Fragrance comparison

Initiation vs Rose by Cardin

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 506 ratings analysed

5 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #15,124 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Rose by Cardin

Pierre Cardin

4.01431 votes

Rank #27,588 WoodyWarm Spicy

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.
Rose by Cardin
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Initiation5/7

Rose by Cardin2/7

Ratings & consensus: Initiation
Community sentiment: Initiation
Longevity: Rose by Cardin
Sillage & projection: Rose by Cardin
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

Rose by CardinPierre Cardin

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

4.01/ 5 · 431 votes

Have 62%Had 38%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

36%Love

44%Like

6%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

431 votes

Category winnerInitiationMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityRose by Cardin

SillageRose by Cardin

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value76

Category winnerInitiationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

rose84%

aromatic77%

floral69%

balsamic61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · 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

Top

Brazilian RosewoodCorianderAldehydesCardamomFruity Notes

Heart

RoseCarnationYlang-YlangJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base

PatchouliIncenseMuskVetiverSandalwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesBrazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang and Rose. 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

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerInitiationMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

Men2

Unisex26

Women72

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,124

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#27,588

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 →

Rose by Cardin by Pierre Cardin is a rich chypre floral fragrance for women launched in 1990. It starts with sharp aldehydes and spicy coriander before settling into a classic mossy rose. This scent suits evening events in late autumn, offering a bold vintage profile for those who appreciate old school structure.

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 Rose by Cardin?

Initiation takes 5 of 7 categories. Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes; Rose by Cardin is rated 4.01/5 from 431 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 Rose by Cardin for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Initiation or Rose by Cardin?

Rose by Cardin lasts longest (Rose by Cardin 71/100, Initiation 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Initiation or Rose by Cardin?

Rose by Cardin projects furthest (Rose by Cardin 62/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Initiation and Rose by Cardin smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang and Rose.

Is Initiation or Rose by Cardin better for summer or winter?

For summer, Initiation is the stronger pick. For winter, Rose by Cardin is the stronger pick. Initiation suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Initiation and Rose by Cardin?

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. Rose by Cardin has top notes of Brazilian Rosewood, Coriander, Aldehydes and Cardamom, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of Patchouli, Incense, Musk and Vetiver.