Fragrance comparison

Behind the Curtain vs First Parfum

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 309 ratings analysed

Behind the Curtain

House of Matriarch

3.3611 votes

Rank #61,231 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

First Parfum

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.22298 votes

Rank #3,934 FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First Parfum takes 4 of 5 categories.

Behind the Curtain
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character.
First Parfum
Choose it for a floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Behind the Curtain0/5

First Parfum4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Behind the CurtainHouse of Matriarch

First ParfumVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.36/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 17%Had 7%Want 77%

4.22/ 5 · 298 votes

Have 48%Had 23%Want 29%

Category winnerFirst ParfumRating 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

47%Love

39%Like

4%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

298 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate59

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityFirst Parfum

SillageFirst Parfum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value53

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet92%

powdery84%

leather77%

oud69%

animalic61%

floral100%

powdery92%

woody84%

sweet77%

musky69%

animalic61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both powdery, sweet and animalic

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

AldehydesPeachBlack CurrantBergamotRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

HyacinthTurkish RoseCarnationYlang-YlangJasmineTuberoseOrris RootOrchid

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetHoneyMossSandalwoodVetiverAmberMuskVanilla

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day41

Night100

Spring86

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day57

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

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

Men4

Unisex11

Women85

Date 39%Party 31%Work 17%Casual 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#61,231

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,934

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerFirst ParfumHigher 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 Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a crisp rush of aldehydes alongside sweet peach and tangy black currant, creating a bright fizz that immediately recalls luxury French bath soap. As it warms on the skin, a rich floral heart takes over, mingling velvety Turkish rose, night-blooming jasmine, and earthy hyac…

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 Parfum?

First Parfum takes 4 of 5 categories. Behind the Curtain is rated 3.36/5 from 11 votes; First Parfum is rated 4.22/5 from 298 votes. Choose Behind the Curtain for a fruity and sweet character. Choose First Parfum for a floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Behind the Curtain or First Parfum?

First Parfum lasts longest (First Parfum 73/100, Behind the Curtain 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Behind the Curtain or First Parfum?

First Parfum projects furthest (First Parfum 65/100, Behind the Curtain 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Behind the Curtain and First Parfum smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, sweet and animalic accords. Common notes include Raspberry, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang and Orris Root.

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

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

What are the notes in Behind the Curtain and First Parfum?

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 Parfum has top notes of Aldehydes, Peach, Black Currant and Bergamot, heart notes of Hyacinth, Turkish Rose, Carnation and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Honey, Moss and Sandalwood.