Giorgio Armani once said, “A perfume is more than an extract, it is a presence in abstraction. A perfume, for me, is a mystique.”
Thanks to Mr. Armani’s desire and pursuit of perfume, he has created many fragrances that are beloved by many.
Besides fragrances designed for men and women, there are also those designed for unisex, such as the famous Acqua di Giò series and the best-selling Sì series.
With such a diverse range of scents available, how do you choose the perfect fragrance for yourself or your significant other? Read the following introductions as your best guide when shopping.
The Armani brand was founded in 1975 by Giorgio Armani in Piacenza, his birthplace, about 40 miles south of Milan.
Mr. Armani initially entered the fashion industry as a window designer. In 1970, he and his partner established a studio and became independent designers.
After showing talent to the world, he became a shining star through his fashion show in 1974. He then founded a personal brand the following year.
But Giorgio Armani offers not only clothes but also jewelry, watches, cosmetics, fragrances, and even home products.
Their first perfume, named Armani, was launched in 1982 and designed for women, while the first fragrance created for men was Armani Eau Pour Homme.
The Giò was launched in 1994 and honored with a FiFi Award, which is known as the Oscar of the fragrance industry.
What other perfumes has Armani released since then? Keep reading to learn more about Armani perfumes!
We tested the Editor’s choice, Armani’s best sellers, and its most famous perfumes.
We spend about 30 hours testing perfumes and writing detailed reviews so you can be better informed.
#3 experts help you to choose the perfume.
How did the experts test the Armani perfumes? We used an extensive 5-point system. Expand (click) each point box to learn more about how our experts use each point in their rating process.
Armani Code Steady and comfortable. The Tonka Bean, tobacco, and guaiac wood in the base note were more prominent. It was overall a warm and woody perfume. | |||
Acqua Di Giò EDP for male Fruity and floral notes, comprising citrus, vetiver, and lavender, making the main marine note much fresher. Designed with a focus on the future of the earth. It incorporates environmental and sustainable concepts. | |||
Acqua di Giò Absolu Refreshing, with moderate longevity and projection. Ideal for beginners who seek a refreshing scent without being too strong. Suitable for daily use. | |||
Armani Eau Pour Homme Dynamic and refreshing, suitable for all kinds of occasions and clothing. It can reveal a man's warm and magnetic personality. With a hint of spicy unique aroma, it can showcase one's unique taste in daily life. | |||
My Way Very conspicuous, and long-lasting. The most prominent scents were tuberose and vanilla. The sweet scent of vanilla is prominent. | |||
My Way Intense All matching. The scent is like walking into a garden of tuberose at night. | |||
Sì Passione With the classic blackcurrant nectar, Sì Passione combines Grasse rose, sweet pear scent, vanilla and cedar woody scent in the base note, creating a unique aroma. | |||
Sì Passione Intense Intense puts in a jasmine duo to enhance the floral aroma and layer of flavors. It emphasizes the softness of femininity. | |||
Acqua di Giò Profondo EDP Profondo marks a return to the series of marine notes, showcasing an icy feeling of the ocean as if one is exploring the deep sea. | |||
Acqua di Giò EDT Inspired by Giorgio Armani's seaside villa, surrounded by a primitive nature of sea, sky, sun, and rocky shore. Refreshing and has natural marine note. |
The Code’s design was inspired by Giorgio Armani’s deep-blue tuxedo, which has an elegant yet sexy oriental woody fragrance. The classic Armani’s sexy and modern design made it the winner of the 2006 FiFi award for Fragrance of the Year–Men’s Prestige.
The combination of cedar and Calabrian bergamot in the top note, olive blossom in the middle note, and amber and Tonka Bean in the base note create a masculine scent for Code.
The unique Tonka Bean in the base note makes the fragrance more intense. Wearing it doubles the man’s sex appeal.
As stated on the official website, this perfume has a steady oriental note, but the overall scent seems a bit too low-key.
Because I liked oriental and woody notes, I was quite looking forward to this fragrance for the first 20 minutes after spraying.
But there was no more outstanding performance afterward, and the smell of the first 20 minutes faded rapidly.
Top: 7.5
Middle: 6
Base: 6
The overall scent was steady and comfortable, yet there was no particularly memorable smell in the top and middle notes, leaving me with only a vague feeling.
