Fragrance comparison

First vs Vanille & Narcisse

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 4,063 ratings analysed

6 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #913 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

Vanille & Narcisse

L'Occitane en Provence

4.08580 votes

Rank #4,996 VanillaYellow Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 6 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.
Vanille & Narcisse
Choose it for a vanilla and yellow floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

First6/8

Vanille & Narcisse2/8

Ratings & consensus: Vanille & Narcisse
Community sentiment: Vanille & Narcisse
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

Vanille & NarcisseL'Occitane en Provence

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

4.08/ 5 · 580 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerVanille & NarcisseRating 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

34%Love

52%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

580 votes

Category winnerVanille & NarcisseMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value53

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

vanilla100%

yellow floral90%

green80%

sweet70%

aromatic60%

balsamic50%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both green and yellow 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

Black CurrantBergamot

Heart2-3 hrs

NarcissusGardenia

Base6-8 hrs

VanilaTonka Bean

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring59

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Category winnerFirstMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Casual 33%Date 31%Work 26%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#913

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#4,996

PerfumerKarine Dubreuil-Sereni

Launched—

Reviews61

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 →

The opening gives you a sharp burst of bergamot and tart black currant. It bites at first. Give the alcohol two minutes to settle, and the scent softens into an earthy, golden narcissus flower wrapped in warm vanilla. This is not bakery frosting. Karine Dubreuil blended a dry, hay-like yellow floral with creamy tonka …

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 Vanille & Narcisse?

First takes 6 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Vanille & Narcisse is rated 4.08/5 from 580 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Vanille & Narcisse for a vanilla and yellow floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Vanille & Narcisse?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Vanille & Narcisse 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or Vanille & Narcisse?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Vanille & Narcisse 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and Vanille & Narcisse smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green and yellow floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Black Currant, Narcissus and Tonka Bean.

Is First or Vanille & Narcisse better for summer or winter?

For summer, First is the stronger pick. For winter, Vanille & Narcisse is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; Vanille & Narcisse suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Vanille & Narcisse?

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. Vanille & Narcisse has top notes of Black Currant and Bergamot, heart notes of Narcissus and Gardenia, a base of Vanila and Tonka Bean.