This is not what everyone will want to hear. Resisting instant gratification in the fragrance consumer/influencer space is quite a feat. But if you can do it, I think it will only yield fulfillment and stave off headache. I get this question in my DMs constantly: "I tried this fragrance and loved it, but it's too expensive. Are there any cheaper alternatives?" Is this harmless? Definitely. But you know what is also harmless? Saving your pennies until you can afford that thing you already know you love. I didn't mention this in the video, but clones often don't convey the same magic as the original. So you're likely selling yourself short by giving into impatience and buying early. If you feel averse to any of my points, I totally understand. Nonetheless, I hope we can have a mature and logical discussion about it without letting emotion get involved.
I recently sold 90% of my collection and kept a handful that I truly enjoy. Some of these are expensive, some are cheap. What they have in common is that all of them are special to me.
Great to see somebody giving validation to people like us who wants to build a collection slowly and smartly. For people who are in fragrance groups on Facebook, unfollow them. Don’t leave, just unfollow. Just go to the group when you are actually in search of something. I recently joined multiple groups and my feed was bombarded by posts that kinda feeds that “I need more” mentality. So I unfollowed them cos it was exhausting too. People there were talking about having no set budget for fragrances, just buy buy buy. I dont need that.
I agree with your takes. It’s easy to feel like you need to buy them all when your favorite influencer sits in front of hundreds and hundreds of bottles, making your collection feel like it’s inferior.
Those decants cost often more than those "cheap" fragrances. You just have to know what you are buying. If you try those "cheap" fragrances and you like them then I don't see any problem owing many "cheap" fragrances and the reason I use quotation marks is because nowadays a lot of those "cheap" fragrances smalle as good as your common designer fragrance, but costs 1/5th of the price.
@@spleenful I have seen decants of 2ml going for 15 bucks and I am not even speaking about Roja Dove decants lol. For 30 bucks you can literally buy a full bottle Lattafa fragrance from their Pride collection which are exceptional quality between designer and niche. Gone are the days when clones or inspired by fragrances were cheaply made with harsh alcohol smells and cheap ingredients, nowadays clones and "cheap" fragrances might smell better than most designers.
Totally agree with this video. Instant gratification has taken me over 100 bottles and need to de clutter @40 of them cause I’ll never wear them. And about 15 of them still sealed🤦🏻♂️ Trying to figure best way to get rid of them besides just throwing them out.
Yup! Started collecting about a year ago and was buying cheap fragrances and designer flankers.Flanker’s eventually wear themselves out because they really don’t seem to move the needle much with a new flanker. The a few months ago I bought a sample of Amouage Interlude black iris. I smelled it and was thinking there’s no designer that smells anything like that. Now I save my cash and do my research as to what I think i might be blown away by. Samples are the best way to find out if it’s right for you. Less than a year In and I am looking primarily at niche. I just ordered a 30ml bottle of Triumph of Bacchus from Argos. The quality and uniqueness of niche what I like. Keep up the great work Justin!
YOU ARE CORRECT!!!! I’m terrible with curbing my issues with instant gratification. I have these spurts where I will hit every TJ Maxx in the area, or outside my area for three weeks, straight looking for something that I don’t have in my collection, I must do better!
I've done the same for a while. Walk into TJs, Ross, Marshalls, etc..buying something because it's a "name brand" at a cheaper price and thinking that I'm getting a "good deal" only to be disappointed a week later.
Actually I'm in the phase of slowing down. Not easy of course but I limit myself to buy decant only right now if I have the itch to try. But then again I only buy decants that intrigued me for a long enough period. Mad respect to you for being honest and always encourage us to be a smart buyer and not easily fall into hype.
I really like my clones too. I mostly collect designer frags because that’s just what I prefer oil wise but I have a ton of clones too and they get a lot of wear! I also have a few niche but I always feel bad using them just watching all my money literally evaporating….. IMO an ideal collection should consist of mostly designer and clones and a few niche scents of your fav note profiles. Unless your a multi millionaire like Justin apparently…..😂
Thank you Justin for the timely reminder about this sensitive subject. You are probably the only reviewer that tackles more serious topics such as getting into debt as a result of fragrance addiction. I will admit to being caught in a pattern, looking for that sudden hit or thrill of something new, and that feeling of excitement on the day a delivery was due. It all happened rather quickly for me and I can connect it directly to the pandemic when I was stuck indoors all day, desperately in need for an outlet. That outlet became fragrance collecting. And to compound matters, being unable to go into a store to smell and purchase, I found it far too easy to click a few buttons online knowing that my parcel would soon be delivered to my doorstep. Delivery days soon became exciting and I couldn't wait to receive and open yet another fragrance. I have begun to challenge my purchases, and to question if they are necessary or if they will add something different to my collection. Cutting back and being more selective is an ongoing battle but I do know that I'm getting better at it, albeit slowly.
