Fragrance comparison

Lutece vs Retrospection

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 202 ratings analysed

Lutece

Houbigant

3.99168 votes

Rank #25,550 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,017 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 5 of 8 categories.

Lutece
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Lutece3/8

Retrospection5/8

Ratings & consensus: Lutece
Community sentiment: Lutece
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Lutece
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Retrospection
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospection

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

LuteceHoubigant

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.99/ 5 · 168 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerLuteceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

46%Like

3%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

168 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerLuteceMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value73

¤ Price value61

Category winnerLuteceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

vanilla92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

fresh69%

floral61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Brazilian RosewoodAldehydesGeraniumMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootPeonyVetiverRosemaryLily-of-the-ValleyCedar

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanHeliotropeMuskCinnamonVanilla

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerRetrospectionLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring61

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex5

Women95

Casual 36%Work 28%Date 23%Party 13%

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,017

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Houbigant Lutece is a powdery oriental floral that wraps retro warmth in a surprisingly airy, cosmetic cloud. The fragrance opens with brisk aldehydes and sharp Brazilian rosewood before mellowing into powdery orris root, sweet peony, and a hint of green rosemary. As hours pass, creamy vanilla, almond-scented heliotro…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Lutece or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 5 of 8 categories. Lutece is rated 3.99/5 from 168 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Lutece for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Lutece or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Lutece 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Lutece or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Lutece 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Lutece and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Geranium, Orris Root and Vetiver.

Is Lutece or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Retrospection is the stronger pick. For winter, Lutece is the stronger pick. Lutece suits daytime wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Lutece and Retrospection?

Lutece has top notes of Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Geranium and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Orris Root, Peony, Vetiver and Rosemary, a base of Tonka Bean, Heliotrope, Musk and Cinnamon. 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.