paco rabanne

1 Million by Paco Rabanne

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Of course I was going to get around to eventually doing a review of 1 Million by Paco Rabanne and so I woke up this morning and said to myself, “Why not now?” After all, this scent is so very popular, especially among younger guys, that I think that’d I’d have to address it at some point.

What is there to be said about a best-selling cologne that comes in a bottle shaped like a gold ingot? Well, plenty is to be said because it is an interesting scent, in my opinion. Now, let us take a closer look at 1 Million and see what makes it such a draw.

What does 1 Million by Paco Rabanne Smell Like?

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

My Full Take on 1 Million 

Here is how Paco Rabanne describes it: Fall in love with danger and grand gestures. Obey no one. Except your fantasies. The 1 million fragrance eau de toilette for men is a beautiful spicy leather scent for insolent gentlemen.

Let me start off by saying that, I enjoy this fragrance. I know that there are plenty of people who don’t because of various reasons, either perceived rightly or wrongly, but I find that it is a very good scent.

I think that many people’s problem with this fragrance stems from its sweet, candy-like opening and its sheer popularity.

Sometimes, things get hated on simply because it is popular, whatever. Anyways, the more valid criticism is it’s really sweet opening notes, which gets compared to bubble gum or fruity candy.

It is important to understand that this initial burst fades after 10-20 minutes before the fragrance starts to reveal itself fully. On my skin, I get more spice and warmth than some other folks, it seems. This is especially true with newer batches of 1 Million

The opening takes on the bubble gum sort of aroma because of a mix of leather, rose, and citrus (orange and grapefruit). This together with the other underlying notes, create a bold and very sweet scent from the start.

It’s just the way things all come together, at first, which produces that smell. However, once you get into the wear the notes become more distinct and identifiable.

That initial sweetness is surrounded by a warm and thick amber note. This is a major part of 1 Million’s boldness, in my view, because it creates a sort of enveloping cloud around the wearer.

The amber note actually reminds me a lot of later (though weaker) releases, such as Dylan Blue. There is also a hint of mint in there which adds a refreshing spice and tinge of coolness, to a very warm composition.

As time moves on, the cinnamon, spices, and amber notes start to come out fully to add some pep and masculinity to the blend and this is where 1 Million really starts to shine. The dry down is spicier and full of leather bouncing off of the cinnamon dominant part of this cologne’s life cycle.

Woody notes also sit at the base and help to solidify the fragrance as something other than the hyper sweet start it’s famous for. In the end, I get: cinnamon, rich leather, amber, rose, wood, and other assorted spices.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, 1 Million has always been an absolute sillage king. It can fill a room and command attention for itself. I can’t speak for the most recently released bottles, as to if they have been reformulated or not, but it’s power has always been a major selling point.

Beyond that, is the longevity that has always garnered me 10+ of wear, and usually much further along than that 10 hour baseline. It’s an all nighter and into the next morning kind of fragrance (again, not sure if newer ones have been weakened).

Update: I’ve grabbed a newer batch in 2020 (and again in 2023) and it seems like 1 Million has lost a step. It hasn’t been terribly weakened, but it doesn’t have that same monstrous sillage and longevity. Probably 85% of what it was, which is still great.

million rabanne review

I still get a very strong opening sillage, but that will quiet down much more quickly than it used to. Nowadays, it will last somewhere in the 8 hour range. Still not bad, but it doesn’t seem to touch those vintage bottle highs.

Seasonally, this Paco Rabanne is best for the colder parts of the year. In the heat, it can get really messy, really fast. Particularly, when it is humid out. This isn’t one for office wear, though, it’s not too heavy with one spray.

This is a nightlife cologne and one that is geared for young men from their teen years through their twenties. It has a playful and youthful vibe, not at all serious or demure.

So, it’s versatility in practice, isn’t all that great. It’s limited to colder or moderate temperatures, more casual situations, and a younger audience in general.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million

All in all, if you are looking for a fragrance that can be used when you go out partying and whatnot, then 1 Million is definitely worth a try.

However, understand that it is not necessarily the most versatile fragrance around lots of people used to wear it, but I really don’t smell it as much anymore. I cannot remember the last time that I came across it, when out on the town.

It’s loud, warm, sweet, and spicy. It’s still a very good scent and I can put it on from time to time and really enjoy wearing it. I do think that 1 Million Prive, has taken the crown, as the best from the Paco Rabanne line. However, this one is still a great grab.

I’ve been wearing this around in 2020, with a travel sprayer, and have really enjoyed coming back to this cologne. Is it my favorite? No, but it does have an appeal, that I’ve always appreciated.

It doesn’t have the same level of performance that it used to. That’s one drawback of the modern 1 Million experience. Though, I still like coming back to this scent every few years to relive the memories.

If you’re in the appropriate age range, check it out, as you might get to enjoy it as well.

