Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Scent of the Day 00:44 - 1) Buying The Biggest Bottles 04:00 - 2) Tying Self Worth to Fragrance 06:31 - 3) Thinking Expensive = Better 10:17 - 4) Thinking Stronger = Better 12:31 - 5) Buying Because of Other People 14:47 - 6) Thinking You Need a Fragrance Collection
@@hey.alexedwards I would just give it to my family members once I finally get bored and if they don't like them or won't use them I can sell decants until I empty the bottle to about 5ml
I think the reason your account has grown so much is because of how refreshing you are. You keep things in perspective and keep it real while also sharing your fragrance interests. When watching your videos I often say to myself “yes, exactly! Spot on” thank you for that
I’ve been collecting for around 4 years and I have nearly 100 fragrances by now and I absolutely relate to everything you say especially the “buy the 100ml to get better value” thing
Also the thing about caring only about longevity sillage projection I also hate this narrative one of my absolute favorites in my collection are 2 creed SMW and Millisime imperial and they have awful longevity and yet are 2 of my top 10 out of 100 and probably my least favorite in my collection are 2 mancera’s cedrat boise and red tobacco which are famously powerful fragrances I absolutely despise them and can’t understand how I paid money for them at one point in my life 😂
Great points, Alex. 27 years of wearing fragrances, and my collection has never been bigger than 5. Currently 4 on the go. I've never cared for projection or longevity either. Just sprayed on whatever I feel like before I'm out the door, and I've always felt good, like the fragrance is elevating my presence and style. I made one google search a month ago as I was looking for something new, and now the algorithms bombard me with young influencers talking about "must haves" or "pantydroppers".. Its hilarious! Wish I just walked into a shop and tested a new one, like I always have done. Ah well, that's the internet for ya. Thanks for the insightful video, points 3 and 4 are spot on. James
I very much enjoyed this video. All rational and logical points of view. You were not like me which I can be a little blunt. I'm kinda known for being blunt with my honesty. This was a very refreshing video. As someone who's been a fragrance content creator, I'm an old fossil so I've seen the changes. Now its very much about selling and the influencer culture. I've worked and met a lot of big name creators (again, old grandpa here) but I prefer the community from years ago as it wasn't about selling and being commercial. It was more about the love of fragrances and genuine friendships. I've cut ties with many of the influencers because those "genuine friendships" as friendship is a 2 way street and it was always be reaching out to people. Very refreshing video, young man.
@@AGentlemansJourney77 Thank you for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts, Chad - great to see you here. Even in the last couple of years, the community has changed dramatically, so I can't imagine how much it's changed since you started. I really appreciate the support, and thanks again for checking in!
@@hey.alexedwards My pleasure now, Alex. I'm surprised you know my name so you made this old miserable man smile. I had to subscribe as you come across very genuine and down to earth...and not an influencers. I'm friends with a few influencers but I cannot watch their material any longer.
Mistake #1, blind buying. I would now never blind buy, even cheap fragrances. But early on I bought several blind and based on others' reviews and recommendations before i had a better sense of what I like and dislike. Find a good community and seek out decants and samples. Offloading cheap fragrances takes so much time and energy. The extra caution and effort to sample is well worth it. #2, keeping fragrances that are just ok but you don't love. They just end up collecting dust.
Thanks for your honesty and integrity here on this channel. I consider you a professional fragrance enthusiast rather than a fragrance influencer pushing your audience buy more fragrances. I hope you continue posting fragrance content from your analytical and unique perspective. Your content has really got me thinking more deeply about my fragrance collection and future purchases.
I do totally understand people wanting long-lasting fragrances and a good projection. Nobody wants to spend money on something you can't smell after 5 minutes and nobody around you will notice.
I can understand it too, but not every single fragrance in a collection needs to be a monster. There's a time and place for subtlety. A funeral for example, or in a medical setting.
Agree with everything you said here. Except I can’t stand paying good money for fragrances that don’t perform well or project. It’s just wasting money if no one can smell you except a significant other.
We can agree to disagree on this one! In my opinion, there's a time and place for strong fragrances, but there's also a time and place for something more subdued, intimate and subtle. All personal preference at the end of the day.
@ true. My wife doesn’t like beast mode fragrances so I don’t really go for that but skin fragrances definitely not my jive either- I also don’t drink lite beer For the same reason. Because what’s the point 🤷♂️
Hey Alex, great advice, I love it. I believe everyone has there own motivations when it comes to buying fragrances. But all of this points your sharing are so important to consider, especially for those like me who likes to collect fragrances, because in a way or another we all could be guilty of committing these errors. The more important thing is to recognize ones have been fallen on them, and be very aware of not repeating them. Thanks!
I love your videos, it’s what the community needs right now ❤ one additional mistake I might include is: not considering whether this new potential purchase is duplicative in your collection. I love a certain profile of Iris/vanillas and there are so many options in the category. I’ve stopped myself from buying many beautiful scents because I already have a couple in that profile that I adore, and the new one would steal their limelight. If you have a collection, avoid devaluing it with overcrowding.
The bottom line is that influencers have ruined our perceptions of nearly everything, in every different industry. Another point you can take away from this is to stop following or listening to these influencers, and make your own decisions for yourselves. Sure you're gonna make mistakes on the way like buying the biggest bottles all the time, or exclusively buying niche/expensive fragrances when there are some incredible designers and niche's out there that are cheaper, but at least you can learn from them, and you weren't listening to some crappy influencer telling you to buy the same fragrance as everyone else. This is a journey that you need to take on your own, and that means buying fragrances for yourself that you want to smell all the time, instead of just buying to please others. Great video!
@ Also, thank you for making these videos! It is great to see that you are making long form RUclips videos explaining the truth to people, rather than becoming another tiktok influencer basically forcing their audience to buy a certain perfume because they like it, or they get commission from it. Ill go ahead and subscribe😁
It’s refreshing to find individuals with independent thoughts. I love Davidoff Cool Water too, as it holds a sentimental value for me. It’s the first perfume gift I ever received. Although it’s been 15 years now, I still remind and thank my friend till this day 😂. It’s why I absolutely adore Green Irish Tweed and always have a bottle. You have to discover what you truly love and enjoy, not what others say they enjoy. TBH, self-discovery and developing your unique tastes, without needing external validation, does take time. It’s even more difficult to express your unique identity as we’re mostly social beings (desire to be liked and respected, wanting to be in the in-group, etc). I thinks it’s hard to get it wrong with perfumes, so I tell folks “go out there and find the stuff that blows YOU away.” I’m wearing one of my comfort scents today: MM’s Whispers in the library.
There are really incisive points on the thought processes behind fragrance collecting as a hobby / addiction. It gives insight into where it will take you, so you can find your answers to these questions before spending £000s! I hope anyone getting serious about building a fragrance collection finds this channel, appreciate you man! It can be super overwhelming getting into fragrances at first with so many designers and niche houses, with several collections in each house, so many notes, scent profiles and so many things getting hyped in top 10s that you can lose sight of why you’re doing it at all. My main reasons for collecting have always been to find fragrances that I personally love the smell of, to explore and appreciate the artistic side of perfumery (while keeping it wearable) and enhance whatever my mood of the moment is.
