Fragrance comparison

Raffinee vs First

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 3,802 ratings analysed

5 wins

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #23,427 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

26%scent match

Clearly different

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #899 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Raffinee takes 5 of 8 categories.

Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Raffinee5/8

First2/8

Ratings & consensus: Raffinee
Community sentiment: Raffinee
Longevity: Raffinee
Sillage & projection: Raffinee
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: First
Note pyramid (duration): Raffinee
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RaffineeHoubigant

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerRaffineeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerRaffineeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityRaffinee

SillageRaffinee

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match26%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Category winnerRaffineeLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Category winnerFirstMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex20

Women77

Date 38%Party 36%Casual 15%Work 11%

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#23,427

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#899

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Raffinee by Houbigant is an unapologetic powerhouse from 1982 that captures the bold theatrical spirit of early eighties perfumery. The spray opens with a punchy burst of dark stewed plum, sharp clary sage, and clove-like carnation. You get a brief alcoholic sting for two minutes before the dense oils grip the skin. O…

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, Raffinee or First?

Raffinee takes 5 of 8 categories. Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Raffinee or First?

Raffinee lasts longest (Raffinee 78/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Raffinee or First?

Raffinee projects furthest (Raffinee 68/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Raffinee and First smell similar?

Clearly different: a 26% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Carnation, Bergamot, Jasmine and Orris Root.

Is Raffinee or First better for summer or winter?

For summer, Raffinee is the stronger pick. For winter, Raffinee is the stronger pick. Raffinee suits evening wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Raffinee and First?

Raffinee has top notes of Carnation, Plum, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Mimosa and Tuberose, a base of Spices, Cinnamon, Incense and Sandalwood. 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.