paco rabanne

1 Million vs 1 Million Royal

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1 Million has been a staple men’s fragrance from Paco Rabanne for a long time now. The original eau de toilette formulation has spun off many flankers under this banner, including the commercially successful 1 Million Royal.

But, the question is, how do these colognes compare? Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: 1 Million vs. Royal

1 Million

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

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

Read my Full Review: 1 Million by Paco Rabanne

Royal

Notes include: mandarin orange, bergamot, cardamom, lavender, violet leaf, cedar, sage, benzoin, patchouli

Buy from Amazon: Royal

Read my full review: 1 Million Royal

Opening

1 Million EDT opens up with a blend of leather, rose, and its citrus notes (orange and grapefruit). This combination gives the fragrance a sort of  grape bubblegum like aroma.

It’s sweet and warm, with an ever increasing spice coming from mostly cinnamon, but also a cooling mint.

All of this is surrounded by the embraced of an amber note, helping to give 1 Million some of its boldness and thickness.

1 Million Royal opens up with a blend of notes vying for your attention. The mandarin orange and bergamot citrus are sitting on top of the mix, giving this an initial lightness and brightness.

Underneath, the warm spiciness of the cardamom and benzoin notes are already coming through. Royal will have more of a cardamom spice versus other notes here, but early I get a decent amount of sage and a touch of patchouli.

The latter, is only noticeably if I really focus and basically press my nose up against where I sprayed.

As we move along, the spiciness will tone down. I start to get a greater ratio of the lavender versus the cardamom and the benzoin will also begin to claim the top spot.

Which do I like more? While Royal has a very good opening act, that I enjoy greatly. I still prefer what the original Paco Rabanne 1 Million brings to the table.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

1 Million EDT used to be quite a strong fragrance. If we were talking about older bottles, it’d take this category for sure. Now, it’s still got a strong start, but moderates much more quickly than in the past.

Royal isn’t a heavy fragrance. Though, it has a lot more power than you think that it does. It’s kind of diffuse and the cloud that it creates around you is much more like a mist for most of the wear.

I’d say at its peak, Royal is probably a 5-8 foot radius cologne, in terms of its projection. After that, it’s going to spend a ton of time in that 3-4 foot range. Not bearing down on you, but I’ve noticed it hanging around without having to press my nose to my skin.

Which packs more punch? Nowadays, these two are about even with what they provide. 1 Million EDT feels a bit heavier, but it doesn’t project itself any further in my experience with each.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Older bottles of 1 Million would last well past 10 hours on my skin. With my latest bottle, that number sits closer to 8. It’s taken a step back for sure with its performance.

Royal, on the other hand, gets me about 8-8.5 hours of wear. Has never been a super long lasting cologne, but it matches what I get with the EDT.

In this category, I’ll call it an even match.

Edge: Push

Versatility

So, neither of these fragrances are going to be an office wear scent or something for formal occasions. Pretty much casual scenarios, nightlife, etc.

Each feels more appropriate in autumn and winter. However, they can also been worn at night in the spring, if it’s not too hot or humid out.

Both of them trends younger, but neither is completely juvenile. Both have more of a fun and mass appealing style versus being anything too refined or serious.

I don’t really see a distinction in this category either.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two colognes do I prefer?

It’s a very even match in terms of how each fragrance performs. But, which one of them smells better?

With Royal, I do like the change of pace. I like the warmth and spiciness that it provides, while still having some of the citrus notes and the benzoin in the dry down period.

I go back and forth between preferring 1 Million Elixir and Royal. Those are my 2nd and third favorites from the line, based on what’s available right now.

However, I still like the EDT a bit more than those two. Prive was my favorite, but now, 1 Million EDT is still the one that I’d go with.

I enjoy the opening act with the leather and citrus a bit more than the start of Royal. With the newer cologne, the opening is my favorite part of it, but it’s still not as good as 1 Million. Plus, the original is better in the dry down.

It doesn’t have the same power that it once did, but it is the more interesting fragrance for the entirety of the wear. Royal has a great start, but the rest of it isn’t nearly as good.

So, I’m picking the original 1 Million here.

Edge: 1 Million

1 Million Royal by Paco Rabanne

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1 Million Royal is the latest flanker fragrance of the highly popular line by Paco Rabanne. It was released in 2023 and slowly seems to be getting more attention. It took me a while just to get a hold of the bottle, since it was only recently released in the US a week or so before writing this. How does Royal smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

1 Million Royal Overview

Notes include: mandarin orange, bergamot, cardamom, lavender, violet leaf, cedar, sage, benzoin, patchouli

Buy from Sephora: Royal

million royal review

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Powered by your inner confidence, enter the 1 Million Royal kingdom with the ultimate fragrance of defiant self-expression, made for you by Paco Rabanne. Unconstrained by convention, find the freedom to live by your own rules with 1 Million Royal: a flamboyant fresh woody blend that collides with a distinctive sensuality to unleash what makes you uniquely you. Claim the stage; you’re the king. It’s time to rise.

1 Million Royal opens up with a blend of notes vying for your attention. The mandarin orange and bergamot citrus are sitting on top of the mix, giving this an initial lightness and brightness.

Underneath, the warm spiciness of the cardamom and benzoin notes are already coming through. Royal will have more of a cardamom spice versus other notes here, but early I get a decent amount of sage and a touch of patchouli.

The latter, is only noticeably if I really focus and basically press my nose up against where I sprayed.

In comparison to 1 Million Elixir, this also has a sweetness and amber-like heart thanks to that benzoin. However, Elixir is much sweeter, floral, and vanilla based.

Royal seems to have something giving it a light vanilla effect, but the note isn’t actually listed (probably benzoin, creating that sensation).

Royal also shares plenty of similarities with Le Male Airlines by JPG. I have a full bottle of that fragrance and they definitely overlap.

Notably, they share notes of: cardamom, lavender, citrus, and cedar. But, they aren’t exactly the same in terms of smell. Airlines is sweeter and much more cardamom dominant. The cardamom itself seems to be a different type in Royal, spicier with less of the citrusy facets.

I like Royal more than Airlines thus far.

As we move along, the spiciness will tone down. I start to get a greater ratio of the lavender versus the cardamom and the benzoin will also begin to claim the top spot.

That’s mostly what the dry down is all about. A sort of fuzzy vanilla amber aroma of the benzoin, lavender, the remaining cardamom, and a generic fresh woody cedar note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Royal isn’t a heavy fragrance. Though, it has a lot more power than you think that it does. It’s kind of diffuse and the cloud that it creates around you is much more like a mist for most of the wear.

3-4 hours into the wear I can still smell it on me and I’ve had one other person comment positively on it during my first initial test. This was hours after I had sprayed it on my arm, not even on the usual pulse points.

I’d say at its peak, Royal is probably a 5-8 foot radius cologne, in terms of its projection. After that, it’s going to spend a ton of time in that 3-4 foot range. Not bearing down on you, but I’ve noticed it hanging around without having to press my nose to my skin.

On me, this lasts somewhere in the 8-8.5 hour range. Good enough for most uses, but not incredible either.  Royal is actually a parfum concentration and the performance basically reflects that higher level of perfume.

It does fall slightly short of what I got with Elixir. Almost the same sillage, but Elixir lasts up to 10 hours on me.

Seasonally, probably going to be more of an autumn and winter wear. It’s actually nice in moderate temperatures, so, spring will be fine in most places. That’s especially true in the evenings.

It’s about to officially be summer here in a few days, which has limited a lot of my testing to indoors, as it’s not a fragrance that is built for the heat. It’s actually not terrible, since Royal isn’t overly thick and heavy, just not ideal.

1 Million Royal does skew more towards being a nightlife fragrance, but it isn’t completely out of place in a variety of other situations. It’s just not really a formal type of cologne.

It can really be worn by a man of any age, since it doesn’t have the same level of candy-like sweetness that some other fragrances in the 1 Million series can. It’s very much like 1 Million Prive, in that regard.

As I wrote earlier, I’ve already gotten a complement on Royal and this one indeed feels like it’s going to have mass appeal. I think that I’ll use my bottle mostly for casual and nightlife wear.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million Royal

Overall, do I like 1 Million Royal? Yes, to me it’s on par with Elixir. I do notice the similarities, but these are ultimately different fragrances. Royal is warmer, spicier, and doesn’t have that Elixir sweetness.

I wasn’t sure that I was going to like this and was worried that I’d have a full bottle of the stuff just languishing on my shelf. Royal turned out to be better than I expected and I will get plenty of use out of it.

It’s actually much closer to Le Male Airlines than the other 1 Million scents. It’s like they fused that Gaultier cologne’s DNA with some of the 1 Million fragrances’ and then added more benzoin. All resulting in 1 Million Royal.

