Fragrance comparison

Bleu Formidable vs Retrospection

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 10 Oct 2026 34 ratings analysed

Bleu Formidable

Kesling

—0 votes

Rank #65,030 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,012 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 3 categories split 1–1.

Bleu Formidable
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Bleu Formidable1/3

Retrospection1/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Bleu Formidable
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospection

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Bleu FormidableKesling

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

—/ 5 · 0 votes

Have 25%Had 0%Want 75%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

Not enough votes yet

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hateN/A

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageBleu Formidable

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value61

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

citrus80%

lavender70%

amber60%

soft spicy50%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

BergamotOrangeWormwoodBasil

Heart

Clary SageLavender

Base

AmberMusk

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Wormwood, Clary Sage and Lavender. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#65,030

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,012

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bleu Formidable by Kesling is a sharp, classic aromatic fragrance launched in 1998 for the man who prefers traditional, bracing scent profiles. It opens with a punchy blend of bergamot and wormwood, transitioning into a clean lavender heart grounded by warm amber. It is an ideal pick for daily office wear during the s…

Reviews →

Retrospection by JMP Artisan Perfumes resurrects the bold, unapologetic swagger of traditional masculine perfumery from the late twentieth century. Created by Polish independent perfumer Jakub Pietrynka, this composition opens with a sharp burst of bitter galbanum, soapy aldehydes, and zesty bergamot. Within minutes, …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which lasts longer, Bleu Formidable or Retrospection?

They last about the same: Bleu Formidable 80/100, Retrospection 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Bleu Formidable or Retrospection?

Bleu Formidable projects furthest (Bleu Formidable 100/100, Retrospection 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bleu Formidable and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Wormwood, Clary Sage and Lavender.

Is Bleu Formidable or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bleu Formidable and Retrospection?

Bleu Formidable has top notes of Bergamot, Orange, Wormwood and Basil, heart notes of Clary Sage and Lavender, a base of Amber and Musk. Retrospection has top notes of Galbanum, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Wormwood, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Oakmoss, Civet, Leather and Beeswax.