Fragrance comparison

Initiation vs M3

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 76 ratings analysed

3 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #15,067 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

12%scent match

Clearly different

Michael Cinco

3.001 votes

Rank #71,914 CitrusMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initiation takes 3 of 4 categories.

Initiation
Choose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
M3
Choose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Initiation3/4

M31/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: M3
Sillage & projection: Initiation
Value for money: Initiation
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Initiation

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

InitiationMolyneux

M3Michael Cinco

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

3.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 29%Had 0%Want 71%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

0%Love

0%Like

100%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate50

Category winners

LongevityM3

SillageInitiation

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value38

Category winnerInitiationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

citrus100%

musky90%

tuberose80%

fresh spicy70%

powdery60%

fruity50%

Scent match12%Clearly different

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

Top

BergamotPeachMandarin Orange

Heart

TuberoseRoseIndian Jasmine

Base

White MuskAmberVirginia Cedar

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 season

Spring47

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night94

Spring100

Summer50

Fall50

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,067

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#71,914

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 →

M3 is a bright floral that opens with bergamot, mandarin, and a soft peach accent before tuberose, rose, and jasmine take over. The dry-down shifts into white musk, amber, and cedar, giving it a cleaner, slightly powdery finish. It reads feminine first, polished, and easy to wear if you like florals with a fresh citru…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

BohemeSegreti di LuccaRUNNER-UP vs

Soir de LuneSisleyWINNER

1 person compared this today

Orange FlowerOscar de la RentaRUNNER-UP vs

Ti AmoRoja DoveWINNER

1 person compared this today

Eau de BruxellesLibertin Louison Technique IndiscreteRUNNER-UP vs

Private ClubJeanne ArthesWINNER

1 person compared this today

PatchouliJouriRUNNER-UP vs

al03biehl parfumkunstwerkeWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Initiation or M3?

Initiation takes 3 of 4 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; M3 is rated 3.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Initiation for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose M3 for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Initiation or M3?

M3 lasts longest (M3 70/100, Initiation 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Initiation or M3?

Initiation projects furthest (Initiation 56/100, M3 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Initiation and M3 smell similar?

Clearly different: a 12% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Tuberose.

Is Initiation or M3 better for summer or winter?

Initiation suits day or night wear; M3 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Initiation and M3?

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. M3 has top notes of Bergamot, Peach and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Tuberose, Rose and Indian Jasmine, a base of White Musk, Amber and Virginia Cedar.