The Tonka Bean, tobacco, and guaiac wood in the base note were more prominent. It was overall a warm and woody perfume.
Acqua di Giò EDP was launched in 2022 and created by Alberto Morillas, the same perfumer who developed the Acqua di Giò EDT in 1996.
Compared to the woody note of the EDT, Acqua di Giò EDP has more fruity and floral notes, comprising citrus, vetiver, and lavender, making the main marine note much fresher.
Acqua di Giò EDP is a fragrance designed with a focus on the future of the earth. It incorporates many natural, environmental, and sustainable concepts during its creation. For example, providing refill bottles to reduce carbon emissions, and glass and metal usage.
Moreover, it reduces the plastic usage of the bottle and uses sustainable sources of raw materials, such as using a wooden lid instead of plastic. The wood material also aligns with the design concept for primitive nature.
In 1996, Giorgio Armani launched the men’s fragrance series, Acqua Di Giò, featuring marine notes, and has been continuously developing new products since then.
In 2018, Armani introduced the Acqua Di Giò Absolu, which retained the features of the Acqua Di Giò series, using Guatemalan patchouli in the base note. As before, it emphasized environmental protection and sustainability.
Acqua Di Giò Absolu maintains the fresh marine scent of the Acqua Di Giò series while adding a woody scent to bring out the classic smell of patchouli. The addition of labdanum creates a richer and thicker aroma, emphasizing the masculine and steady temperament.
Aligning with the marine and woody theme of Absolu, the bottle cap is made from ash wood. Moreover, the wood color of the perfume liquid in the bottle matches its steady scent.
The official introduction highlights a marine note with a woody scent, followed by a vetiver aroma. However, my overall feeling was that it was pretty linear and lacked a sense of hierarchy.
The fruity aroma was likely to only persist for the first half hour. After that, it became a blend of bergamot, marine tones, and vetiver, lasting for about three hours. The scents of rosemary, vetiver, and patchouli were less noticeable.
Top: 7
Middle: 7
Base: 7
In summary, this fragrance is refreshing, with moderate longevity and projection.
Acqua di Giò Absolu is ideal for beginners who seek a refreshing scent without being too strong. It’s a good choice for beginners and is suitable for daily use.
Armani Eau Pour Homme was the first men’s fragrance launched by Armani.
At the time, Mr. Armani designed an “unstructured jacket” specifically for men.
It involved removing the lining and shoulder pads and using geometric cutting to make the crisp suit softer and more close-fitting. As a result, men could feel more comfortable and free when wearing suits. No longer restricted, so they can now wear it for various occasions.
The design inspiration for Armani Eau Pour Homme comes from this suit. This fragrance has a dynamic and refreshing scent that is suitable for all kinds of occasions and clothing.
Wearing this fragrance can reveal a man’s warm and magnetic personality. Furthermore, with a hint of spicy unique aroma, it can showcase one’s unique taste in daily life.
The spicy scent of Armani Eau Pour Homme is uncommon. It begins with a herbal note, but it’s a refreshing herbal scent that’s pleasant but not cloying.
Based on my testing, it accurately matches the information on the official website. It’s truly warm, unique, and spicy, like wearing a comfortable and all-matching suit.
Top: 7.5
Middle: 7.5
Base: 7 (less longevity)
Overall, the prominent scents are bergamot, lavender, and oak moss.
During the first one to two hours, there’s a hint of cinnamon.
Moreover, the orange blossom doesn’t scent its typical sweetness, nor does the patchouli scent its usual deep flavor.
It’s ideal for people who want to show their unique taste, stand out slightly from the crowd, and enjoy a refreshing scent without being too showy.
My Way was launched in 2020 and received the FiFi Award for Fragrance of the Year in 2021.
Mr. Armani believes that by traveling and connecting with different cultures, people can break out of their original framework, broaden their horizons, and enrich their souls.
He hopes that My Way will become a perfume that can accompany women on a journey of self-discovery.
By traveling to different countries around the world and connecting with people, women can discover their true selves along the way.
My Way uses raw materials from all over the world, which are purchased through fair trade manners.
The top notes include bergamot from Italy’s Calabria and Egyptian orange blossom. The middle notes use tuberose and jasmine from India. The base notes comprise sandalwood from New Caledonia, vanilla from Madagascar, and cedar from Virginia, USA.
