OsmanthusOpens with
OrchidHeart
AmberDries down to
Christophe RaynaudThe nose · 127 fragrances · also made L Eau d Issey Pour Homme Noir Ambre (2016)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Van Cleef & Arpels · Sold as feminine
First Love
The cozy intimacy of an after-dinner conversation, where the warmth of vanilla and amber creates a comforting atmosphere.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
First LovePremium · $100–250
50%Similar accords, often for lessAmber Fever · ZaraBudget tier, under $40 · all 3 of its listed notes are in this one8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
TopOpening
HeartThe Soul
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
First Love by Van Cleef & Arpels was launched in 2006 and crafted by perfumer Christophe Raynaud. This Oriental Floral fragrance opens with a bright burst of osmanthus and mandarin orange, creating an immediate sense of freshness and vitality. As it evolves, the heart notes of orchid and ylang-ylang offer a delicate floral bouquet that is both sweet and powdery. The base notes of amber and vanilla provide a warm, enveloping finish that lingers softly on the skin.
Apply this fragrance with two sprays to ensure that the initial freshness holds through the transition into its warm base notes. It works best in cooler settings as the sweet florals can be overpowering in warmer temperatures.
Fig. 01 — First Love, Van Cleef & Arpels
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Christophe Raynaud
Architect first, craftsman secondChristophe Raynaud is a perfumer who describes himself as a craftsman with the sensitivity of an artist. He begins each fragrance with a raw olfactory block, working for hours to shape it as a sculptor would — first as architect, then as craftsman.
“At first, I am the architect, and then I become the craftsman.”
Christophe Raynaud · Fragrantica nose page bio (scraped into fragrantica_bio)
The First line
13 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Van Cleef & Arpels
More from the house · France
You Might Also Like
Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalFirst LoveVan Cleef & Arpels · Premium · $100–250Zara · 2024Amber FeverAll 3 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 4.19 (213)59%Match
Rabanne · 2004Ultraviolet Aurore Borealis EditionAll 4 of its listed notes are in this one$40–100★ 3.43 (35)44%Match
ALREHAB PERFUMES · 2017MiraShares 4 of its 8 notesunder $40★ 3.63 (73)46%Match
Jean Paul Gaultier · 2001Classique La Robe ChinoiseShares 5 of its 13 notes$40–100★ 4.30 (30)
With Van Cleef & Arpels Santal Blanc Le Parfum
Adds woody, aromatic and milky; shares amber.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 27%, disliked or hated by 21%.