Fragrance comparison

First vs Wit

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

Updated 23 Oct 2026 3,552 ratings analysed

6 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #917 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Wit

Parfums DelRae

4.1669 votes

Rank #20,665 Yellow FloralPowdery

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.
Wit
Choose it for a yellow floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First6/8

Wit2/8

Ratings & consensus: Wit
Community sentiment: Wit
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

WitParfums DelRae

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

4.16/ 5 · 69 votes

Have 25%Had 11%Want 64%

Category winnerWitRating 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

51%Like

1%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

69 votes

Category winnerWitMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value50

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

yellow floral100%

powdery83%

sweet65%

floral48%

green30%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both yellow floral, floral and green

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

AngelicaLemonLaurelsMandarin Orange

Heart3-4 hrs

MimosaNarcissusYlang-YlangJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

MuskVanillaAmber

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

Summer42

Fall25

Winter25

Day100

Night29

Category winnerFirstMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 41%Work 33%Date 20%Party 6%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#917

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#20,665

PerfumerYann Vasnier

Launched—

Reviews8

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 →

Wit by Parfums DelRae smells like walking into an upscale florist shop in mid-April. You get an immediate snap of green angelica root, tart lemon peel, and crushed bay laurel leaves that wake up the senses. Within twenty minutes, the sharp herbal edge softens into a cloud of yellow mimosa and honeyed narcissus. The fl…

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 Wit?

First takes 6 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Wit is rated 4.16/5 from 69 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Wit for a yellow floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Wit?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Wit 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or Wit?

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

Do First and Wit smell similar?

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

Is First or Wit better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in First and Wit?

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. Wit has top notes of Angelica, Lemon, Laurels and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Mimosa, Narcissus, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Vanilla and Amber.