Fragrance comparison

Ruben vs Retrospection

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 69 ratings analysed

Ruben

Criminal Elements

4.0335 votes

Rank #38,044 MossyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

26%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #19,634 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories.

Ruben
Choose it for a mossy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ruben3/8

Retrospection4/8

Ratings & consensus: Ruben
Community sentiment: Ruben
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Retrospection
Versatility: Ruben
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Retrospection

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RubenCriminal Elements

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.03/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 30%Had 7%Want 62%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerRubenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

40%Like

6%Ok

11%Dislike

3%Hate

35 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerRubenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

mossy100%

citrus92%

earthy84%

lavender77%

aromatic69%

fresh spicy61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match26%Clearly different · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

OakmossLavenderBergamotPetitgrainOrange Blossom

No top / heart / base split published

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer24

Fall94

Winter76

Day100

Night67

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day83

Night100

Category winnerRubenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex43

Women0

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#38,044

PerfumerCorey Newcombe

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#19,634

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerRetrospectionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ruben 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 →

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ruben or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories. Ruben is rated 4.03/5 from 35 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Ruben for a mossy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ruben or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Ruben 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ruben or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Ruben 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ruben and Retrospection smell similar?

Clearly different: a 26% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Oakmoss, Lavender, Bergamot and Petitgrain.

Is Ruben or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Ruben and Retrospection?

Ruben features Oakmoss, Lavender, Bergamot, Petitgrain and Orange Blossom. 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.