I got into this hobby late 2021 and I started to fall into the trap of buying up all the hyped up cheap fragrances I could get my hands on. But I’ve since slowed down and more interested in finding what really appeals to me and is an expression of me. I want to enjoy this hobby and discover what fragrances really connect with me. Thanks to your video on why you sold most of your collection was a big eye opener to where this hobby can lead if left unchecked. Just buying up all the designer frags that each have their own version of basically the same basic way to smell good takes all the fun out of it. It should be about what really captivated you and keeps your interest.
Justin, thank you for making this a topic! I know you have said it before, but the 'instant gratification' leads to settling and disappointment. I took a break from fragrances because I fell into this trap and became very disillusioned. The best fragrances I own (and proud to own) happen to be the most expensive, and they are worth every penny. Wait...patience is the best tool for shopping for fragrances.
So very true. I spend too much money blind buying. I've got amazing frags, but a ton of cheap crap too. It really is a thrill I need to control. Thank you for making me think of this. Again.....lol.
This is one of the reasons I subbed to your channel, open discussions like this. And you’re right about TH-camrs recycling the same old videos (We all know who they are)… videos like these is a nice change of pace
I agree and disagree... I have a mixed collection of designer, high designer, flankers, niché and clones... and I'll admit I have impulse bought fragrances, usually when something is unavailable through discounters for a length of time.. but it's simply undeniable that there are good quality clone alternatives out there... I will say it can be a balancing act with level of quality and price.. but when you consider things like discontinuation, price increasings and reformulations.. I personally don't hold much brand loyalties these days
Great video Justin This hobby like many hobbies can get out of control if you do not have a structure in place to acquire fragrances. I am an advocate of everyone creating this "I" collection which represents only the fragrances that are special to you and deserve to be showcased in your personal collection. Less sometimes is more. Quality vs quantity.
You hit the nail on the head Justin! Avoid clones; avoid designer flankers (and more flankers); sample and give full wearings; save your money and buy only those full-bottle fragrances that are truly magical; continually evaluate and curate your collection as your nose develops; and finally … eliminate less than exceptional scents.
Even if money was not an issue I would find it extremely unlikely I could bring myself to spend £300+ on a bottle of any fragrance. Even ATH says if these companies keep increase the prices along with reformulating their own frags, yet they spit the dummy out when companies like Lattafa, Armaf to name but 2 can come along and give us good alternatives. I know where my cash is going.....
@@ZZ-vl5nd They are quite expensive that’s for sure. Of course, they are also a luxury item and certainly not needed to live a meaningful life. Regarding dupes and clones, it’s a matter of ethics for me (and I’m not suggesting my values should be adopted by anyone). If Aventus or Baccarat Rouge 540 were never imagined and created by their respective perfume artists, and if they weren’t tremendously successful and popular, no dupes/clones of those fragrances would exist. The dupe/clone perfumer (or mass spectrometer) is not an artist nor a creator, but instead … a plagiarist. I have no idea why the perfume industry allows this behavior to continue. So for me (and only for me) I am happy to pay for the original scent (which is almost always better in a side-by-side comparison) and pay for the artistry it took to create it.
@@sheldon3996 I don't know if we can get ethics into it, because IMHO, giving less rihlch people access to food, clothes, fragrances, etc. Comes before mega corporations bottom line. I bought myself expensive ones like creed, Amouage, Tom Ford, etc. But I find them providing less value than clones, especially that I love offering decants for colleagues and friends.
Totally agree. I got a little heavy on the cheapies at the start but now I hunkered down and realized the more expensive quality fragrances are worth saving up for. I will say though that the clones I got of the original expensive fragrances did help me decide which expensive fragrances I really wanted. I still think a lot of cheapies are worth keeping in my collection though. Some are damn good.
