Paco Rabanne

1 Million vs Invictus by Paco Rabanne Cologne 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 One Million. Note: I am updating this post 4 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

invictus

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Winner: 1 Million 

Invictus Aqua vs. Light Blue Eau Intense

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For this head to head comparison post, we are going to take a closer look at two popular citrus aquatic fragrances, for the summertime. In one corner, we have Invictus Aqua. Versus, Light Blue Eau Intense, in the other. Which of these marine accord-laden scents, smells the best? Has the better sillage? Longevity? Which is the better buy?

 

Tale of the Tape: Invictus Aqua vs Eau Intense

Light Blue Eau Intense

Notes include: mandarin, frozen grapefruit, juniper, aquatic accord, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My review: Light Blue Eau Intense

Invictus Aqua EDT

Notes include: yuzu, pink pepper, guaiac wood, marine notes, violet leaf, ambergris, grapefruit

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

Read my review: Invictus Aqua

 

Opening

Invictus Aqua starts off with its salty marine notes, with a strong blend of yuzu and grapefruit. It’s fresh, clean with that saltiness, and has a bit of pink pepper in it as well. I like the way that Aqua begins, the yuzu is awesome, when combined with the aquatic notes.

Light Blue Eau Intense also starts with grapefruit, but it’s ‘frozen’, and paired with mandarin orange. I think that it’s got a colder quality, less saltiness in the aquatic accord, and the juniper note comes in and adds a nice touch.

Which is better? It’s a pretty close call for me, but I like Eau Intense more here. The crispness, the freshness, and the aquatic accord is all slightly better than in Invictus Aqua.

Edge: Eau Intense

Projection

Both of these colognes are pretty moderate in the sillage. They both start off with a somewhat strong ability to project themselves to the surrounding area. Then, they taper off within a few hours, to something much more subdued…but not weak.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Light Blue Eau Intense lasts about 9 hours on my skin. Invictus Aqua will usually do about 8. However, Aqua has the ability to hit over 10 hours, on occasion. It kind of depends on the climate and my skin, that day.  The Paco Rabanne is a bit better or at least has that ability.

Edge: Aqua (slightly)

 

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are quite versatile. They really both shine in the warmer months of the year, as the aquatic aroma, truly works in the heat. However, you could wear either year round, if you wanted.

They can be worn casual or at work or for an evening out. I wouldn’t classify either as a nightlife scent, though. There’s no real separation in this category.

Edge: Push

 

Overall Scent

Invictus Aqua is a really nice scent, which I enjoy wearing, for the first few hours. Then, the dry down gets worse and worse to my nose, until I end up not liking it. That citrus and marine combination is great.

It gives Eau Intense a run for its money. But then, it gets an infusion of wood (which is decent). Finally, it dries down to pretty much just to the sea water note…which isn’t too attractive, when it is by itself.

The opening act is great, the performance is great, but a lot of the wear isn’t.

Light Blue Eau Intense, to me, has a slightly better opening. It also has about equal performance to Invictus Aqua. Most importantly, it stays great throughout.

It has quickly become one of my favorite aquatic fragrances, out on the market. Eau Intense is smooth, clean, and its drydown with juniper and amberwood holds the thing together.

For the first few hours, it’s a close call. After that, the D&G owns this contest. Another option, may be to try Light Blue Sun. It’s kind of a midway point between Eau Intense and the original Light Blue. Good for those who think Eau Intense comes on too strong.

Winner: Eau Intense

 

1 Million Paco Rabanne vs Issey Miyake Comparison

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L’eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake and 1 Million by Paco Rabanne are two of the more popular men’s fragrances out on the market today. Both of them have been around for quite a long time and are still best sellers even after years of public consumption. So, what if you’re in the hunt for a new scent to wear and you’ve narrowed it down to these two colognes? Which cologne smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is more versatile? In this post, I want to put Issey Miyake and the original 1 Million cologne head to head to see which is the best option.

Tale of the Tape: L’eau d’Issey vs 1 Million

1 Million by Paco Rabanne

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

My original review

Buy here: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

L’eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake Tale of the Tape

Notes include: citrus, spice, musk, amber, and woods

issey miyake

My Issey Miyake Review

Buy here: L’eau De Issey By Issey Miyake For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 6.7 Oz

Opening

The opening of L’eau D’Issey is just ok in my opinion. It’s a spicy citrus scent that doesn’t really wow and is probably the weakest part of the fragrance.

The yuzu and lemon are nice, but it comes across as dry and spicy, thanks to nutmeg and tarragon. It’s a bit too sharp, with some additional tobacco and woodsy notes. Not saying it’s bad, just not my favorite part of this scent.

1 Million starts out with a candy-like grape scent that is bolstered with smoothness provided by leather and rose. Though, this is surrounded by a warm spice as well. Just not nearly as sharp and it’s mainly cinnamon, which leans into that candied sort of vibe.