Hey Alex, another great vid! I hope it’s not too early to put in video requests :) but It would be cool if you could cover these topics sometime in the future as I’d like to hear them from you: - your top fall/winter & spring/summer fragrances - fragrance wars series , where you pair fragrances against each other and why you would choose one over the other and it would consist of 1v1 battles, designer vs niche, seasonal fragrances, occasion-based battles, and even Viewer’s choice battles - best fragrances for each scenario (date nights, everyday, etc. all though you kind of did do something of the sort your ‘top 10 fragrances for life vid’ you could expand on that concept and give a extended list of fragrances for each scenario) - fragrances you feel are underrated and fragrances you feel are overrated and not worth the price point As always keep up the great quality content and good job being consistent, till next time my friend
The “price per mil” thing is crucial. I’ve heard so many people say that you should always buy the larger size, or even blind buy fragrances that are on the cheaper side simply because it’s more “bang for your buck”. Hell, I’ve sampled fragrances that are only $30-40 and it turned out that I found them only OK. By sampling and spending more per mil, I saved myself money, space, and regret from wasting money on something I will not use. I also saved time from not having to declutter in the future! Buying samples is the way to go for discovering fragrances imo
This is one way to do it, another one is buying a big bottle of something expensive and splitting it between a number of people (for example in a fragrance community) or partaking in such a split.
absolutly right if u get through a 50ml pretty quick that is a sign this scent is for u. since even going through a 50 ml can take time if u own more than 7 fragrances. once u realise a fragrance is something u always reach for and fully enjoy and never get bored then u buy the 100 ml. This happened to me with Diptyque vetyverio. i went through a 50 ml pretty quick and never got bored of it. every single wearing put a smile on my face since it was super versatile, luxury smelling, with alot of development and uniqueness. i recently got a 100 ml bottle after many years of saying i will buy it again. and guess what as soon as a sprayed it, it put a smile on my face. one of the cleanest vetiver scent on the market. very unisex. This has only happened to me once before with another scent which got reformulated then discontinued. It is not easy to find a scent that is absolutely you. once u find it do not waste your money just rotate it with few others to give it a rest here and there
What also helps is to buy 3ml samples and give fragrances a couple of wearings before you would commit to a full bottle. It may initially cost a bit to sample various fragrances BUT in so doing, you absolutely make sure to just buy those fragrances you could properly wear before. Everyone knows the feeling of buying a full bottle and after a couple of wearings, you would just notice, there is no need for a full bottle. I had this experience with Tom ford noir extreme EDP and may never make that mistake again. Also, the bigger the collection gets, the LESS people should go for big bottles because you simply don’t get to finish the bottles. Personally, I like to buy a small bottle first and would just commit to a bigger bottle if I decided to repurchase. Only exception is when I am absolutely certain this scent might be a signature scent I will absolutely pull off often. That being said, I also try to have a balanced collection and thus, I would avoid having too many bottles I would wear for similar occasions.
For those who want to start a fragrance collection (or even started collecting), the #1 point that you brought up is very relevant. Unless you gift some friends with decants of your fragrances, there is no need to build up a collection based on full size bottles (e.g., 100ml or even more). Probably the collector will not be able to finish all the bottles of the collection during his lifespan. I tend to grab small sized bottles and/or splits in order to build up the collection with more efficiency (?). All in all, great insights within the video. Keep up with the good work!
Straight facts! Definitely came to that realization with the big bottles as well. If it’s something I know I’m going to wear heavily and I know I love them I’ll definitely get the bigger bottles. But when I’m just looking to try something new for fun I’ve started to get smaller sizes and a lot of travel sprays. You can actually get a decent amount of wears out of those and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and space if you end up not loving the fragrance. And like you said you’re only saving money on the bigger bottles if you actually use whole thing. You can always go buy a bigger bottle if you run through the travel spray/small bottle if you really love it
I believe this message is mainly for people who aren’t fascinated by fragrances. I like to think fragrances as a wardrobe. Example: I know lads who wear one or two shirts for every occasion whenever we went(to each their own). However, it becomes boring, overused it looses its value with every wear. The wow that’s nice turned in to an expected. Now for people you encounter it’s new but for repeating encounters they will experience the my premise.
Moreover. Now I did buy like over 40 fragrances which I do agree it’s not worth it but I do agree with having a nice amount for rotation, which maybe interpreted as a collection.
Amazing points brought up in the video Alex. I deffo think its super important to "de-influence" oneself and only use the influencers are recommendations and not "must get" when it comes to anything they're pushing or denouncing. Biggest thing im doing differently is ebay buying or going to the stores and getting a few sample vials and doing just that: sampling the fragrance. As common sense as it sounds its really kept the fragrance hoarding at bay, saving me money and space not having all these bottles. Esp with frags that are adjacent duplicates. The influencers are fickle. In 6 months they love a fragrance and then, 6 months later they're slagging it off and pushing the new alternative du jour.
Very, very true. That's why it's so important to slow down and have these conversations with ourselves. Do we actually love and want this fragrance, or are we about to buy it because other people have said it's a "must have"?
bro, thank you so much for all these advices, your channel is def underrated and i just let you know that you inspired me to start my own channel here in brazil, thank you! :)
0:02 You really opened my eyes on the way to appoach fragrance buys. I was going down the rabbit hole by all these other influencers and made some regrettable purchases. Your content is very honest and informative. Refreshing to see a different take on fragrances than most other youtube channels. Keep up the good work! Was also wondering if you have any clothing style ideas as well. P.s. what's your take on fragrance clones?
Totally agreed, I always try to buy a 10 or 20 ml decant from a trusted vendor, and then if I really like it I may buy the big bottle if I have not discover something better than it..
I've sampled around 50 fragrances the past few months, most of them niche - out of aprox. 35 niche samples - I've managed to find 2(!) fragrances i like and i think is worth the money ('Gris Charnel' & 'Side Effect'). The remaining ~15 designer fragrance samples i've tried - i've found 4 fragrances i'm interested in purchasing. The ratio speaks for itself; more expensive does def. NOT mean better... Regarding the "big vs. small" bottle - i recently purschased a 200ml 'Boss bottled Absolu' bottle at a cheaper price than the 100ml; so always compare prices. That said - I understand your point. ✌
That's something I'm hearing more often - people sample all these expensive fragrances, only to like 1 or 2 of them. If you can buy a 200ml cheaper than the 100ml, then it makes sense to buy it, as long as you love it!
A really thoughtful, considered video, thank you! I have a large collection and some of those I like the most are real cheapies! But I am realising that I prefer smaller bottles as I rarely get through 100ml. Thank you for giving us a different perspective on fragrance rather than the usual "this is amazing, you need to buy it" - it is appreciated 🙂
Great points here, fella. I really wish more companies did smaller sizes. The problem is that 100ml of product costs them VERY little more than 30ml. So although they're getting more money per ml selling you a small bottle, they are still losing out considerably. Tying self worth to frags is like tying it to clothes or any other material objects. It won't give you genuine self worth but it will, sadly, affect your worth in other people's eyes, to a greater or lesser extent. People (I'm talking mainly about women here) do judge men a lot on their initial impressions, and a well dressed and nice smelling guy will seem of higher value/worth than a 'basic' man. Expensive equals better is another great call. A smell is just a smell. The same smell will really appeal to some and not to others, regardless of price (some extremely cheap frags, though, do just smell cheap and synthetic to most people). Stronger is better has some validity imho. Unless you are someone who just wants to 'privately' enjoy frags, then you want others to at least appreciate your style if not actually compliment you. And as the old adage goes "If people can't smell you they won't compliment you" (and we can add "or simply appreciate your complete style). The exception, as you mentioned, is when you want a more intimate scent eg for close encounters - WOOF! YES to don't be a collector! When you view yourself as a collector you necessarily have to collect more. I enjoy fragrances but only ever buy a new one if I find one I really like. So you could say I have a collection of frags, but I'm not a collector. I've simply bought frags I enjoy and they've become a collection. As you asked, I'd like a video exploring the whole 'compliments' angle. Whether you should or shouldn't be bothered about them. How realistic social media compliment tally claims might or might not be. How likely it is that influencers who tell you that a frag projects about 3 meters for the first hour, then 1.5mtrs up to 4 hours, then an arms length for another 2 hrs, actually have some way of measuring this lol Do they stand people at those distances at the respective time intervals and ask if they can still smell them, or what??? Sorry for the mammoth comment, but the vid was stimulating. Cheers!
I started out buying old style colognes like Paco Rabanne Pour Homme - collecting various vintages. I ‘graduated’ rapidly to more modern offerings, more expensive designers, clones of niche perfumes, and a few niche samples. Just the other day I revisited Paco Rabanne Pour Homme and it smelled so good - it smelled quite niche actually! It may be all I really need.
Thank you Alex for another thoughtful video. I started collecting fragrance way before there was RUclips & influencers aka salesman. I always ignored the hype from the sales assistant because they are not exactly honest. Most of them don't even know the scent notes when you asked them. I like to rotate my fragrance based on my mood & sometimes I layer 2 fragrances to experiment aswell as surprise myself with different combinations. I respect the craftsmanship & bottle design so I tend to buy 100ml bottles because they look better than 50ml bottles. I don't think I would buy decant because it looks generic. You make some great points regarding enjoyment and loving the fragrance instead of buying it for compliments. There's just so so many fragrances these days. Flankers after flankers. I do like watching fragrance videos more for the education and knowledge instead of wanting to buy the next hype beasts. I am lucky that I have a few 100ml bottles that are discontinued which I really enjoy.
