DNA vs Retrospection
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
53%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories.
DNAChoose it for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
RetrospectionChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
DNA3/7
Retrospection4/7
- Ratings & consensus
- DNA
- Community sentiment
- DNA
- Longevity
- Retrospection
- Sillage & projection
- Retrospection
- Value for money
- Retrospection
- Versatility
- Retrospection
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- DNA
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
DNABijanRetrospectionJMP Artisan PerfumesWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.84/ 5 · 91 votes
Have 37%Had 21%Want 42%
3.59/ 5 · 34 votes
Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%
Category winnerDNARating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate44%Love
39%Like
1%Ok
16%Dislike
0%Hate
77 votes
24%Love
35%Like
24%Ok
12%Dislike
6%Hate
34 votes
Category winnerDNAMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRetrospection
SillageRetrospection
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRetrospectionBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
amber92%
woody84%
fresh spicy77%
warm spicy69%
white floral61%
aromatic100%
woody92%
animalic84%
fresh spicy77%
white floral69%
green61%
Scent match53%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
GeraniumYlang-YlangRosemaryBergamotMint
Heart
ClovesTuberoseOsmanthusJasmineLily-of-the-Valley
Base
MyrrhSandalwoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverAmberVanilla
Top15-30 mins
GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain
Heart2-4 hrs
Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves
Base8-10+ hrs
OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood
InformationalShared notesGeranium, Rosemary, Bergamot and Cloves. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring19
Summer14
Fall81
Winter100
Day38
Night100
Spring86
Summer21
Fall100
Winter71
Day83
Night100
Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#9,319
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews19
Overall rank#19,772
PerfumerJakub Pietrynka
Launched—
Reviews6
Category winnerDNAHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotDNA by Bijan is a bold 1990s floral with a spicy, resinous backbone. Reviewers often describe it as warm, rich, musky and assertive, with geranium, herbs and spice up top before the florals sink into myrrh, benzoin, sandalwood, amber and vanilla. It suits people who enjoy vintage-style statement perfumes more than cle…
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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, DNA or Retrospection?
Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories. DNA is rated 3.84/5 from 91 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose DNA for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, DNA or Retrospection?
They last about the same: Retrospection 80/100, DNA 79/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, DNA or Retrospection?
Projection is very close: Retrospection 71/100, DNA 69/100 for sillage.
Do DNA and Retrospection smell similar?
Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Geranium, Rosemary, Bergamot and Cloves.
Is DNA or Retrospection better for summer or winter?
For summer, Retrospection is the stronger pick. For winter, DNA is the stronger pick. DNA suits evening wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in DNA and Retrospection?
DNA has top notes of Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Rosemary and Bergamot, heart notes of Cloves, Tuberose, Osmanthus and Jasmine, a base of Myrrh, Sandalwood, Benzoin and Oakmoss. 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.
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