Fragrance comparison

Rouge Formidable vs Sonia Rykiel

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 706 ratings analysed

Rouge Formidable

Kesling

3.502 votes

Rank #60,790 FruityWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

2 wins

Sonia Rykiel

4.05704 votes

Rank #2,471 WoodyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sonia Rykiel takes 2 of 3 categories.

Rouge Formidable
Choose it for a fruity and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Sonia Rykiel
Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Rouge Formidable1/3

Sonia Rykiel2/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Rouge FormidableKesling

Sonia RykielSonia Rykiel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 28%Had 0%Want 72%

4.05/ 5 · 704 votes

Have 38%Had 63%Want 0%

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

34%Love

50%Like

3%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

704 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity20

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevitySonia Rykiel

SillageRouge Formidable

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value58

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%

woody100%

fruity92%

amber84%

sweet77%

vanilla69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both fruity, woody and warm spicy

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

PineappleBlack CurrantMandarin OrangePassion FlowerYlang-Ylang

Heart

PatchouliRosemaryIrisJasmineVioletRoseHoneysuckleLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BenzoinVanillaTonka BeanSandalwoodAmberCedar

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–

Spring39

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#60,790

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,471

PerfumerEmilie Coppermann

Launched—

Reviews58

Category winnerSonia RykielHigher 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 →

Sonia Rykiel opens with a sharp burst of canned pineapple, dark black currant, and bright mandarin orange. As the initial fruitiness settles, patchouli and herbal rosemary cut through the sweet benzoin and golden amber base. It dries down into a warm, powdery vanilla cushion with a resinous edge. Designed by Emilie Co…

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 Sonia Rykiel?

Sonia Rykiel takes 2 of 3 categories. Rouge Formidable is rated 3.50/5 from 2 votes; Sonia Rykiel is rated 4.05/5 from 704 votes. Choose Rouge Formidable for a fruity and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Sonia Rykiel for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Rouge Formidable or Sonia Rykiel?

Sonia Rykiel lasts longest (Sonia Rykiel 72/100, Rouge Formidable 20/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Rouge Formidable or Sonia Rykiel?

Rouge Formidable projects furthest (Rouge Formidable 81/100, Sonia Rykiel 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Rouge Formidable and Sonia Rykiel smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Black Currant, Iris, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Rouge Formidable or Sonia Rykiel better for summer or winter?

Rouge Formidable suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Rouge Formidable and Sonia Rykiel?

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. Sonia Rykiel has top notes of Pineapple, Black Currant, Mandarin Orange and Passion Flower, heart notes of Patchouli, Rosemary, Iris and Jasmine, a base of Benzoin, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood.