Fragrance comparison

L'Orchidee Terrible vs First

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 3,576 ratings analysed

L'Orchidee Terrible

Imaginary Authors

2.8793 votes

Rank #16,004 AldehydicFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #914 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 4 of 7 categories.

L'Orchidee Terrible
Choose it for a aldehydic and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

L'Orchidee Terrible3/7

First4/7

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: L'Orchidee Terrible
Sillage & projection: L'Orchidee Terrible
Value for money: First
Versatility: L'Orchidee Terrible
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

L'Orchidee TerribleImaginary Authors

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

2.87/ 5 · 93 votes

Have 9%Had 3%Want 88%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

23%Like

1%Ok

46%Dislike

3%Hate

79 votes

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate55

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityL'Orchidee Terrible

SillageL'Orchidee Terrible

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value59

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aldehydic100%

fresh91%

floral83%

powdery74%

sweet65%

honey56%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both aldehydic, floral and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

AldehydesOrchidSatinHoneyWhite MuskLily-of-the-Valley

No top / heart / base split published

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Honey and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer47

Fall37

Winter37

Day100

Night60

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Category winnerL'Orchidee TerribleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

Work 33%Casual 29%Date 25%Party 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,004

PerfumerJosh Meyer

Launched—

Reviews26

Overall rank#914

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Orchidee Terrible is an unusual aldehydic floral that opens with a bright, metallic fizz, then settles into a cool mix of orchid, lily of the valley, honey and white musk. It can feel silky, soapy and slightly uncanny at the same time. This suits wearers who enjoy vintage-leaning aldehydes, abstract florals and frag…

Reviews →

First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…

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, L'Orchidee Terrible or First?

First takes 4 of 7 categories. L'Orchidee Terrible is rated 2.87/5 from 93 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose L'Orchidee Terrible for a aldehydic and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, L'Orchidee Terrible or First?

L'Orchidee Terrible lasts longest (L'Orchidee Terrible 78/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, L'Orchidee Terrible or First?

L'Orchidee Terrible projects furthest (L'Orchidee Terrible 68/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Orchidee Terrible and First smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aldehydic, floral and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Honey and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is L'Orchidee Terrible or First better for summer or winter?

For summer, L'Orchidee Terrible is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. L'Orchidee Terrible suits daytime wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Orchidee Terrible and First?

L'Orchidee Terrible features Aldehydes, Orchid, Satin, Honey and White Musk. First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber.