gucci

8 Best Smelling Gucci Colognes

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Beyond the other fashion products Gucci creates, it has a very popular line of fragrances for men and women. Its colognes offer a blend of unique scents that remain masculine and versatile to fit a consumer’s lifestyle.

While there are plenty of options for a man to choose from among the Gucci line of colognes, I wanted to focus on what I feel are the best perfumes pour homme from this Italian design house.

As of now, I have narrowed things down to eight scents for him, which are Gucci’s current greatest.

This list is not in order, as it is of course personal preference which scent smells the best, however, this is what I consider to be the cream of the crop. I have updated this list in 2024, to add to the original post from 2013, and change up the picks slightly.

Favorite Fragrances for Men by Gucci

Best Guilty Fragrance (Tie) and Top Summer Pick

1. Gucci Guilty Black Pour Homme Fragrance Collection 3.0-oz. Eau de Toilette– One of the many flanker fragrances to stem from the Guilty namesake, Guilty Black is possibly my favorite (it’s a toss of with this and Intense).

Note: They’ve renamed this one, Guilty Essence.

Back in 2014-2015, I would wear this one all of the time, as I found it to be quite captivating and refreshing on my skin.

Guilty Black Pour Homme doesn’t have the same distinct citrus opening, as the main versions of Guilty, but it shares a sensibility. It is very well blended with the familiar scent of coriander and lavender being rather distinct.

It does have floral heart and a woody base. Orange blossom and neroli, are very present after the initial opening. I get a ton of orange blossom on my skin, some nice lavender, and greenish ingredients.

Guilty Black always had great staying power on me and also a very good ability to project without being overpowering at all. Still a very attractive scent and one that exceeded the others using this name. Guilty Black Review

Best Daily Wear Gucci Fragrance

2. Gucci Guilty Intense Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3 Ounce– Guilty Intense is a fresh and clean scent, which delivers a unique scent for guys who demand a signature fragrance. Mandarin, pink pepper, lilac, amber, and other ingredients in the notes blend well to produce a memorable experience.

Note: This has now been discontinued.

This one is better than the original Guilty, in my opinion. It doesn’t have as much of the lemon note from the start, but instead goes heavier on the lavender and amber. Again, I go back and forth between this and Black, but Intense gives me a nice amber finish to its citrus start.

It’s warm and bright with just hints of spice from light coriander and patchouli poking through the aroma. It is quite a linear scent, the dry down essentially adds some floral notes to the mix (orange blossom and neroli) that helps to further develop that citrus feel.

The sillage is on the upper end of moderate and I can get 7-8 hours of solid wear out of Guilty Intense. One of its strengths, is that, this fragrance can pretty much be worn year round and can go from office to date night without issue. It’s an all around solid scent. Guilty Intense Review

Best Winter Perfume for Men

3. Gucci for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Ounce– This namesake fragrance delivers a woodsy aroma, which is both highly masculine and sensual. Bergamot, Cyprus and violet notes open the scent followed by tobacco leaves and jasmine before the final note which includes amber settles in.

A gorgeous fragrance that would be a welcome addition to any man’s cologne collection. The tobacco is the main draw here, not a heavy scent, but light and exudes confidence.

Gucci for Men is very dry and green, cypress and violet, flanker the tobacco note and you have several other outdoorsy ingredients supporting the structure.

From what I understand, this one might have been reformulated, so I cannot speak to its current performance. The older bottles were never beasts in terms of sillage (more light to moderate), but always had good longevity.

Top Versatile Pick

4. Gucci Pour Homme Ii By Gucci For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz.– This Gucci fragrance is clean and never overpowering. There is a bit of spice to it but people will be wondering what exactly it is you’re wearing.

Pour Homme II opens up with that familiar citrus note, bergamot, but one quickly realizes that you are going to get a unique experience with notes of cinnamon, violet leaf, black tea, and pimento.

At times, it is smooth, others spicy, quite floral, and then feels green and herbal. Gucci II is a very subtle wear, not weak, but it’s never one that is going to choke out the room. You will catch it wafting up to your nose throughout the day and get that feeling of, “Damn, I smell good.”

You’ll probably have to find this Gucci scent online, as I haven’t seen it in a physical store, in quite some time. Still plenty of bottles, though, and it’s a damn good fragrance.

