Fragrance comparison

Must de Cartier vs First Parfum

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 3,173 ratings analysed

4 wins

Must de Cartier

Cartier

4.142,875 votes

Rank #205 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

First Parfum

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.22298 votes

Rank #4,436 FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Must de Cartier takes 4 of 7 categories.

Must de Cartier
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
First Parfum
Choose it for a floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Must de Cartier4/7

First Parfum2/7

Ratings & consensus: First Parfum
Community sentiment: Tie
Longevity: Must de Cartier
Sillage & projection: Must de Cartier
Value for money: Must de Cartier
Versatility: First Parfum
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Must de Cartier

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Must de CartierCartier

First ParfumVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 2,875 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.22/ 5 · 298 votes

Have 48%Had 23%Want 29%

Category winnerFirst ParfumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

42%Like

1%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

2,497 votes

47%Love

39%Like

4%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

298 votes

Category winnerTieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityMust de Cartier

SillageMust de Cartier

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value53

Category winnerMust de CartierBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

powdery92%

amber84%

aromatic77%

vanilla69%

green61%

floral100%

powdery92%

woody84%

sweet77%

musky69%

animalic61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GalbanumBrazilian RosewoodAldehydesBergamotLemonGreen MandarinPeachPineapple

Heart

LeatherCarnationVetiverOrris RootYlang-YlangMuskYellow NarcissusNeroli

Base

AmberVanillaSandalwoodTonka BeanCivet

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesPeachBlack CurrantBergamotRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

HyacinthTurkish RoseCarnationYlang-YlangJasmineTuberoseOrris RootOrchid

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetHoneyMossSandalwoodVetiverAmberMuskVanilla

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Peach and Carnation. Durations are only published for First Parfum, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer17

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring86

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day73

Night100

Category winnerFirst ParfumMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men5

Unisex48

Women46

Men4

Unisex11

Women85

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#205

PerfumerJean-Jacques Diener, Nathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews295

Overall rank#4,436

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerMust de CartierHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Must de Cartier opens with a sharp shock of bitter galbanum and crisp aldehydes before softening into rich amber, leather, and creamy vanilla. Launched in 1981, this oriental composition pairs raw green herbal bite with deep balsamic resin. It wears best during cold winter evenings and formal indoor events where its d…

Reviews →

First Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a crisp rush of aldehydes alongside sweet peach and tangy black currant, creating a bright fizz that immediately recalls luxury French bath soap. As it warms on the skin, a rich floral heart takes over, mingling velvety Turkish rose, night-blooming jasmine, and earthy hyac…

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, Must de Cartier or First Parfum?

Must de Cartier takes 4 of 7 categories. Must de Cartier is rated 4.14/5 from 2,875 votes; First Parfum is rated 4.22/5 from 298 votes. Choose Must de Cartier for a woody and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter. Choose First Parfum for a floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Must de Cartier or First Parfum?

Must de Cartier lasts longest (Must de Cartier 79/100, First Parfum 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Must de Cartier or First Parfum?

Must de Cartier projects furthest (Must de Cartier 69/100, First Parfum 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Must de Cartier and First Parfum smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Peach and Carnation.

Is Must de Cartier or First Parfum better for summer or winter?

For summer, Must de Cartier is the stronger pick. For winter, Must de Cartier is the stronger pick. First Parfum suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Must de Cartier and First Parfum?

Must de Cartier has top notes of Galbanum, Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes and Bergamot, heart notes of Leather, Carnation, Vetiver and Orris Root, a base of Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Tonka Bean. First Parfum has top notes of Aldehydes, Peach, Black Currant and Bergamot, heart notes of Hyacinth, Turkish Rose, Carnation and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Honey, Moss and Sandalwood.