Fragrance comparison

First vs L'Orchidee Terrible

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 3,576 ratings analysed

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #914 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

L'Orchidee Terrible

Imaginary Authors

2.8793 votes

Rank #16,004 AldehydicFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 7 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
L'Orchidee Terrible
Choose it for a aldehydic and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First4/7

L'Orchidee Terrible3/7

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: L'Orchidee Terrible
Sillage & projection: L'Orchidee Terrible
Value for money: First
Versatility: L'Orchidee Terrible
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'Orchidee TerribleImaginary Authors

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

2.87/ 5 · 93 votes

Have 9%Had 3%Want 88%

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

28%Love

23%Like

1%Ok

46%Dislike

3%Hate

79 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate55

Category winners

LongevityL'Orchidee Terrible

SillageL'Orchidee Terrible

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value50

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

aldehydic100%

fresh91%

floral83%

powdery74%

sweet65%

honey56%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both aldehydic, floral and fresh

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

Notes

AldehydesOrchidSatinHoneyWhite MuskLily-of-the-Valley

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Lily-of-the-Valley and Honey. 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

Spring100

Summer47

Fall37

Winter37

Day100

Night60

Category winnerL'Orchidee TerribleMost 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#914

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#16,004

PerfumerJosh Meyer

Launched—

Reviews26

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 →

L'Orchidee Terrible is an unusual aldehydic floral that opens with a bright, metallic fizz, then settles into a cool mix of orchid, lily of the valley, honey and white musk. It can feel silky, soapy and slightly uncanny at the same time. This suits wearers who enjoy vintage-leaning aldehydes, abstract florals and frag…

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'Orchidee Terrible?

First takes 4 of 7 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; L'Orchidee Terrible is rated 2.87/5 from 93 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose L'Orchidee Terrible for a aldehydic and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or L'Orchidee Terrible?

L'Orchidee Terrible lasts longest (L'Orchidee Terrible 78/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or L'Orchidee Terrible?

L'Orchidee Terrible projects furthest (L'Orchidee Terrible 68/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and L'Orchidee Terrible smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aldehydic, floral and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Lily-of-the-Valley and Honey.

Is First or L'Orchidee Terrible better for summer or winter?

For summer, L'Orchidee Terrible is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; L'Orchidee Terrible suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and L'Orchidee Terrible?

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'Orchidee Terrible features Aldehydes, Orchid, Satin, Honey and White Musk.