Initiation vs First
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
52%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.
FirstChoose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Initiation4/7
First3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Initiation
- Community sentiment
- Initiation
- Longevity
- First
- Sillage & projection
- First
- Value for money
- Initiation
- Versatility
- Initiation
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- First
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
InitiationMolyneuxFirstVan Cleef & ArpelsWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.23/ 5 · 75 votes
Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%
3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes
Have 63%Had 37%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
38%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
3,483 votes
Category winnerInitiationMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityFirst
SillageFirst
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%
floral100%
green92%
aldehydic84%
white floral77%
yellow floral69%
fresh61%
Scent match52%Some overlap · both white floral, floral and yellow 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
Top20-30 mins
AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry
Heart3-4 hrs
NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose
Base6-8+ hrs
CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean
InformationalShared notesPeach, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring47
Summer40
Fall100
Winter80
Day100
Night94
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter99
Day100
Night85
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#955
PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena
Launched—
Reviews205
Category winnerFirstHigher 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 →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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Initiation or First?
Initiation takes 4 of 7 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 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 First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Initiation or First?
First lasts longest (First 72/100, Initiation 66/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Initiation or First?
First projects furthest (First 64/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Initiation and First smell similar?
Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, floral and yellow floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot.
Is Initiation or First better for summer or winter?
For summer, Initiation is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. Initiation suits day or night wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Initiation and First?
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. 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.
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