I definitely enjoy Allure Homme Sport EE more. The original is great but I like the amped up tonka in EE. I ended up buying both and selling sport. I wish I had sampled first. They really are not so different but those little differences make people favor one over the other. Once that choice is made, the other bottle can become redundant. So many great points in this video.
Great video Alex! I do like buying 100ml, with fragrances I really enjoy. I felt attacked when you said no one cares about our collections lol but it is true… my wife finds them visually obnoxious with the a bunch of bottles taking up so much space 😢
i agree with your point about collecting smaller bottles, but the strength of a fragrance really matters to me personally. i wanna smell it! baccarat is unique in the way it disappears and re-appears and plays games with you :)
One of my all time favorite weak performance fragrances is Dior Homme Cologne, smells amazing and doesn't last very long, but much like a gentleman it leaves when it needs to
That's a great way of looking at it! Not everything needs to be overwhelmingly strong and long-lasting. Even the slightest hint of a nice fragrance is enough to leave an impression.
I feel like fragrance "influencers" are very predatory towards loneliness, because they market these fragrances as "sex bombs" or whatever. Cant stand their phrases, it is so embarrassing and they say it with no shame. Also your point on being discovered and not announced is so true, I hate to be that one guy that walks in a room and have people think "oh jeez, someone has cologne on". I own oud wood and a get a solid 3-4 hours on skin alone (8 hours on both skin and clothes), and its my favorite. I love "weak" fragrances because I feel like im in complete control of the performance, just spray more but don't go blind.
A big one for me is thinking you need something for each season. You don’t. Most people work indoors with A/C or heating. Everything I own is considered “fresh” to some extent, which is fine as I’m only outside when I’m exercising anyway.
That's fair enough! I'd say fresh fragrances work all year, but dense & heavy fragrances don't work in high heat. Even a few seconds walking past someone on your way to the office, on public transport or when hopping into a hot car can be enough to make people queasy.
really great video, especially the stronger point you made.... the other day I walked past some guy stinking of aftershave, I used to thought stronger the better but I then internally realized that it kinda smelled annoying lol... Sutle is always best. Also I DO want to get a fragrance collection, but my question is if I do this will the smell and performance begin to decline?? I want to have a collection that I can witch around for around 3 years..
Thank you - I agree, subtle is best in most cases. As for the smell and performance, I find that performance doesn't really degrade as much as smell. 3 years is still plenty of time to enjoy your fragrances without them being affected. I have some in my collection that I've had for 6-7 years and they're still almost the same as they were when I bought them.
I feel this way about Rochas man edt, Narciso Rodriguez Bleu Noir EDP and Dior Homme Original. While not being the strongest or longest lasting fragrances., they smell amazing to me and I can still smell it around myself even if others can't/dont
Smaller bottles are the way to go if you have big collection. I never buy bigger than 50ml and wish more houses offered 30ml. Good stuff and info here.
Great set of videos Alex. When I see something heavily shilled especially by Brocolli hair zoomers / influencer / content types in those condescending talking down to videos it loses its potential value very quickly. That’s why I’ll never touch Bujairami, most JPGs, Club De Nuits and the usual blue suspects. That’s why I’ll never take a hustlers ecom or drop shipping course and that’s why I’ll never need a life coach lmao. As soon as those types hit your niche, consider it saturated and subverted. On the subject of influencers it really is a case of knowing the niche, having an idea of what you’re wanting and being able to discern salesman from the genuine guides who also happen to be entertainers. Society unfortunately isn’t well educated on that as we’re preyed upon by financial vultures every day even in the comfort of our own homes. This goes with the territory of the internet of value in a hyper commodified online world.. I’ve confidently bought a few fragrances blindly because I know what scents I like and I can trust the nose online, I was only disappointed with one out of the fifty or so due to a certain ingredient causing a headache. Some made it into the keep list, others I liked but not enough to keep. There’s also a common theme with blind buys, most were cheap. It should be approached like gambling. Because, sometimes the odds are in your favour. Some successful blind buys over the last year for me I’ll share are • Lataffa Emeer - I laughed when someone said it was Clive Christian Town & Country for $69AUD. I was gobsmacked at how close this stuff comes to Town & Country. • Maison Al Hambras Black Origami. I disliked this DNA at first, revisited months later and now I own two bottles of Black Origami and the original TF Black Orchid it was cloning. • Maison Alhambra Exclusif Tabac. $30AUD for something in the same ballpark as Mancera Red Tobacco, honestly wish I bought a backup bottle while it was still $30 but will happily pay the retail its worth as the tobacco note is divine. • Franck Oliviers Pure Addiction which is a great BR540 style with an orange twist. Great for a dumb reach, $40AUD. • S.T Dupont Oriental line. It might not be my favourite or easiest scent profile but the bottles I got from this line take me to a place I’ve never been and I love oriental scents and for $80AUD each I am more than content. • Swiss Arabian Tobacco 01 - I saw ‘three units left’ and FOMO’d in. I wasn’t too sure based off of the notes list, first spray was ‘eh wtf is going on here’, got to the dry down and quickly found its way into my heart. $130 well gambled.
Really loving the direction your channel is taking! Thinking about getting 40 Knots for those hot days - I already own Naxos and feel like they’d complement each other really well. What’s your take on it?
Thank you! I tried 40 Knots again yesterday and it's definitely not my thing. With that said, Xerjoff knows what they're doing. If you love it, that's all that matters!
i like that you made point #5. theres alot of warmer fragrances that have notes i tend to lean away from because i just personally dont like them as a scent on me. almost to the point that i was kind of sad in a way and felt left out because i didnt like them or some i even hated! for example angels share and by the fire place but i realized just like fashion fragrances are subjective and we all like different things.
Thank you for the advice on not buying the bigger bottles, makes total sense!! Also I prefer Mon Guerlain over Mon Guerlain intense.. I should have just gotten the original as my second bottle!! I actually gave the intense one away LOL keep these coming great videos and points! SOTD yum bougie marshmallow kayali
Buying 10mL decants is kinda the way to go really especially for a “special occasion” fragrance. For example, I have a full bottle of Dior Homme Intense but I’m on the verge of getting rid of it because i also have a 10mL decant of Dior Homme Parfum 2014 and I love that wayyy more than the intense that I really don’t wear anyway.
yeah - absolutely agree .. buying the smallest bottles like 30ml is much better for trying, wearing something and have that experience of the smell ... if you like it the most go for 100ml but not vice versa - and samples save us before mistakes
Allure Homme Sport 100% smells better than Eau Extreme. I fell for this trap. Luckily I traded away Eau Extreme. What a refreshing video, you make some absolutely great points. The $/ML was hard for me to get over due to my upbringing. My mother always bought in bulk to cut unit cost down. But damn I got tired of eating chicken breast 😂 I’ve now got a collection of 80~ bottles, and I hunt for 30/50ML if I can. If it’s $10 difference, sure I’ll get the bigger bottle, but if I can spend $50 less for half the juice I will. Good video 🤝
Sometimes it can be enticing to buy backups. I have a couple but generally try not to. If a fragrance is discontinued, you usually still have time to pick it up before it becomes unavailable.
Thank you for your video. I agree with everything you said in your video. I wanted to write whole story as how i got into fragrances but i wanna make it short. I had like 10 full bottles from which i wore maybe 2 of them rest just sittin on shelf. After some time of realizing that i dont wear them often i sold them and now i just sample. I buy couple of samples from time to time and i have just 1 full bottle. It is Allure Homme Sport(150ml). I almost bought AHSEEE but i bought 2 samples AHS and AHSEE and compared them, i really liked AHS more. Went to chanel site and thats it. Now i know what style of fragrances i like and in the future i know what to buy/not to buy. My next purchase will be Bleu de Chanel but of course i have to compare EDTvsEDPvsP to see which i like the most:)
There’s so many fragrances where I like the EDT and literally none of the flankers. I think with fragrances the real issue is people deep down are sheep and they don’t really think for themselves lmaooo cuz why tf else would you think an original EDT is “not good enough”, if you like it, that’s all that matters. I’ve gotten many compliments from all of my fragrances, but I think that’s cuz I am just a confident person. The cologne doesn’t make you, work on yourself
Even if I love the fragrance, I’m finding myself buying the 50ml. Unless it’s a STAPLE for life. Theres so much to explore and 100ml+ seems unnecessary. If you fly though the 50ml and want to rebuy, go for it, but the 50ml is good for me in most cases.
Completely agree! Unfortunately with so many great fragrances being discontinued, i understand people buying the large bottles, but it's usually such a waste.
