Fragrance comparison

The Forward vs Isola Sol

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 903 ratings analysed

The Forward

Mind Games

4.32399 votes

Rank #26,893 CitrusVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Isola Sol

Roja Dove

3.73504 votes

Rank #3,622 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Isola Sol takes 4 of 7 categories.

The Forward
Choose it for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring.
Isola Sol
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

The Forward3/7

Isola Sol4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The ForwardMind Games

Isola SolRoja Dove

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 399 votes

Have 36%Had 7%Want 57%

3.73/ 5 · 504 votes

Have 35%Had 6%Want 59%

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

38%Love

28%Like

16%Ok

14%Dislike

5%Hate

258 votes

Category winnerThe ForwardMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityIsola Sol

SillageIsola Sol

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value23

¤ Price value33

Category winnerIsola SolBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

vanilla91%

woody83%

salty74%

powdery65%

sweet56%

woody100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

sweet77%

yellow floral69%

musky61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both citrus, woody and sweet

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

Top

ApricotMandarin OrangeLemonBergamotPeachPetitgrain

Heart

Ylang-YlangJasmine SambacCoconutNeroli

Base

MuskSaltSandalwoodAmbroxanAmyrisCedarPink Pepper

InformationalShared notesLemon, Mandarin Orange, Salt and Jasmine Sambac. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer99

Fall0

Winter37

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter15

Day–

Night–

Category winnerThe ForwardMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men27

Unisex56

Women18

Men8

Unisex28

Women65

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,893

PerfumerNathalie Benareau

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,622

PerfumerRoja Dove

Launched—

Reviews127

Category winnerIsola SolHigher 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 →

Isola Sol reads less like a fruity beach cocktail and more like a polished tropical floral with salt in the air. Reviews point to a quick flash of peach, apricot and citrus, then a smooth ylang-ylang and jasmine heart that stays in focus. On skin, it usually turns creamy, woody and lightly musky rather than overtly 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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, The Forward or Isola Sol?

Isola Sol takes 4 of 7 categories. The Forward is rated 4.32/5 from 399 votes; Isola Sol is rated 3.73/5 from 504 votes. Choose The Forward for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring. Choose Isola Sol for a woody and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, The Forward or Isola Sol?

Isola Sol lasts longest (Isola Sol 75/100, The Forward 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Forward or Isola Sol?

Isola Sol projects furthest (Isola Sol 66/100, The Forward 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Forward and Isola Sol smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and sweet accords. Common notes include Lemon, Mandarin Orange, Salt and Jasmine Sambac.

Is The Forward or Isola Sol better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Forward is the stronger pick. For winter, The Forward is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Forward and Isola Sol?

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. Isola Sol has top notes of Apricot, Mandarin Orange, Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine Sambac, Coconut and Neroli, a base of Musk, Salt, Sandalwood and Ambroxan.