I have a small collection of medium price niche fragances, 100-250 USD mostly and a couple cheap designer for daily use, my problem is that I almost never want to use the expensive ones because I don’t want to run out of them ha…
So true Justin, you don't need that dopamine shot on the buy (maybe a little) but your brain must give you the dopamine shot everytime you smell the scent on yourself ... I love most of my fragrances a lot!! And yeah, i have some 😬 (around 55). Maybe there are around 5 i can't appreciate that much anymore, like dior addict (new edition) dior hypnotic poison Narciso Rodriguez poudree... once i loved them 😮 Great video Thanx 👍🏻
In this age of clones, this topic is most definitely justified. If that's all you want, more power to you. Nothing wrong with it. Some clone houses actually are doing decent things (Khamrah, for example). But in my humble opinion, getting a bleh looking bottle of Detour Noir versus having that fresh pretty Layton bottle coming in that you saved for is worth so much more. You'll display it proudly, with reason. Doesn't matter if it's a bottle of PdM or Boadicea, either. But the satisfaction of a clone versus the real deal is just not the same, regardless of price point.
Thank you so much for this advice. I've not long been collecting and was certainly a sucker for the instant gratification. I recently gave a whole load of my small collection away, mainly the clones i had purchased and will now only use decants and samples to find fragrances I know I'll keep. I know this actually will be more gratifying as well. You as a fragrance mentor are simply the best and the most informative, so a big thank you.
So accurate. I made this mistake in the beginning and so I pumped those brakes and gave away all my cheapies and clones and only kept what was sentimental and what was way to good to throw out like my club de nuits. I can make sense of what I'm doing now and almost every fragrance gets a good wear 😅
I really enjoy these videos that balance out your content. I've purchased 5 bottles already this year when I thought that I'd only buy 2 for the whole year... Someone mentioned having only 4 per season, so I'm going to give that a try and being extra selective instead of blind buying for the thrill.
Once again spot on JC!!! I went through exactly what you said on this video and I am now being little more cautious of what I purchase and not to act so impulsively. Fantastic video, JC and you are definitely setting yourself apart from other fragrance reviewers by tackling such topic that's much needed to put things in perspective.
Hi Justin. Great topic. I would say decants solved my spending problem, quenched my thirst to smell new and expensive fragrances without risking blind buying and for that saved me thousands of dollars. What I started to do after initially blind buying and getting disappointed, and not knowing that there’s something called a decant, is I watched reviews, slowly built a wish list of fragrances that sounded like I would like. Then started comparing prices over multiple decanting sites, waited for discounts or offers, then bought a few and so on. After sampling and giving full wearings I then made a list of what I actually want to spend money on a full bottle, then wait for a holiday discount and grab them for almost half price.
Thank you for this! I appreciate the look at the process. It's nice to see how this plays out and how to do it with a little bit more awareness and mindfulness :-)
@Ram Mul I was just curious if you have sites that you prefer to get decants from? (I have found decants to be pretty well priced so far, but would love to know others you like too!) And also, do you have certain times of year that you know of that you can regularly get discounts outside of Black Friday for example?
I totally agree with what you are saying , you don’t have to pay so much to get niche or quality fragrance , there are lots of other ways to get perfumes from “grey markets” like eBay , depop, Etsy, Facebook marketplace. You just have to make sure you are getting perfumes from genuine and trusted sellers, I have had a lot of success buying from eBay especially(here in the U.K.)
^ This. Many expensive niche fragrances can be found for designer prices (or even cheaper) if you look in the right places and keep your eyes peeled. I’ve seen some absolutely astonishing deals over the years. 👀
Agree. No need to splash 350+ dollars for a brand new bottle. I have a decent collection of round about 25 fragrances, so I always look for a preowned bottle with like 60/100 ml for half the price or less. No need to have 25+ full bottles. That's a great way to save money.