Yes I agree. Nice advice. Specially the 100ml bottles! You learn that along the way. What a lot of people don't realize is that half of the price (if not more) you pay for the brand. I absolutely love Bleu de Chanel EDP but I never bought it. I refuse to pay 50% for the name Chanel. Got me the Club the Nuit clone wich I am wearing now. I see you do the same. Wear brandless T-shirts for instance. I refuse to be a walking advertisement for them, but to each their own. Keep up the good work. I enjoy it.
The best thing a person can do is 1. Not blind buy 2. Sample the fragrance at the dept. Store 3. If you like the fragrance at the dept. Store then buy a 5 or 10ml decant from a trusted source. Decants are WAY cheaper then even than travel size bottles from the brand
Very true. I don't always think decants are the best idea, but I get why people buy them. In my eyes, if too many people buy decants, then the brands themselves are selling a much lower volume of each fragrance - leading to discontinued fragrances.
@hey.alexedwards I dont see how you could think that decants are anything but a great idea. The consumer gets to sample and wear the fragrance for several wearings while only spending 10-15% the overall cost of a full bottle (10ml decant). The fragrance is decanted from a full bottle so the brand still gets that sale of that initial bottle Also, if the fragrance is enjoyed and the decant is used up the consumer who then can decide if they want a whole bottle or not. A fragrance can get discontinued for a number of reasons, poor advertising being one reason but overall it could be because the fragrance was not popular or failed to be unique enough.
@@nellojay Because at the end of the day, you don't know who you're buying from. There are weird people out there. It's not hard for someone to put a fake (or clone) fragrance in there and call it a legit decant.
@hey.alexedwards Reputable online stores sell decants. All the decants I buy are from people I trust. Even indie brands will include a sample so that you don't open the full bottle.
Hey bro. Been loving your videos. You’ve grown your channel so quickly, did you use any techniques or simply just start post videos of your self talking ? Keep up the good content
@@hey.alexedwards haha. I think that’s what it is. The authenticity permeates. When I first watch your video I thought you were already a successful established channel.
i like this, you made a good point about not buying the big bottles. for me, the only time if i was to by a full big bottle it would be for my everyday sent, which are acqua di gio parfum, and dior sauvage edt. they are fresh and clean. I think its kinda foolish to buy a cheap fragrance for everyday usage. they are cheap for a reason, the ingredients are not the best.
A nice video.👍 I have an idea for a new one: a list of instances where you changed your mind about fragrances along the way, when you used to think it is like this but then came to realize it is actually like that. Like the point you made here about performance, that could be one.
My biggest recommendation is not exceeding 5 bottles at any time. Its more than enough too last years and is teh most cost efficient compared to buying whole collections you will never finish in your lifetime
Hi, I would like to ask if there is any fragrance that is particularly special for a woman? all fragrances quickly bore me and I sell. I like very much like you woody, fresh fragrances. I personally use Tom Ford Black Orchid, Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi and Hermes Sur le Nil. Please recommend something special and greetings from Poland.
Good video. What you thougth about buying arab clones instead original creature? I noticed that I feel better when I wear the original perfume. Although I do not suffer from luxury brands. It's like it doesn't feel the same after a while and I notice the differences.
@@hey.alexedwards I had a bottle of the release XS from 2018 and ended tump selling it. Then I got a bottle of Mfk gentle fluidity silver and sold it in like a week because it smelled similar, to close to XS
The chanel allure homme sport is so relatable, got a sample of the original and thought it was amazing, but everyone online said the eau extreme was better so i got it and ended up selling it cus i just didnt enjoy it as much as the og.
@@hey.alexedwards This is the exact video I needed to hear from someone, I'll start college this year and I engendered this fragrance collecting-habit last year. I bought 4 5 bottles and nothing seems to finish! Also I don't enjoy every fragrance that much. I always thought why would I get 10ml for 10 bucks instead of 100ml for 40/50$ bucks. Now it makes sense that I should get more small samples instead of full bottles. Thanks!
Blind Buying Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme, just because I liked the edt was a fatal mistake of mine: I ended up having to give my bottle away because I couldn't stand that sickening tonka bomb.
I need strong fragrances because I live in a hot climate which chews through the scent. Some of us NEED it. If you don’t like strong fragrances, just spray less.
I also live in a hot climate - in South Australia, we routinely exceed 40 degrees celsius (104 fahrenheit). Sometimes it's not the strength of the fragrance, but the concentration overall. No matter how much you spray, certain fragrances are just too intense for the heat.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Scent of the Day
00:44 - 1) Buying The Biggest Bottles
04:00 - 2) Tying Self Worth to Fragrance
06:31 - 3) Thinking Expensive = Better
10:17 - 4) Thinking Stronger = Better
12:31 - 5) Buying Because of Other People
14:47 - 6) Thinking You Need a Fragrance Collection
Buy a 200ml bottle and trade 5 portions with other perfume enthusiasts - a win-win for both!
@@jana10330You could do that! Creative thinking.
@@hey.alexedwards I would just give it to my family members once I finally get bored and if they don't like them or won't use them I can sell decants until I empty the bottle to about 5ml
“It’s sometimes better to be discovered, rather then to be announced” that’s going to change the way I spray, I needed that. Thank you lol
You're welcome! It's a good thing to keep in mind
Bro just finished watching a Roja video
while I appreciate my stronger fragrances I found myself wearing the more subtle ones more often
I have bought lots of fragrances searching for that one that is subtle and masculine at the same time.
Yes I loved when he said this! I’m not gonna be THAT person that chokes everyone out at work or a hospital.
I think the reason your account has grown so much is because of how refreshing you are. You keep things in perspective and keep it real while also sharing your fragrance interests. When watching your videos I often say to myself “yes, exactly! Spot on” thank you for that
Thank you! I appreciate your support
I’ve been collecting for around 4 years and I have nearly 100 fragrances by now and I absolutely relate to everything you say especially the “buy the 100ml to get better value” thing
Also the thing about caring only about longevity sillage projection I also hate this narrative one of my absolute favorites in my collection are 2 creed SMW and Millisime imperial and they have awful longevity and yet are 2 of my top 10 out of 100 and probably my least favorite in my collection are 2 mancera’s cedrat boise and red tobacco which are famously powerful fragrances I absolutely despise them and can’t understand how I paid money for them at one point in my life 😂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Red tobacco is a 10/10 tho. best dry down ever..❤@@AemondEye
Great points, Alex.
27 years of wearing fragrances, and my collection has never been bigger than 5. Currently 4 on the go. I've never cared for projection or longevity either. Just sprayed on whatever I feel like before I'm out the door, and I've always felt good, like the fragrance is elevating my presence and style.
I made one google search a month ago as I was looking for something new, and now the algorithms bombard me with young influencers talking about "must haves" or "pantydroppers".. Its hilarious! Wish I just walked into a shop and tested a new one, like I always have done.
Ah well, that's the internet for ya. Thanks for the insightful video, points 3 and 4 are spot on.
James
Thanks for your thoughts, James. Unfortunately that is the internet, as you said.
I very much enjoyed this video. All rational and logical points of view. You were not like me which I can be a little blunt. I'm kinda known for being blunt with my honesty. This was a very refreshing video. As someone who's been a fragrance content creator, I'm an old fossil so I've seen the changes. Now its very much about selling and the influencer culture. I've worked and met a lot of big name creators (again, old grandpa here) but I prefer the community from years ago as it wasn't about selling and being commercial. It was more about the love of fragrances and genuine friendships. I've cut ties with many of the influencers because those "genuine friendships" as friendship is a 2 way street and it was always be reaching out to people. Very refreshing video, young man.
@@AGentlemansJourney77 Thank you for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts, Chad - great to see you here. Even in the last couple of years, the community has changed dramatically, so I can't imagine how much it's changed since you started.
I really appreciate the support, and thanks again for checking in!
@@hey.alexedwards My pleasure now, Alex. I'm surprised you know my name so you made this old miserable man smile. I had to subscribe as you come across very genuine and down to earth...and not an influencers. I'm friends with a few influencers but I cannot watch their material any longer.
What you own does not define who you are, I just need a constant reminder of this...
I'm glad this resonated!
Mistake #1, blind buying. I would now never blind buy, even cheap fragrances. But early on I bought several blind and based on others' reviews and recommendations before i had a better sense of what I like and dislike.
