Fragrance comparison

Initiation vs Megara

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 97 ratings analysed

3 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #14,704 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

49%scent match

Some overlap

Megara

Le Galion

4.2722 votes

Rank #37,329 White FloralFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initiation takes 3 of 5 categories.

Initiation
Choose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Megara
Choose it for a white floral and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Initiation3/5

Megara1/5

Ratings & consensus: Initiation
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Megara
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

MegaraLe Galion

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

4.27/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 44%Had 20%Want 36%

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

45%Love

41%Like

9%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageMegara

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value56

Category winnerInitiationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

white floral100%

floral92%

woody84%

green77%

powdery69%

earthy61%

Scent match49%Some overlap · both white floral, floral and woody

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

HyacinthAldehydesBergamotPeachRaspberry

Heart2 to 4 hours

JasmineGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyRoseHoneyOrchidOrris

Base3 to 6 hours

OakmossMuskSandalwoodCedarAmbergris

InformationalShared notesPeach, Gardenia, Aldehydes and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Megara, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring47

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night94

Spring100

Summer63

Fall75

Winter75

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

Men0

Unisex22

Women78

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,704

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#37,329

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

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 →

Megara by Le Galion is a vintage floral perfume launched in 1978. It opens with a crisp burst of aldehydes, bitter-edged bergamot, and spring-like hyacinth, softened slightly by subtle hints of peach and raspberry. As the opening sparkle settles, a dense bouquet of jasmine, gardenia, rose, and lily-of-the-valley takes…

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, Initiation or Megara?

Initiation takes 3 of 5 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; Megara is rated 4.27/5 from 22 votes. Choose Initiation for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Megara for a white floral and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Initiation or Megara?

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

Which projects more, Initiation or Megara?

Megara projects furthest (Megara 63/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Initiation and Megara smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, floral and woody accords. Common notes include Peach, Gardenia, Aldehydes and Bergamot.

Is Initiation or Megara better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Initiation and Megara?

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. Megara has top notes of Hyacinth, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Peach, heart notes of Jasmine, Gardenia, Lily-of-the-Valley and Rose, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood and Cedar.