Black XS by Paco Rabanne

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I recently got another order of fragrances which included the very good, 212 VIP. Also in the box, was a bottle of Black XS by Paco Rabanne for men. I have already reviewed other scents by this brand, 1 Million and Invictus, and so I thought that it was time to tackle Black XS. In this post, I want to present my opinions on how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it i worth a buy or not.

What Does Black XS Smell Like?

Notes include: Kalamanzi, Calabrese lemon, patchouli, praline, cinnamon, black amber

Click here to try: Black Xs By Paco Rabanne For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce Bottle

black xs paco rabanne review

My Full Review

The opening of Black XS is hardly reminiscent of anything ‘black’ or dark for that matter. I suppose it takes on the name because of the black amber note, which is strange, since it isn’t one of the main noticeable ingredients.

You initially get a pretty pungent blast of lemon. sweetness of praline, and a spicy/leathery sort of aroma from the cinnamon and patchouli.

The cinnamon note actually reminds me of 1 Million. Much like that other Paco Rabanne fragrance, Black XS’s notes take on a different kind of fruity smell than its ingredients would suggest.

In 1 Million, you get the sensation of warm, leathery grape bubblegum. While in Black XS, it smells a lot like a strawberry flavored candy of some sort blended with praline.

When I wore this cologne the other day, I really didn’t like the opening at all. It was too sweet and harsh for my tastes and I felt like I was getting a headache. However, I decided that I’d chalk that up to being really sleep deprived and not feeling good in general.

Today, I consider it to be much more pleasant, though it still doesn’t blow me away with how it starts. In fact, I can detect the separation of the notes much better, and it doesn’t smell like such an intense strawberried mess which bumps it up a few points in my mind.

As it wears on, Black XS does indeed get ‘darker’. It still isn’t a dark scent in my opinion but it definitely isn’t as bright as the opening. It does retain its sweetness and grows into something that is rather warm and more woodsy. I detect more of the cinnamon and patchouli during the dry down period of this fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Black XS starts out pretty strong, but not nearly anything like 1 Million. It does lose some of its power as time wears on, so don’t expect a beast scent throughout.

That opening is pretty sharp and loud. So, because it stays at that level or a while, it drags up the overall average of Black XS’ sillage. Really, once it’s toned down this one is moderate.

Longevity is pretty good but again not spectacular. I’m getting 6 hours of solid use, so far, and maybe a little longer as a purely skin scent. Update: Yes, 6-7 hour seems to be the norm with this one. Which can be surprising when you’ve experienced that bold start.

Black XS is yet another cold weather scent. I think it could be alright in the spring but definitely not during the heat of summer. It is much more of a youthful type of fragrance, think, early 20s and below. It’s kind of playful and not stuffy and serious like some other scents.

It also strikes me more of a nightlife kind of cologne but it wouldn’t totally be out of place in a casual situation. For the close quarters of an office or something like that, it’s not the best option. It can be too sharp and cloying, which will bother other folks.

Overall Impression of Black XS

Overall, is Black XS worth a buy? Perhaps. This isn’t a fragrance for everyone and I don’t even know if it’ll be one for me (at least on a regular basis). I picked up a bottle on sale for $20, so, I’m not entirely disappointed with it.

It is definitely an interesting scent and is attractive in a lot of ways. You will have to enjoy sweet fragrances, obviously. Plus, lemon and patchouli are ingredients you’ll have to like, otherwise stay away.

Black XS is a very solid fragrance but not anything insanely impressive. It might find a home in your collection but I don’t think it’ll become a signature scent.

Update: I’ve had this cologne for a few years now and the bottle is still almost completely full. I just never could get into wearing it. The lemon, praline, and patchouli combination is just too much for my nose.

Sharp and sweet. I don’t hate it, but it’s not my style. I think Pure XS is a better option, but the performance on that one, isn’t great. The fragrance can be quite acidic to the nose and it’s pretty limited in when I ever wanted to wear it. There was always a better fragrance option.

Lady Million Fabulous by Paco Rabanne

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Fabulous is the 2021 Lady Million release from Paco Rabanne. This one was thrown in along with another order that I had placed, which is fine since I’ve been reviewing the Lady Million lineup pretty much completely thus far. How does Fabulous smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Lady Million Fabulous Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, solar notes, pink pepper, ylang-ylang, tuberose, vanilla, jasmine, tonka bean, moss

My Full Review

The solar notes here, are the star early on, much like in 1 Million Parfum. These two are quite similar, but this is much more feminine, and I actually think I prefer it overall versus the men’s version.

It’s a bright, sweet, aldehyde blend that is met with a light mandarin and very scant pink pepper note. It does have a slight resemblance to Guess Seductive Homme, but again, this is distinctly feminine.

