Fragrance comparison

First vs Puredistance No. 12

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 3,642 ratings analysed

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #899 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Puredistance No. 12

Puredistance

3.89159 votes

PowderyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Puredistance No. 12
Choose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on versatility and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First2/4

Puredistance No. 122/4

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: Not scored
Sillage & projection: Not scored
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Puredistance No. 12
Note pyramid (duration): Puredistance No. 12
Fragranxe ranking: Not scored

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Puredistance No. 12Puredistance

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

3.89/ 5 · 159 votes

Have 45%Had 11%Want 43%

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

39%Love

31%Like

15%Ok

10%Dislike

5%Hate

159 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 SillageN/A

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageNo data

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%

powdery100%

floral92%

white floral84%

musky77%

woody69%

aromatic61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · 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

NarcissusYlang-YlangBergamotCardamomMandarin OrangeCoriander

Heart3-5 hrs

Orris RootHedioneLily-of-the-ValleyHeliotropeGeraniumJasmineOrange BlossomRose

Base8-12 hrs

MuskAmbroxanPatchouliSandalwoodAmbrette (Musk Mallow)VetiverOakmossVanilla

Category winnerPuredistance No. 12Longest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring100

Summer49

Fall0

Winter68

Day100

Night64

Category winnerPuredistance No. 12Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex28

Women72

Work 35%Date 31%Casual 24%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#899

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rankUnranked

PerfumerNathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews11

Category winnerNot enough dataHigher 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 →

Puredistance No. 12 is a rich floral chypre that feels like slipping into a fine cashmere sweater. Nathalie Feisthauer crafted this 25 percent extrait to deliver seamless luxury. The scent opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, mandarin orange, and crushed coriander seeds. This energetic citrus spark softens quickly as…

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 Puredistance No. 12?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Puredistance No. 12 is rated 3.89/5 from 159 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Puredistance No. 12 for a powdery and floral character. Wins on versatility and note pyramid duration. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Do First and Puredistance No. 12 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and white floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Narcissus and Jasmine.

Is First or Puredistance No. 12 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Puredistance No. 12 is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; Puredistance No. 12 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Puredistance No. 12?

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. Puredistance No. 12 has top notes of Narcissus, Ylang-Ylang, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Orris Root, Hedione, Lily-of-the-Valley and Heliotrope, a base of Musk, Ambroxan, Patchouli and Sandalwood.