Find a good community and seek out decants and samples. Offloading cheap fragrances takes so much time and energy. The extra caution and effort to sample is well worth it.
#2, keeping fragrances that are just ok but you don't love. They just end up collecting dust.
Very true - great tips!
100% agree with you regarding whole bottles. Since buying 10ml decants of ones that i like i feel a lot less pressure around using/buying them
Totally agree!
Thanks for your honesty and integrity here on this channel. I consider you a professional fragrance enthusiast rather than a fragrance influencer pushing your audience buy more fragrances. I hope you continue posting fragrance content from your analytical and unique perspective. Your content has really got me thinking more deeply about my fragrance collection and future purchases.
Thank you for saying this - I'm glad to hear it resonates deeply with you.
Hi! Your videos make me think about my collection and future purchases. Thanks!❤
I do totally understand people wanting long-lasting fragrances and a good projection. Nobody wants to spend money on something you can't smell after 5 minutes and nobody around you will notice.
I can understand it too, but not every single fragrance in a collection needs to be a monster. There's a time and place for subtlety. A funeral for example, or in a medical setting.
Agree with everything you said here.
Except I can’t stand paying good money for fragrances that don’t perform well or project.
It’s just wasting money if no one can smell you except a significant other.
We can agree to disagree on this one! In my opinion, there's a time and place for strong fragrances, but there's also a time and place for something more subdued, intimate and subtle. All personal preference at the end of the day.
@ true. My wife doesn’t like beast mode fragrances so I don’t really go for that but skin fragrances definitely not my jive either- I also don’t drink lite beer
For the same reason.
Because what’s the point 🤷♂️
@@aaron4387 That's fair enough! I'm not a lite beer guy either.
Your thoughts and opinions are spot on!
Thank you! Glad they resonate with you
this is the most refreshing video on this topic I've seen. thank you for the healthy reminders
@@natmarshallis I'm glad it resonated! Thanks for watching
Hey Alex, great advice, I love it. I believe everyone has there own motivations when it comes to buying fragrances. But all of this points your sharing are so important to consider, especially for those like me who likes to collect fragrances, because in a way or another we all could be guilty of committing these errors. The more important thing is to recognize ones have been fallen on them, and be very aware of not repeating them. Thanks!
Very true! Thanks for checking in Eduardo
Great video. Buying smaller bottles is something Justin Copeland pointed out a while ago ad it really opened my eyes.
It's such a simple and effective way to manage things
I love your videos, it’s what the community needs right now ❤ one additional mistake I might include is: not considering whether this new potential purchase is duplicative in your collection. I love a certain profile of Iris/vanillas and there are so many options in the category. I’ve stopped myself from buying many beautiful scents because I already have a couple in that profile that I adore, and the new one would steal their limelight. If you have a collection, avoid devaluing it with overcrowding.
Thank you for the support and for sharing your thoughts! That's a great suggestion too
The bottom line is that influencers have ruined our perceptions of nearly everything, in every different industry. Another point you can take away from this is to stop following or listening to these influencers, and make your own decisions for yourselves. Sure you're gonna make mistakes on the way like buying the biggest bottles all the time, or exclusively buying niche/expensive fragrances when there are some incredible designers and niche's out there that are cheaper, but at least you can learn from them, and you weren't listening to some crappy influencer telling you to buy the same fragrance as everyone else. This is a journey that you need to take on your own, and that means buying fragrances for yourself that you want to smell all the time, instead of just buying to please others. Great video!
Very true. It's a personal journey. Thanks for watching!
@ Also, thank you for making these videos! It is great to see that you are making long form RUclips videos explaining the truth to people, rather than becoming another tiktok influencer basically forcing their audience to buy a certain perfume because they like it, or they get commission from it. Ill go ahead and subscribe😁
It’s refreshing to find individuals with independent thoughts. I love Davidoff Cool Water too, as it holds a sentimental value for me. It’s the first perfume gift I ever received. Although it’s been 15 years now, I still remind and thank my friend till this day 😂. It’s why I absolutely adore Green Irish Tweed and always have a bottle.
You have to discover what you truly love and enjoy, not what others say they enjoy. TBH, self-discovery and developing your unique tastes, without needing external validation, does take time. It’s even more difficult to express your unique identity as we’re mostly social beings (desire to be liked and respected, wanting to be in the in-group, etc). I thinks it’s hard to get it wrong with perfumes, so I tell folks “go out there and find the stuff that blows YOU away.”
I’m wearing one of my comfort scents today: MM’s Whispers in the library.
I completely agree with your points in this!
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
The whole fragrance community needs to watch this!
Thank you! Glad you found it useful
There are really incisive points on the thought processes behind fragrance collecting as a hobby / addiction. It gives insight into where it will take you, so you can find your answers to these questions before spending £000s! I hope anyone getting serious about building a fragrance collection finds this channel, appreciate you man!
It can be super overwhelming getting into fragrances at first with so many designers and niche houses, with several collections in each house, so many notes, scent profiles and so many things getting hyped in top 10s that you can lose sight of why you’re doing it at all.
My main reasons for collecting have always been to find fragrances that I personally love the smell of, to explore and appreciate the artistic side of perfumery (while keeping it wearable) and enhance whatever my mood of the moment is.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! And I appreciate the support
Always a joy to watch your videos. I hope you keep posting ❤
Thank you Tristan. All the best!
Hey Alex, another great vid! I hope it’s not too early to put in video requests :) but It would be cool if you could cover these topics sometime in the future as I’d like to hear them from you:
- your top fall/winter & spring/summer fragrances
- fragrance wars series , where you pair fragrances against each other and why you would choose one over the other and it would consist of 1v1 battles, designer vs niche, seasonal fragrances, occasion-based battles, and even Viewer’s choice battles
- best fragrances for each scenario (date nights, everyday, etc. all though you kind of did do something of the sort your ‘top 10 fragrances for life vid’ you could expand on that concept and give a extended list of fragrances for each scenario)
- fragrances you feel are underrated and fragrances you feel are overrated and not worth the price point
As always keep up the great quality content and good job being consistent, till next time my friend
Some great suggestions here man! Thanks
Damn good video! Bravo! Excellent points, all frag heads should watch this wether you’ve been collecting for a while or are just getting started 🎉
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it
The “price per mil” thing is crucial. I’ve heard so many people say that you should always buy the larger size, or even blind buy fragrances that are on the cheaper side simply because it’s more “bang for your buck”. Hell, I’ve sampled fragrances that are only $30-40 and it turned out that I found them only OK. By sampling and spending more per mil, I saved myself money, space, and regret from wasting money on something I will not use. I also saved time from not having to declutter in the future! Buying samples is the way to go for discovering fragrances imo
I agree completely
This is one way to do it, another one is buying a big bottle of something expensive and splitting it between a number of people (for example in a fragrance community) or partaking in such a split.
absolutly right if u get through a 50ml pretty quick that is a sign this scent is for u. since even going through a 50 ml can take time if u own more than 7 fragrances. once u realise a fragrance is something u always reach for and fully enjoy and never get bored then u buy the 100 ml. This happened to me with Diptyque vetyverio. i went through a 50 ml pretty quick and never got bored of it. every single wearing put a smile on my face since it was super versatile, luxury smelling, with alot of development and uniqueness. i recently got a 100 ml bottle after many years of saying i will buy it again. and guess what as soon as a sprayed it, it put a smile on my face. one of the cleanest vetiver scent on the market. very unisex. This has only happened to me once before with another scent which got reformulated then discontinued. It is not easy to find a scent that is absolutely you. once u find it do not waste your money just rotate it with few others to give it a rest here and there
I agree completely!
You definitely need to find a hobby
@@InstantKaarmaIf you have a problem, you're welcome to go somewhere else
What also helps is to buy 3ml samples and give fragrances a couple of wearings before you would commit to a full bottle. It may initially cost a bit to sample various fragrances BUT in so doing, you absolutely make sure to just buy those fragrances you could properly wear before. Everyone knows the feeling of buying a full bottle and after a couple of wearings, you would just notice, there is no need for a full bottle. I had this experience with Tom ford noir extreme EDP and may never make that mistake again.
Also, the bigger the collection gets, the LESS people should go for big bottles because you simply don’t get to finish the bottles. Personally, I like to buy a small bottle first and would just commit to a bigger bottle if I decided to repurchase. Only exception is when I am absolutely certain this scent might be a signature scent I will absolutely pull off often. That being said, I also try to have a balanced collection and thus, I would avoid having too many bottles I would wear for similar occasions.