Aside from that, you immediately get a sweet tuberose and that familiar yellow floral aroma of ylang-ylang. This sort of has a beachy vibe, not really tropical , but the creaminess and citrus lend it that feeling.

The mandarin and pink pepper are pretty much gone, by a certain point. The solar note comes more into balance with the rest of the wear and vanilla and jasmine come into play more.

Tuberose, rich vanilla, with a mix a ylang-ylang and jasmine. It’s very pretty with a really attractive sweetness. None of it feels heavy, though. The vanilla is nice, doesn’t overwhelm or drown out the other notes.

Really, the final dry down will be less of the solar aldehydes, and a slight emergence of moss. Less bright and creamy. Still sweet, but with a bit of a powdery finish.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage has a fairly strong start, it projects in the 7 foot or so range, when I spray it and that lasts for maybe an hour before receding. Yet, it doesn’t go full skin scent until like hour six, on me.

It’s sort of a slow burn towards its faintness.

This one has pretty good staying power on skin. It goes for over 7 hours and can hit 8 hours, every third wear it seems. I wouldn’t expect much beyond that, but Fabulous is at least above average with how long it lasts.

Seasonally, keep this mostly to autumn and winter. It’s best as a colder weather fragrance, that can work in more temperate climates.

Don’t expect formality here, but Fabulous also isn’t completely immature. It’s attractive and has a sensual aroma. Good for parties, nightlife, and just general casual wear. It could be a daily wear for some, depending on where you work or go to school.

Overall Impressions of Lady Million Fabulous

Overall, do I like this perfume? I really do. It’s sweet, fairly gourmand, but doesn’t seem to ever overdo anything. I think it’s really attractive. Not super complicated, but gives you something different from the other perfumes in the Lady Million series. It’s also one of the best of them.

Vanilla, the solar notes, and that tuberose all work well enough here. The moss in the base, helps with the balancing act and keeping this from completely turning into a sweet mess.

Performance is solid, no complaints there. It’s very enjoyable and has that bolder and almost gaudy style that the Million series from Paco Rabanne is known for.

This is worth a try. It probably won’t top everyone’s list, but for the right price, this could find its way into your rotation. It’s fun and smells nice. Not blown away, but I really like it.

It does seem like this one has already pretty much left the market from most retailers. You’ll probably have to find it at the discounters nowadays.

Lady Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne

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Lucky is another of the flankers from the long-running Lady Million series of perfumes from Paco Rabanne. I’ve been testing this one out for a while, in order to post a review for the site, and figure it out. How long does it last? What does it smell like? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

 

What does Lady Million Lucky Smell Like?

Notes include: raspberry, honey, hazelnut, rose, orange blossom, vanilla, cashmere wood, vetiver, sandalwood

Click here to try: Lady Million Lucky

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describe it: A euphoric rose in all its states. Olfactive audacity that gives substance to sensations:- vibrant florals.

Lucky starts off with its fruity note out in full effect. Raspberry with a hint of orange. The latter, doesn’t have much of a role in this perfume beyond this opening act. While the raspberry, will hang around for the duration.

The notes get listed differently in different places. For instance, on the Paco Rabanne site, the honey and hazelnut notes aren’t mentioned. It instead lists vanilla, but this scent does come across more like there is a honey note in the background with a distinct nuttiness. 

Neither of those are super important to the overall structure, as this one will shift more towards its floral and woody notes, to join the ever-present raspberry.

Damask rose is the main floral attraction, with a notable but ultimately short-lived orange blossom. The base comes in with a solid sandalwood note, some vetiver and cashmere wood splitting duties, and whatever remains of that nutty aroma.

The dry down is the raspberry with the impressions of the other notes creating a generic sweetness. Along with that, the sandalwood really stands out, and the other fresh woody notes.

Silllage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so of Lucky has a very good ability to project and leaves a scent trail. It’s not massive or something that takes over the room, but it is firmly in the ‘strong’ camp, during this time.

After that, it is moderate. I could always detect it, right up until the last few hours of wear. It’s more going to stay in that 3-5 foot range, from where you sprayed.

While it isn’t a complete bomb with how it projects, Lady Million Lucky does have a good ability to last on skin. For me, I could get up to 8-8.5 hours of wear. But, it could also fall in the 6-7 hour range, sometimes. 

With a full bottle sprayer, it’d probably be closer to that high end. Nonetheless, I found it to be solid as a performer.

Seasonally, this one fits in well with the moderate temperatures of autumn or springtime. That being said, if it’s not too hot or too cold, Lucky will do just fine as something to grab.

Lady Million Lucky, like the men’s version, is a scent that is geared to younger people. This is a relatively affordable option for teens through early 20s, mostly. Though, older women could wear this one casually, if they love that raspberry and wood aroma. 

