invictus

Invictus Victory vs Bad Boy

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Invictus Victory is a flanker of the very popular Paco Rabanne cologne. Meanwhile, Bad Boy is the original of Carolina Herrera’s more recent best selling line. Since each of these fragrances has a similar style, they can be the final two picks that someone is deciding between.

On this page, I break down how Bad Boy and Victory compare and contrast with one another, after having tested and reviewed each. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Bad Boy vs. Invictus Victory

Bad Boy

Notes include: white pepper, cocoa, sage, tonka bean, vetiver, pink pepper, grapefruit, and amber

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Bad Boy EDT Eau de Toilette 3.4oz / 100ml For Men, Black

Read my review: Bad Boy EDT

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, vanilla, amber, lemon, tonka bean, olibanum, lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

Opening

The opening of the original Bad Boy EDT, strikes quite differently to my nose, depending on whether it is close to the skin or not. Up close, I get a honeycomb like aroma that is dipped in amber and dotted with various pepper notes.

From afar, I really pick up the sweeter and creamier aspects of this scent. Namely, the cocoa and tonka bean.

Invictus Victory starts a lot like the old Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out some number of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Kind of smoky, but it doesn’t dominate the composition. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will start to have a greater use of the vanilla and amber notes.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Projection

Bad Boy has never been a heavy or very far-reaching fragrance whenever I’ve tested it out. It’s more of a moderate fragrance. Not weak, but it doesn’t blow the doors off.

Victory does start off strong and it has a heavier/thicker feeling to it. That more powerful projection will last for an hour or two, before settling into a moderate sillage itself.

Between the two, Victory is stronger at first and still has a slight edge after that. Not much, but it gets the win here.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Longevity

Invictus Victory takes this category as well. On my skin, the Paco Rabanne cologne will last for 8-9 hours, which is pretty good but not elite.

Bad Boy falls a few hours short. At it’s best, I get 7 hours from that fragrance. Again, the upper end of average, but nothing spectacular.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Versatility

Seasonally, they’re both the same with what they bring to the table. Autumn and winter wear mainly, with the ability to venture into springtime, on days where it doesn’t get too warm.

They do both skew younger, have more nighttime vibes than something that you might reach for daily. But, they can cover that base too, if you don’t have a very formal environment you need to go to each day.

Really, there isn’t much separation in this category.  So, I’m calling it a tie.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances is the one that I’d go with, if I had to decide? For me, it’s not too difficult of a decision.

Looking back over at what I like about Bad Boy. The sweetness, the amber, the late stage vetiver, and use of cocoa. It’s kind of messy, when you press your nose to the skin. However, I do enjoy the fragrance while it floating in the air.

It’s just never been much more than that. It’s performance is middling, but it does have a good deal of versatility and this Carolina Herrera scent is very wearable.

But, I’d take Invictus Victory.

Spicy and smoky. Better use of the vanilla note, with maybe a somewhat harsher amber not versus what I get with Bad Boy. The performance is also better.

This isn’t a massive preference for one versus the other. I’d just choose to wear Victory 6 or 7 times out of 10, if all I had were it and Bad Boy.

Winner: Invictus Victory

Invictus vs. Invictus Victory

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Invictus has been such a massive success for Paco Rabanne that we’ve now had about a decade’s worth of flankers released in its wake. Many of the initial releases were a lot like the original Invictus EDT. Now, the names are the same, but they don’t always have much in common.

On this page, I want to compare the original Invictus to one of its much later flankers, Invictus Victory. How does each smell? Which lasts longer? Which cologne is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Invictus vs. Victory

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

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

Opening

Invictus opens with a citrusy candy-like aroma of a blend of orange and grapefruit notes. This is joined by an aquatic aroma, that gives it a summertime vibe. Not a realistic water, mind you, but that’s what they’re going for.

Ambergris and bay leaf combine with the fruits and aquatic accord to give Invictus a sweet grape bubblegum sort of smell. Very blue-ish and watery, without giving off that oceanic sea water smell.

Invictus Victory starts a lot like the old Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out some number of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Kind of smoky, but it doesn’t dominate the composition. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will start to have a greater use of the vanilla and amber notes.

Which is better? Invictus is pretty good at the start. Kind of a lot to handle all at once, sometimes. But, it’s fine.

However, Invictus Victory has a more refined scent, that’s just more pleasing all around.

Edge: Victory

Projection

Both of these fragrances have a strong burst of power during the initial part of the wear. Victory is the heavier of the two, but the citrus notes of Invictus make it seem like a more power scent than it might actually be.

However, both of them will turn more moderate after that first hour or two. But, I’d say that Invictus Victory has the greater reach and staying power when comparing them.

Edge: Victory

Longevity

The original Invictus was never a super long-lasting fragrance for me, but it was always passable. On my skin, I can get about 6-7 hours of wear from this EDT.

With Victory, that gets bumped up to 8-9 hours. Victory Elixir actually hits the double digits, but the original Victory is just shy. Still, it takes this category.

Edge: Victory

Versatility

Invictus EDT has the greater versatility across seasons. It is more of spring and summer wear, that holds up better in winter than Victory does in the heat. Victory is mostly an autumn and winter cologne that can go somewhat into spring.

I think that Victory is the more refined scent of the two. It’s still a younger man’s cologne, but it’s well put together in comparison to the youthful Invictus. I also think that it does a better job as a nightlife option than Invictus.

I tend to give the edge to Victory in this category, because I think it has more use cases within its time of the year, but Invictus EDT does have that seasonal lead.

Edge: Victory (slightly)

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer? It’s honestly not a difficult choice for me. Invictus Victory is the better cologne versus Invictus EDT.

I’ve never been a big fan of the original. Though, I do sometimes enjoy the opening act, and don’t think that it’s a terrible fragrance. People in public do tend to overspray it, which makes it also feel unbearable to be around sometimes.

When compared to Invictus Victory, I just don’t think that EDT does much better. Victory smells better, performs better, and is at least equal with when it can be worn. I like its spice and its vanilla note.

It’s not my favorite cologne in the world, but Invictus Victory would be one of my top picks in the series.

Winner: Victory

Invictus Victory vs. Elixir Comparison

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Invictus as a series keeps rolling along. Now, the flankers are getting their own flankers, and have little to do with the original scent. Invictus Victory is one that has been popular over the past few years, and they’ve put out its flanker, Victory Elixir. I’ve tested and reviewed both of these colognes, but which one smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Invictus Victory vs. Elixir

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, and lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

invictus victory review

Invictus Victory Elixir

Notes include: cardamom, black pepper, bergamot oil, lavender, incense, patchouli, vanilla, amber, and tonka bean

Click here to try: Elixir

My Full Review: Victory Elixir

Opening

Invictus Victory starts out really reminding me of the Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out a handful of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Sort of smoky, but not overwhelmingly so. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will become more about the vanilla and amber notes.

Meanwhile, Elixir starts with a more immediate use of the vanilla and amber. The amber is more powerful here, with a distinct resinous quality to it. Pink pepper has been replaced by a spice mix of black pepper and cardamom.

What’s interesting about Elixir is that it gets sweeter, after a few minutes. It gets more of a tonka bean influence and the impression of coconut. Now, it doesn’t actually have coconut, but it does smell a good deal like it.

Which is better?

I really enjoy both opening acts here. The hint of lemon in Victory is one of my favorite aspects, but it is too short-lived.

With Elixir, it’s a bit more complex early on and the best parts seem to stick around longer. I’ll give it the opening.

Edge: Elixir

Projection

Both of these are above average with the projection and have the ability to leave a scent trail in your wake. Neither are super heavy feeling, but the performance is there.

While Invictus Victory is above average, it wasn’t massive projector when I tested it out. It has a very strong burst at the opening. Then, it becomes rather moderate for the rest of the way.

Victory Elixir is quite powerful. I’m sure it’ll be even better with a full bottle. This one leaps off of the skin and stays at a high level for most of the wear. Pretty much a beast.

Elixir takes this category.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

Both of these fragrances don’t disappoint when it comes to how long they last. But, there is a clear winner between them.

With Victory, I got in the 8-9 hour range with it during testing. Not amazing, but well above average.

Elixir, was in the 9-11 hour range. It might actually be able to go beyond the higher end of that range for the right person, with a full sized sprayer.

Both Invictus Victory releases have good performances, however.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

These two are about the same in their use case. Both are best in autumn and winter. Both are suited more towards younger men. Both are attractive fragrances that will get plenty of play in the nightlife.

