Fragrance comparison

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel vs First

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 3,538 ratings analysed

4 wins

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel

Clinique

4.4255 votes

Rank #36,094 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #934 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel takes 4 of 7 categories.

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on sillage & projection, note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel4/7

First3/7

Ratings & consensus: Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel
Community sentiment: Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel
Longevity: Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel
Note pyramid (duration): First
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre SensuelClinique

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.42/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 29%Had 11%Want 60%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerAromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre SensuelRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

62%Love

29%Like

0%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

55 votes

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerAromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre SensuelMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityAromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value59

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

earthy84%

white floral77%

floral69%

herbal61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both floral and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

ChamomileAldehydesCorianderBergamotGreen NotesBrazilian RosewoodOrange Blossom

Heart3 to 4 hours

Ylang-YlangRoseOrris RootCarnationLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineTuberose

Base6 to 8 hours

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodPatchouliCoconutMusk

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer40

Fall70

Winter100

Day82

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night85

Category winnerAromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre SensuelMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#36,094

PerfumerTrudi Loren

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#934

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel by Clinique brings a softer texture to the classic chypre style. It opens with herbal chamomile, dry coriander, and crisp aldehydes that smell like clean air with a dusting of bergamot peel. As it settles, a lush bouquet of rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, and earthy orris root…

Reviews →

First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…

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, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel or First?

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel takes 4 of 7 categories. Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel is rated 4.42/5 from 55 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on sillage & projection, note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel or First?

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel lasts longest (Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel 80/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel or First?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel and First smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and white floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Ylang-Ylang and Orris Root.

Is Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel or First better for summer or winter?

For summer, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel is the stronger pick. For winter, Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel is the stronger pick. Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel suits evening wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel and First?

Aromatics Elixir Sheer Velvet Philtre Sensuel has top notes of Chamomile, Aldehydes, Coriander and Bergamot, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Orris Root and Carnation, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Patchouli. First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber.