Fragrance comparison

Behind the Curtain vs First

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 3,494 ratings analysed

Behind the Curtain

House of Matriarch

3.3611 votes

Rank #61,231 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

5%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #896 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 5 categories.

Behind the Curtain
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on note pyramid duration.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Behind the Curtain1/5

First4/5

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Behind the Curtain
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Behind the CurtainHouse of Matriarch

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.36/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 17%Had 7%Want 77%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

18%Like

0%Ok

36%Dislike

9%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate59

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityFirst

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

fruity100%

sweet92%

powdery84%

leather77%

oud69%

animalic61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match5%Clearly different

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

RaspberryBlack CurrantBlack ElderHoneysuckle

Heart3-4 hrs

LeatherLitchiCassiaPeonyWhite AmberYlang-YlangExotic Woods

Base8-10 hrs

Agarwood (Oud)White MuskOrris RootPowdery NotesVanillaPatchouli

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Category winnerBehind the CurtainLongest dry-down: 8-10 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day41

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Date 40%Party 34%Casual 17%Work 9%

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

Work 33%Casual 29%Date 25%Party 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#61,231

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#896

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

House of Matriarch Behind the Curtain is a dark, complex blend of tart fruit, worn leather, and resinous wood. The opening hits fast with sour black currant, sweet raspberry, and black elder. Within minutes, a dense jacket leather note pulls the sweetness into moody territory. Powdery orris root, agarwood oud, and dar…

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, Behind the Curtain or First?

First takes 4 of 5 categories. Behind the Curtain is rated 3.36/5 from 11 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Behind the Curtain for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on note pyramid duration. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Behind the Curtain or First?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Behind the Curtain 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Behind the Curtain or First?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Behind the Curtain 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Behind the Curtain and First smell similar?

Clearly different: a 5% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Raspberry, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang and Orris Root.

Is Behind the Curtain or First better for summer or winter?

Behind the Curtain suits evening wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Behind the Curtain and First?

Behind the Curtain has top notes of Raspberry, Black Currant, Black Elder and Honeysuckle, heart notes of Leather, Litchi, Cassia and Peony, a base of Agarwood (Oud), White Musk, Orris Root and Powdery Notes. 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.