No real distinction.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

Honestly, if I’m just going off the smell of each alone, it’s basically a tie. Two of the best releases from the Invictus line.

The opening and transition into the middle, is when they are most distinct from one another. I slightly prefer Elixir during that stage of the wear. Not a huge gap, but if I have to choose, I’ll roll with it.

But, the performance and slightly more unique formula gives Elixir the nod. It’s a lot stronger and gives you a few more hours of wear. Yes, that coconut-like aroma gives it shades of Le Beau Le Parfum, but I think this Invictus is better.

If you liked the original Victory, you’ll almost certainly like Elixir too. Doesn’t mean that you need both, though.

Winner: Elixir

Invictus Victory Elixir by Paco Rabanne

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Invictus Victory Elixir is a 2023 release, coming off of the heels of the popular Invictus Victory. I received a small sample of this along with my order of 1 Million Royal. I was curious to try this one out, as I did enjoy Victory. How does Elixir smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Invictus Victory Elixir Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, black pepper, bergamot oil, lavender, incense, patchouli, vanilla, amber, and tonka bean

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Discover Invictus Victory Elixir, the pinnacle of intensity from Invictus, the new powerful fragrance for men by Paco Rabanne. A potent elixir made to push victory beyond limits. the time has come to embrace your moment of immortality. A rich, powerful, long-lasting nectar blending spicy woods and biting freshness, for the epic achiever. It’s the ultimate expression of victory. never stop winning.

So, right away this strikes me as being a much more concentrated version of Invictus Victory. That scent had a lot in common with the Pure XS colognes from Paco Rabanne, but Elixir sort of strips that away to a more focused point.

Victory had the pink pepper and lemon notes up top. Elixir kicks off with a warm, resinous, and vanilla blend. Black pepper is exchanged for the pink variety, but it only lasted a few minutes tops.

The amber accord provides some spice along with the resinous qualities, but it doesn’t hit you in the face with it. There is a light cardamom, but not too much of it.

The incense note, is also in Victory. However, I will say that I can’t detect much of it at all in Elixir. It was very present on my skin with Victory.

Very smooth with how warm it is and the creaminess of the vanilla note. I’m glad the vanilla is heavier in the weighting versus the tonka bean, as I think that it has a more enjoyable scent this way.

A few minutes in, this one starts to feel much sweeter. The way everything combines, it has almost a coconut finish to it. Nothing crazy or overwhelming, but it is there. More like dry coconut flakes than a watery fruit juice.

The dry down lightens up on that sweet/coconut aroma. I get more tonka bean, an increase in the amber, and a lavender note becoming fairly distinct. It was always in the mix, I think, but really wasn’t clear on its own until the middle of the wear. It sort of sits underneath everything else, until fading in the tail end.

That tail end? Pretty much a vanilla, tonka bean, amber, and general freshness. Warm, sort of sweet, but not a complete sweet and creamy mess. It’s nice, pretty basic, at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is nice and powerful. Definitely one to leave a scent trail in your wake. The projection off of the skin is great and could be nuclear with a full bottle. I did only have that tiny sample sprayer, but even with that, I can tell this one is going to be a beast.

The longevity also just keeps going. 9 hours at least. Maybe up to 11 or so, on my skin. I did eventually shower, but it was still very noticeably immediately prior to that. I’d have to test Elixir again to see exactly how long it lasts.

Nonetheless, expect a strong and long lasting performance out of this Invictus flanker.

Seasonally, this would be best in autumn and winter. Not strictly cold weather, but it’s probably best to avoid the heat. Kind of too thick and loud, to not be cloying in the middle of summer. Go with something else, then.

This is more of a casual or nightlife wear for younger guys. Not just teenagers, but it does have a youthful vibe, while still being one of the more well put together Invictus colognes.

Elixir is probably going to be pretty popular and has that very mass appealing sort of style. I can see this one being worn at bars and nightclubs around the world, in the next few years. Not super sexy, but it has its appeal.

Overall Impressions of Invictus Victory Elixir

Overall, do I like Victory Elixir? I do. Based on this one try, I’m not sure that I prefer it to the original Victory, however. Currently, I rate the smell as being equally enjoyable. I’ll see as I update this, if that changes or not.

Victory Elixir is for sure the better performer between them.

