Fragrance comparison

H21 vs First

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 3,518 ratings analysed

H21

Bepolar

3.4535 votes

Rank #14,661 WoodyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #899 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 3 of 5 categories.

H21
Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

H212/5

First3/5

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: H21
Sillage & projection: H21
Value for money: First
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

H21Bepolar

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.45/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 32%Had 36%Want 32%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

20%Love

40%Like

20%Ok

0%Dislike

20%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityH21

SillageH21

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value59

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fruity92%

floral84%

aromatic77%

warm spicy69%

powdery61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RoseMuskVetiver

Heart

Carnation

Base

Black CurrantSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesMusk, Vetiver, Carnation and Black Currant. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall80

Winter80

Day100

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex71

Women0

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,661

PerfumerAngelo Orazio Pregoni

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#899

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

H21 by Bepolar is a woody aromatic creation from 2019 that blends bright rose and musk with an earthy vetiver base. It offers a clean, woody profile that feels versatile for daily wear. This scent maintains a crisp character on the skin, leaning toward those who appreciate subtle, refined woodiness in their everyday f…

Reviews →

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 →

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, H21 or First?

First takes 3 of 5 categories. H21 is rated 3.45/5 from 35 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose H21 for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, H21 or First?

H21 lasts longest (H21 78/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, H21 or First?

H21 projects furthest (H21 69/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do H21 and First smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Musk, Vetiver, Carnation and Black Currant.

Is H21 or First better for summer or winter?

H21 suits day or night wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in H21 and First?

H21 has top notes of Rose, Musk and Vetiver, heart notes of Carnation, a base of Black Currant and Sandalwood. 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.