I agree completely! Thanks for sharing your thoughts
For those who want to start a fragrance collection (or even started collecting), the #1 point that you brought up is very relevant. Unless you gift some friends with decants of your fragrances, there is no need to build up a collection based on full size bottles (e.g., 100ml or even more). Probably the collector will not be able to finish all the bottles of the collection during his lifespan.
I tend to grab small sized bottles and/or splits in order to build up the collection with more efficiency (?).
All in all, great insights within the video. Keep up with the good work!
Very true - thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
Straight facts! Definitely came to that realization with the big bottles as well. If it’s something I know I’m going to wear heavily and I know I love them I’ll definitely get the bigger bottles. But when I’m just looking to try something new for fun I’ve started to get smaller sizes and a lot of travel sprays. You can actually get a decent amount of wears out of those and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and space if you end up not loving the fragrance. And like you said you’re only saving money on the bigger bottles if you actually use whole thing. You can always go buy a bigger bottle if you run through the travel spray/small bottle if you really love it
Exactly right!
I believe this message is mainly for people who aren’t fascinated by fragrances. I like to think fragrances as a wardrobe. Example: I know lads who wear one or two shirts for every occasion whenever we went(to each their own). However, it becomes boring, overused it looses its value with every wear. The wow that’s nice turned in to an expected. Now for people you encounter it’s new but for repeating encounters they will experience the my premise.
Moreover. Now I did buy like over 40 fragrances which I do agree it’s not worth it but I do agree with having a nice amount for rotation, which maybe interpreted as a collection.
@@Adheretoguidelines Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Interesting to hear different perspectives
Amazing points brought up in the video Alex. I deffo think its super important to "de-influence" oneself and only use the influencers are recommendations and not "must get" when it comes to anything they're pushing or denouncing. Biggest thing im doing differently is ebay buying or going to the stores and getting a few sample vials and doing just that: sampling the fragrance. As common sense as it sounds its really kept the fragrance hoarding at bay, saving me money and space not having all these bottles. Esp with frags that are adjacent duplicates. The influencers are fickle. In 6 months they love a fragrance and then, 6 months later they're slagging it off and pushing the new alternative du jour.
Very, very true. That's why it's so important to slow down and have these conversations with ourselves. Do we actually love and want this fragrance, or are we about to buy it because other people have said it's a "must have"?
bro, thank you so much for all these advices, your channel is def underrated and i just let you know that you inspired me to start my own channel here in brazil, thank you! :)
Thank you for letting me know! Good luck with your channel.
0:02 You really opened my eyes on the way to appoach fragrance buys. I was going down the rabbit hole by all these other influencers and made some regrettable purchases. Your content is very honest and informative. Refreshing to see a different take on fragrances than most other youtube channels. Keep up the good work! Was also wondering if you have any clothing style ideas as well. P.s. what's your take on fragrance clones?
Thank you! I'm glad to hear this resonates with you. I can certainly talk about clothing as well. Perhaps how to create timeless outfits on a budget?
@@hey.alexedwards that would be great!
Keeping it real on the last point my man! It is a luxury, and easy to fall into the mistake of spending thousands of $ on fragrances.
Very true!
Totally agreed, I always try to buy a 10 or 20 ml decant from a trusted vendor, and then if I really like it I may buy the big bottle if I have not discover something better than it..
Smart idea!
Appreciate your candid take on all of this! Great list, all good points made.👏👏👏
Thanks for your support! Great to hear this resonates.
I've sampled around 50 fragrances the past few months, most of them niche - out of aprox. 35 niche samples - I've managed to find 2(!) fragrances i like and i think is worth the money ('Gris Charnel' & 'Side Effect'). The remaining ~15 designer fragrance samples i've tried - i've found 4 fragrances i'm interested in purchasing. The ratio speaks for itself; more expensive does def. NOT mean better...
Regarding the "big vs. small" bottle - i recently purschased a 200ml 'Boss bottled Absolu' bottle at a cheaper price than the 100ml; so always compare prices.
That said - I understand your point. ✌
That's something I'm hearing more often - people sample all these expensive fragrances, only to like 1 or 2 of them.
If you can buy a 200ml cheaper than the 100ml, then it makes sense to buy it, as long as you love it!
side effect is life. also im anti iris/powdery notes so gris charnel is hell for me
100ml is the maximum amount for airport carry on size. Anything more than that number you have to check it in.
@@johneliemalig8373Exactly right.
Especially our integrity........one of the most important aspects of who and what we should aspire to be..
Very true
Another amazing video, Alex!
Thanks for sharing!
Cheers from Brazil!
Thank you Eduardo! Great to have you here.
A really thoughtful, considered video, thank you! I have a large collection and some of those I like the most are real cheapies! But I am realising that I prefer smaller bottles as I rarely get through 100ml. Thank you for giving us a different perspective on fragrance rather than the usual "this is amazing, you need to buy it" - it is appreciated 🙂
Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Great points here, fella. I really wish more companies did smaller sizes. The problem is that 100ml of product costs them VERY little more than 30ml. So although they're getting more money per ml selling you a small bottle, they are still losing out considerably.
Tying self worth to frags is like tying it to clothes or any other material objects. It won't give you genuine self worth but it will, sadly, affect your worth in other people's eyes, to a greater or lesser extent. People (I'm talking mainly about women here) do judge men a lot on their initial impressions, and a well dressed and nice smelling guy will seem of higher value/worth than a 'basic' man.
Expensive equals better is another great call. A smell is just a smell. The same smell will really appeal to some and not to others, regardless of price (some extremely cheap frags, though, do just smell cheap and synthetic to most people).
Stronger is better has some validity imho. Unless you are someone who just wants to 'privately' enjoy frags, then you want others to at least appreciate your style if not actually compliment you. And as the old adage goes "If people can't smell you they won't compliment you" (and we can add "or simply appreciate your complete style). The exception, as you mentioned, is when you want a more intimate scent eg for close encounters - WOOF!
YES to don't be a collector! When you view yourself as a collector you necessarily have to collect more. I enjoy fragrances but only ever buy a new one if I find one I really like. So you could say I have a collection of frags, but I'm not a collector. I've simply bought frags I enjoy and they've become a collection.
As you asked, I'd like a video exploring the whole 'compliments' angle. Whether you should or shouldn't be bothered about them. How realistic social media compliment tally claims might or might not be. How likely it is that influencers who tell you that a frag projects about 3 meters for the first hour, then 1.5mtrs up to 4 hours, then an arms length for another 2 hrs, actually have some way of measuring this lol Do they stand people at those distances at the respective time intervals and ask if they can still smell them, or what???
Sorry for the mammoth comment, but the vid was stimulating. Cheers!
I'm glad the video was thought provoking! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for the video suggestion.
I started out buying old style colognes like Paco Rabanne Pour Homme - collecting various vintages. I ‘graduated’ rapidly to more modern offerings, more expensive designers, clones of niche perfumes, and a few niche samples. Just the other day I revisited Paco Rabanne Pour Homme and it smelled so good - it smelled quite niche actually! It may be all I really need.
Sometimes you can't beat the classics
Thank you Alex for another thoughtful video. I started collecting fragrance way before there was RUclips & influencers aka salesman. I always ignored the hype from the sales assistant because they are not exactly honest. Most of them don't even know the scent notes when you asked them.
I like to rotate my fragrance based on my mood & sometimes I layer 2 fragrances to experiment aswell as surprise myself with different combinations.
I respect the craftsmanship & bottle design so I tend to buy 100ml bottles because they look better than 50ml bottles. I don't think I would buy decant because it looks generic.
You make some great points regarding enjoyment and loving the fragrance instead of buying it for compliments. There's just so so many fragrances these days. Flankers after flankers.
I do like watching fragrance videos more for the education and knowledge instead of wanting to buy the next hype beasts.
I am lucky that I have a few 100ml bottles that are discontinued which I really enjoy.
Thank you for the support! I agree with you completely
I definitely enjoy Allure Homme Sport EE more. The original is great but I like the amped up tonka in EE. I ended up buying both and selling sport. I wish I had sampled first. They really are not so different but those little differences make people favor one over the other. Once that choice is made, the other bottle can become redundant. So many great points in this video.
@@sebastienc.2257 agreed - it's all personal preference. Thanks for watching.
