Black Essential Self vs First Sight
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
36%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
First Sight takes 4 of 5 categories.
Black Essential SelfChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
First SightChoose it for a green and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Black Essential Self1/5
First Sight4/5
- Ratings & consensus
- First Sight
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- First Sight
- Sillage & projection
- First Sight
- Value for money
- Black Essential Self
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- First Sight
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Black Essential SelfAvonFirst SightThe Gate Fragrances ParisWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.10/ 5 · 21 votes
Have 58%Had 10%Want 32%
4.12/ 5 · 248 votes
Have 30%Had 12%Want 58%
Category winnerFirst SightRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate29%Love
57%Like
10%Ok
5%Dislike
0%Hate
21 votes · too few to score
40%Love
42%Like
10%Ok
8%Dislike
1%Hate
248 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityFirst Sight
SillageFirst Sight
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBlack Essential SelfBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
fresh spicy88%
woody77%
green65%
earthy53%
herbal42%
green100%
citrus90%
aromatic80%
sweet70%
fresh60%
fruity50%
Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic and green
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CitrusesBasil LeafMint
Heart
TruffleGeraniumSage
Base
VetiverCedarLabdanum
Top
MintCitrusesGreen LeavesPearLemonadeSorbet
Heart
Black ElderSage
Base
CedarMusk
InformationalShared notesCitruses, Mint, Sage and Cedar. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer76
Fall82
Winter47
Day100
Night47
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter18
Day–
Night–
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#49,996
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#6,879
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews22
Category winnerFirst SightHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBlack Essential Self by Avon opens with a sharp burst of crushed mint leaves, fresh basil, and bright citruses. As the top notes settle, a green herbal heart of sage and geranium emerges alongside an earthy truffle note. The dry-down brings clean cedar and earthy vetiver to the skin, creating an accessible aromatic fr…
Reviews →First Sight opens with an instant burst of crushed mint leaves, tart lemonade, and cold lemon sorbet. Crisp green leaves and ripe pear add a juicy, herbal bite before settling into earthy sage and black elder flowers. As the bright citrus top notes quiet down on skin, clean white musk and dry cedar ground the sweet gr…
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
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Black Essential Self or First Sight?
First Sight takes 4 of 5 categories. Black Essential Self is rated 4.10/5 from 21 votes; First Sight is rated 4.12/5 from 248 votes. Choose Black Essential Self for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose First Sight for a green and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Black Essential Self or First Sight?
First Sight lasts longest (First Sight 70/100, Black Essential Self 54/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Black Essential Self or First Sight?
First Sight projects furthest (First Sight 66/100, Black Essential Self 50/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Black Essential Self and First Sight smell similar?
Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and green accords. Common notes include Citruses, Mint, Sage and Cedar.
Is Black Essential Self or First Sight better for summer or winter?
Black Essential Self suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Black Essential Self and First Sight?
Black Essential Self has top notes of Citruses, Basil Leaf and Mint, heart notes of Truffle, Geranium and Sage, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Labdanum. First Sight has top notes of Mint, Citruses, Green Leaves and Pear, heart notes of Black Elder and Sage, a base of Cedar and Musk.
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