Fragrance comparison

First Parfum vs Relax

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 301 ratings analysed

First Parfum

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.22298 votes

Rank #4,435 FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Relax

Armaf

4.673 votes

Rank #42,371 LeatherMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Relax takes 3 of 4 categories.

First Parfum
Choose it for a floral and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Relax
Choose it for a leather and musky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

First Parfum1/4

Relax3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

First ParfumVan Cleef & Arpels

RelaxArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 298 votes

Have 48%Had 23%Want 29%

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 36%Had 3%Want 60%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

39%Like

4%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

298 votes

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityRelax

SillageRelax

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value53

¤ Price value100

Category winnerRelaxBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

powdery92%

woody84%

sweet77%

musky69%

animalic61%

leather100%

musky83%

animalic65%

powdery48%

smoky30%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both musky, powdery and animalic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesPeachBlack CurrantBergamotRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

HyacinthTurkish RoseCarnationYlang-YlangJasmineTuberoseOrris RootOrchid

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetHoneyMossSandalwoodVetiverAmberMuskVanilla

Top

BergamotPineappleRaspberry

Heart

Ylang-YlangOsmanthusJasmineMoss

Base

LeatherMuskCedarwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Raspberry, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine. Durations are only published for First Parfum, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring86

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day73

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex11

Women85

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,435

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#42,371

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerFirst ParfumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a crisp rush of aldehydes alongside sweet peach and tangy black currant, creating a bright fizz that immediately recalls luxury French bath soap. As it warms on the skin, a rich floral heart takes over, mingling velvety Turkish rose, night-blooming jasmine, and earthy hyac…

Reviews →

Armaf Relax starts with a bright splash of tart pineapple and sweet raspberry, grounded immediately by a sharp citrus edge of bergamot. As the initial fruitiness settles on the skin, a rich floral heart of ylang-ylang and mossy green tones emerges, creating an unexpected earthy contrast. The dry-down is dominated by a…

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 Parfum or Relax?

Relax takes 3 of 4 categories. First Parfum is rated 4.22/5 from 298 votes; Relax is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose First Parfum for a floral and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Relax for a leather and musky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First Parfum or Relax?

Relax lasts longest (Relax 80/100, First Parfum 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First Parfum or Relax?

Relax projects furthest (Relax 75/100, First Parfum 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First Parfum and Relax smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky, powdery and animalic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Raspberry, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine.

Is First Parfum or Relax better for summer or winter?

First Parfum suits evening wear; Relax suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First Parfum and Relax?

First Parfum has top notes of Aldehydes, Peach, Black Currant and Bergamot, heart notes of Hyacinth, Turkish Rose, Carnation and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Honey, Moss and Sandalwood. Relax has top notes of Bergamot, Pineapple and Raspberry, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Osmanthus, Jasmine and Moss, a base of Leather, Musk, Cedarwood and Amber.