Men’s Fashion

5 Best Smelling Invictus Colognes

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Invictus by Paco Rabanne has been one of the best selling fragrances of this decade. Naturally, due to its success, it have spawned a bunch of flanker fragrances from the original. When you get so many incarnations under one name, you start to wonder, which you should choose.

In this post, I am going to give you my top Invictus colognes, out of the original and all of its flankers. This list is in order, from first to fifth, and I have linked my reviews of the selections.

Ranking My Favorite Invictus Colognes

Invictus Victory Elixir– It seems like Paco Rabanne is just going to keep rolling out new fragrances under the Invictus name. Which doesn’t sound interesting on the surface, but the Victory flankers were both among the best of the series.

Victory Elixir is the better of the two and my favorite of the line thus far (I do still need to try the new Parfum).

Victory Elixir starts off with a strong vanilla and amber blend that is dotted with a spicy mix of cardamom and black pepper. Creamy, warm, and even a coconut-like aroma that sits underneath it all for a while.

Tonka bean and lavender also make appearances. It’s got a freshness that keeps it from getting completely bogged down in sweetness and amber. Still, that’s a lot of the main attraction, but it’s a great experience from this brand. Invictus Victory Elixir review

Invictus Intense by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– I had a mini splash bottle of Invictus Intense, which I wore when I wanted the Invictus experience.

To me, this was the best of the lineup, at one time.

At least, in my mind. 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, 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

Invictus Victory– Alright, updating this list, I have to add Victory here. It’s still not my favorite of the lot, but I think it’ll be a better option for most guys ahead of Intense…since that booziness may not be your thing.

Update: Victory Elixir is a bit better than this one.

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. Victory review

Invictus by Paco Rabanne for Men 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray– The mandarin orange and grapefruit opening of Invictus, has grown on me over the years. Now, I really do enjoy spraying it on at times, and reveling in the sweetness.

I’ve worn this and Intense, while trying to reconsider each, to see if I still favored Intense versus the original. Answer: Yes, but I have a greater appreciation for what Invictus is.

The candied fruit and aquatic elements are really nice at the top, but the bay leaf in the dry down, isn’t nearly as good. It is fresh, but it becomes somewhat soapy with jasmine, and has a clean wood base.

It’s cool. I know that lots of guys like wearing this stuff, and I count myself among them. However, the whole wear isn’t amazing, and not as good as Intense. Invictus EDT Review

Paco Rabanne Invictus Legend EDP Eau De Parfum For Men 3.4oz– Invictus Legend has more in common with Invictus Intense, which is probably why I like it, as a flanker. Even though, it is still pretty new, Legend does enough to earn the third spot on the list.

Though, I don’t find it to be as good as the first two. It does however, surpass Invictus Aqua, which loses a lot of my goodwill with its dry down.

I do still need to spend more time with this scent and a full review will be on its way fairly soon. Legend starts off sweeter and has more of an oceanic vibe than does Intense. It’s salty, fruity, and aquatic.

Then, as it dries down, you get more of the Intense amber-laden aroma but it’s still kind of different. You also will get some more spice, than Intense. Invictus Legend is sort of an amalgamation of the different Invictus scents, but it works well. Invictus Legend Review

This is my current list, as of now. I may come back and rearrange the list, if Paco Rabanne releases a new one (which they totally will). Also, if I happen to give higher marks to Invictus Legend, the more time I spend with it. I don’t think that will be the case, but sometimes, my opinion evolves.

7 Awesome Azzaro Colognes for Men

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Loris Azzaro has been a house which has created popular and affordable men’s perfumes since the 1970s. These scents aren’t anything that out there or niche in any way, however, the colognes smell good and give guys an opportunity to wear different types of scents without breaking the bank to do it. Which is why, some of these scents have been best sellers for decades.

Here, I will keep track of the releases from Azzaro and add or subtract to the list based on new releases and availability.

Note: I have come back to this page to update it, some five-plus years after the fact, and make some changes to the list.

Favorite Azzaro Perfumes for Him

The New Best Wanted Cologne

The Most Wanted for Men– Wanted by Night had been my favorite from this Azzaro line. However, it has now been succeeded by The Most Wanted, which is better than either of the previous incarnations.

The Most Wanted opens up sweeter with a bit of spice. The cardamom note, actually plays two roles, spicy and giving it the impression of a lemon-like fruitiness. Beyond that, you get smooth caramel and bourbon vanilla to make this a delicious gourmand.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a thick or super heavy fragrance. The Most Wanted actually comes across as fresh with vetiver and a woody green aroma wafting up from the base. The performance is great and this is one that can easily be a romantic wear or nightlife classic.

