Fragrance comparison

Terra vs Mothers’ Instinct

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 37 ratings analysed

3 wins

Terra

Paolo Gigli

4.2634 votes

Rank #32,613 PowderyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Mothers’ Instinct

Synesthesie

4.673 votes

Rank #44,726 PowderyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Terra takes 3 of 4 categories.

Terra
Choose it for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Mothers’ Instinct
Choose it for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Terra3/4

Mothers’ Instinct1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Terra
Sillage & projection: Terra
Value for money: Mothers’ Instinct
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Terra

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TerraPaolo Gigli

Mothers’ InstinctSynesthesie

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.26/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 20%Had 9%Want 71%

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 7%Had 3%Want 90%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

50%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

34 votes

67%Love

33%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

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityTerra

SillageTerra

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value30

¤ Price value50

Category winnerMothers’ InstinctBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

vanilla92%

sweet84%

lactonic77%

woody69%

floral61%

powdery100%

vanilla92%

woody84%

white floral77%

musky69%

sweet61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both powdery, vanilla and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

MilkBig StrawberryCoconutAmalfi Lemon

Heart3-4 hrs

HeliotropeOrchidJasmine

Base7-9 hrs

SandalwoodVanillaWhite MuskAmberVirginia Cedar

Top

Orange BlossomAmbretteJasmineVioletMilk

Heart

Yellow FruitsHeliotropeWhite MuskCoconut

Base

SandalwoodTonka BeanAmbergrisCedarwoodVanilla

InformationalShared notesMilk, Coconut, Heliotrope and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Terra, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer31

Fall77

Winter62

Day100

Night50

Spring67

Summer33

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex17

Women83

Date 36%Casual 33%Work 21%Party 11%

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,613

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#44,726

PerfumerFrancesco Perini

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerTerraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Terra by Paolo Gigli opens with an unusual flash of ripe garden strawberry steeped in warm whole milk and sweet coconut flakes. A brief squeeze of Amalfi lemon cuts the initial sweetness. The citrus evaporates within ten minutes, leaving behind a pillowy core of heliotrope, jasmine, and purple orchid that smells delig…

Reviews →

Synesthesie presents Mothers’ Instinct as a soft study in lactonic warmth. It starts with a cool milk accord and violet before settling into a powdery heart of heliotrope and coconut. The fragrance feels like a protective layer, ending on a sweet sandalwood and vanilla base. It suits those seeking a quiet, comforting …

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, Terra or Mothers’ Instinct?

Terra takes 3 of 4 categories. Terra is rated 4.26/5 from 34 votes; Mothers’ Instinct is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose Terra for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Mothers’ Instinct for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Terra or Mothers’ Instinct?

Terra lasts longest (Terra 70/100, Mothers’ Instinct 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Terra or Mothers’ Instinct?

Terra projects furthest (Terra 73/100, Mothers’ Instinct 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Terra and Mothers’ Instinct smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, vanilla and woody accords. Common notes include Milk, Coconut, Heliotrope and Jasmine.

Is Terra or Mothers’ Instinct better for summer or winter?

Terra suits daytime wear; Mothers’ Instinct suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Terra and Mothers’ Instinct?

Terra has top notes of Milk, Big Strawberry, Coconut and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of Heliotrope, Orchid and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Vanilla, White Musk and Amber. Mothers’ Instinct has top notes of Orange Blossom, Ambrette, Jasmine and Violet, heart notes of Yellow Fruits, Heliotrope, White Musk and Coconut, a base of Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Ambergris and Cedarwood.