Fragrance comparison

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel vs Unforgivable Women

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 690 ratings analysed

3 wins

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel

Chanel

3.9213 votes

Rank #57,962 WoodyFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Unforgivable Women

Sean John

3.79677 votes

Rank #2,925 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel takes 3 of 5 categories.

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Choose it for a woody and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, day or night wear.
Unforgivable Women
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel3/5

Unforgivable Women2/5

Ratings & consensus: Unforgivable Women
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Sillage & projection: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Value for money: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Unforgivable Women

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Le 1940 Bleu de ChanelChanel

Unforgivable WomenSean John

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.92/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 3%Had 7%Want 91%

3.79/ 5 · 677 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerUnforgivable WomenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

54%Love

15%Like

8%Ok

15%Dislike

8%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

30%Love

44%Like

3%Ok

23%Dislike

1%Hate

677 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityLe 1940 Bleu de Chanel

SillageLe 1940 Bleu de Chanel

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value67

Category winnerLe 1940 Bleu de ChanelBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fresh92%

white floral84%

powdery77%

aromatic69%

green61%

woody100%

powdery92%

fruity84%

citrus77%

earthy69%

fresh61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody, powdery and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-35 mins

AldehydesLily

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletCassisLily-of-the-ValleyCyclamen

Base6-8+ hrs

VetiverCedarSandalwood

Top

PearBitter OrangeAppleCassiaGrapefruitNeroliBergamot

Heart

JasmineFreesiaOrange BlossomVioletRoseCyclamenLily-of-the-Valley

Base

SandalwoodPatchouliIrisTonka BeanCedarVanillaAmberOakmoss

InformationalShared notesViolet, Lily-of-the-Valley, Cyclamen and Cedar. Durations are only published for Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring67

Summer100

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring88

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex15

Women85

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#57,962

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,925

PerfumerDavid Apel

Launched—

Reviews146

Category winnerUnforgivable WomenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel opens with an unmistakable burst of crisp aldehydes and pale lily. It is brisk and soapy. Created by Ernest Beaux in 1931, this vintage feminine profile feels completely divorced from the modern men's citrus blue line that later borrowed its name. The heart turns cool and dewy. Green cyclamen, p…

Reviews →

Unforgivable Women by Sean John is a complex, woody, and powdery floral fragrance released in 2007. It centers on an intricate layering of pear, bitter orange, and neroli over a deep base of sandalwood and amber. This versatile scent performs well during the transition from summer to autumn, offering a balanced, non-s…

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, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Unforgivable Women?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel takes 3 of 5 categories. Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel is rated 3.92/5 from 13 votes; Unforgivable Women is rated 3.79/5 from 677 votes. Choose Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel for a woody and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, day or night wear. Choose Unforgivable Women for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Unforgivable Women?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel lasts longest (Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel 73/100, Unforgivable Women 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Unforgivable Women?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel projects furthest (Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel 72/100, Unforgivable Women 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel and Unforgivable Women smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, powdery and fresh accords. Common notes include Violet, Lily-of-the-Valley, Cyclamen and Cedar.

Is Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Unforgivable Women better for summer or winter?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel and Unforgivable Women?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel has top notes of Aldehydes and Lily, heart notes of Violet, Cassis, Lily-of-the-Valley and Cyclamen, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Sandalwood. Unforgivable Women has top notes of Pear, Bitter Orange, Apple and Cassia, heart notes of Jasmine, Freesia, Orange Blossom and Violet, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli, Iris and Tonka Bean.