#2 was so wholesome! You're like the perfect man lol
Great video Alex! I do like buying 100ml, with fragrances I really enjoy. I felt attacked when you said no one cares about our collections lol but it is true… my wife finds them visually obnoxious with the a bunch of bottles taking up so much space 😢
Hahah, I get that. It's a harsh truth. We always care more about our collections than other people do.
Excellent points and 100% agree about not letting your possessions define who you are. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
i agree with your point about collecting smaller bottles, but the strength of a fragrance really matters to me personally. i wanna smell it! baccarat is unique in the way it disappears and re-appears and plays games with you :)
That's fair enough!
One of my all time favorite weak performance fragrances is Dior Homme Cologne, smells amazing and doesn't last very long, but much like a gentleman it leaves when it needs to
That's a great way of looking at it! Not everything needs to be overwhelmingly strong and long-lasting. Even the slightest hint of a nice fragrance is enough to leave an impression.
Refreshingly honest and brave. Would love a little better mic (or more furniture) for less reverb.
Thank you - I actually have a microphone but haven't been using it. I'll try it out on the next video.
@@hey.alexedwards Cool. I'm sure it will make a significant difference and add more polish.
First one applies to me big time. The others - not at all. My other big mistake was blind buying buying lots of cheap fragrances.
That's fair enough! I also agree with that - quality over quantity.
Real. Ive come to quite the same conclusions after collecting for some years
Thanks for watching :)
I discovered your channel yesterday and I can’t stop watching your videos. Very dog quality
Thank you!
I feel like fragrance "influencers" are very predatory towards loneliness, because they market these fragrances as "sex bombs" or whatever. Cant stand their phrases, it is so embarrassing and they say it with no shame. Also your point on being discovered and not announced is so true, I hate to be that one guy that walks in a room and have people think "oh jeez, someone has cologne on". I own oud wood and a get a solid 3-4 hours on skin alone (8 hours on both skin and clothes), and its my favorite. I love "weak" fragrances because I feel like im in complete control of the performance, just spray more but don't go blind.
I completely agree with you! Thanks for watching.
A big one for me is thinking you need something for each season. You don’t. Most people work indoors with A/C or heating. Everything I own is considered “fresh” to some extent, which is fine as I’m only outside when I’m exercising anyway.
That's fair enough! I'd say fresh fragrances work all year, but dense & heavy fragrances don't work in high heat. Even a few seconds walking past someone on your way to the office, on public transport or when hopping into a hot car can be enough to make people queasy.
I feel very lucky I ran into your video. I had to subscribe right away. Thank you.
Awesome! Thank you!
really great video, especially the stronger point you made.... the other day I walked past some guy stinking of aftershave, I used to thought stronger the better but I then internally realized that it kinda smelled annoying lol... Sutle is always best. Also I DO want to get a fragrance collection, but my question is if I do this will the smell and performance begin to decline?? I want to have a collection that I can witch around for around 3 years..
Thank you - I agree, subtle is best in most cases. As for the smell and performance, I find that performance doesn't really degrade as much as smell. 3 years is still plenty of time to enjoy your fragrances without them being affected. I have some in my collection that I've had for 6-7 years and they're still almost the same as they were when I bought them.
I feel this way about Rochas man edt, Narciso Rodriguez Bleu Noir EDP and Dior Homme Original. While not being the strongest or longest lasting fragrances., they smell amazing to me and I can still smell it around myself even if others can't/dont
That's all that matters!
Smaller bottles are the way to go if you have big collection. I never buy bigger than 50ml and wish more houses offered 30ml. Good stuff and info here.
I totally agree!
Great set of videos Alex. When I see something heavily shilled especially by Brocolli hair zoomers / influencer / content types in those condescending talking down to videos it loses its potential value very quickly. That’s why I’ll never touch Bujairami, most JPGs, Club De Nuits and the usual blue suspects. That’s why I’ll never take a hustlers ecom or drop shipping course and that’s why I’ll never need a life coach lmao. As soon as those types hit your niche, consider it saturated and subverted.
On the subject of influencers it really is a case of knowing the niche, having an idea of what you’re wanting and being able to discern salesman from the genuine guides who also happen to be entertainers. Society unfortunately isn’t well educated on that as we’re preyed upon by financial vultures every day even in the comfort of our own homes. This goes with the territory of the internet of value in a hyper commodified online world.. I’ve confidently bought a few fragrances blindly because I know what scents I like and I can trust the nose online, I was only disappointed with one out of the fifty or so due to a certain ingredient causing a headache. Some made it into the keep list, others I liked but not enough to keep. There’s also a common theme with blind buys, most were cheap. It should be approached like gambling. Because, sometimes the odds are in your favour.
Some successful blind buys over the last year for me I’ll share are
• Lataffa Emeer - I laughed when someone said it was Clive Christian Town & Country for $69AUD. I was gobsmacked at how close this stuff comes to Town & Country.
• Maison Al Hambras Black Origami. I disliked this DNA at first, revisited months later and now I own two bottles of Black Origami and the original TF Black Orchid it was cloning.
• Maison Alhambra Exclusif Tabac. $30AUD for something in the same ballpark as Mancera Red Tobacco, honestly wish I bought a backup bottle while it was still $30 but will happily pay the retail its worth as the tobacco note is divine.
• Franck Oliviers Pure Addiction which is a great BR540 style with an orange twist. Great for a dumb reach, $40AUD.
• S.T Dupont Oriental line. It might not be my favourite or easiest scent profile but the bottles I got from this line take me to a place I’ve never been and I love oriental scents and for $80AUD each I am more than content.
• Swiss Arabian Tobacco 01 - I saw ‘three units left’ and FOMO’d in. I wasn’t too sure based off of the notes list, first spray was ‘eh wtf is going on here’, got to the dry down and quickly found its way into my heart. $130 well gambled.
I agree completely! Also, well done with the blind buys. Sounds like you were lucky with those.
Really loving the direction your channel is taking! Thinking about getting 40 Knots for those hot days - I already own Naxos and feel like they’d complement each other really well. What’s your take on it?
Thank you! I tried 40 Knots again yesterday and it's definitely not my thing. With that said, Xerjoff knows what they're doing. If you love it, that's all that matters!
Agree AHS EDT is better for sure also the original edt great for the cold
100%
My biggest mistake was blindbuying my way through 2020 & 2021 and going from 3-100 fragrances... That said, it was a lot of fun 🤣
I hear you! It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole.
i like that you made point #5. theres alot of warmer fragrances that have notes i tend to lean away from because i just personally dont like them as a scent on me. almost to the point that i was kind of sad in a way and felt left out because i didnt like them or some i even hated! for example angels share and by the fire place but i realized just like fashion fragrances are subjective and we all like different things.
It's all subjective! Thanks for sharing your thoughts
The best way is buying miniatures bc they’re much cuter and don’t last forever and ever giving you buyers regret.
Small bottles are perfect
Original AHS is so clean and minimalist.
Agreed!
,,the truth is no one really cares about your fragrance collection,, haha i needed that one.
It's a hard truth haha!
Thank you for the advice on not buying the bigger bottles, makes total sense!! Also I prefer Mon Guerlain over Mon Guerlain intense.. I should have just gotten the original as my second bottle!! I actually gave the intense one away LOL keep these coming great videos and points!
SOTD yum bougie marshmallow kayali
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Buying 10mL decants is kinda the way to go really especially for a “special occasion” fragrance. For example, I have a full bottle of Dior Homme Intense but I’m on the verge of getting rid of it because i also have a 10mL decant of Dior Homme Parfum 2014 and I love that wayyy more than the intense that I really don’t wear anyway.
That makes sense - if you don't wear it, there's no need to own it
yeah - absolutely agree .. buying the smallest bottles like 30ml is much better for trying, wearing something and have that experience of the smell ... if you like it the most go for 100ml but not vice versa - and samples save us before mistakes
Thanks for the support as always Miles! Always great to see your comments. I agree
Allure Homme Sport 100% smells better than Eau Extreme. I fell for this trap. Luckily I traded away Eau Extreme. What a refreshing video, you make some absolutely great points. The $/ML was hard for me to get over due to my upbringing. My mother always bought in bulk to cut unit cost down. But damn I got tired of eating chicken breast 😂 I’ve now got a collection of 80~ bottles, and I hunt for 30/50ML if I can. If it’s $10 difference, sure I’ll get the bigger bottle, but if I can spend $50 less for half the juice I will. Good video 🤝
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I hear you 👋🏼
My worst habit is to buy a backup bottle even though I have the largest size already which is almost full!
