Fragrance comparison

First vs Lady

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 3,856 ratings analysed

8 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #896 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

Lady

Caron

3.89373 votes

Rank #8,482 White FloralFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 8 of 8 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Lady
Choose it for a white floral and fruity character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First8/8

Lady0/8

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: First
Versatility: First
Note pyramid (duration): First
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

LadyCaron

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

3.89/ 5 · 373 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

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

29%Love

49%Like

2%Ok

19%Dislike

0%Hate

373 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value52

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

white floral100%

fruity92%

floral84%

tuberose77%

woody69%

rose61%

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

Top15-30 mins

MagnoliaJasmineNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

PeachTuberoseRaspberryRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossSandalwood

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter60

Day100

Night33

Category winnerFirstMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex5

Women95

Work 39%Casual 31%Date 22%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#896

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#8,482

PerfumerRichard Fraysse

Launched—

Reviews28

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 →

Lady Caron by Caron delivers a bright, sunlit spin on traditional French chypre perfumery. The spray starts with a quick burst of solvent alcohol that evaporates within three minutes. Crisp magnolia, sunny neroli, and creamy jasmine take over fast. You smell genuine white petals rather than laundry soap. Soon, a juicy…

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 Lady?

First takes 8 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Lady is rated 3.89/5 from 373 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Lady for a white floral and fruity character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Lady?

They last about the same: First 72/100, Lady 70/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, First or Lady?

Projection is very close: First 64/100, Lady 63/100 for sillage.

Do First and Lady smell similar?

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

Is First or Lady better for summer or winter?

For summer, First is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; Lady suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Lady?

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. Lady has top notes of Magnolia, Jasmine and Neroli, heart notes of Peach, Tuberose, Raspberry and Rose, a base of Oakmoss and Sandalwood.