In line with Giorgio Armani’s environmental consciousness, My Way also offers a refill bottle for purchase, so that everyone can enjoy their fragrance while caring for the planet.
Overall, it is a very conspicuous perfume.
Compared to the intense version, this one has higher longevity and projection. Even after I had worn it for more than 12 hours, the scent on my body still had a moderate level of intensity.
The scent on my clothes didn’t dissipate even after three days. It definitely is one of the top three most long-lasting perfumes within the same price range I’ve tried!
Top: 7
Middle: 7
Base: 6 (Scent lasted too long)
The descriptions of fragrances on the official website or others all mention that this fragrance is a white flower note.
But I felt it leaned more towards a red flower note, rather than the refreshing sensation of white flowers.
Throughout the wearing experience, the most prominent scents were tuberose and vanilla. The late tone was like the Intense version, but the sweet scent of vanilla in this fragrance was more prominent.
The strong floral aroma almost overshadowed the refreshing fragrances of cedar, white musk, orange blossom, and bergamot, so the feelings were not obvious.
In 2021, the My Way series welcomed a new member: the “Intense” version. Unlike the original sweet blossom scent, My Way Intense enhances the layered aroma of white flowers.
Besides, this fragrance includes vanilla and sandalwood in the base note, creating a warm woody scent that symbolizes intelligent and warm characters. It wishes women to be more confident and elegant in pursuing their dreams.
My Way Intense still adheres to an eco-friendly design, which reduces carbon emissions during manufacture by using low-carbon energy or engaging in afforestation. It attempts to reduce environmental impact.
When testing, I asked the clerk for her opinion. She felt that My Way was sweeter and fruitier, whereas the Intense version was more flowery. But, after comparing them, I found that both were quite flowery. The original version had a brighter impression, while the Intense one was heavier and not as diffusive as the original.
The official fragrance notes of My Way Intense are obviously much less than those of the original version. But I didn’t feel that it was so monotonous. Like the original version, this one still leaned more towards a red flower note, instead of the white flower theme stated on the official website. The orange flower was not the major theme either.
Top: 7
Middle: 7
Base: 7
I found that there was no obvious major note, just a variety of floral scents. However, the tuberose scent was quite prominent within the first three hours. When sprayed on the body, it was like walking into a garden full of tuberose at night.
Compared to the original version, the vanilla scent in the base note of the Intense one was less sweet. I guessed it was because of the addition of sandalwood, giving it a slightly woody and heavier feeling.
Despite its name “Intense”, this fragrance has lower longevity and projection than the original version. In my opinion, this level of intensity makes it more wearable.
“Sì” means “Yes” in Italian. Mr. Armani hopes that the Sì series can make women more confident in themselves and passionate about life.
The red-toned fragrance symbolizes women’s passion and sexiness. It encourages women to show their confidence and bravery and to affirm every aspect of themselves.
All the fragrances in the Sì series use the classic blackcurrant nectar. Sì Passione, in particular, combines Grasse rose, sweet pear scent, and vanilla and cedar woody scent in the base note, to create a unique aroma.
When comparing the two versions of Sì Passione (original and Intense) and of My Way (original and Intense), I found that the original Sì Passione had the shortest top note, and its overall scent evaporated the fastest as well.
Top: 7
Middle: 6 (I barely noticed the middle note)
Base: 5
In the beginning, the scent of blackcurrant and sweet pear was quite noticeable, but it lasted less than an hour. The scents of rose and jasmine were hardly noticeable, and then the base note emerged.
The scents of vanilla and a hint of residual blackcurrant were more prominent than the cedar in the base note. But they lasted less than four hours and only a slight sweetness remained.
Continuing the Sì series, the classic blackcurrant nectar is used. Sì Passione Intense, in addition, puts in a jasmine duo to enhance the floral aroma and layer of flavors. Furthermore, it emphasizes the softness of femininity.
The fragrance bottle features an eye-catching red tone, just like one is wearing an Armani red coat and applying Armani lipstick, showcasing the stunning appearance of women.
In the beginning, the scent was very enchanting, but after half an hour, it became okay. The two versions of Sì Passione are quite similar.
Top: 7
Middle: 6
Base: 6
The clerk mentioned that the scent of the Intense version was more floral while the original one was much fruitier.
But, in reality, I only felt a slight difference in sweetness, as the original version was slightly sweeter. The blackcurrant scent of the Intense was still very prominent.