Both fragrances get better as they go along, but 1 Million is the one that starts out ahead.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

The Paco Rabanne scent is a heavy hitter when it comes to projection. Issey Miyake is no slouch, but it is more of a moderate type of cologne.

Update: Newer bottles of 1 Million aren’t as strong as they used to be. The sillage is still good and better than Miyake, but it’s not a huge margin any longer.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Both of these scents hold up well, 1 Million is a stronger scent, so it seems like it’s there longer even if it’s the same amount of time. I’ve had no problem with either of these quitting early.

Update: Miyake has always gotten me 6-8 hours of wear. 1 Million used to be 10+. Now, it is more like 8-9 and closer to 8. Sometimes, they are equal, but mostly it’s still the Paco Rabanne.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

Now, here’s where Issey Miyake has an advantage. 1 Million can be limited to nightlife and when worn lightly on casual occasions. It also doesn’t work too well in the summer heat. L’eau D’Issey on the other hand almost works well year round and I’ve worn it on just about every type of occasion and it never felt out of place.

Edge: L’eau D’Issey

Overall Scent

I have to admit that I prefer the scent of 1 Million more. 1 Million is a sweet cologne and that does weigh on some people as time goes on, it can get on my nerves, and I only wear it when I’m in the mood.

Issey Miyake isn’t my favorite scent but I like it and others seem to like it on me. Issey Miyake is the better choice for casual wear on a daily basis, but 1 Million definitely has something to it.

I have had L’eau d’Issey as a daily wear in the past, so I do like it quite a lot, particularly the drydown. It would easily be my choice if I needed an all around fragrance versus 1 Million.

If you like citrus/woodsy smells, go with L’eau D’Issey, as the drydown period is much better than the opening.

I wear 1 Million more often, so I’ll go with that. It doesn’t have the same level of power that it used to, but it’s a fragrance that I do like throwing on. In terms of pure smell, it gets the slight edge.

Winner: 1 Million

Invictus vs Invictus Intense Cologne Comparison

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Invictus by Paco Rabanne has been a fragrance that has sold very well. Naturally, they have had to release a few flanker fragrances in order to capitalize on that success. One such entry is Invictus Intense. Now, between these two colognes which one smells better? How do they perform head to head? Which one is the better buy? Read below for my full take on these two scents.

Tale of the Tape: Invictus vs. Intense

Invictus

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

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

Read my original review

Invictus Intense

Notes include: orange blossom, black pepper, malt accord, wood, black amber, ambergris

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.4oz

My Invictus Intense Review

Opening

The main difference between the original and Intense, is that, Intense has much less sweetness; especially at the start. The citrus notes that the original put out in full force has been transmuted into something darker, warmer, and a bit salty.

Don’t get me wrong, the sweet/citrus vibe is still there in Intense but it is far less prevalent. The original Invictus is sweet and fresh at the start with those underlying oceanic notes.

I like the opening of the original much more than I used to. The mandarin orange and grapefruit notes are my favorite aspect of it.

I feel like Invictus Intense has a lot more going on from the start and is just more pleasant to my nose. The amber and the whiskey-like aroma from the malt accord is really great and gives you a much more unique take on the Invictus name.

Edge: Intense

Projection

This should be a clear winning category for Invictus Intense, but despite the name, I’m not sure that it is much better than the original Invictus in this regard.

Neither of these colognes are weak and both lean towards the stronger side of things. Intense might be slightly better.

I think that Intense opens up with a greater sillage than does the original, but ultimately, the end up about the same.

Edge: Push (maybe slight lean Intense)

Longevity

With the original Invictus, I would get 6-7 solid hours of wear. With Intense, it jumps to 7-8 hours, with a few more as a skin scent.

Intense is a good performer, still not absolute beast mode, unless you spray ungodly amounts but very good at what it does. I think that opening act with Intense is a bit deceptive, making it seem like it’s more of a powerhouse than it actually develops to be.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Invictus and Intense are both best served as nightlife, romantic, or casual scents. So, in that sense it’s equal. However, Intense seems to be able to transition to all of the seasons fairly well, while Invictus always strikes me as a spring/summer scent. Intense wouldn’t feel out of place in the colder months of the year.

Edge: Intense

Overall Scent

At this point, I have to go with Invictus Intense. It’s just better, more refined, and more interesting. I like the original Invictus but I was never in love with it.

The darker amber and toned down sweetness give Intense more balance and the orange blossom adds a floral touch without the heavier citrus of the original.

That being said, the booziness of Intense may be off putting to some folks. If I were a younger guy, I might choose the original or Legend over Intense.

I’ll go with Intense between these two and go with 1 Million Prive from Paco Rabanne over both of them.

Winner: Invictus Intense

1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne

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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.

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

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.

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.

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.