Fragrance comparison

Initial vs Angel Black Brilliant Star

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 708 ratings analysed

3 wins

Initial

Boucheron

4.09684 votes

Rank #2,996 FloralFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

Angel Black Brilliant Star

Mugler

3.9624 votes

Rank #21,388 SweetFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initial takes 3 of 5 categories.

Initial
Choose it for a floral and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Angel Black Brilliant Star
Choose it for a sweet and fruity character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Initial3/5

Angel Black Brilliant Star2/5

Ratings & consensus: Initial
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Angel Black Brilliant Star
Sillage & projection: Angel Black Brilliant Star
Value for money: Initial
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Initial

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

InitialBoucheron

Angel Black Brilliant StarMugler

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 684 votes

Have 38%Had 32%Want 30%

3.96/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 5%Had 2%Want 93%

Category winnerInitialRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

45%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

684 votes

54%Love

17%Like

0%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityAngel Black Brilliant Star

SillageAngel Black Brilliant Star

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value25

Category winnerInitialBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

fruity92%

fresh spicy84%

honey77%

fresh69%

aromatic61%

sweet100%

fruity92%

vanilla84%

powdery77%

caramel69%

citrus61%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PepperCassisRed currant leafMandarin Orange

Heart

PatchouliRoseJasmineWildflowers

Base

HoneyMuskAlmond

Top20-30 mins

Cotton CandyMelonCoconutCassisMandarin OrangeJasmineBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneyPlumOrchidLily-of-the-ValleyRed BerriesRosePeachApricot

Base8-12+ hrs

PatchouliDark ChocolateVanilaCaramelAmberTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesCassis, Mandarin Orange, Patchouli and Rose. Durations are only published for Angel Black Brilliant Star, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring47

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring58

Summer42

Fall67

Winter100

Day65

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex7

Women93

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,996

PerfumerJacques Cavallier Belletrud

Launched—

Reviews62

Overall rank#21,388

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerInitialHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Initial by Boucheron opens with a sharp bite of black pepper and tart cassis before settling into a warm floral heart. Created in 2000 by perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, this composition merges dark red currant leaf with rich honey and powdery almond. The spice cuts through the sweet nectar, preventing the jasmi…

Reviews →

Angel Black Brilliant Star encases Mugler's legendary 1992 gourmand formula in a midnight crystal collector flask. Do not overspray this. The scent opens with a loud pop of spun sugar, juicy melon, and tropical coconut before shifting into a thick wave of dark chocolate, honey, and earthy patchouli. It is sweet, earth…

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, Initial or Angel Black Brilliant Star?

Initial takes 3 of 5 categories. Initial is rated 4.09/5 from 684 votes; Angel Black Brilliant Star is rated 3.96/5 from 24 votes. Choose Initial for a floral and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Angel Black Brilliant Star for a sweet and fruity character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Initial or Angel Black Brilliant Star?

They last about the same: Angel Black Brilliant Star 73/100, Initial 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Initial or Angel Black Brilliant Star?

Angel Black Brilliant Star projects furthest (Angel Black Brilliant Star 79/100, Initial 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Initial and Angel Black Brilliant Star smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity accords. Common notes include Cassis, Mandarin Orange, Patchouli and Rose.

Is Initial or Angel Black Brilliant Star better for summer or winter?

Angel Black Brilliant Star suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Initial and Angel Black Brilliant Star?

Initial has top notes of Pepper, Cassis, Red currant leaf and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Patchouli, Rose, Jasmine and Wildflowers, a base of Honey, Musk and Almond. Angel Black Brilliant Star has top notes of Cotton Candy, Melon, Coconut and Cassis, heart notes of Honey, Plum, Orchid and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Patchouli, Dark Chocolate, Vanila and Caramel.