Fragrance comparison

The Formal vs Vetyver

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 135 ratings analysed

6 wins

The Formal

House Of Sillage

4.1932 votes

Rank #14,124 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Vetyver

Chantecaille

4.06103 votes

Rank #34,423 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Formal takes 6 of 8 categories.

The Formal
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
Vetyver
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

The Formal6/8

Vetyver1/8

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The FormalHouse Of Sillage

VetyverChantecaille

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 28%Had 8%Want 64%

4.06/ 5 · 103 votes

Have 30%Had 9%Want 61%

Category winnerThe FormalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

53%Love

28%Like

9%Ok

3%Dislike

6%Hate

32 votes

35%Love

47%Like

8%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

103 votes

Category winnerThe FormalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityThe Formal

SillageThe Formal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value23

¤ Price value38

Category winnerVetyverBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

aromatic77%

powdery69%

violet61%

fresh spicy100%

woody91%

citrus83%

aromatic74%

powdery65%

earthy56%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

VioletPepperCitruseselemi

Heart2-4 hrs

CloveNutmegGingerSage

Base6-8+ hrs

CedarCoumarinSandalwoodAmber

Top15-30 mins

NutmegCitrusesPepperBergamotCitron

Heart2-4 hrs

Vetyver

Base6-8 hrs

SandalwoodMusk

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter87

Day54

Night100

Spring75

Summer46

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night32

Category winnerThe FormalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men93

Unisex0

Women7

Work 40%Date 28%Casual 19%Party 14%

Men20

Unisex53

Women27

Work 37%Casual 34%Date 18%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,124

PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#34,423

PerfumerPierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerThe FormalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Formal by House Of Sillage delivers an immediate burst of cracked black pepper, bright citruses, and green violet leaf before settling into a warm, aromatic spice blend. Created by master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, this fragrance relies on a solid backbone of clean cedar, earthy sage, pungent clove, and sweet c…

Reviews →

Chantecaille Vetyver strips away traditional barbershop heaviness. It is immediately crisp. A sharp blast of sunny citron and peppery bergamot hits your skin first, backed by the dry warmth of freshly grated nutmeg. The first five minutes carry a distinct solvent snap before settling down nicely. Once the initial spra…

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, The Formal or Vetyver?

The Formal takes 6 of 8 categories. The Formal is rated 4.19/5 from 32 votes; Vetyver is rated 4.06/5 from 103 votes. Choose The Formal for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Vetyver for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Formal or Vetyver?

The Formal lasts longest (The Formal 75/100, Vetyver 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Formal or Vetyver?

The Formal projects furthest (The Formal 64/100, Vetyver 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Formal and Vetyver smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Pepper, Citruses, Nutmeg and Sandalwood.

Is The Formal or Vetyver better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Formal is the stronger pick. For winter, The Formal is the stronger pick. The Formal suits evening wear; Vetyver suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Formal and Vetyver?

The Formal has top notes of Violet, Pepper, Citruses and elemi, heart notes of Clove, Nutmeg, Ginger and Sage, a base of Cedar, Coumarin, Sandalwood and Amber. Vetyver has top notes of Nutmeg, Citruses, Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Vetyver, a base of Sandalwood and Musk.