Fragrance comparison

First vs L'Air du Temps Zénith

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 3,498 ratings analysed

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #901 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

L'Air du Temps Zénith

Nina Ricci

4.0715 votes

Rank #36,438 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 5 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
L'Air du Temps Zénith
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

First4/5

L'Air du Temps Zénith1/5

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: L'Air du Temps Zénith
Value for money: First
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

L'Air du Temps ZénithNina Ricci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 26%Had 23%Want 51%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

40%Love

33%Like

20%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity47

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageL'Air du Temps Zénith

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value45

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

woody100%

powdery92%

white floral84%

fruity77%

floral69%

sweet61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both floral and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Top

PeachAldehydesRosePalisander RosewoodCarnationBergamot

Heart

GardeniaJasmineVioletRosemaryLilyOrchidOrris RootYlang-Ylang

Base

MuskSandalwoodWoody NotesSpicesAmberOakmoss

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Peach and Jasmine. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night57

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#901

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#36,438

PerfumerFrancis Fabron

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps Zénith takes the iconic spicy floral structure created by Francis Fabron and delivers it in a high-concentration 2016 collector release. Sharp aldehydes and crisp bergamot spark the initial spray, giving way to a rich bouquet of clove-spiced carnation, gardenia, and ylang-ylang. The heart fee…

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, First or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

First takes 4 of 5 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; L'Air du Temps Zénith is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose L'Air du Temps Zénith for a woody and powdery character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, L'Air du Temps Zénith 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or L'Air du Temps Zénith?

L'Air du Temps Zénith projects furthest (L'Air du Temps Zénith 72/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and L'Air du Temps Zénith smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and white floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Peach and Jasmine.

Is First or L'Air du Temps Zénith better for summer or winter?

First suits daytime wear; L'Air du Temps Zénith suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and L'Air du Temps Zénith?

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. L'Air du Temps Zénith has top notes of Peach, Aldehydes, Rose and Palisander Rosewood, heart notes of Gardenia, Jasmine, Violet and Rosemary, a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Woody Notes and Spices.