Skip to content
FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Megara vs First

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

Updated 3,505 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 5 of 6 categories.

  • Megara

    Choose it for a white floral and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, day or night wear.

  • First

    Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Megara1/6
First5/6
Ratings & consensus
Megara
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
First
Sillage & projection
First
Value for money
First
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
First
Fragranxe ranking
First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
MegaraLe Galion
FirstVan Cleef & Arpels
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.27/ 5 · 22 votes
Have 44%Had 20%Want 36%
3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes
Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%
Category winnerMegaraRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
45%Love
41%Like
9%Ok
5%Dislike
0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

38%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity66
〰 Sillage63
♥ Love / hate82
⏱ Longevity72
〰 Sillage64
♥ Love / hate75
Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value56
¤ Price value59
Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
white floral100%
floral92%
woody84%
green77%
powdery69%
earthy61%
floral100%
green92%
aldehydic84%
white floral77%
yellow floral69%
fresh61%
Scent match50%Some overlap · both floral, white floral and green

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top30 to 45 minutes
HyacinthAldehydesBergamotPeachRaspberry
Heart2 to 4 hours
JasmineGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyRoseHoneyOrchidOrris
Base3 to 6 hours
OakmossMuskSandalwoodCedarAmbergris
Top20-30 mins
AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry
Heart3-4 hrs
NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose
Base6-8+ hrs
CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean
Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring100
Summer63
Fall75
Winter75
Day100
Night100
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter99
Day100
Night85
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men0
Unisex22
Women78
Men2
Unisex12
Women86
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,329

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#945

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Megara or First?

First takes 5 of 6 categories. Megara is rated 4.27/5 from 22 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Megara for a white floral and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Megara or First?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Megara 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Megara or First?

Projection is very close: First 64/100, Megara 63/100 for sillage.

Do Megara and First smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, white floral and green accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Peach and Raspberry.

Is Megara or First better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Megara and First?

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. 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.

Add to comparison

Find a fragrance