Within these seasons and demographic, Lucky does offer some good versatility. Mainly, as a daily wear or something relatively casual. It’s pretty, not a super formal fragrance or nightlife bomb, but quite likeable. 

Overall Impressions of Lady Million Lucky

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do like it. Lucky is a fragrance that skews younger, but it certainly has its charms.

The raspberry is a nice note to focus on. You get warmth and sweetness. Orange blossom and the rose, give it a floral flair. Plus, the sandalwood paring with the remaining raspberry is enjoyable. 

It’s nothing too special, just very wearable and has an attractiveness to it. The performance is solid enough, while not spectacular, and it can get plenty of use as a daily wear for some.

Again, for most older women, this will probably be a no. For teens through college, Lucky is much more approachable and something worth checking out.

Phantom vs. 1 Million Comparison

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1 Million is a fragrance which has been a best seller for a long time for Paco Rabanne. One of the brand’s latest releases, has also become very popular, it’s called Phantom.

1 Million is a scent that I’ve very familiar with and I’ve tested out and reviewed Phantom EDP, too.

Which cologne is better? Lasts longer? Is the one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Phantom vs. 1 Million

1 Million

Notes include: grapefruit, blood orange, rose, mint, cinnamon, amber, leather, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million Cologne Review

Phantom

Notes include: lemon, lemon zest, lavender, patchouli, vetiver, apple, smoke, and more

Click here to try: Phantom by Paco Rabanne

Read my review: Phantom

phantom cologne review

Opening

Phantom kicks things off with apple and lemon notes, creating a juiciness that is quite nice. The aroma is semi-tropical and sweet, with the way it ties together. Under that, is lavender and vanilla, further pushing the aromatic creaminess.

That juicy citrus fruit opening will be pushed out by a drier and earthy aroma. The juiciness fades, and patchouli will have its time to shine, with an herbal sort of spice coming together. It dirties it up, and yes, there is a touch of smoke.

The original 1 Million has this grape bubblegum-like opening that has become pretty infamous. This candy scented start is one reason I think this fragrance has pushed some people away from wearing it. Personally, I think that it works just fine and actually enjoy it.

1 Million opens up with leather, citrus, and rose. Together, they create that bubblegum sort of smell. It’s actually a really smooth leather, juicy orange and grapefruit. This is surrounded by a warm and bold amber, with hints of cooling mint.

Overall, which is better? The initial somewhat tropical and juicy aroma of Phantom is enjoyable enough, but after that I’m not too into the earthy lavender scent.

I prefer 1 Million,  it’s still bold and has more depth and a better overall scent, here at the start.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Phantom kind of stays true to its name, in terms of how it projects early on. It initially seems like it’s going to be fairly massive, but then will moderate quite a bit in quick succession.

It will then, stick closer to the skin, to create a nice scent bubble.

1 Million is a fragrance which was always massive. But, the last batch I had from 2020, seems to have lost some of that power. It was still around 85% of what it once was, just not nearly the same extent.

However, it still outdoes anything that Phantom can conjure up.

Edge:1 Million

Longevity

With Phantom, I was really only able to get 6 or 7 hours of wear out of it on skin. That’s not bad, maybe a tad above average. It’d be useful for most purposes.

1 Million nowadays, reaches around 8. Sometimes, it might be 7, but my last batch was getting to 8 pretty consistently.

The older batches would hit double digits for me, easily. Those days are gone, but it is still a bit better than Phantom. It just doesn’t have that same overwhelming edge in the performance categories, like it used to.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

Phantom works at its best in the chilly weather of autumn and winter. But, it does have the ability to go deeper into the springtime than does 1 Million.

1 Million is pretty limited to colder or moderate temperatures, more casual situations, and a younger audience in general.

I think Phantom has a bit of an edge here. It is better in the warmer climate and as a daily wear too. Both are for younger guys, but Phantom has a tad better use case overall.

Edge: Phantom

Overall Scent

Overall, which one of these do I prefer?

Phantom is kind of a weird cologne. It’s got so much that is recognizable, but it doesn’t smell exactly like any scent in particular. The opening that is citrusy and apple is decent. I like the semi-tropical aroma that it puts out, when combining with the vanilla and lavender note.

After that, it’s not nearly as enjoyable. It becomes earthier with the lavender and a faint smokiness. But, it will shift to being lavender and vanilla dominate with a dry/grassy vetiver and the fruit notes kind of stage a comeback. Just, at a not to the same strength.

1 Million just smells better to me. Also, performs better. It’s sweet, spicy, warm, and still has a boldness to it, even if it has lost a step over time.

Phantom EDP has been followed by a few more releases thus far in the series. I think that Phantom Parfum is somewhat better than the original, but I still would prefer wearing 1 Million EDT to that.

1 Million is a more pleasant experience and gives me higher highs and more consistency. I’m picking it over Phantom every time.

Winner: 1 Million