In terms of the base notes, compared to the original version’s vanilla scent, Intense’s vanilla is a soapier fragrance with a hint of tasty sensation.
The Acqua Di Giò series are all created by the master perfumer Alberto Morillas. Profondo marks a return to the series of marine notes, showcasing an icy feeling of the ocean as if one is exploring the deep sea.
This navy blue bottle pays homage to the most iconic navy blue of the Armani brand and emphasizes that the theme of Profondo returns to the marine note. It’s just like one swim in the sea, evoking a feeling of freedom.
In line with Armani’s long-standing commitment to protecting the environment, the glass bottle of Acqua Di Giò Profondo uses 15% recycled glass. Moreover, the refill bottle uses up to 25% recycled glass, reflecting Armani’s brand image of caring for the earth.
The website described this fragrance as a marine, fresh, and woody note, but I felt that the woody note was not prominent and almost nonexistent. Additionally, the sequence of the scents that appeared was not the same.
During the first hour, the most noticeable scent was lavender. But after an hour, its presence became less prominent.
After that, the overall scent became very like Giò classic. Only after three hours did a more distinct difference between these two emerge; the white musk of Giò classic began to appear, and its overall scent was warm and sweet, while Profondo maintained its marine note and was a colder note.
Top: 7
Middle: 6
Base: 5.5
For me, the other ingredients such as bergamot, mandarin orange, rosemary, patchouli, and musk very unnoticed.
You have to get very close and deliberately try to distinguish the scents so that you’re able to detect the presence of these ingredients.
Acqua di Giò EDT was released in 1996. It was one of the most popular Giorgio Armani fragrances and once the best-selling fragrance in the world, with one bottle sold on average every 7 seconds.
Its design is inspired by Giorgio Armani’s seaside villa, surrounded by a primitive nature of sea, sky, sun, and rocky shore. Thus, this fragrance has a refreshing and natural marine note.
The representative ingredient of this fragrance is patchouli from Guatemala, which emits a pure and steady scent that is captivating.
During the first 10-20 minutes, there was a noticeable orange acidic smell, mixed with a marine note. Then the acidic smell disappeared, leaving a general marine tone. After about two hours, the scent became very light.
Towards the end, there was a hint of musk with a warm and sweet scent and only a bit of cedarwood in the background. The patchouli was barely noticeable.
Although the official website mentioned the rarely seen and slightly abrupt persimmon in the middle note, I hardly noticed it.
Top: 6
Middle: 6
Base: 6
In my opinion, although the base note lasted more than five hours, it entered that phase quickly. Moreover, the projection was not strong.
It gave the impression of something that was not deliberately created, but naturally produced and already existed. This was very consistent with the emphasis on nature and simplicity on the official website.
Photo | ||||||||||
Name | Armani Code | Acqua Di Giò EDP for male | Acqua di Giò Absolu | Armani Eau Pour Homme | My Way | My Way Intense | Sì Passione | Sì Passione Intense | Acqua di Giò Profondo EDP | Acqua di Giò EDT |
Notes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logevity | 6 hours | N/A | 7.5 hours | 7 hours | 9.5 hours | 7 hours | 4 hours | 6 hours | 7.5 hours | 6 hours |
Best Season for wear | All | N/A | Spring or Summer | All | Spring or Summer | All | Spring or Summer | All | Spring or Summer | All |
Suitable Occasions | Work | N/A | Daily Life | Daily Life, Work | Date | Date, Work | Day, Outing | Date, Work | All | Daily Life, Work |
Time of day | All Day | N/A | Daytime | All Day | Nighttime | All Day | All Day | All Day | All Day | All Day |
Projection | Moderate to Intimate | N/A | Moderate | Moderate to Intimate | Strong | Strong to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Intimate |
More info. |
From the industry’s experts, discover the top 10 cheapest ways to buy real fragrances from around the world!
Fruity fragrances are delightful and enchanting. They brighten up our senses and lighten up our…
Here are the reasons why Creed perfumes are so expensive: Rare and high-quality materials: Creed…
Sweet perfume is everything a woman wants to be wrapped in – when the occasion…
When it comes to the first unisex perfume, many people can name CK One right…
About "Basic Knowledge of Perfume” Perfume is a blend of fragrant essential oils, solvents (usually…
Versace's range of luxury perfumes are some of the most sought-after scents in the world,…