Fragrance comparison

First vs Mystery Secret

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 3,483 ratings analysed

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #912 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

29%scent match

Clearly different

Mystery Secret

CFFC Fragrances

—0 votes

Rank #73,595 SweetFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 4 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Mystery Secret
Choose it for a sweet and fruity character.

First4/4

Mystery Secret0/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
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

Mystery SecretCFFC Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

—/ 5 · 0 votes

Have 0%Had 0%Want 100%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

Not enough votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity20

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hateN/A

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

sweet100%

fruity92%

powdery84%

citrus77%

floral69%

white floral61%

Scent match29%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

Top20-30 mins

MelonCoconutBlack CurrantMandarin OrangeBergamotJasmineCotton Candy

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneyApricotBlackberryPlumOrchidPeachLily-of-the-ValleyRed Berries

Base5-7 hrs

Tonka BeanAmberPatchouliMuskVanillaDark ChocolateCaramel

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day53

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Not enough votes yet

Party 37%Date 32%Casual 21%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#912

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#73,595

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

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 →

Mystery Secret opens with an immediate burst of spun sugar, melon, and candied mandarin. The initial spray carries a distinct flash of perfumer alcohol before settling into a juicy fruit salad of dark blackberry, peach, and sweet coconut. It wastes no time hiding its unapologetic sweet tooth. Within forty minutes, a h…

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 lasts longer, First or Mystery Secret?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Mystery Secret 20/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or Mystery Secret?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Mystery Secret 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and Mystery Secret smell similar?

Clearly different: a 29% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and white floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Black Currant, Peach and Mandarin Orange.

Is First or Mystery Secret better for summer or winter?

First suits daytime wear; Mystery Secret suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Mystery Secret?

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. Mystery Secret has top notes of Melon, Coconut, Black Currant and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Honey, Apricot, Blackberry and Plum, a base of Tonka Bean, Amber, Patchouli and Musk.