Update: This is my favorite of the line and from this brand. The Most Wanted Parfum is right up there too. But, I still prefer this version slightly more.  The Most Wanted Review

The Popular Best Seller

Chrome Cologne for Men 3.4 fl. oz Eau De Toilette– A very clean and fresh cologne that can become a man’s daily wear fragrance at a very inexpensive price. Chrome is simple yet a quite potent blend of citrus notes.

Chrome starts off with it strong juicy citrus notes of pineapple and lemon, giving the cologne a bright and upbeat disposition. These two are joined by a very nice neroli, giving chrome a further semi-soapy cleanliness.

During the wear, you will notice aquatic aromas, a slight metallic air, and woods at the base. Chrome is a classic, still has a good performance, and smells great all these years later. Very easy to wear and perpetually popular. Chrome review

chrome

The Dry Classic

Azzaro Pour Homme Eau de Toilette, 1.7 Fl Oz– A masculine throwback to the 1970s, yet, it doesn’t feel dated. Azzaro blends many notes including leather, lavender, wood, and sandalwood. It is woodsy, herbal, and spicy.

At the start, I get anise and cedar, with a dry mossy scent coming through. The spice actually comes across as refreshing and cool, rather than, being a warm sharp hit. The spice, paired with lavender and leather, gets smoothed out and calmed.

Azzaro Pour Homme is best used during the autumn months through early spring. The performance is still great and hasn’t been watered down over the years. An excellent choice for guys who want a mature, fresh, and woodsy scent.  My full Azzaro Review

Citrus Spice, Classic Style

Azzaro Nĭght Tĭme Cologne for Men 3.4 fl. oz Eau De Toilette Spray– I’ll include this one as one of the best, although I really don’t care for the bitter orange note.

That note reminds me too much of Terre D’Hermes or L’eau D’Issey Nuit, both of which I didn’t like, though many other people seem to.

I don’t think this one is as bad as those two colognes but since this enjoys some popularity among Azzaro scents, I’ll throw it on here for you to try out. In cold weather, it’s actually pretty nice. Rhubarb and citrus, for much of the wear, with a fresh spice and woods underneath.

I think this one has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to track down the bottles online. Azzaro Night Time review

Unique Spicy Profile

Onyx by Azzaro – Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 oz– It has a spice and green sort of feel to it from the patchouli note. It also has apple, bergamot, and lemon which adds a citrusy sweet profile to it. Onyx is a good scent for the winter months and one that projects very well.

Onyx starts off with a that nice citrus/fruity profile, with lavender, and the underlying spice of basil. Basil, among other spices, will be featured more during the dry down with an added leather ingredient.

Bottles of this are still available, the performance is actually very solid, and it’s usually available for pretty cheap. Nice spicy scent with the ability to be used in the nightlife.

onyx

The Second Best Wanted Fragrance

Azzaro Wanted By Night Eau De Parfum, 1.7 Fl Oz– Wanted by Night is a cologne that is better than the fragrance it followed, Azzaro Wanted. For a while, it was the best of the Wanted line up, before being surpassed by The Most Wanted colognes.

This one is spicier with less of the sharp citrus notes. Yes, the lemon is still present, but it doesn’t strike my nose with the same intensity. Cinnamon and fresh cedar, give this a dynamic and interesting composition to work from.

Really bold with that spice early on. Which is great, since I personally love the use of cinnamon as a note.

It can start out as sweet and spicy, then it begins to turn warmer, with an underlying tobacco note that is quite prominent. I wasn’t too much of a fan of the original Wanted, but Wanted by Night is definitely an improvement.  Wanted by Night Review

A Newer Chrome

Chrome Extreme– Chrome Aqua was another one that was pretty good. However, Extreme is a bit better and has a fairly close resemblance to AdG Profondo, but not entirely.

Chrome Extreme is a fresh, orangey aquatic scent, without the metallic soapiness of the original (there will be some soapiness later in the wear, though).

The juniper pairing with the orange note here, is probably the highlight. The oceanic saltiness will come on and give this one an added pleasant smell.

The dry down has more of the amber note with the orange. Nice and clean. The performance is good here, not incredible, with a moderate sillage overall. It’ll give you a few hours of solid projection before quieting down much more.

There have been a ton of flankers to Chrome, but this is the best of the recent ones, that you can actually still find bottles of. Many of the others, have been forgettable, though.