Totally agree man, I currently only own niche full bottles, I have small collection, around 20 but those are the ones I really like, I am planning to add a few more later on, I always buy decants to try and use the fragrance a few days to see how it performs and everything,, the problem I have is that I love to try a lot of fragrances and I usually like to buy 5ml decants to have a good amount of liquid to test , long story short I have bought around 400 decants (all niche) this between the last 2 years, which is a quite good amount of money , the good thing is I have tried so many different smells , the bad thing is I have many of those decants stored and dont even use them, not because I don't like them, but because they are a lot and I don´t have the enough time to use them all , so talking about money I have spent a lot just for decants (I feel a little bad about it) , but at least they are not 400 bottles, I mean I wish they were but my finances arent that good for that privilege, lol , I have also seen my bank account in 0 many times due to this addiction, thanks for the great content man 👍
I even find myself in this situation as somebody in niche. My experience with scents above €500 suggest that those offer me a far more compelling experience than some of the scents in the €200-300 price range. I haven't intentionally stopped buying or anything, but now I look for better pricing so as to not excessively add when there's no need to.
Justin is the only person who talks about this! I just got a sample of Caron, I dislike it(it's gross). Better $5 than a whole bottle to throw away, because I would be embarrassed to give it away. Top Shelf creator-
The video I needed. I recently switched from buying countless cheapies that I will never wear to saving up for expensive originals. I thought the bigger my collection the better, but now I'm going for quality over quantity, the niche bottles look way better in my collection
☆Lol, Hi J.C. thoughtfully put, and the opposite problem buying too many expensive frags because of being a scent-fiend (the I gotta have it syndrome!). I have learned tons from your channel, and balance is key. Much luv!, and respect for you and the Frag-fam!☆
I'm from Eastern Europe. Monthly paycheck is about 600/700$. It's hard but it's my passion. Was thinking quantity is everything, enjoying the view of all that bottles! Wrong! Sold everything,started from scratch. Now with just 9 fragrances (last two were Megamare and Ganymede coz I really like them) I have more enjoyment than with 47 thrashy that I had. Wish my tempo is faster but my wallet is saying No :)
Oh nowww you tell me. A month ago, I bought cheap clones, and I regret it. Thank you for teaching us this Art of War: Juice Proverb. I will save up to buy the real thing. Stay strong my fellow Juice Heads, stay strong. Thanks JC and keep it coming!
I can totally agree on what you are saying. I am more and more thinking whether I will wear a fragrance before buying it. The point about the decants I also see and constantly more understand now, but there is still bit of way left for me to go.
I see you have a picture of Lataffa Asad. It's the only cheapie I have but it replaces Savauge Elixir for $100+ dollars less than elixir. Using it sparingly with Sauvage EDP makes the EDP much better .... far cheaper than buying elixir. That's as far as my cheapie replacement goes.
Another great video! I really appreciate you being honest about our passion. Also I appreciated you getting 40 knots yesterday. Just like me you were badly surprised about it not being that aquatic at all. The scent is marketed differently to how it smells, still: it smells amazing to me and its one of my favorites. Best regards
Funny how nobody talks about this part of the hobby. Recently I bought 23 samples of some fragrances I would've otherwise blind bought. Shouldn't surprise anyone if I tell you I can live without a full bottle of any of those samples. A fragrance that you truly love is something you rarely find. And if you are not a fragrance reviewer or if you don't decant fragrances, maybe you don't need 100 fragrances in your collection. P.S. : I'm repeating these words so they get to my mind too. I love blind buying and I love owning bottles 😄😆
I hear you.. I blind bought reflection man , lyric man , Layton and Carlisle … out of these .. I can live without Carlisle and lyric man. Should have ordered decants. 😫I hardly use these two
I think I started wanting Layton last year (2022) in like January/Febuary, since then I want it so bad and also since then I think I bought like 10 to 12 sample bottles of different fragrances. Now, over a year later, I have saved up enough money to get Layton and I hope I’m gonna get it to the end of April. The following months I’m planning to get Sedley for summer, maybe Arabians Tonka for autumn and Herod for winter time.
I wait for deals, buy two or 3, and then flip them on ebay. If i cant find a sample ill buy new, if i dont like it ill sell discounted on ebay, so its like a i got a 5$ sample, and someone who cant afford new in plastic gets a brand new bottle. Win win in my mind.
That's why I love this channel. Justin is always transparent and speaks so eloquently. I went down the rabbit hole and ended up having over 200 bottles 😩 I sold and gave some to friends. Now I have only 50 of my favorites
Very valid points…what I typically do for more expensive scents is buy decants if if I can find em and then get the clone to see how it compares…if I can’t find a decant or a clones that gives me what I love of the original scent then I save up to get the OG
Great points. Personally speaking I’m over purchasing bottles period. It’s just not that serious at all to me anymore. I was purchasing for content after a while which also has become pointless to me. Especially when it seems that the payoff on the backend isn’t reciprocated by the views.