Best Unique Cologne and Longest Lasting Gucci

5. Gucci Guilty Absolute Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3 Ounce– The flankers to Guilty that have been coming out as of late, have been quite different from the original scents.

Guilty Absolute is definitely a new experience for the brand, but what I think is the best of the newer flankers.

Now, this is really powerful, masculine, and intense. So, it isn’t a cologne which will work for everybody. It opens with a nice leather and very earthy patchouli note, packing a punch right from the start.

However, as it dries down it really does actually get drier with notes of cypress and golden wood, taking over much of the composition.

The finale is a blend of the leather and cypress note, with a strong sillage, and double digit hour wear time. Guilty Absolute, isn’t going to be one that appeals to everybody.

In fact, some guys will find it overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it offers something different and niche, that some men will swear by it. Read my Guilty Absolute Review

Interesting Guilty Flanker

6. Gucci Guilty Love Edition by Gucci Eau De Toilette Spray 3 oz Men– So, I tried this and the newer EDP version of Guilty, and I actually prefer this one. I do really like the opening act of EDP, but it pretty much just dries down to a flatter version of the original with rose on top.

Meanwhile, Love Edtion opens up with a delicious mix of kumquat and orange, making this a nice zesty option for the spring and summer months.

It actually reminds me of having a similar style to Chanel Allure Blanc, with its pink pepper, vetiver, and other dry elements. The difference being, the Chanel has a vanilla finish and lemon, while Guilty Love Edition is soapier and floral.

I really dig the combination of ginger and pink pepper. The lavender is nice and, this does have some overlap with Guilty Black, yet retains its own style. The performance isn’t amazing, but I really enjoyed this one. Guilty Love Edition review

Replacement for Guilty Intense

7. Guilty Pour Homme Parfum by Gucci (Macy’s)– This is a new release for 2022, has a lot in common with Guilty Intense, but is a more refined and better version. I bought a full bottle upon release and have been really enjoying this Gucci perfume.

To me, it is already one of the best Guilty colognes from the series. It opens up with, a lemon peel-like zest, nutmeg, and juniper notes. It is less of a pure citrus play versus others in the series, but has a delightful aromatic quality to it.

Guilty Pour Homme Parfum is a balance of all the signature Guilty aromas; from floral to citrus to fresh, but with more woodsy influence. 7-8 hours of performance, but pretty darn solid all around. Read my full review (or video below).

Eighth Elixir

Guilty Elixir– Personally, I think Elixir Pour Homme is overrated. That being said, it’s mostly a fine cologne, that other people like way more than me.

Pimento and nutmeg lead things off with a spiciness, but the vanilla and iris notes are really going to shine in this one. It’s got a bit of a kick, but the fuzziness of the benzoin note prevents it from going too far into that direction.

Floral, powdery, a bit sweet, warm with an amber. That’s about what you get from Gucci Guilty Elixir.

I really like the opening act, but it’s somewhat bland to me after that. I will say that the performance here is good. So, even though this is an expensive one, it does a solid job at sticking around.

It’s different from the rest of the series and kind of unisex. Enjoyable enough, but not something I’m crazy for. Guilty Elixir review

Other Discontinued Gucci Colognes that were great:

Gucci Rush

Gucci Envy

There you have it the short list of the best men’s colognes by Gucci. This design house has had many winners over the years, Rush, Envy, and Pour Homme, are all wonderful choices if you can still find a bottle of them.

However, the ones that are still in production should add some luxury to any man’s toilette and keep him smelling great.

11 Best Smelling Gucci Perfumes for Women

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Gucci has a long history as a top notch fashion design house. The Italian firm is well known for its clothing and accessories. Their fragrance line for women is also fantastic, but we want to know, which Gucci perfume smells best?

For this list, I have selected 11 fragrances, which I consider to be the top smelling from the women’s line as of this latest update.

Favorite Ladies Gucci Fragrances

Most Popular Perfume

Guilty by Gucci for Women, Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.5 Ounce
This scent from the Italian design house is sexy yet not overpowering and it’s use of pink pepper notes gives it a seductive spice.

Also, has notes of peach and lilac which softens the scent and gives off a terrifically feminine vibe.

