Fragrance comparison

Gardenia 1933 vs Initiation

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

Updated 18 Oct 2026 88 ratings analysed

Gardenia 1933

Tuvaché · 1933

3.6913 votes

Rank #22,351 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #13,922 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initiation takes 3 of 4 categories.

Gardenia 1933
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Initiation
Choose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Gardenia 19331/4

Initiation3/4

Ratings & consensus: Initiation
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Initiation
Sillage & projection: Gardenia 1933
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Initiation

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Gardenia 1933Tuvaché

InitiationMolyneux

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.69/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 28%Had 10%Want 61%

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

Category winnerInitiationRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

15%Love

62%Like

0%Ok

23%Dislike

0%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

40%Love

52%Like

1%Ok

4%Dislike

3%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityInitiation

SillageGardenia 1933

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value81

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

woody83%

tuberose65%

lactonic48%

amber30%

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Bitter OrangeHeliotropeClary SageCyclamen

Heart2-4 hrs

GardeniaJasmineTuberoseYlang-YlangLily-of-the-ValleyTarragonViolet Leaf

Base5-7 hrs

BenzoinSandalwoodOakmossMusk

Top

PeachGardeniaBrazilian RosewoodAldehydesMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

TuberoseYlang-YlangRoseNarcissusHeliotropeJasmineCarnationLily-of-the-Valley

Base

HoneyAmberCivetOakmossCoconutPatchouliVetiver

InformationalShared notesHeliotrope, Gardenia, Jasmine and Tuberose. Durations are only published for Gardenia 1933, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Spring47

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night94

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Date 39%Casual 25%Party 19%Work 17%

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,351

PerfumerNot listed

Launched1933

Reviews7

Overall rank#13,922

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerInitiationHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Tuvaché Gardenia 1933 opens with a sharp, medicinal crackle of bitter orange, herbal clary sage, and powdery cyclamen. That solvent blast recedes fast. Within ten minutes, a massive floral heart takes charge, led by waxy gardenia and narcotic tuberose. The texture feels buttery, thick, and unmistakably retro. Creamy y…

Reviews →

Initiation by Molyneux is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Initiation was launched in 1990. Top notes are Peach, Gardenia, Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot; middle notes are Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Narcissus, Heliotrope, Jasmine, Carnation and Lily-of-the-Valley; base notes are Ho…

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, Gardenia 1933 or Initiation?

Initiation takes 3 of 4 categories. Gardenia 1933 is rated 3.69/5 from 13 votes; Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes. Choose Gardenia 1933 for a white floral and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Initiation for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Gardenia 1933 or Initiation?

Initiation lasts longest (Initiation 66/100, Gardenia 1933 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gardenia 1933 or Initiation?

Gardenia 1933 projects furthest (Gardenia 1933 67/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gardenia 1933 and Initiation smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Heliotrope, Gardenia, Jasmine and Tuberose.

Is Gardenia 1933 or Initiation better for summer or winter?

Gardenia 1933 suits daytime wear; Initiation suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gardenia 1933 and Initiation?

Gardenia 1933 has top notes of Bitter Orange, Heliotrope, Clary Sage and Cyclamen, heart notes of Gardenia, Jasmine, Tuberose and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Benzoin, Sandalwood, Oakmoss and Musk. Initiation has top notes of Peach, Gardenia, Brazilian Rosewood and Aldehydes, heart notes of Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Rose and Narcissus, a base of Honey, Amber, Civet and Oakmoss.