1881 vs L'Instant Magic
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
42%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
L'Instant Magic takes 6 of 8 categories.
1881Choose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.
L'Instant MagicChoose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.
18812/8
L'Instant Magic6/8
- Ratings & consensus
- L'Instant Magic
- Community sentiment
- L'Instant Magic
- Longevity
- L'Instant Magic
- Sillage & projection
- L'Instant Magic
- Value for money
- 1881
- Versatility
- L'Instant Magic
- Note pyramid (duration)
- 1881
- Fragranxe ranking
- L'Instant Magic
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
1881CerrutiL'Instant MagicGuerlainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.86/ 5 · 8,733 votes
Have 49%Had 51%Want 0%
4.23/ 5 · 5,932 votes
Have 43%Had 24%Want 33%
Category winnerL'Instant MagicRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate28%Love
49%Like
6%Ok
16%Dislike
1%Hate
8,733 votes
46%Love
41%Like
2%Ok
10%Dislike
0%Hate
5,932 votes
Category winnerL'Instant MagicMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityL'Instant Magic
SillageL'Instant Magic
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winner1881Best value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothpowdery100%
floral92%
yellow floral84%
herbal77%
aromatic69%
woody61%
powdery100%
floral92%
violet84%
almond77%
iris69%
sweet61%
Scent match42%Some overlap · both powdery and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15-30 mins
MimosaIrisRoseFreesiaVioletLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineBergamot
Heart2-4 hrs
ChamomileNarcissusGalbanumGeraniumCorianderBrazilian RosewoodOrange BlossomTuberose
Base6-8 hrs
MuskSandalwoodCedarVanillaAmber
Top15 to 30 minutes
AniseBergamotLemon
Heart2 to 4 hours
VioletMimosaRoseFreesiaCarnation
Base5 to 8 hours
AlmondIrisVanillaWhite MuskSandalwoodCedar
Category winner1881Longest dry-down: 6-8 hrs
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter41
Day100
Night25
Spring52
Summer26
Fall86
Winter100
Day100
Night83
Category winnerL'Instant MagicMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,630
PerfumerClaire Cain Miller
Launched—
Reviews206
Overall rank#1,375
PerfumerRanda Hammami, Sylvaine Delacourte
Launched—
Reviews200
Category winnerL'Instant MagicHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotCerruti 1881 for women smells like sun-dried linen spread over a field of wild herbs. It opens with an unmistakable rush of powdery mimosa, dewy freesia, and bitter roman chamomile. That opening packs a punch. Do not judge it from the atomizer mist. Give the alcohol two minutes to dissipate. As the scent warms on puls…
Reviews →L'Instant Magic by Guerlain brings a plush, comforting warmth built around soft almond, delicate iris, and soothing white musk. Launched in 2007, this floral woody musk opens with a light touch of bergamot, lemon, and aromatic anise before settling into a powdery cloud of violet, mimosa, and rose. It does not shout or…
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
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, 1881 or L'Instant Magic?
L'Instant Magic takes 6 of 8 categories. 1881 is rated 3.86/5 from 8,733 votes; L'Instant Magic is rated 4.23/5 from 5,932 votes. Choose 1881 for a powdery and floral character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose L'Instant Magic for a powdery and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, 1881 or L'Instant Magic?
L'Instant Magic lasts longest (L'Instant Magic 73/100, 1881 70/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, 1881 or L'Instant Magic?
L'Instant Magic projects furthest (L'Instant Magic 66/100, 1881 62/100), based on community performance votes.
Do 1881 and L'Instant Magic smell similar?
Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and floral accords. Common notes include Mimosa, Iris, Rose and Freesia.
Is 1881 or L'Instant Magic better for summer or winter?
For summer, L'Instant Magic is the stronger pick. For winter, L'Instant Magic is the stronger pick. 1881 suits daytime wear; L'Instant Magic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in 1881 and L'Instant Magic?
1881 has top notes of Mimosa, Iris, Rose and Freesia, heart notes of Chamomile, Narcissus, Galbanum and Geranium, a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Cedar and Vanilla. L'Instant Magic has top notes of Anise, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Mimosa, Rose and Freesia, a base of Almond, Iris, Vanilla and White Musk.
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