At times, it makes me think that this is a cousin of sorts, of Gucci Rush (listed below). As, they both have floral notes, peach, and patchouli. However, Guilty has its own distinct vibe, which has made it so popular over the years.

It’s spicy floral combination, gives way to a lilac and musk dry down, with a bit of sweet vanilla warmth. I still think that the original, is the best Gucci Guilty for women.

gucci

The Better Gucci Guilty

Guilty Absolute Pour Femme– While the original is a top seller, Guilty Absolute is the best smelling of the Guilty Pour Femme line. Eau de Parfum Intense, is second, in my opinion.

Absolute gives you a fantastic blackberry note that is joined by woody notes, a light pink rose, and patchouli in the base. The opening gives you some additional bergamot citrus and pink pepper for a bit of spicy sweetness.

Blackberry having the leading role, doesn’t make this one a super sweet or too youthful of a perfume. No, the cypress and golden wood notes give this a darker feeling than something like that.

Not too much rose, not overly spicy or smoky. Though, it has all of that too. Really great stuff.

absolute femme review

Floral Springtime Fragrance

Gucci Bloom for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Gucci Bloom is a very popular and rather simple release from the brand.

However, it has already gained plenty of popularity, and spun of flankers of its own. It is a tuberose led fragrance, that maintains a balance, and becomes a gorgeous floral perfume.

It’s a clean floral with a solid dose of jasmine, with a hint of honeysuckle. Fresh, green, with some spice at the top. Bloom gives a good performance, with a not too powerful sillage, and a creamy sandalwood ending.

best gucci perfume for women

Exudes Confidence/Elegance

Gucci Women’s Gucci Premiere Eau de Parfum Natural Spray, 2.5 fl. oz. A gorgeous and sensual experience, Gucci Premiere will make a lady feel both strong and elegant. It also comes in that great looking gold bottle.

It is a bit citrusy and fresh, with an underlying note of orange blossom, giving it a floral appeal. As Premiere moves on, it becomes a more of a floral scent with a light musk appeal.

The fruit notes stick around, in a less prominent capacity. Finally, orange blossom and sandalwood, seem to be the remaining ingredients that shine with a lovely appeal.

Notes include: leather, bergamot, orange blossom, wood, and white flowers. Premiere opens with a juicy blend of bergamot and blackberry.

gucci premiere

Elixir

Guilty Elixir Pour Femme– The Guilty series on the women’s side of things has a ton of different flanker releases. The problem is, only some of them are any good.

Guilty Elixir was released with both a men and women’s version. To me, the men’s was overrated, but the women’s is one of the best Guilty Pour Femme they’ve come out with.

I still like Guilty Absolute and the original, more than this, but I think this might edge out Intense.

Elixir starts out with a light blend of citrus and osmanthus, which gives it a jammy sort of aroma. The violet gives it a bit of a powdery scent, as it transitions into being much more about the floral notes.

Wisteria and violet provide the clean and somewhat soapy smell, with tonka bean and vanilla solidifying things in the base.

The Alchemist’s Garden

Tears of Iris– This is my first pick from the higher end Alchemist’s Garden line by Gucci. Tears of Iris features the title signature note, sandalwood, musks, and angelica.

It does indeed have a powdery scent to it, but it to my nose it is pretty earthy/musky, and has a colder subtlety. When the sandalwood really comes in, after the initial burst, that’s when it becomes a much creamier and powdery perfume.

The Alchemist’s Garden line scents aren’t too complicated in their development. Tears of Iris is particularly linear. However, the quality of the ingredients is superb, and this is for sure one to check out if you love iris.

A Classic Gucci Scent

Gucci Rush By Gucci For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces– This is a very bold and energetic fragrance that won’t be everyone’s favorite.

However, this blend of jasmine, gardenia, vanilla, peach, and patchouli is highly unique and can be a signature scent for the right woman.

It was released back in 1999, but still has plenty of fans, to this day.

It opens up with the rose note and gardenia, along with the peach aroma, and patchouli. It’s smooth yet has an energetic disposition and an attention grabbing opening act.

It’s a strong sillaged perfume, built for the nightlife, where you don’t get as many floral scents. Rush is sexy, provocative, and a classic. My full Gucci Rush Review

rush

Another Bloom for Summer

GUCCI BLOOM PROFUMO DI FIORI by GUCCI– Profumo di Fiori was released by the brand in 2020 and it’s one of the top Bloom flankers, in my opinion.