I think that the opening is really great. The citrus gives it a nice energy and the balance of the spiciness, benzoin, and lavender is near perfection at that point. Enough sweetness to not be overwhelmed in either the spicy or sweet direction.

Performance is solid. Not a monster projector, but Royal does have a nice ability to project and leave a scent trail. Longevity is about what you’d need in most scenarios.

I recommend giving this one a try, if you’re a fan of the 1 Million series. It’s different of course, but that same sort of vibe and style is present here. I’m glad that I bought it.

1 Million vs. 1 Million Parfum Comparison

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1 Million EDT is still a best seller after all of these years. Of course, that means that Paco Rabanne is going to continue to release new flanker versions under its banner. The latest is 2020’s 1 Million Parfum. How does it compare? Which smells better? Which cologne lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: 1 Million vs. Parfum

1 Million

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

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

Read my Full Review: 1 Million by Paco Rabanne

1 Million Parfum

Notes include: grapefruit, solar leather, tuberose, pine, resin, amber

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne One 1 Million Pure Parfum Natural Spray For Men 100ml / 3.4oz

Read my Full Review: 1 Million Parfum

Opening

1 Million EDT opens up with a mix of leather, rose, and citrus (orange and grapefruit), that gives the fragrance a sort of  grape bubblegum like aroma. It’s sweet and warm, with an ever increasing spice coming from mostly cinnamon, but also mint.

All of this is surrounded by the embraced of an amber note, helping to give 1 Million some of its boldness and thickness.

Meanwhile, 1 Million Parfum somewhat mimics the opening of the EDT, but really taking it in a different direction. The opening act is when these two are at their most similar.

Parfum kicks things off with grapefruit and what Paco Rabanne refers to as ‘solar leather’. Basically, trying to recreate the sensation of sunlight (which it does) and the familiar leather note.

Along with that, there is a noticeable tiare flower, with which the solar notes blend and help to give this a somewhat tropical vibe up top.

Which start is better? It’s a close call for me. But, I do like the way that Parfum opens up and gives it a new twist, so I’ll lean that way.

Edge: Parfum

Projection

Which of these two has the greater sillage and strength? If we’re talking about the classic formulations of the EDT, I’d say that it had the advantage.

However, I don’t think the newer bottles have the same punch that it once did. As such, Parfum will take this category. The EDT isn’t weak, but I think that Parfum’s high point is greater than the original now.

Parfum isn’t elite, but it is well above average. EDT nowadays, still has a rather bold start, but will become much more moderate at a faster pace than it used to originally.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

Again, the EDT used to give me a lot more than its current formulation. Back in the day, it was easily over 10 hours on my skin.

Now, it is usually between 8-10, depending on the scenario. Still very good, but not a marathon performer.

Parfum also hits that 8-10 hour range. Yes, the concentration is higher with Parfum, but on me it doesn’t translate into a longer wear.

Update: Now, 1 Million EDT, seems to only hit 8 hours with my latest bottle. It doesn’t really stretch to that 10 hour mark. So, I’m changing this to a Parfum win.

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

So, neither of these fragrances are going to be an office wear scent or something for formal occasions. Pretty much casual scenarios, nightlife, etc.

Each feels more appropriate in autumn and winter. However, Parfum has the edge in that, it can venture deeper into spring than 1 Million can. Parfum can’t venture into the high heat but it’s tropical aspects do lend itself decently to warmer weather.

I will also say, that Parfum does feel a bit more grown up and mature than the EDT. It’s got a well put together style in comparison than the attention grabbing EDT.

Edge: Parfum

Overall Scent

It does look like a clean win for 1 Million Parfum. However, in terms of overall experience, I’d still go with the EDT.

While I like the opening act of Parfum slightly more, I don’t think it holds up for the duration. The latter stages become more about tuberose and ambergris, which lessens its appeal for me.

I like the opening act, I like the leather and pine freshness, but the dry down is just okay. And that, is what most of the wear will be with Parfum.

With the original 1 Million, it would’ve been an easy win for it, based on older bottles. Still, I’d rather wear it over the newer Parfum. I like the sweetness, the spice, leather, and hints of rose.

Out of the newer releases in this line, I probably would opt to go with Elixir, if you want something different from the original. I think that one does a better job throughout versus Parfum.

EDT is warm and kind of brash, but I just think that it smells better in totality, when compared with Parfum. It really comes down to how you feel about the back half of Parfum. It’s not my thing, but some people seem to enjoy it.

Winner: 1 Million EDT

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