Fragrance comparison

First Sight vs Black Essential Self

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 269 ratings analysed

4 wins

First Sight

The Gate Fragrances Paris

4.12248 votes

Rank #6,879 GreenCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

Black Essential Self

Avon

4.1021 votes

Rank #49,996 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First Sight takes 4 of 5 categories.

First Sight
Choose it for a green and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Black Essential Self
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First Sight4/5

Black Essential Self1/5

Ratings & consensus: First Sight
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: First Sight
Sillage & projection: First Sight
Value for money: Black Essential Self
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First Sight

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

First SightThe Gate Fragrances Paris

Black Essential SelfAvon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.12/ 5 · 248 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 58%

4.10/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 58%Had 10%Want 32%

Category winnerFirst SightRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

42%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

248 votes

29%Love

57%Like

10%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityFirst Sight

SillageFirst Sight

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price value75

Category winnerBlack Essential SelfBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

citrus90%

aromatic80%

sweet70%

fresh60%

fruity50%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy88%

woody77%

green65%

earthy53%

herbal42%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic and green

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintCitrusesGreen LeavesPearLemonadeSorbet

Heart

Black ElderSage

Base

CedarMusk

Top

CitrusesBasil LeafMint

Heart

TruffleGeraniumSage

Base

VetiverCedarLabdanum

InformationalShared notesMint, Citruses, Sage and Cedar. 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter18

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer76

Fall82

Winter47

Day100

Night47

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men12

Unisex58

Women30

Men82

Unisex12

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,879

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#49,996

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFirst SightHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First Sight opens with an instant burst of crushed mint leaves, tart lemonade, and cold lemon sorbet. Crisp green leaves and ripe pear add a juicy, herbal bite before settling into earthy sage and black elder flowers. As the bright citrus top notes quiet down on skin, clean white musk and dry cedar ground the sweet gr…

Reviews →

Black Essential Self by Avon opens with a sharp burst of crushed mint leaves, fresh basil, and bright citruses. As the top notes settle, a green herbal heart of sage and geranium emerges alongside an earthy truffle note. The dry-down brings clean cedar and earthy vetiver to the skin, creating an accessible aromatic fr…

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 Sight or Black Essential Self?

First Sight takes 4 of 5 categories. First Sight is rated 4.12/5 from 248 votes; Black Essential Self is rated 4.10/5 from 21 votes. Choose First Sight for a green and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Black Essential Self for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First Sight or Black Essential Self?

First Sight lasts longest (First Sight 70/100, Black Essential Self 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First Sight or Black Essential Self?

First Sight projects furthest (First Sight 66/100, Black Essential Self 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First Sight and Black Essential Self smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and green accords. Common notes include Mint, Citruses, Sage and Cedar.

Is First Sight or Black Essential Self better for summer or winter?

Black Essential Self suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First Sight and Black Essential Self?

First Sight has top notes of Mint, Citruses, Green Leaves and Pear, heart notes of Black Elder and Sage, a base of Cedar and Musk. Black Essential Self has top notes of Citruses, Basil Leaf and Mint, heart notes of Truffle, Geranium and Sage, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Labdanum.