Fragrance comparison

First vs Meliora

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 6,884 ratings analysed

5 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #917 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

Meliora

Parfums de Marly

4.013,401 votes

Rank #4,584 FruitySoft Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 5 of 8 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Meliora
Choose it for a fruity and soft spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First5/8

Meliora3/8

Ratings & consensus: Meliora
Community sentiment: Meliora
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: First
Versatility: Meliora
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

MelioraParfums de Marly

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

4.01/ 5 · 3,401 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerMelioraRating 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

38%Love

38%Like

13%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

3,401 votes

Category winnerMelioraMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value23

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

fruity100%

soft spicy88%

fresh77%

aromatic65%

green53%

sweet42%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both green 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

Top20-30 mins

Black CurrantRed BerriesCassisRaspberryOrange Blossom

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseLily-of-the-ValleyYlang-Ylang

Base5-7 hrs

MuskVanillaAlmondWoody Notes

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

Summer87

Fall0

Winter17

Day100

Night29

Category winnerMelioraMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men1

Unisex3

Women96

Casual 37%Work 29%Date 23%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#917

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#4,584

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews208

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 →

Meliora opens with an energetic burst of black currant, raspberry, and crushed cassis leaves. The tartness is immediate. It smells remarkably like cracking open a chilled bottle of berry spritzer on a hot porch. Within twenty minutes, the sharp fruit softens as green lily-of-the-valley, delicate rose, and subtle orang…

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 Meliora?

First takes 5 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Meliora is rated 4.01/5 from 3,401 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Meliora for a fruity and soft spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Meliora?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Meliora 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or Meliora?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Meliora 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and Meliora smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green and fresh accords. Common notes include Black Currant, Raspberry, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang.

Is First or Meliora better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in First and Meliora?

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. Meliora has top notes of Black Currant, Red Berries, Cassis and Raspberry, heart notes of Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Musk, Vanilla, Almond and Woody Notes.