Fragrance comparison

Primitif vs Retrospection

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 103 ratings analysed

4 wins

Primitif

Max Factor

4.4569 votes

Rank #5,594 PowderyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,634 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Primitif takes 4 of 7 categories.

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

Primitif4/7

Retrospection3/7

Ratings & consensus: Primitif
Community sentiment: Primitif
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Primitif
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Primitif

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PrimitifMax Factor

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.45/ 5 · 69 votes

Have 53%Had 8%Want 39%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerPrimitifRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

54%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

69 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerPrimitifMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value61

Category winnerPrimitifBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

musky92%

iris84%

woody77%

earthy69%

animalic61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both woody and animalic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesPeachBergamot

Heart

IrisJasmineBulgarian RoseYlang-YlangLily-of-the-ValleyGeranium

Base

CivetMuskOakmossOrris RootAmberVetiverSandalwoodPatchouli

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Jasmine and Bulgarian Rose. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer36

Fall100

Winter86

Day65

Night100

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex45

Women55

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,594

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#19,634

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerPrimitifHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Primitif is a vintage floral chypre that wears soft-focus at first, then turns darker, warmer, and more carnal on skin. Reviewers repeatedly point to powdery iris, jasmine, patchouli, oakmoss, and animalic depth, with a peachy aldehydic lift up top. It suits shoppers who enjoy old-school structure, earthy moss, and a …

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Eau de BruxellesLibertin Louison Technique IndiscreteRUNNER-UP vs

Private ClubJeanne ArthesWINNER

1 person compared this today

PatchouliJouriRUNNER-UP vs

al03biehl parfumkunstwerkeWINNER

1 person compared this today

Ejaazi Intensive SilverLattafa PerfumesRUNNER-UP vs

Icon Racing RedAlfred DunhillWINNER

1 person compared this today

HermioneWild Drops ParfumsRUNNER-UP vs

CarbonIntelligentWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Primitif or Retrospection?

Primitif takes 4 of 7 categories. Primitif is rated 4.45/5 from 69 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Primitif for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Primitif or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Primitif 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Primitif or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Primitif 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Primitif and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and animalic accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Jasmine and Bulgarian Rose.

Is Primitif or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Primitif and Retrospection?

Primitif has top notes of Aldehydes, Peach and Bergamot, heart notes of Iris, Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Musk, Oakmoss and Orris Root. 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.