Fragrance comparison

Rouge Formidable vs Dear Gabby

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 5 ratings analysed

2 wins

Rouge Formidable

Kesling

3.502 votes

Rank #60,790 FruityWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Dear Gabby

Alexandria Fragrances

3.333 votes

Rank #61,339 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Rouge Formidable takes 2 of 3 categories.

Rouge Formidable
Choose it for a fruity and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Dear Gabby
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Rouge Formidable2/3

Dear Gabby1/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Dear Gabby
Sillage & projection: Rouge Formidable
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Rouge Formidable

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Rouge FormidableKesling

Dear GabbyAlexandria Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 28%Had 0%Want 72%

3.33/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 29%Had 10%Want 62%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

50%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

0%Love

33%Like

67%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity20

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate58

Category winners

LongevityDear Gabby

SillageRouge Formidable

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value100

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

powdery77%

soft spicy69%

floral61%

white floral100%

woody92%

citrus84%

powdery77%

musky69%

fruity61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both woody, fruity and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black Currant

Heart

IrisLily-of-the-ValleyYlang-Ylang

Base

ClovesVanillaSandalwood

Top

GrapefruitOrange BlossomJasmineYlang-Ylang

Heart

Mandarin OrangeTuberoseBlack CurrantMusk

Base

SandalwoodLily-of-the-ValleyPearCashmeranPink PepperIris

InformationalShared notesBlack Currant, Iris, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Spring100

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#60,790

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#61,339

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerRouge FormidableHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Rouge Formidable by Kesling is a 1998 release that centers on a jammy black currant opening softened by a powdery heart. This oriental floral scent brings together warm spices like cloves and creamy vanilla, creating an intimate experience for fall days. It is a classic composition for those who appreciate a blend of …

Reviews →

Dear Gabby reads as a bright white floral with a polished musky, woody base. Grapefruit and orange blossom give the opening a lively lift, then tuberose, jasmine, and soft fruit notes bring a smoother, creamier feel before sandalwood, cashmeran, and iris settle in. It looks best suited to someone who likes feminine fl…

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, Rouge Formidable or Dear Gabby?

Rouge Formidable takes 2 of 3 categories. Rouge Formidable is rated 3.50/5 from 2 votes; Dear Gabby is rated 3.33/5 from 3 votes. Choose Rouge Formidable for a fruity and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Dear Gabby for a white floral and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Rouge Formidable or Dear Gabby?

Dear Gabby lasts longest (Dear Gabby 60/100, Rouge Formidable 20/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Rouge Formidable or Dear Gabby?

Rouge Formidable projects furthest (Rouge Formidable 81/100, Dear Gabby 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Rouge Formidable and Dear Gabby smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fruity and powdery accords. Common notes include Black Currant, Iris, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Rouge Formidable or Dear Gabby better for summer or winter?

Rouge Formidable suits daytime wear; Dear Gabby suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Rouge Formidable and Dear Gabby?

Rouge Formidable has top notes of Black Currant, heart notes of Iris, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Cloves, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Dear Gabby has top notes of Grapefruit, Orange Blossom, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, heart notes of Mandarin Orange, Tuberose, Black Currant and Musk, a base of Sandalwood, Lily-of-the-Valley, Pear and Cashmeran.