The floral notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang, and tuberose do compete for the lead throughout. I get mostly jasmine for much of the wear. However, tuberose does have its moments.

It feels bright and has a creamy warmth to it, with enough woodiness to make things interesting. Ylang-ylang mixed with the base notes, give it that summery feeling.

Gucci calls one of the base notes, sun-drenched wood. A very solar sort of aroma does indeed permeate through this perfume during the wear.

Tiger Eyes

The Eyes of the Tiger– This is an entry of the Alchemist’s Garden haute perfume line by Gucci. This one is rather simple, but provides you with a great resinous amber and a dark, slightly smoky vanilla note.

But, it definitely doesn’t go full medicinal with its presentation. The Eyes of the Tiger retains a sweetness, and most noticeably, a powdery aroma that makes this a delightful perfume to smell. There is a slight floral scent also lurking underneath.

I like that this one isn’t just another luxury oud fragrance. Plus, the sweet/powdery aroma with amber is pretty great. Somewhat similar to Le Lion de Chanel, but I think that’s spicier and more complex than this Gucci.

Bamboo

Gucci Bamboo Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.5 Ounce– Bamboo opens up with the citrus freshness of bergamot, before the floral notes come in, and blend with light woods.

It’s a lovely option for daily wear, as the lily and orange blossom notes, don’t get overbearing.

Gucci Bamboo surrounds the wearer with a delicate and clean aura, with a somewhat sweet undertow. Has a subtle dewiness at times.

This is a floral for those who don’t want a huge sillage bomb, but want to smell plenty attractive, when others get close by.

Citrus, Peony, and Rose

Flora by Gucci by Gucci for Women – 2.5 Ounce EDT Spray
Softer than some other Gucci scents. Feminine, sweet, floral, with citrus notes. Flora has since its release, spawned a number of other fragrances, under this banner.

Nonetheless, we will list the popular EDT here, as a starting point.

Flora is bright, playful, and elegant. It has a citrus top, that is paired by peony, and the two mix amazingly well during the entirety of the wear.

It has a freshness to it, with a bit of rose peaking through, and a lightly spiced base of patchouli and pink pepper. Sweet, citrusy, and peony.

flora

guilty femme review

Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Femme by Gucci

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Guilty Elixir de Parfum is a 2023 release from Gucci. Today, I will be reviewing the Pour Femme version of this title, after I’ve already done the men’s cologne. I grabbed samples of each to test them out and put each through its paces.

But, how does Elixir Pour Femme smell? Does this Gucci perfume actually last long? Is it even worth a try?

What does Guilty Elixir Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: violet, mandora, bergamot, wisteria, rose, osmanthus, patchouli, vanilla absolute, tonka bean

Click here to try: Elixir at Nordstrom’s

My Full Wear Review

Guilty Elixir opens up with an interesting mix of citrus, violet, and osmanthus. The osmanthus acts sort of how it does in Flowerbomb, helping to create a fruitiness that has a ‘jammy’ like quality.

It definitely doesn’t come across as being too much in the direction of the orange and bergamot notes.

It is interesting that Guilty Elixir will become more floral dominant. The early stages are a cooling freshness of the wisteria, a bit spicy, and a rather powdery violet note. Yet, it never feels completely heavy on the powder on my skin.

This will shift from the initial sweetness of the opening, to something that is a tad soapier. The floral notes here do have a slight plasticky kind of aroma at times. Kind of strange, but wasn’t that noticeable throughout the wear.

That’s basically what I get for the dry down. A soapy and slightly powdery floral fragrance with a vanilla and tonka bean mix in the base. Not nearly as interesting and a lot of what I was enjoying simply fades away.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

I’d say this is above average with its sillage and projection. Not a super heavy fragrance, as it does have a bit of freshness to it. Yet, it still does have plenty of substance (vanilla, tonka bean, violet) and never feels airy.

The projection will extend pretty far in that first hour. Very noticeable to those around you. It will end up more moderate, let’s say, three to five feet from the skin for a good portion of the total wear.