Dylan Blue vs Luna Rossa Carbon Cologne Comparison

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Alrighty, it’s been a minute since I’ve done a head to head cologne comparison on the site. So today, we are going to do one between Versace’s Dylan Blue versus Prada’s Luna Rossa Carbon. Which of these scents smells better? Which one performs more impressively? Is there a clear winner out of either of these scents? Please continue below for my full matchup breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: Carbon vs. Dylan Blue

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Luna Rossa Carbon

Notes include: lavender, ambroxan, metallic notes, pepper, patchouli, coal, bergamot

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa CARBON for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 ounce

Opening

The opening of Dylan Blue is a citrus affair with the grapefruit and bergamot notes taking center stage. However, it has a certain aquatic feel and a noticeable contribution from the black pepper note.

Meanwhile, Luna Rossa Carbon, has the citrus of the bergamot top note but it is joined by a more intense ambroxan and lavender. There is also a pepper note and a hint of that metallic aroma, which gives it it’s Carbon name.

Which is better? Well, both of these scents get compared to Dior Sauvage, and Luna Rossa Carbon is much more in line with that from the start. I like the more nuanced approach of the Prada fragrance over Dylan Blue.

The Versace is a typical citrus at the stage and actually has reminded me of Acqua Di Gio Profumo in the past. Though, much sweeter and without the metallic influence. It’s nice, but I find Carbon to be better.

I have grown to enjoy the opening act of Dylan Blue more, over the years since its release. The fig note really stands out and it can be a nice fragrance to throw on.

Edge: Luna Rossa Carbon

Projection

They both start out fairly strong and perhaps Dylan Blue has better sillage at the start. However, it settles into something more moderate. It’s citrus and fig at the start, really gives it a good ability to project, but that subsides.

Now, Luna Rossa Carbon also turns moderate, it still has better and more consistent projection than that of Dylan Blue.

At their peak, it’s close to the same, but the Prada keeps things going for a longer time period. Neither of these is a heavy fragrance to wear. A good initial reach, before settling into something that’s pretty standard.

Edge: Carbon

Longevity

No matter how many times I wear Dylan Blue, it seems to only last 5-6 hours on my skin each time. That’s okay, just not outstanding.

Carbon, on the other hand, can last all day on my skin and can get into the double digit hours on most wears. The Prada cologne just has better performance. Carbon just really works on me, for whatever reason. Performance is extremely good for a popular designer scent.

Edge: Carbon

Versatility

I don’t see either one of these fragrances having much of an edge in terms of when or where you can wear each. The are both very versatile fragrances that can be worn casually or out on a date or wherever.

Carbon is more mature than is Dylan Blue. So, it might have a bit of an edge as to who will want to wear either.

I don’t consider either to be a truly formal scent, but I’d also go with the Prada if pressed. Carbon is more well put together overall, while also having a better balanced mix than the Versace.

Edge: Carbon (slightly)

Overall Scent

I’ve always found Dylan Blue to be decent at best. Although, I have enjoyed it somewhat more lately, than I used to. Sometimes, that opening act, particularly the fig note can be a very enjoyable wear.

Beyond that, it’s okay, just not something that I want to wear all of the time. It’s not a bad choice, if you can get a bottle for cheap.

However, I’m going to give the nod to Luna Rossa Carbon. It’s not a personal favorite of mine either, but it’s better than the Versace.  Carbon has a similar profile to that of Sauvage, but enough differences to make it distinct.

The citrus and ambroxan get downplayed as it dries down and Carbon gives you a lavender and metallic sort of vibe. It also has much better performance than Dylan Blue does.

Luna Rossa Carbon is a clear cut winner to me, in this head to head matchup. Both are really nice colognes, neither amazing, but Carbon is better.

Winner: Luna Rossa Carbon

8 Best Smelling Abercrombie & Fitch Fragrances

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The Abercrombie & Fitch name is utterly synonymous with late 90s and early 00s teen/college-aged fashion. The stores in malls across the globe pump an upbeat soundtrack into the shop and the smell of Fierce, would permeate the room.

Over the years, this fashion company has released plenty of fragrances for both men and women, many of which have been well received. In this post, I want to go over what I consider to be the eight best smelling men’s colognes by A&F.

Favorite and Best Smelling A&F Colognes

Note: Updating this post, some options have been discontinued and/or are difficult to find. Some have alternatives, which I will link in that entry. I’m keeping the older picks on the list, regardless, while still adding new entries that are worthwhile.

Most Popular Fragrance

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Cologne 3.4 oz– The timeless best seller from Abercrombie & Fitch, Fierce has long been a staple of high school and college guys, and for good reason. It has a blast of spiciness at the start which is super fresh and seductive.

