Fragrance comparison

Gunpowder Rose vs Forêt Absolue

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 26 ratings analysed

3 wins

Gunpowder Rose

Union

4.5616 votes

Rank #20,278 WoodyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Forêt Absolue

Reflexion

4.3010 votes

Rank #35,996 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gunpowder Rose takes 3 of 5 categories.

Gunpowder Rose
Choose it for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Forêt Absolue
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Gunpowder Rose3/5

Forêt Absolue1/5

Ratings & consensus: Gunpowder Rose
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Forêt Absolue
Value for money: Gunpowder Rose
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Gunpowder Rose

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Gunpowder RoseUnion

Forêt AbsolueReflexion

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.56/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 7%Had 4%Want 89%

4.30/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 10%Had 8%Want 83%

Category winnerGunpowder RoseRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

69%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

30%Love

70%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate89

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageForêt Absolue

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value38

Category winnerGunpowder RoseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

floral92%

smoky84%

aromatic77%

rose69%

mineral61%

woody100%

aromatic90%

earthy80%

green70%

mossy60%

fresh spicy50%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

CoalEnglish RosegunpowderOakBlack CurrantWildflowersHerbal NotesViolet LeafOakmoss

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

FirOakmossWood ResinGreen NotesHerbal NotesWoody NotesVetiverOakFloral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesOak, Herbal Notes and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Gunpowder Rose, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer75

Fall50

Winter100

Day100

Night41

Spring0

Summer33

Fall100

Winter33

Day100

Night33

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 36%Work 28%Date 26%Party 10%

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,278

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#35,996

PerfumerEugene Firsanov

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerGunpowder RoseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Gunpowder Rose by Union pairs fresh English rose petals with gritty mineral smoke. The scent opens with a crisp flash of green violet leaf and tart black currant. Within minutes, flinty gunpowder and crushed coal cut straight through the floral sweetness. You get genuine garden blooms rooted in earthy oakmoss and dry …

Reviews →

Forêt Absolue is a fir-led woody chypre that opens with a brisk, freshly cut conifer feel, then settles into a greener, earthy base where oakmoss and vetiver read clearly. It wears like a forest scent with structure, more crisp and aromatic than sweet. If you like mossy greens and resinous woods, it is easy to fall fo…

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, Gunpowder Rose or Forêt Absolue?

Gunpowder Rose takes 3 of 5 categories. Gunpowder Rose is rated 4.56/5 from 16 votes; Forêt Absolue is rated 4.30/5 from 10 votes. Choose Gunpowder Rose for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Forêt Absolue for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Gunpowder Rose or Forêt Absolue?

They last about the same: Gunpowder Rose 76/100, Forêt Absolue 76/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Gunpowder Rose or Forêt Absolue?

Forêt Absolue projects furthest (Forêt Absolue 69/100, Gunpowder Rose 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gunpowder Rose and Forêt Absolue smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Oak, Herbal Notes and Oakmoss.

Is Gunpowder Rose or Forêt Absolue better for summer or winter?

Gunpowder Rose suits daytime wear; Forêt Absolue suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gunpowder Rose and Forêt Absolue?

Gunpowder Rose features Coal, English Rose, gunpowder, Oak and Black Currant. Forêt Absolue features Fir, Oakmoss, Wood Resin, Green Notes and Herbal Notes.