to Luminous Night. But, that wasn’t the case. This is pretty good, but ultimately not a must have for me. A missed opportunity for something great.

Royal Night goes heavy with the spices up front. It goes with the usual cardamom and basil notes, just really amped up, and adds nutmeg. I like it, the spice is dynamic and pretty captivating.

Actually, the cardamom, basil, and nutmeg is a preferable spice mix for me versus the sage and basil of Luminous Night.

Yet, that part is short-lived. The cardamom and cedar notes have there phase, also. However, the dry down is pretty boring with just amber and woods. Super dry and while it doesn’t smell bad or anything, kind of loses its steam, as Royal Night progresses. Royal Night Review

royal night review

Peppery Vanilla and Lavender

The One Gentleman- The One Gentleman is another fragrance from this line, that I thought I would like more than I actually did. 

This one has a spicy punch early on. The usual cardamom from the rest of the lineup, along with a bigger dose of pepper. It kind of contrasts with the sweetness and creaminess of the vanilla note, but I sort of like how this starts off.

Then, it’ll dry down into more of a vanilla and lavender combination with only lighter bits of spice popping through. It’s got too much freshness and sweetness for me. It gets annoying to wear after a while.

I don’t totally hate The One Gentleman, but it’s not one that I’d really ever reach for either. The One Gentleman Review

Best Performer, Not a Great Scent

The One Mysterious Night– Mysterious Night will be near the top for some people. For me, it’s near the absolute bottom. But, in terms of performance this one is loud and lasts for ages, unlike some of the others.

I bought a travel sprayer decant of this and wore it a few times, before having enough of it.

The main trifecta here is rose, oud, and saffron. I personally love saffron as a note, but have grown to almost hate the repetitive combination of oud and rose, that has become a signature of every high-end designer.

But, if you like those notes, here is an affordable option that is actually blended well. I just cannot get into it. Mysterious Night review

 

Blood Orange Freshness

The One Gold for Men– I actually would personally rather wear this than Mysterious Night, but I can’t really say that it is a great cologne. I don’t want bottles of either, but Gold isn’t all that bad.

This is a heavier use of citrus than even Grey. Along with, aromatic spices. Here you get a strong blood orange, clary sage, and cardamom. Ginger, however, is the strongest of the spicy notes.

That will fade, then you get an earthiness and cold freshness with geranium. Not a complicated fragrance. It has its enjoyable moments, but not really worthwhile Very similar style to Legend Red by Montblanc, but also not as good as that one. The One Gold Review

Last Place

The One Sport- This version came out over a decade ago, following up the success of The One EDT. It’s by far the worst in the series and one that you probably won’t come across in the wild nowadays.

If you merged the bad performance of the EDT with a bland fragrance, you essentially get Sport. It actually reminded me of the old Deep Energy by Adidas, the difference being that fragrance used to cost under $10, while you paid D&G prices for this. The One Sport Review

Best Smelling 1 Million Cologne Flankers

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The 1 Million line of colognes from Paco Rabanne have been super popular for over 10 years now. Since the dominance of the original, the brand has released a bunch of more flanker scents, under this same banner.

The question then is, which is the best smelling scent overall? In this post, I am going to name what I think is the best of the 1 Million line up, and what are the next top fragrances thereafter. I will link to my reviews on each, where relevant.

Favorite 1 Million Fragrances

The Best 1 Million Cologne

1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– To me, Prive is the only 1 Million release from Paco Rabanne to fully surpass the original. Others, I might feel like going with depending on the day and my mood.

It is a fantastic scent and had to be, in order to grab this number 1 spot. It starts off with apple and cinnamon, with a darker and richer quality to it, than the original.

Then, you add tobacco, tonka bean, and mandarin orange and you have a spicy/sweet blend with a great warmth. Plus, an intoxicating smell. The longevity and sillage are really good, not to the same level as the original, but the overall smell is better.

It has been discontinued, so, the bottles are a lot tougher to come by nowadays. Which is sad, this was great. 1 Million Prive Review

The Original

1 Million by Paco Rabanne for Men – 6.8 Ounce EDT Spray– The original fragrance. It’s still a best-seller, after more than a decade. It’s loved and it’s hated. Honestly, I still think it’s a great cologne.

Not something that I want to wear all of the time, but something that I highly enjoy when the time comes. The opening is a combined leather, rose, and citrus. Which, when taken together can have quite a candy-like aroma.

Then, you get cinnamon spice and warm amber. It’s fresh, bold, enveloping and quite an attention grabber at all times. 1 Million is no longer the best of the line, but it’s still a classic. 1 Million Review

The Elixir

1 Million Elixir– A newer release, since I first published this post. 1 Million Elixir doesn’t reach Prive levels of enjoyment for me, but it’s about as good as modern bottles of 1 Million EDT.

For some, this will be the one to go with, if you don’t like the original EDT.

Vanilla and tonka bean will come to be the major players in this one. But, the opening is fruity and floral. Actually, the floral notes, outside of the rose come across as fruity. There is a nice apple note, a sweet osmanthus, and a rarely used davana.

It’s fresh and warm, without being too overbearing and heavy. There is a bit of the usual 1 Million spice in the blend, thanks to some unlisted cinnamon. But, this mostly comes across as a sweet fruity mix that transitions into a vanilla/tonka dominant one.

The longevity is great and Elixir won’t disappoint with its power to project. Elixir Full Review

million elixir review

Royal

1 Million Royal–  This is the 2023 release from this line, 1 Million Royal, which I picked up a full bottle of when it came out. So, I had to update this list. For me, I have it rated roughly the same as Elixir, it sort of depends what kind of mood I was in as to which I’d choose.

A light citrus top opens things up, but Royal is really highlighted by its cardamom spice and the benzoin note lurking around that.

This will change as lavender comes in to split duties with the cardamom. Then, finally each is taken over by the benzoin note during the dry down.

Royal has an above average sillage, while not being an absolute bomb. The performance is just over 8 hours, on my skin. I have been enjoying this release, alongside my new bottle of the original. It’s well worth checking out. 1 Million Royal Review

Parfum

Paco Rabanne One 1 Million Pure Parfum Natural Spray For Men 100ml / 3.4oz– 1 Million Parfum is an interesting take on the formula from this lineup. It might be little better than Lucky, but it’s pretty neck and neck.

It’s sweet and semi-tropical up top. But, that’s combined with a leather note, white florals, and a solar accord that does make this Parfum seem like it is shining. It’s kind of a beachy version of 1 Million, at least early on.

The end? It’s kind of disappointing. The tuberose note plays a big role with leather. You get some fresh pine and ambergris. That opening though, is sort of terrific to wear. 1 Million Parfum Review

A Past Intensity

1 Million Intense– Intense was one of the early flanker fragrances from the series. It has been discontinued for a long time now. So, it’s pretty much on the list just for further depth, as finding a full bottle won’t be cheap.

But, I grabbed a sample online that was for sale, to revisit this one. This is where it lands on the list for me.

It comes out spicier and rougher than the original. Though, there is still a sweet mandarin orange note up top. Cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and pepper all come out in the initial stages of wear.

Then, it’ll become smoother with rose and neroli, finishing up close to the original 1 Million EDT.

This one is a nice fragrance. The opening act is great. The performance is beast mode. Again, it’s just not around much anymore. Intense Review

A Golden Oud

1 Million Golden Oud– This is a special edition flanker, that isn’t going to appeal to everyone. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of oud, but this is a really approachable example in the designer colognes space.

The leather and oud are apparent from the jump. Though, this one has some really nice spicy facets early on from black pepper and nutmeg. I get some saffron and this has a balsamic note in the heart, which comes through well about 15 minutes into the wear.

It’s sweet, slightly smoky, woody, and leathery. For some people this might be their favorite of the series, it just probably doesn’t have the mass appeal as the rest of the best sellers.

Performance is great. Well-blended mix of spice, leather, woods, and more.

Lucky Fragrance

1 Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne Eau de Toilette Spray 100ml– 1 Million Lucky is probably the most unique and distinct from this line of scents. Yes, I have it ranked down here, but I actually really enjoyed wearing this sweet cologne at times.

It opens up with plum, honey, and citrus. Lucky is quite sweet and tart, but really comes into its own with the nutty hazelnut note. It shares amber, patchouli, and cedar with the others on this list. So, mostly the base notes of 1 Million.

However, this goes for a more youthful blend with honey and hazelnut, being the main driving force. The performance and sillage is good, but doesn’t hit the same levels as the others.

Overall, though, 1 Million Lucky is well worth wearing and a fun cologne. 1 Million Lucky Review

One More Past Release

1 Million Cologne by Paco Rabanne Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 oz for Men – 100% Authentic– This one is less known and I don’t even think they make it anymore. So, you’ll have to get it online.

It’s actually called ‘1 Million Cologne’, which is really confusing, and an utterly stupid name when people refer to men’s fragrances as ‘cologne’ quite often. As such, you’d think they were selling the same original 1 Million.

However, this version is pretty damn good. It has sort of an original 1 Million scent mixed with elements of Invictus. It’s got huge sillage and longevity, with an aquatic note throughout. That marine aroma and the grape bubblegum smell at the opening, does give of an Invictus vibe.

Though, it dries down with a stronger rose note; also with leather, tonka bean, patchouli, and orange. This gets overlooked, but I still like it a lot, and will throw on some from my mini bottle every so often.