Later during the dry down, you get a super smooth blend of woodsy notes and musk, which gives it a wholly masculine air. This one has been reformulated somewhat, so, a newer bottle really doesn’t pack the same punch that it did a decade ago…but it’s still a great smell.

Maybe at its height, it could be considered the best of the A&F line. Now, I’d probably put it 2nd or 3rd, depending on my mood. There are many other scents like this around, but Fierce really got that trend line going. Fierce Review

Best New A&F Fragrance

Fierce Night– Night is one of the best Fierce flankers that has been released in a while. Plus, it’s still readily available on their website.

The bergamot note up top gives it nice citrus opening, that is paired with an initial burst of ambroxan, and feels quite bold from the jump. However, it will become smoother with lavender and a touch of sandalwood in the base.

Clean and attractive, not a massive sillage, once it settles. But, the performance is right about a solid 8 hours of wear. Much better than the current formulations of the original. It’s clean and versatile with a soapy kind of finish from the lavender.

Another Newer Gem

Abercrombie & Fitch and Fitch Authentic Men EDT Spray – It was a toss up between this and Authentic Night (which seems pretty difficult to find bottles of nowadays). But, I like the style of Authentic, even if you have to spray the hell out of it.

No, the performance isn’t great here (longevity is okay…think 5-6 hours). This is a citrus and herbal spicy fragrance that will be a great go to for the spring and summer months. Right now, I’m seeing bottles floating around for $20-40, which is a nice deal for something like this.

That bright fruity opening is great, paired with an awesome ginger note and some pink pepper touches. The spices give it a colder aroma, when together with the rest of the composition…on the same wavelength as Jimmy Choo Man Ice. Less woody, though.

Top Summer Cologne

Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Men Eau De Toilette, 3.4 Ounce– First Instinct features a gin and tonic accord, which gives it that carbonated sensation of tonic water.

It’s sweet with sort of a tropical vibe at times, along with a nice pepper note. It mellows out the sweetness some during the dry down and you get the wonderful melon note along with musk.

Some might point out Fierce Blue as the best summer scent. I disagree, I think that First Instinct is a much more interesting and better options. The melon with the fizzy gin and tonic vibe is great. Not too heavy, but a cool option to throw on in the hotter months.

Note: If you can’t find this, Dua has its inspired by fragrance: Dua’s Instinct. 

Best Winter Wear

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Icon Eau de Cologne Spray, 1.7 Ounce– Fierce Icon is an updated, yet darker and sharper version of the original Fierce. The two colognes obviously share a lot of the same DNA but this one has more pepper and citrus at play…along the line of Luna Rossa Carbon or Sauvage.

Sort of like the original Fierce blended with elements of those two fragrances. Nice, powerful, and well done. I like this one, if you can get it for a good price, Icon is a pretty unique take on the Fierce name.

The opening few hour does have a stronger sillage, but it settles down, and you get an above-average performer with elements of the original Fierce.

Light Summer Aquatic Scent

Abercrombie & Fitch Hot Eau De Cologne Spray 50ml/1.7oz– A simple, fresh, and quite pleasant take on an aquatic fragrance. Hot has a touch of coconut on top of a watery base and features the crispness of that familiar cucumber aroma.

Not too heavy, but Abercrombie Hot, gives a good performance and is a clean everyday option for guys. This can be a little bit more difficult to find, nowadays, but you can still track it down and it’s a really good and unique choice.

Being your Self

Authentic Self for Men– This one is a newer flanker of the Authentic men’s line. Authentic Self is a woody and sweet fragrance with some similarities to L’Homme by YSL (not exactly the same). Namely, the bergamot top note is missing.

But, here you get a fresh vibe from violet leaf, geranium, cypress, and some ginger spice in the early stages. The woods will persist with a further infusion of cedar. While the rest of the wear will become a creamier and sweeter aroma from the vanilla and tonka bean.

It’s noticeably different from the original Authentic scent, they do share the ginger note, but that’s most of the similarities that they have. This one is woody and that one is more of a warm weather cologne.

I’m not sure if this one has already come and gone, as I’m having a tougher time finding bottles online. However, if you do come across it for a reasonable price, Authentic Self can be a great value play as a daily wear fragrance.

Best Overall A&F Fragrance

Fierce Intense– Fierce Intense takes the crown as the top pick from Abercrombie & Fitch. Not only in terms of smell, but it also has some amazing performance. Update: This seems to be discontinued now.

Elements of Fierce, sit underneath the main accords of Fierce Intense. They don’t smell exactly the same, but they definitely show a resemblance to one another. The differences with Intense come with its delicious watermelon note, musky highlights, and fresh aquatic heart.

