Ruben vs Five Squared
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
49%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Ruben takes 6 of 8 categories.
RubenChoose it for a mossy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Five SquaredChoose it for a citrus and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ruben6/8
Five Squared1/8
- Ratings & consensus
- Ruben
- Community sentiment
- Ruben
- Longevity
- Ruben
- Sillage & projection
- Ruben
- Value for money
- Ruben
- Versatility
- Ruben
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Tie
- Fragranxe ranking
- Five Squared
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
RubenCriminal ElementsFive SquaredFZOTICWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.03/ 5 · 35 votes
Have 30%Had 7%Want 62%
3.89/ 5 · 27 votes
Have 35%Had 10%Want 55%
Category winnerRubenRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate40%Love
40%Like
6%Ok
11%Dislike
3%Hate
35 votes
37%Love
26%Like
30%Ok
4%Dislike
4%Hate
27 votes
Category winnerRubenMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRuben
SillageRuben
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRubenBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothmossy100%
citrus92%
earthy84%
lavender77%
aromatic69%
fresh spicy61%
citrus100%
amber88%
mossy77%
warm spicy65%
aromatic53%
earthy42%
Scent match49%Some overlap · both citrus, mossy and earthy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
OakmossLavenderBergamotPetitgrainOrange Blossom
No top / heart / base split published
Notes
Blood MandarinGrapefruitOakmossSpicesIncenseOrange BlossomRosemaryPetitgrainAmberTonka BeanNeroli
No top / heart / base split published
Category winnerTieSame dry-down length
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer24
Fall94
Winter76
Day100
Night67
Spring100
Summer100
Fall70
Winter10
Day100
Night40
Category winnerRubenMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#38,044
PerfumerCorey Newcombe
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#23,850
PerfumerBruno Fazzolari
Launched—
Reviews8
Category winnerFive SquaredHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotRuben by Criminal Elements opens with a bright splash of tart bergamot and herbal lavender, giving you the crisp, invigorating feeling of walking outside right after a cool rain. As the sharp citrus calms down, bitter petitgrain and clean orange blossom step forward, smoothing the edges with a dry, slightly floral gre…
Reviews →Five Squared by FZOTIC completely flips the script on traditional citrus colognes. Most citrus perfume releases evaporate within an hour. This one refuses to leave. Perfumer Bruno Fazzolari built this composition around a dense, golden core of orange blossom, sharp blood mandarin, and earthy oakmoss. The opening deliv…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Ruben or Five Squared?
Ruben takes 6 of 8 categories. Ruben is rated 4.03/5 from 35 votes; Five Squared is rated 3.89/5 from 27 votes. Choose Ruben for a mossy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Five Squared for a citrus and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Ruben or Five Squared?
Ruben lasts longest (Ruben 74/100, Five Squared 67/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Ruben or Five Squared?
Ruben projects furthest (Ruben 61/100, Five Squared 52/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Ruben and Five Squared smell similar?
Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, mossy and earthy accords. Common notes include Oakmoss, Petitgrain and Orange Blossom.
Is Ruben or Five Squared better for summer or winter?
For summer, Five Squared is the stronger pick. For winter, Ruben is the stronger pick. Ruben suits daytime wear; Five Squared suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Ruben and Five Squared?
Ruben features Oakmoss, Lavender, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Orange Blossom. Five Squared features Blood Mandarin, Grapefruit, Oakmoss, Spices and Incense.
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