Fragrance comparison

First Love vs Promise

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 57 ratings analysed

5 wins

First Love

Journal

4.3628 votes

Rank #43,884 FruityRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Promise

Journal

4.2129 votes

Rank #45,949 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First Love takes 5 of 7 categories.

First Love
Choose it for a fruity and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Promise
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

First Love5/7

Promise2/7

Ratings & consensus: First Love
Community sentiment: Promise
Longevity: First Love
Sillage & projection: First Love
Value for money: Promise
Versatility: First Love
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First Love

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

First LoveJournal

PromiseJournal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.36/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 24%Had 5%Want 71%

4.21/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 62%Had 9%Want 28%

Category winnerFirst LoveRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

64%Love

14%Like

18%Ok

0%Dislike

4%Hate

28 votes

48%Love

31%Like

17%Ok

0%Dislike

3%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerPromiseMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityFirst Love

SillageFirst Love

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value60

Category winnerPromiseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

rose92%

sweet84%

aromatic77%

white floral69%

aquatic61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy83%

aromatic65%

oud48%

woody30%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

PearEarl Grey TeaLavender

Heart

RoseLilyRum

Base

SaffronAgarwood (Oud)BenzoinOlibanum

Top

Pink GrapefruitLimePomelo

Heart

Vetiver

Base

Agarwood (Oud)BenzoinSaffronOlibanum

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin and Olibanum. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer92

Fall42

Winter42

Day100

Night62

Spring80

Summer100

Fall40

Winter40

Day100

Night36

Category winnerFirst LoveMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex15

Women85

Men20

Unisex55

Women25

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,884

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#45,949

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFirst LoveHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First Love by Journal is a Thai perfume designed around a fresh pear note and Earl Grey tea. It wears like a crisp morning breeze before settling into a warmer, resinous foundation of agarwood and saffron. The scent is crafted for casual daily wear, showing its best sides during warm, humid spring and summer days.

Reviews →

Promise by Journal hits the skin with a vibrant splash of pomelo and pink grapefruit. The sharp citrus opening slowly cools into a grassy, earthy vetiver heart, before resting on a warm base of benzoin and quiet saffron. It suits casual daytime wear in warm weather, offering a clean feel with a resinous undertone.

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, First Love or Promise?

First Love takes 5 of 7 categories. First Love is rated 4.36/5 from 28 votes; Promise is rated 4.21/5 from 29 votes. Choose First Love for a fruity and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Promise for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First Love or Promise?

First Love lasts longest (First Love 68/100, Promise 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First Love or Promise?

First Love projects furthest (First Love 58/100, Promise 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First Love and Promise smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Saffron, Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin and Olibanum.

Is First Love or Promise better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in First Love and Promise?

First Love has top notes of Pear, Earl Grey Tea and Lavender, heart notes of Rose, Lily and Rum, a base of Saffron, Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin and Olibanum. Promise has top notes of Pink Grapefruit, Lime and Pomelo, heart notes of Vetiver, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin, Saffron and Olibanum.