Beyond that, Fierce Intense gives you a bold option for the year. I think it really shines when it gets warmer, but it smells great during the winter months too. The sillage is powerful and it will go for double digits, with it’s longevity.

1 Million vs Invictus by Paco Rabanne Comparison

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In my latest installment of cologne comparisons, I want to once again compare something against 1 Million by Paco Rabanne. This time I want to pit it against one from its own design house, Invictus.

In this post, I want to break down each scent and explain how I think each smells, performs, when they should be worn, and which scent is better overall between Invictus vs 1 Million.

This is a comparison between the original releases of each of these names. I’ve written about their flankers elsewhere on the site.

Note: I am updating this post 5 years or so, after the original, to add my latest experiences with more depth.

Tale of the Tape: Invictus vs. 1 Million

1 Million 

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

Read my review

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

Invictus 

Notes include: grapefruit, sea notes, mandarin orange, bay leaf, jasmine

Read my review

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Opening

You’ll notice that these two fragrances have grapefruit and orange notes in common. In fact, the opening aromas of these scents have a very similar feel to one another.

They both tend to have that sort of grape candy/bubblegum smell at first before morphing into something else.

Invictus has a decidedly aquatic fragrance to it, while 1 Million has a more leathery smell, that comes through.

1 Million kicks off with its citrus notes, joining them together with leather, rose, and amber. Along with these, come a blend of fresh spice (mint/cinnamon), which will have some more influence later on.

Meanwhile, Invictus starts out with its citrus notes, as well. However, it pairs things up with aquatic notes, a strong bay leaf, and ambergris. It is sweet, somewhat salty aquatic, with a nice freshness.

I think 1 Million is the better starter, though. Invictus has grown on me as a fragrance, over the years. I just think that 1 Million is a bit more interesting, and I like its ingredients more so versus its competitor.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Both 1 Million and Invictus have very good projection. These are strong scents and it has always made me laugh that an ‘Intense’ version of 1 Million exists.

I think that, 1 Million has lost a step, in the newer bottles. Nonetheless, it has the stronger sillage.

Invictus starts out strong and then weakens quite a bit. 1 Million is an absolute beast throughout.

I’d say that, Invictus is on the upper end of moderate, for most of its time on the skin. Great start and it keeps it going for a few hours.

Update: Newer bottles of 1 Million aren’t as strong, so, they may be about equal now. With heavy sprays, I’d say that Invictus feels more overwhelming, but that just may be its sweetness.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, Paco Rabanne definitely knows how to make performers. I get all day wear from 1 Million, like 10+ hours.

Invictus is no slouch and delivers around 6-7 hours and sometimes more of wear before it’s gone.

Invictus is really consistent for me, delivering that 6-7 hour time frame, again and again. 1 Million and most of its flanker scents, have just had better staying power, than the offerings from the Invictus line.

Update: 1 Million has lost a step, but still has the edge here. My newer bottle can hit around 8 hours, on my skin. Not nearly what it once was.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

I like either one of these as a nighttime fragrance. I’m not really sold on them for office wear, it’d be acceptable if you only wore a spray. These both seem to be more youthful fragrances (20s and 30s) and Invictus feels like a ‘younger’ cologne than 1 Million does.

Invictus is a better summertime cologne than is 1 Million. However, I’ll still wear 1 Million at night during the summer (depending on the humidity, if it’s too muggy, nope) and I feel it’s better in the winter and fall as well.

Ehhh, Invictus might have the slight edge, but it’s not a huge margin.

Edge: Invictus (slightly)

Overall Scent

1 Million is a sweet scent. Invictus is even sweeter. While they do share similarities upon opening, these two colognes diverge after that.

Invictus becomes more aquatic and takes on a really fresh and clean smell with a slight woodsy base.

1 Million is sweet and warm with a leathery/cinnamon blend that I really like. I do enjoy that bold citrus blend opening, but when it dries down and the amber surrounds the leather/rose/spice core, I really enjoy wearing 1 Million.

Plus, it’s got a better performance. Even after not hitting the same levels as it used to, it is still better than Invictus EDT.

Honestly, I like both of these scents but 1 Million just fits better for me. It might be the case for you, that you would prefer the sweet, citrusy, and aquatic flavor of Invictus and if that sounds like you…probably go with that.

For me, my favorites from the Invictus line are Intense and Legend, with the original coming in third. Update: The newer releases have made me change my rankings, here they are now: Invictus colognes ranked.

Winner: 1 Million