Like some of the other Paco Rabanne scents, this can have a bit of an annoying synthetic quality to it. Not too much of a problem here, but at times I can get tired of a fragrance like this. 1 Million Lucky and the original Invictus a bigger culprits, in this regard.

The aroma is pretty similar to Le Beau Le Parfum from JPG. However, this is better. It has the illusion of coconut, the amber, and tonka bean as the overlap between them. Elixir is a more pleasant and well done experience, in my opinion.

All in all, if you’re a fan of this series, you’ll almost certainly like this one. It’s among the best of them to me, even after this one try. It’s definitely worth trying out, at the very least.

Invictus Victory by Paco Rabanne

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Invictus Victory was the 2021 flanker release from this popular line. I don’t know if it has caught on quite to the same extent as some of the others, as of yet, but seems to have a generally positive rating among people. I grabbed a sample a while back of this Paco Rabanne cologne and have been testing it out. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Invictus Victory Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, and lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

invictus victory review

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes this cologne: The new Invictus Victory extreme eau de parfum seizes with its power and seduces with its freshness. Instantly, citric lemon notes flow. The woody fragrance of incense strengthens the composition whilst the sensual vanilla wraps itself around a fiery Tonka bean. An eau de parfum that subtly celebrates modern masculinity.

So, this Paco Rabanne is actually not anything like the other entries in the Invictus line of fragrances, and instead, shares a whole lot of overlap with the less popular (but nice) Pure XS line.

It’s almost like they decided to not make a third Pure XS flanker and just rebranded it under the Invictus label. Nonetheless, Victory is a likeable cologne, no matter the nametag it is presenting under.

Pure XS is boozy and sweet. Pure XS Night is spicy and sweet. This is more of a warm gourmand with hints of spice, but with a heavier use of vanilla, tonka bean, and amber.

The opening act gives me a nice dose of lemon, a general warmth, and a peppery kick to round things off. The pink pepper gives it that extra bit of a warm vibe, but isn’t super overwhelming in the mix.

The marketing definitely overplays the lemon note, as it is the weakest of the bunch, and is gone pretty quickly.

It’s also got a smokiness in the very early part of the wear. That’s from the olibanum note, which replaces the myrrh that’s found in the Pure XS scents. Basically, incense. Later, it smells more like a generic wood, just smooth.

As it dries down, that’s when it becomes more of a vanilla and amber based cologne. But, with everything coming together, Invictus Victory actually gets a chocolate smell, also. Sort of a mix between vanilla and chocolate.

Not sugary milk chocolate, mind you, more of a raw cacao. Lavender comes into play, at this point in time.

Clean and smooth for the middle act. Then, a thicker finish with less of the lavender. Really, vanilla is going to dominate. Tonka bean and amber fight out for most of the rest of the space.

Lavender and the general woodiness stick around in a pretty sparing amount.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Victory doesn’t come across as a powerhouse to me. Strong initially, but fairly middle of the road for much of the duration. You’ll get a nice scent trail going, but it’s projection wasn’t huge off the skin.

Still, it is a solid wear and never felt weak to my nose.

With the longevity, it can go just over eight hours. Maybe nine, depending on the day. That is great for the price range of this. You’ll get your money’s worth from the performance with Victory.

On clothing itself, it will go for days.

Seasonally, this one is an autumn and winter wear for the most part. You could probably sneak it into the early springtime, but I’d pass on spraying it for the summer.

Victory is more of a younger man’s fragrance, like most of the rest of the Invictus scents. It has a nice appeal for the nightlife and should catch attention with its gourmand style. Is it really sexy? Not really, but that delicious attractiveness should do just fine.

Overall Impressions of Invictus Victory

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that it is nice. Victory gives you a youthful gourmand sweetness that is attractive and easy to wear.

The opening is interesting. The brief lemon is a nice touch, that I wish lasted a bit longer. Good smokiness from the incense note.

The dry down isn’t super complex or anything. It’s still good, just doesn’t catch my attention in the same way.

It’s like the long lost brother of the Pure XS line and has some similarities to something like Code Profumo. This one goes heavy on the vanilla and tonka bean, sweet, amber-laden, and  can be a bit too cloying for some.

If you’re not into that sort of fragrance, you might want to skip on Victory. Also considering that it doesn’t have much to do with the other Invictus colognes that have been release. As such, if you’re a fan of those, you might not enjoy this one.