The longevity here is over 8 hours on my skin. Maybe, it hits 9 hours, but doesn’t go beyond that for me. It’s fine. For the price and the ‘Elixir’ title that they use, I did expect it to venture into the double digit hour territory.

Seasonally, it’s better when it’s a bit chilly out. I think that Elixir would work in the springtime, as well, but the heat and humidity of summer would be too much. Let’s call it autumn through spring, for its range.

If you do enjoy the scent, Guilty Elixir Pour Femme does have the ability to be worn in many scenarios. Maybe not the most formal or sexiest scent out there. Though, it can work as a daily wear for many, and can venture into the nightlife as well.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Elixir Pour Femme

I’m not sure that everyone is going to like this edition. Personally, I think it’s among the better Guilty releases on the women’s side. Which may not be saying all that much, there’s maybe two or three that are quite good (Absolute followed by Intense), and the rest…maybe not.

Not my favorite, but I was pleasantly surprised by what this one had to offer.

The citrus, the wisteria, the jam-like aroma in the opening act. All very nice. That’s the highlight of the wear for me.

It does get a bit boring and uninspired in the dry down. Not nearly as sweet, more of a straightforward and smooth floral/vanilla scent.

And at the price that it’s going for, is another reason for me not to give it a full buy recommendation. Definitely one to try out, if you’re interested, but I’d check it out first.

The performance is at least good enough, even if the rest of the back half, isn’t anything too amazing. I’m not sure this will ever go on discount, but it might be worth waiting for, if you absolutely must have Elixir in your collection.

Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Homme by Gucci

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Guilty Elixir Pour Homme was released by the brand in 2023. I picked up samples of it late last year to test it out and see if it lived up to its early hype. It sort of took the line in a new direction versus what you get with others in the series.

How does Elixir smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Guilty Elixir Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, orange blossom, nutmeg, ambrofix, pimento seeds, orris butter, benzoin, patchouli, osmanthus

Click here to try: Guilty Elixir

My Full Review

The opening of this Guilty fragrance is spicy, warm, balsamic, with the iris and vanilla notes already making themselves known. Interestingly, on my skin at least, the benzoin note really comes up from the base at this stage.

I’m actually reminded a bit of Body Kouros by YSL in the undertones of Elixir, at this early stage.

The spices here are nutmeg, and for me, the more prominent pimento. Same sort of spice found in K by D&G and Xeryus Rouge.

After this initial burst, it does become more floral. I was expecting to get more of the orange blossom note before the iris came fully into play.

Actually, the osmanthus comes through more for me. It’s much less of the fruity smelling type, actually it gives a suede/leather scent to Guilty Elixir.

The spice tones down, this Gucci cologne is fully in its floral, powdery, vanilla phase. Less warm, smooth, fresh, with a touch of fuzziness. Here’s where I do pick up some more of the orange blossom, since the nutmeg and pimento have toned down.

Guilty Elixir isn’t fully a ‘baby powder’ type of fragrance. Orris butter, vanilla, and orange blossom do lend a creaminess here and this cologne does have more of a sweetness to it for a good portion of the wear.

The dry down is pretty simple. Orris, vanilla, the ‘Ambrofix’ amber note, some leftover benzoin and patchouli. Mainly, it’s the vanilla and ambrofix.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This isn’t a heavy fragrance, it’s substantial, while having a definite light feeling to it. Guilty Elixir, does however, project quite far and creates a great scent bubble around you.

Not a massive reach, but well above average with just how far it will jump off of the skin. With a normal amount of spraying, I don’t think this Gucci disappoints.

Elixir performs well in terms of its longevity. I get somewhere in the 8-9.5 hour range, each time that I’ve sprayed in on.

It might be capable of more than that for some people, but it’s not elite status. Still better than others in the series, though.

Seasonally, I’d say this one can go autumn to pretty deep into springtime (depending on where you live). It’s not a scent for the hot weather, but Elixir can hold up on a reasonably warm day. Though, I’d mostly wear it when it’s chilly to moderate outside.

It’s very versatile outside of that. Not really a nightclub beast or necessarily one for romantic wear and not completely formal. But, as a daily wear and just about any other situation Guilty Elixir Pour Homme can fit in.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Elixir

Overall, do I like it? Sure, it’s different from the rest of the Guilty Pour Homme series, but it also doesn’t strike me as incredible. Likeable, for me. Other people might love this, especially if you are a fan of scents like Reflection.