Sometimes it can be enticing to buy backups. I have a couple but generally try not to. If a fragrance is discontinued, you usually still have time to pick it up before it becomes unavailable.
@hey.alexedwards agree 💯, fantastic content by the way, very informative and precise, keep up the good work buddy 👍 👏
Thank you for your video. I agree with everything you said in your video.
I wanted to write whole story as how i got into fragrances but i wanna make it short. I had like 10 full bottles from which i wore maybe 2 of them rest just sittin on shelf. After some time of realizing that i dont wear them often i sold them and now i just sample. I buy couple of samples from time to time and i have just 1 full bottle. It is Allure Homme Sport(150ml). I almost bought AHSEEE but i bought 2 samples AHS and AHSEE and compared them, i really liked AHS more. Went to chanel site and thats it. Now i know what style of fragrances i like and in the future i know what to buy/not to buy. My next purchase will be Bleu de Chanel but of course i have to compare EDTvsEDPvsP to see which i like the most:)
This was interesting to read! You have great taste.
I love AHS, and my personal favourite BDC is the Parfum
There’s so many fragrances where I like the EDT and literally none of the flankers. I think with fragrances the real issue is people deep down are sheep and they don’t really think for themselves lmaooo cuz why tf else would you think an original EDT is “not good enough”, if you like it, that’s all that matters. I’ve gotten many compliments from all of my fragrances, but I think that’s cuz I am just a confident person. The cologne doesn’t make you, work on yourself
Agreed!
Even if I love the fragrance, I’m finding myself buying the 50ml. Unless it’s a STAPLE for life. Theres so much to explore and 100ml+ seems unnecessary. If you fly though the 50ml and want to rebuy, go for it, but the 50ml is good for me in most cases.
Completely agree! Unfortunately with so many great fragrances being discontinued, i understand people buying the large bottles, but it's usually such a waste.
Great advice all the way. Especially the smaller bottles and the reasoning.
Thank you. Great to have you here!
Yes I agree. Nice advice. Specially the 100ml bottles! You learn that along the way. What a lot of people don't realize is that half of the price (if not more) you pay for the brand. I absolutely love Bleu de Chanel EDP but I never bought it. I refuse to pay 50% for the name Chanel. Got me the Club the Nuit clone wich I am wearing now. I see you do the same. Wear brandless T-shirts for instance. I refuse to be a walking advertisement for them, but to each their own. Keep up the good work. I enjoy it.
That's fair enough! I don't mind paying for proper fragrance brands, but I won't ever be seen wearing logos. Plain, simple, timeless.
I love AHS but could never pull the trigger on Eau Ext
I feel you
Some good points there particularly the one about bottle sizes.
Thank you!
The best thing a person can do is 1. Not blind buy 2. Sample the fragrance at the dept. Store 3. If you like the fragrance at the dept. Store then buy a 5 or 10ml decant from a trusted source. Decants are WAY cheaper then even than travel size bottles from the brand
Very true. I don't always think decants are the best idea, but I get why people buy them.
In my eyes, if too many people buy decants, then the brands themselves are selling a much lower volume of each fragrance - leading to discontinued fragrances.
@hey.alexedwards I dont see how you could think that decants are anything but a great idea. The consumer gets to sample and wear the fragrance for several wearings while only spending 10-15% the overall cost of a full bottle (10ml decant). The fragrance is decanted from a full bottle so the brand still gets that sale of that initial bottle Also, if the fragrance is enjoyed and the decant is used up the consumer who then can decide if they want a whole bottle or not. A fragrance can get discontinued for a number of reasons, poor advertising being one reason but overall it could be because the fragrance was not popular or failed to be unique enough.
@@nellojay Because at the end of the day, you don't know who you're buying from. There are weird people out there.
It's not hard for someone to put a fake (or clone) fragrance in there and call it a legit decant.
@hey.alexedwards Reputable online stores sell decants. All the decants I buy are from people I trust. Even indie brands will include a sample so that you don't open the full bottle.
Hey bro. Been loving your videos. You’ve grown your channel so quickly, did you use any techniques or simply just start post videos of your self talking ?
Keep up the good content
Thanks legend! To be honest, it happened by accident. I just posted stuff I thought was important and people seemed to resonate.
@@hey.alexedwards haha. I think that’s what it is. The authenticity permeates. When I first watch your video I thought you were already a successful established channel.
@@dariusbeu6810 Really? I'm glad to hear that!
i like this, you made a good point about not buying the big bottles. for me, the only time if i was to by a full big bottle it would be for my everyday sent, which are acqua di gio parfum, and dior sauvage edt. they are fresh and clean. I think its kinda foolish to buy a cheap fragrance for everyday usage. they are cheap for a reason, the ingredients are not the best.
I agree completely with both points!
Scent of the day - Leau Par Kenzo ... So fresh
Never tried this - sounds great! Kenzo is underrated
A nice video.👍 I have an idea for a new one: a list of instances where you changed your mind about fragrances along the way, when you used to think it is like this but then came to realize it is actually like that. Like the point you made here about performance, that could be one.
That's a great idea! I'll think of how I can turn this into a video.
My biggest recommendation is not exceeding 5 bottles at any time. Its more than enough too last years and is teh most cost efficient compared to buying whole collections you will never finish in your lifetime
@TheMan1123581321 Great advice! Very true
where did you get that henley shirt from?
I don't really remember to be honest
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for watching :)
Hi, I would like to ask if there is any fragrance that is particularly special for a woman? all fragrances quickly bore me and I sell. I like very much like you woody, fresh fragrances. I personally use Tom Ford Black Orchid, Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi and Hermes Sur le Nil. Please recommend something special and greetings from Poland.
If you love woody & fresh, Aesop does fantastic fragrances typically centred around wood & fresh botanicals.
@@hey.alexedwards Thank you🤗
First one is a good tip, unless you decan like half of the bottle.
Thank you. You could always decant, for sure.
Good video. What you thougth about buying arab clones instead original creature? I noticed that I feel better when I wear the original perfume. Although I do not suffer from luxury brands. It's like it doesn't feel the same after a while and I notice the differences.
I usually always prefer the original, but sometimes may buy a cheap alternative to test a scent profile. Clones are never really the same
If you enjoy Gentle Fluidity Silver you should try (2018) Paco Rabanne XS. Same scent
Really? I haven't smelled XS for a long time, so can't remember.
@@hey.alexedwards I had a bottle of the release XS from 2018 and ended tump selling it. Then I got a bottle of Mfk gentle fluidity silver and sold it in like a week because it smelled similar, to close to XS
@@hey.alexedwards No need to smell XS (2018) it literally smells like Gentle Fluidity silver and, I guess, vice versa
good video. I'm still trying to figure out what notes I like and dislike.
That's all part of it! Once you've figured that out, it becomes a lot easier to find fragrances you love.
The chanel allure homme sport is so relatable, got a sample of the original and thought it was amazing, but everyone online said the eau extreme was better so i got it and ended up selling it cus i just didnt enjoy it as much as the og.
The OG is a better scent for sure
Damn this is helpful , thanks!
I'm glad you found it helpful!
@@hey.alexedwards This is the exact video I needed to hear from someone, I'll start college this year and I engendered this fragrance collecting-habit last year. I bought 4 5 bottles and nothing seems to finish! Also I don't enjoy every fragrance that much. I always thought why would I get 10ml for 10 bucks instead of 100ml for 40/50$ bucks. Now it makes sense that I should get more small samples instead of full bottles. Thanks!
@@fudgefromazkaban2029 you're welcome!
Your voice sounds great! 👍
Thank you!
Blind Buying Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme, just because I liked the edt was a fatal mistake of mine: I ended up having to give my bottle away because I couldn't stand that sickening tonka bomb.
I agree
What do you think of your xerjoff tony iommi monkey special bro ?
I love it personally, but once I run out, I probably won't rebuy it
I need strong fragrances because I live in a hot climate which chews through the scent. Some of us NEED it. If you don’t like strong fragrances, just spray less.
I also live in a hot climate - in South Australia, we routinely exceed 40 degrees celsius (104 fahrenheit). Sometimes it's not the strength of the fragrance, but the concentration overall. No matter how much you spray, certain fragrances are just too intense for the heat.
you missed the point sir.
i would love it if every bottle came in a 30ml, i dont need 100ml of anything
Completely agree! 30ml is ideal. Easy to bring with you day-to-day as well.