Fragrance comparison

Musk 53 vs Retrospect

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 524 ratings analysed

2 wins

Musk 53

Scentify

4.405 votes

Rank #52,171 AmberWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Retrospect

Merit

3.93519 votes

Rank #4,147 MuskyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Musk 53 takes 2 of 4 categories.

Musk 53
Choose it for a amber and white floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Retrospect
Choose it for a musky and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Musk 532/4

Retrospect1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Musk 53
Sillage & projection: Musk 53
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospect

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Musk 53Scentify

RetrospectMerit

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.40/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 4%Had 2%Want 94%

3.93/ 5 · 519 votes

Have 41%Had 6%Want 54%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

20%Like

20%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

41%Love

30%Like

14%Ok

11%Dislike

4%Hate

519 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityMusk 53

SillageMusk 53

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

white floral92%

sweet84%

musky77%

powdery69%

fruity61%

musky100%

powdery92%

floral84%

iris77%

fresh69%

fruity61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both musky, powdery and fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

VioletAmbretteRaspberryBergamotCherry

Heart

JasmineFigDamask RoseOrrisCedarMarshmallow

Base

TonkaMuskAmbergris

Top

PearAmbretteAldehydesBergamot

Heart

OrrisJasmineVioletRoseRosemary

Base

MuskMossVanilla

InformationalShared notesViolet, Ambrette, Bergamot and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Spring100

Summer51

Fall0

Winter74

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men1

Unisex18

Women81

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#52,171

PerfumerShadi Samra

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#4,147

PerfumerFanny Bal

Launched—

Reviews158

Category winnerRetrospectHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Musk 53 by Scentify opens with a bright violet and raspberry top, quickly shifting into a powdery heart of rose and marshmallow. This unisex floral woody musk settles into a warm base of tonka and ambergris. It is a modern, easygoing fragrance that works well for daily office wear or casual outings during the spring a…

Reviews →

Retrospect opens with a sharp burst of crisp pear and airy aldehydes before settling into a soft, powdery heart of orris and violet. As it sits on skin, clean musk and warm vanilla create an intimate second-skin feel. It works best during cool spring mornings and quiet office workdays where subtle elegance matters.

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Musk 53 or Retrospect?

Musk 53 takes 2 of 4 categories. Musk 53 is rated 4.40/5 from 5 votes; Retrospect is rated 3.93/5 from 519 votes. Choose Musk 53 for a amber and white floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Retrospect for a musky and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Musk 53 or Retrospect?

Musk 53 lasts longest (Musk 53 100/100, Retrospect 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Musk 53 or Retrospect?

Musk 53 projects furthest (Musk 53 50/100, Retrospect 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Musk 53 and Retrospect smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky, powdery and fruity accords. Common notes include Violet, Ambrette, Bergamot and Jasmine.

Is Musk 53 or Retrospect better for summer or winter?

Musk 53 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Musk 53 and Retrospect?

Musk 53 has top notes of Violet, Ambrette, Raspberry and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, Fig, Damask Rose and Orris, a base of Tonka, Musk and Ambergris. Retrospect has top notes of Pear, Ambrette, Aldehydes and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris, Jasmine, Violet and Rose, a base of Musk, Moss and Vanilla.