Fragrance comparison

L'Instant de Guerlain vs Iris von Arnim

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 8,165 ratings analysed

2 wins

L'Instant de Guerlain

Guerlain

4.078,162 votes

Rank #1,647 FloralVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

Iris von Arnim

4.003 votes

Rank #55,584 FloralFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

L'Instant de Guerlain takes 2 of 3 categories.

L'Instant de Guerlain
Choose it for a floral and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Iris von Arnim
Choose it for a floral and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

L'Instant de Guerlain2/3

Iris von Arnim1/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Iris von Arnim
Sillage & projection: L'Instant de Guerlain
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: L'Instant de Guerlain

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

L'Instant de GuerlainGuerlain

Iris von ArnimIris von Arnim

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 8,162 votes

Have 43%Had 29%Want 29%

4.00/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 6%Had 6%Want 89%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

8,162 votes

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityIris von Arnim

SillageL'Instant de Guerlain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value51

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

vanilla92%

sweet84%

amber77%

powdery69%

honey61%

floral100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

vanilla77%

powdery69%

amber61%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both floral, vanilla and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

Mandarin OrangeRed AppleBergamot

Heart2 to 4 hours

MagnoliaIrisYlang-YlangJasmine

Base6 to 8 hours

White HoneyVanilleAmberBenzoinMusk

Top

HyacinthMarigoldMandarin OrangeTangerineTarragon

Heart

JasmineIrisYlang-YlangPatchouliHeliotropeRoseMagnolia

Base

SandalwoodNutmegVanilleVetiverAmberBenzoin

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Magnolia, Iris and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for L'Instant de Guerlain, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer27

Fall87

Winter100

Day100

Night83

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex4

Women94

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,647

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#55,584

PerfumerKim Weisswange

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerL'Instant de GuerlainHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Instant de Guerlain by Guerlain is a radiant oriental floral perfume centered on bright citrus, creamy magnolia, and rich white honey. The fragrance opens with a refreshing burst of mandarin orange, red apple, and bergamot before moving into a lush heart of ylang-ylang, iris, and jasmine. As the crisp opening soften…

Reviews →

Iris von Arnim opens with a sharp burst of hyacinth, green tarragon, and bittersweet marigold before settling into powdery iris and warm sandalwood. Created by perfumer Kim Weisswange to match the feel of luxury cashmere, this floral scent builds a soft, golden warmth around ylang-ylang, benzoin, and vanilla. It fits …

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, L'Instant de Guerlain or Iris von Arnim?

L'Instant de Guerlain takes 2 of 3 categories. L'Instant de Guerlain is rated 4.07/5 from 8,162 votes; Iris von Arnim is rated 4.00/5 from 3 votes. Choose L'Instant de Guerlain for a floral and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Iris von Arnim for a floral and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, L'Instant de Guerlain or Iris von Arnim?

Iris von Arnim lasts longest (Iris von Arnim 100/100, L'Instant de Guerlain 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, L'Instant de Guerlain or Iris von Arnim?

L'Instant de Guerlain projects furthest (L'Instant de Guerlain 67/100, Iris von Arnim 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Instant de Guerlain and Iris von Arnim smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, vanilla and amber accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Magnolia, Iris and Ylang-Ylang.

Is L'Instant de Guerlain or Iris von Arnim better for summer or winter?

L'Instant de Guerlain suits daytime wear; Iris von Arnim suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Instant de Guerlain and Iris von Arnim?

L'Instant de Guerlain has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Red Apple and Bergamot, heart notes of Magnolia, Iris, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of White Honey, Vanille, Amber and Benzoin. Iris von Arnim has top notes of Hyacinth, Marigold, Mandarin Orange and Tangerine, heart notes of Jasmine, Iris, Ylang-Ylang and Patchouli, a base of Sandalwood, Nutmeg, Vanille and Vetiver.