Ultra Male vs Invictus Comparison

Today, we have a head to head match up between two popular colognes, which are geared toward younger men: Invictus by Paco Rabanne vs. Ultra Male by JPG. Which one of these fragrances smells the best? Which gives a better performance? Ultimately, which is the better buy? Please continue below for my full take and experiences with both of these scents.

Tale of the Tape

Ultra Male

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original Review: Ultra Male

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

Opening

Invictus has an upbeat and youthful opening full of citrus that is very sweet and leans more towards being candied rather than a juicy fruit. The citrus is matched up with sea notes to help give Invictus a marine vibe that screams summertime.

Meanwhile, Ultra Male, is also candy-like in its opening. An intense blast of pear, vanilla, mint, and cinnamon. It is spicy yet sugary. Bolder, smoother, and doesn’t have the same powdered quality of the original Le Male.

Which is better? I have to give the nod to Ultra Male. It has more going on and I much prefer the spiced elements to that of Invictus’ sea notes.

Edge: Ultra Male

Projection

Invictus actually has really good sillage for the first hour or so on my skin. It’s not weak sauce at all, but it does quiet down into more of a moderate after that. Really good, but not great.

Ultra Male has huge sillage, I can spray it on a shirt, and smell it across the room from me. It is bold and an intense version of Le Male, which makes it an ideal wear for nights out at the bar or club. The Paco Rabanne puts up a good challenge, but doesn’t touch Ultra Male’s projection.

Edge: Ultra Male

Longevity

Again, Invictus is no slouch here, either. It’s not great, but I can get 6-7 hours out of it on my skin, which is enough for most purposes. Ultra Male routinely gets me 8-9 hours and can go longer, depending on the circumstances.

Edge: Ultra Male

Versatility

This is the category in which Invictus has the edge. It is more of a warm weather scent but it can be worn easily year round, while Ultra Male is reserved for the colder parts of the year. Invictus can also be worn more as a daily wear, since it isn’t as loud and bold, as Ultra is. Both can be worn as nightlife scents, but Invictus just has the ability to spray it on more occasions.

Edge: Invictus

Overall Scent

Invictus is a nice cologne, especially for the younger set. It has an attractive smell, nice sweetness, and aquatic notes which help make it a good all around scent. It’s really sweet and versatile, so I can see why so many guys enjoy wearing it.

However, Ultra Male is just a better fragrance to me, even with its limited wear. It is like a weapon in your arsenal that you break out on certain days or nights. It works extremely well in a nightclub and gives a great performance, plus, a unique vibe. It is my favorite Jean Paul Gaultier fragrance, without a doubt.

Now, this doesn’t mean that it is the right choice for everyone. It is warmer and heavier than Invictus. If you want more of an all around everyday fragrance, Invictus would be a better choice. For me, I have other daily wears, and keep a full bottle of Ultra Male for the right night. It’s just more appealing to me.

Winner: Ultra Male

Best Men's Colognes

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