Invictus Aqua EDT (2016) by Paco Rabanne

Getting back into men’s fragrance reviews, today’s entry is one from popular designer, Paco Rabanne and is a flanker to the best selling Invictus: Invictus Aqua eau de toilette. Now, this flanker cologne was released in 2016, but is it actually any good? Update: There is another version of this, which came out in 2018. You’ll most likely find that around (if either) versus this one I’m reviewing here. In this review, I’ll cover what’s inside, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it’s even worth buying.

What does Invictus Aqua EDT Smell Like?

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

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see what Paco Rabanne has to say about Invictus Aqua: a luminous variation with a fresh woody signature: a refreshing marine top note mixed with sparkling yuzu accents. The sensual guaiac wood base note is reinforced by vibrant pink pepper.

The opening of Invictus Aqua is dominated by fresh yuzu and marine notes. The opening is actually my favorite part of this cologne and the citrus aroma is further enhanced by the inclusion of grapefruit.

Beyond that, the pink pepper note, really helps to set Aqua apart from the other offerings in the Invictus lineup. I’m a fan of pink pepper, as it’s such an underrated note, and has helped propel cheapies like Guess Seductive to its far and wide use.

Aqua is highly fresh, a sporty aquatic, with some slight soapy vibes to it. The marine notes add the aquatic element to this fragrance and they are further paired with ambergris for further saltiness.

However, Invictus Aqua never strikes me as being quite to the level of saltiness, in Bvlgari’s Aqva. It also seems a bit more mature than the original Invictus, while still retaining that similar DNA structure. Aqua isn’t nearly as sweet.

As it dries down, I get more violet leaf, less of the marine notes, and the intro of the guaiac wood. It definitely grows into a woodier fragrance, with a slight outdoorsy dirtiness to it. The oud isn’t super powerful, but you’ll notice it, when putting your nose close to the skin.

Toward the end, what I get is yuzu, guaiac wood, ambergris, violet leaf, and the aquatic notes slowly turning into quite an oceanic scent. It starts to just smell like sea water on my skin. That happens like at the very end of the day, though.

I’m not always a huge fan of aquatics, especially when it turns to pure sea water. Invictus Aqua is exactly that, deep into the wear. It’s really not my favorite part.

Sillage, How Long Does It Last, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not super heavy or anything. Being a spring/summer fragrance the sillage is going to be lighter, but I’d say it’s fairly strong for an aquatic. It won’t go unnoticed.

The performance from this one is actually pretty great. I can pull 8+ hours from it on my skin. Quite superb for a fragrance in this category. I’d say hours 6-8 really get oceanic, with the aroma. Before that, you’ll get more of the yuzu and violet leaf.

Seasonally, again, spring/summer. It is versatile within that time frame, however. Casual, work, and definitely one to be worn at parties or night clubs. I’d stick to the warmer months, as it just feels out of place and kind of too sharp, in the winter.

It’s attractive in its freshness, meaning, it should draw complements but I really wouldn’t say that it’s particularly sexy. For a guy in his 20s, this will be a solid go to in these scenarios.

Overall Impression of Invictus Aqua

Overall, do I like Invictus Aqua? I do. I think that it is a very good scent for what it is. I’m not looking to buy a bottle personally, since I’m not a huge fan of the Invictus line, but for those who are this is a worthy addition.

Other guys, who want a well performing and versatile warm weather cologne, Invictus Aqua is an option that should strongly be considered. The yuzu note is great, as is the pink pepper.

Not overall amazing, but a nice all around fragrance. I love the yuzu, the oud isn’t too bothersome, but the end is just to marine for my taste. When it is covered by other notes, it works better.

Update: Again, this 2016 version isn’t widely available it seems. Most of those bottle got bought up. Even the 2018 version is now scarce. Personally, I wouldn’t pay above original retail for either. So, unless you already absolutely love one or both, I wouldn’t bother tracking them down.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.