Expression vs Retrospection
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
54%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Expression takes 4 of 7 categories.
ExpressionChoose it for a woody and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
RetrospectionChoose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Expression4/7
Retrospection3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Expression
- Community sentiment
- Expression
- Longevity
- Retrospection
- Sillage & projection
- Expression
- Value for money
- Retrospection
- Versatility
- Retrospection
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Expression
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
ExpressionJacques FathRetrospectionJMP Artisan PerfumesWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.23/ 5 · 214 votes
Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%
3.59/ 5 · 34 votes
Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%
Category winnerExpressionRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate49%Love
44%Like
2%Ok
5%Dislike
0%Hate
185 votes
24%Love
35%Like
24%Ok
12%Dislike
6%Hate
34 votes
Category winnerExpressionMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRetrospection
SillageExpression
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRetrospectionBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
honey92%
earthy84%
aromatic77%
animalic69%
green61%
aromatic100%
woody92%
animalic84%
fresh spicy77%
white floral69%
green61%
Scent match54%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and animalic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
AldehydesMandarin OrangeGreen NotesBergamot
Heart
HoneyGalbanumCarnationRoseCorianderYlang-YlangIris
Base
BeeswaxLeatherAmbergrisOakmossPatchouliOrris RootVetiverSandalwood
Top15-30 mins
GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain
Heart2-4 hrs
Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves
Base8-10+ hrs
OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood
InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Galbanum and Rose. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring29
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
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#3,189
PerfumerRaymond Chaillan
Launched—
Reviews32
Overall rank#19,634
PerfumerJakub Pietrynka
Launched—
Reviews6
Category winnerExpressionHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotExpression by Jacques Fath is a potent 1977 oriental floral. It opens with sharp, soapy aldehydes and green notes before settling into a deep, honeyed leather base. This classic composition rewards those who appreciate traditional, heavy-hitting oakmoss and carnation. Best suited for cooler weather when its complex, a…
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
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Expression or Retrospection?
Expression takes 4 of 7 categories. Expression is rated 4.23/5 from 214 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Expression for a woody and honey character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Expression or Retrospection?
Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Expression 76/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Expression or Retrospection?
Projection is very close: Expression 72/100, Retrospection 71/100 for sillage.
Do Expression and Retrospection smell similar?
Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and animalic accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Galbanum and Rose.
Is Expression or Retrospection better for summer or winter?
For summer, Retrospection is the stronger pick. For winter, Expression is the stronger pick. Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Expression and Retrospection?
Expression has top notes of Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange, Green Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Honey, Galbanum, Carnation and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Ambergris 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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