Fragrance comparison

Retrospection vs Un Coeur en Mai

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 379 ratings analysed

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,098 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Un Coeur en Mai

MDCI Parfums

4.07345 votes

Rank #7,158 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories.

Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Un Coeur en Mai
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Retrospection4/7

Un Coeur en Mai3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Un Coeur en MaiMDCI Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

4.07/ 5 · 345 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerUn Coeur en MaiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

35%Love

47%Like

8%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

345 votes

Category winnerUn Coeur en MaiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value61

¤ Price value31

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

green84%

rose77%

powdery69%

yellow floral61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and green

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Top

GalbanumMelonPetitgrainBergamotBlack Currant

Heart

MimosaRoseGeraniumPepperCoriander

Base

Musk

InformationalShared notesGalbanum, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Geranium. Durations are only published for Retrospection, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Spring100

Summer63

Fall0

Winter7

Day–

Night–

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

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

Men1

Unisex21

Women78

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,098

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#7,158

PerfumerPatricia de Nicolai

Launched—

Reviews22

Category winnerUn Coeur en MaiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Un Coeur en Mai is a green floral with a crisp spring opening, built around galbanum, citrus, soft rose, mimosa and clean musk. Reviewers often describe it as fresh, delicate and elegant, with a grassy bite rather than a sugary floral mood. It suits people who enjoy transparent rose, powdery yellow flowers and old-sch…

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, Retrospection or Un Coeur en Mai?

Retrospection takes 4 of 7 categories. Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes; Un Coeur en Mai is rated 4.07/5 from 345 votes. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Un Coeur en Mai for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Retrospection or Un Coeur en Mai?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Un Coeur en Mai 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Retrospection or Un Coeur en Mai?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Un Coeur en Mai 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Retrospection and Un Coeur en Mai smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and green accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Geranium.

Is Retrospection or Un Coeur en Mai better for summer or winter?

For summer, Un Coeur en Mai is the stronger pick. For winter, Retrospection is the stronger pick. Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Retrospection and Un Coeur en Mai?

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. Un Coeur en Mai has top notes of Galbanum, Melon, Petitgrain and Bergamot, heart notes of Mimosa, Rose, Geranium and Pepper, a base of Musk.