I came back to this one after having the sample for a few months and forgetting about it. I’m a bit more positive on it than the first time, but I still don’t think it’s incredible. The opening act is my favorite part and the rest of it isn’t too exciting to my nose.

There’s no inherent weaknesses with Elixir. Performance is good across the board, its pleasant, and one that you can get plenty of use out of.

Since this is a higher price point than others in the Guilty series, I would try to test it out, to see if this one actually appeals to you.

The softer floral, powdery, vanilla scent isn’t going to be for everyone. This one is actually pretty unisex and if you want something more masculine, look elsewhere.

Gucci Guilty vs. Acqua di Gio

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In this edition of the head to head men’s fragrances match up, we have two popular choices from Italian designers, Acqua di Gio vs. Gucci Guilty. Which of these scents ultimately smells the best? Performs better? Is the top buy? I have worn each around, reviewed them (linked below), and now will compare each in a variety of categories to select the best.

Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. Gucci Guilty

Acqua di Gio

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

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

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Gucci Guilty

Notes include: lemon, orange blossom, lavender, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper, neroli

Click here to try: Guilty By Gucci EDT spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Gucci Guilty

Opening

Gucci Guilty starts off with a strong blast of citrus from the lemon note, that is flanked by warm amber, and calming lavender. It smooth and fresh with a bit of spice lurking underneath the surface. Guilty has a floral tinge from the orange blossom and neroli, with a cedar base. Very nice.

Acqua di Gio opens up with a blend of citrus notes of bergamot and tangerine. These notes are accompanied by marine notes, which gives this fragrance its aquatic aroma, and some jasmine undertones.

As it moves along, it will develop more of its aquatic elements and slight smokiness. Guilty stays with its bright and warm disposition. I have always loved that sea breeze accord and the way that it plays off of the citrus.

Which do I prefer? I actually like the way that Gucci Guilty starts off, better than, Acqua di Gio. The lemon note is great, it’s soaked in amber, with a nice lavender coming through. It’s simple and effective.

Yes, AdG has a lot going for it, and this is a close contest. But, that start from Guilty has something special about it to me. Not a massive edge, but the Gucci takes this one.

Edge: Guilty

Projection

At the start, both of these fragrances have pretty similar sillage, that could be characterized as in the moderate range. You notice it, but not overpower a room.

Guilty, however, lightens up quicker than does the Armani. It becomes more light and airy, a few hours in.

If we were talking about the original formulations of each, AdG would take this one pretty easily. Even in there latest states, the edge for Acqua is pretty apparent.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Longevity

Wearing Gucci Guilty, I only seem to ever get 5-6 hours of wear, from it. Pretty average, not spectacular. Acqua di Gio is somewhat better, clocking in at 6-7 hours, on my skin. Not a massive difference, but it’s noticeable.

AdG used to be even better, than its current incarnation. Nonetheless, it can still outdo the original Gucci Guilty, with its performance.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Versatility

Each of these fragrances, is extremely versatile in its uses. Both mainly fit in during the spring/summer months, but can easily be worn year round without problem.

Neither is a formal fragrance, but they’re also not only for teenagers. They can appeal to a very wide audience, which explains the massive sales success of each over the decades.

They are also both safe to wear to class or the office, casually, or even out on a date. There’s not really an edge in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This is a pretty close call between these competitors. I really like Acqua di Gio and it is a classic, at this point in time. It’s got a great citrus marine profile, with supporting floral and wood notes. It also has better performance than does Gucci Guilty.

I like how Guilty smells. I prefer how it starts out, with the great lemon, floral, and amber notes. It’s very simple and straightforward, but that orange blossom and lavender, plays very well off of the citrus. Clean and bright.

However, I still think the Acqua di Gio is the better fragrance. The dry down period of Acqua di Gio and the better performance, gives it the edge, in my opinion. Is it miles better?

No, but it is the more interesting fragrance. Guilty is a pretty basic scent. It is unique in how it presents itself, but not much depth there. I think that I’d pick Guilty Black and probably Intense over it, but not the original Guilty.

Even then, that’s not a sure thing, as I really do like AdG and it can still be a signature daily wear for a lot of people.

Winner: Acqua di Gio