Fragrance comparison

Behind the Curtain vs Imagine

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 42 ratings analysed

Behind the Curtain

House of Matriarch

3.3611 votes

Rank #61,231 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

31%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Imagine

Jean Louis Vermeil

4.0331 votes

Rank #42,975 FruityWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Imagine takes 4 of 4 categories.

Behind the Curtain
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character.
Imagine
Choose it for a fruity and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Behind the Curtain0/4

Imagine4/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Behind the CurtainHouse of Matriarch

ImagineJean Louis Vermeil

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.36/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 17%Had 7%Want 77%

4.03/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 40%Had 23%Want 38%

Category winnerImagineRating 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

42%Love

32%Like

13%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate59

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityImagine

SillageImagine

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value50

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet92%

powdery84%

leather77%

oud69%

animalic61%

fruity100%

woody92%

mossy84%

earthy77%

sweet69%

amber61%

Scent match31%Clearly different · both fruity and sweet

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

Top

Black CurrantPineappleRaspberryPeachGrapefruitThymeAppleBergamot

Heart

RoseLilyClovesYlang-YlangHoneysuckleJasmineOrange Blossom

Base

OakmossAmberSandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesRaspberry, Black Currant, Honeysuckle and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for Behind the Curtain, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day41

Night100

Spring33

Summer17

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night83

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

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

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#61,231

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#42,975

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerImagineHigher 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 →

Imagine by Jean Louis Vermeil brings back the bold, fruity green spirit of 1989. It opens with sharp black currant and tart pineapple before settling into a deep base of oakmoss and patchouli. This fragrance suits collectors who love complex, vintage woody florals that perform well in cool autumn weather.

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 Imagine?

Imagine takes 4 of 4 categories. Behind the Curtain is rated 3.36/5 from 11 votes; Imagine is rated 4.03/5 from 31 votes. Choose Behind the Curtain for a fruity and sweet character. Choose Imagine for a fruity and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Behind the Curtain or Imagine?

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

Which projects more, Behind the Curtain or Imagine?

Imagine projects furthest (Imagine 71/100, Behind the Curtain 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Behind the Curtain and Imagine smell similar?

Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity and sweet accords. Common notes include Raspberry, Black Currant, Honeysuckle and Ylang-Ylang.

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

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

What are the notes in Behind the Curtain and Imagine?

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. Imagine has top notes of Black Currant, Pineapple, Raspberry and Peach, heart notes of Rose, Lily, Cloves and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli.