Initiation vs Basic Black
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
38%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Initiation takes 4 of 7 categories.
InitiationChoose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Basic BlackChoose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Initiation4/7
Basic Black3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Initiation
- Community sentiment
- Initiation
- Longevity
- Basic Black
- Sillage & projection
- Basic Black
- Value for money
- Initiation
- Versatility
- Initiation
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Basic Black
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
InitiationMolyneuxBasic BlackBill BlassWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.23/ 5 · 75 votes
Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%
3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
Category winnerInitiationRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate40%Love
52%Like
1%Ok
4%Dislike
3%Hate
75 votes
37%Love
41%Like
4%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
313 votes
Category winnerInitiationMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBasic Black
SillageBasic Black
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerInitiationBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwhite floral100%
sweet92%
woody84%
floral77%
yellow floral69%
animalic61%
warm spicy100%
woody92%
amber84%
floral77%
powdery69%
aromatic61%
Scent match38%Some overlap · both woody and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
PeachGardeniaBrazilian RosewoodAldehydesMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
TuberoseYlang-YlangRoseNarcissusHeliotropeJasmineCarnationLily-of-the-Valley
Base
HoneyAmberCivetOakmossCoconutPatchouliVetiver
Top
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
InformationalShared notesPeach, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Tuberose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring47
Summer40
Fall100
Winter80
Day100
Night94
Spring53
Summer34
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerInitiationMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#15,067
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews8
Overall rank#3,732
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews71
Category winnerBasic BlackHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotInitiation 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 →Basic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…
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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Initiation or Basic Black?
Initiation takes 4 of 7 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes. Choose Initiation for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Initiation or Basic Black?
Basic Black lasts longest (Basic Black 69/100, Initiation 66/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Initiation or Basic Black?
Basic Black projects furthest (Basic Black 62/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Initiation and Basic Black smell similar?
Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Tuberose.
Is Initiation or Basic Black better for summer or winter?
For summer, Initiation is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Initiation suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Initiation and Basic Black?
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. Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber.
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