Fragrance comparison

Initiation vs Lutece

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 243 ratings analysed

5 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #13,530 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

Lutece

Houbigant

3.99168 votes

Rank #25,550 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initiation takes 5 of 7 categories.

Initiation
Choose 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.
Lutece
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Initiation5/7

Lutece2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

InitiationMolyneux

LuteceHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

3.99/ 5 · 168 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

Category winnerInitiationRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

52%Like

1%Ok

4%Dislike

3%Hate

75 votes

35%Love

46%Like

3%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

168 votes

Category winnerInitiationMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityLutece

SillageLutece

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value73

Category winnerInitiationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

woody100%

vanilla92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

fresh69%

floral61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both woody and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PeachGardeniaBrazilian RosewoodAldehydesMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

TuberoseYlang-YlangRoseNarcissusHeliotropeJasmineCarnationLily-of-the-Valley

Base

HoneyAmberCivetOakmossCoconutPatchouliVetiver

Top20-30 mins

Brazilian RosewoodAldehydesGeraniumMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootPeonyVetiverRosemaryLily-of-the-ValleyCedar

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanHeliotropeMuskCinnamonVanilla

InformationalShared notesBrazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Heliotrope. Durations are only published for Lutece, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring47

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night94

Spring61

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Category winnerInitiationMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

Men0

Unisex5

Women95

Casual 36%Work 28%Date 23%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,530

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#25,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerInitiationHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Houbigant Lutece is a powdery oriental floral that wraps retro warmth in a surprisingly airy, cosmetic cloud. The fragrance opens with brisk aldehydes and sharp Brazilian rosewood before mellowing into powdery orris root, sweet peony, and a hint of green rosemary. As hours pass, creamy vanilla, almond-scented heliotro…

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, Initiation or Lutece?

Initiation takes 5 of 7 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; Lutece is rated 3.99/5 from 168 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 Lutece for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Initiation or Lutece?

They last about the same: Lutece 68/100, Initiation 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Initiation or Lutece?

Lutece projects furthest (Lutece 65/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Initiation and Lutece smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Heliotrope.

Is Initiation or Lutece better for summer or winter?

For summer, Initiation is the stronger pick. For winter, Lutece is the stronger pick. Initiation suits day or night wear; Lutece suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Initiation and Lutece?

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. Lutece has top notes of Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Geranium and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Orris Root, Peony, Vetiver and Rosemary, a base of Tonka Bean, Heliotrope, Musk and Cinnamon.