Fragrance comparison

The Forward vs Artisan Acqua

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,047 ratings analysed

5 wins

The Forward

Mind Games

4.32399 votes

Rank #26,893 CitrusVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

Artisan Acqua

John Varvatos

3.91648 votes

Rank #4,500 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Forward takes 5 of 7 categories.

The Forward
Choose it for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Artisan Acqua
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

The Forward5/7

Artisan Acqua2/7

Ratings & consensus: The Forward
Community sentiment: The Forward
Longevity: The Forward
Sillage & projection: The Forward
Value for money: Artisan Acqua
Versatility: The Forward
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Artisan Acqua

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The ForwardMind Games

Artisan AcquaJohn Varvatos

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 399 votes

Have 36%Had 7%Want 57%

3.91/ 5 · 648 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerThe ForwardRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

26%Like

13%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

399 votes

31%Love

48%Like

4%Ok

16%Dislike

1%Hate

648 votes

Category winnerThe ForwardMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityThe Forward

SillageThe Forward

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value23

¤ Price value67

Category winnerArtisan AcquaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

vanilla91%

woody83%

salty74%

powdery65%

sweet56%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PomeloLemonMandarin Orange

Heart

SaltTonka BeanJasmine Sambac

Base

Madagascar VanillaSandalwoodCashmeran

Top15-30 mins

PomeloMandarin OrangeMastic or LentisqueGalbanumAngelica

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderPalmarosaToscanolClary SageGeraniumBasilCorianderJasmine Sambac

Base4-6 hrs

Fir ResinMuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesPomelo, Mandarin Orange and Jasmine Sambac. Durations are only published for Artisan Acqua, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer99

Fall0

Winter37

Day–

Night–

Spring80

Summer100

Fall20

Winter4

Day100

Night21

Category winnerThe ForwardMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men27

Unisex56

Women18

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,893

PerfumerNathalie Benareau

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#4,500

PerfumerRodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews105

Category winnerArtisan AcquaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mind Games The Forward opens with a sharp burst of juicy pomelo and bright mandarin orange that fizzes across the skin. The citrus initial spray feels electric and clean. Soon, a noticeable mineral salt accord cuts through the top notes, pulling the profile away from standard cologne territory. As the top notes settl…

Reviews →

Do not let the blue Mediterranean bottle mislead you. John Varvatos Artisan Acqua is not a salty oceanic fragrance. Instead, it unleashes a punchy blast of bitter pomelo, resinous galbanum, and sharp mastic tree sap that feels rugged and undeniably green. As the brisk citrus top burns off, the heart shifts into herbal…

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, The Forward or Artisan Acqua?

The Forward takes 5 of 7 categories. The Forward is rated 4.32/5 from 399 votes; Artisan Acqua is rated 3.91/5 from 648 votes. Choose The Forward for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Artisan Acqua for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Forward or Artisan Acqua?

The Forward lasts longest (The Forward 71/100, Artisan Acqua 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Forward or Artisan Acqua?

The Forward projects furthest (The Forward 56/100, Artisan Acqua 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Forward and Artisan Acqua smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Pomelo, Mandarin Orange and Jasmine Sambac.

Is The Forward or Artisan Acqua better for summer or winter?

For summer, Artisan Acqua is the stronger pick. For winter, The Forward is the stronger pick. Artisan Acqua suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Forward and Artisan Acqua?

The Forward has top notes of Pomelo, Lemon and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Salt, Tonka Bean and Jasmine Sambac, a base of Madagascar Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cashmeran. Artisan Acqua has top notes of Pomelo, Mandarin Orange, Mastic or Lentisque and Galbanum, heart notes of Lavender, Palmarosa, Toscanol and Clary Sage, a base of Fir Resin, Musk and Patchouli.