Fragrance comparison

Formidable Man vs Raffinee

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 350 ratings analysed

Formidable Man

Andree Putman

4.1031 votes

Rank #18,244 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #25,497 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Raffinee takes 4 of 7 categories.

Formidable Man
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Formidable Man2/7

Raffinee4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Formidable ManAndree Putman

RaffineeHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.10/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 38%Had 9%Want 53%

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerRaffineeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

35%Like

3%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

31 votes

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

Category winnerRaffineeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityRaffinee

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value42

¤ Price value59

Category winnerRaffineeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

floral69%

patchouli61%

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LemonBergamot

Heart

OsmanthusPatchouli

Base

VetiverMusk

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

InformationalShared notesLemon, Bergamot, Osmanthus and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Raffinee, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer78

Fall89

Winter22

Day100

Night20

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Category winnerFormidable ManMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men3

Unisex20

Women77

Date 38%Party 36%Casual 15%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,244

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#25,497

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFormidable ManHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Formidable Man opens with a sharp burst of lemon and bitter bergamot, settling into a dry, herbaceous heart. A clean vetiver dominates the base, avoiding the usual damp soil characteristics of the note. This fragrance suits anyone seeking a crisp, office-ready signature that projects a quiet, composed confidence throu…

Reviews →

Raffinee by Houbigant is an unapologetic powerhouse from 1982 that captures the bold theatrical spirit of early eighties perfumery. The spray opens with a punchy burst of dark stewed plum, sharp clary sage, and clove-like carnation. You get a brief alcoholic sting for two minutes before the dense oils grip the skin. O…

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 is better, Formidable Man or Raffinee?

Raffinee takes 4 of 7 categories. Formidable Man is rated 4.10/5 from 31 votes; Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes. Choose Formidable Man for a citrus and woody character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Formidable Man or Raffinee?

Raffinee lasts longest (Raffinee 78/100, Formidable Man 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Formidable Man or Raffinee?

Projection is very close: Formidable Man 68/100, Raffinee 68/100 for sillage.

Do Formidable Man and Raffinee smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and floral accords. Common notes include Lemon, Bergamot, Osmanthus and Vetiver.

Is Formidable Man or Raffinee better for summer or winter?

For summer, Formidable Man is the stronger pick. For winter, Raffinee is the stronger pick. Formidable Man suits daytime wear; Raffinee suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Formidable Man and Raffinee?

Formidable Man has top notes of Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Osmanthus and Patchouli, a base of Vetiver and Musk. Raffinee has top notes of Carnation, Plum, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Mimosa and Tuberose, a base of Spices, Cinnamon, Incense and Sandalwood.