One Reason I Love Your Channel, You Come Up With Some Thought Provoking Content!!!... For The Last Month I've Been Slowing Down On Getting The Hot New Thing And Just Purchase Fragrances That Blows Me Away Or That Are Very Intriguing To Me... Great Video!!!
The truth Clones,Niche, Designer,Indie...none of it matters. The only thing that matters is if YOU like the smell because its a clone doesnt mean its bad I have clones I prefer than Niche and just because its Niche means its good there are some Creeds Id never buy. I have Tom Ford I have Armaf I have Mancera I have Lattaffa. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THE JUICE.
my issue has not been a lack of money of late, but more like the opposite. i consider myself to be in a very fortunate financial situation in my life and career right now where if i wanted to, i could buy myself 10x 200 dollar fragrances every single month and still have a good chunk of money left to do other things. but the thing is, i have had this tendency to yearn for a new fragrance only for me to throw it into my existing collection once i receive it in the mail and test it out a few times. the desire for instant gratification is always there, whether it's a 20 dollar fragrance or a 200 dollar fragrance. i have had to force myself to significantly slow down on my acquisition of fragrances in recent times. maybe now it's 2-3 frags per year MAX as opposed to 5-10 per year just a few years ago. i currently have about 45 bottles in my collection, so that really is more than enough to enjoy for a long time.
I love Overture Man and could have afforded to get it as soon as it dropped. However, I waited. It hit the grey market not long ago, and the price came down significantly. Just saved over $150 on it.
I haven’t got nose on Overture Man yet. It sounds fantastic. I just got Journey Man and I think it’s great . I’m a huge fan of Amouage. Fantastic house with great quality.
@Christopher Kenyon it's really good but was and still is $360 in most places. Fragrancemet has it for a little over $200 with discount code. Sample it first because it's not for everyone. However, I love it. Also Journey Man is one of my favorites from the house too.
@@kelvingoliday9245 I haven’t paid full retail for any of my fragrances. I can’t justify almost $400 for a bottle. I paid just under $200 for my Amouage.
Justin what you articulated in this video has been what I’ve been telling myself for the past two years now. SLOW DOWN!!! It’s a journey!!! Quite frankly you’re the only content creator who seems to truly care about the longevity of this hobby when it comes to other collectors whether they’ve just started or been in this a while. Nobody else out there is telling us to “Slow down”. The way you touched on the clone market as well was wonderful !!! You’re my favorite bro !!
Very true. 💯. I’ve bought some crap “cheap” cologne. Just for the sake of “smelling good”. Around $30 lowest. I buy designer stuff more than niche brands. My personal feelings are I can buy more cheaper designer brand stuff than one bottle of high end niche.
As always, Justin, you present a valuable point for reasonable discussion. Personally, I don’t smell the great “quality” difference between most of the niche, designer and clone frags I own - my Rojas smell different from my Guccis and different from my DUAs and MEs but not inherently better or worse. I find myself suffering much more buyer’s remorse after spending hundreds of dollars on any fragrance. 🤔
I'm so glad you made a video about this. I find myself feeling the rush to keep buying things. Or, even just to blind by something. Which is obviously not great. I really like to get samples as well. I just ordered a bunch off of Etsy. I'm super excited to get them. Had to wait a little to make the order, and I think the anticipation can be good too, because once you get whatever it is you waited to get, it feels worth it.
I most definitely agree with you bro. I too fail into that trap of redundancy with buying cheaper fragrances. Not to say I never find any good cheap ones they're just far an few in between. I did downsize my collection tremendously since I moved from TX to FL an while it's a few I truly miss wearing I don't need them. The older I get the more patient I have become when it comes to making any kind of purchase an plus I have so many other interests in life an I know continuing to buy fragrances would only hinder my other interests and hobbies. Great video as always my boi keep em comin!!
Love this video these are absolute facts. A cheapie is okay to start but try exploring the really good stuff, ever since I got my first Xerjoff (40 knots) my whole mentally on fragrance changed I started to sample more because now I want to experience that incredible uniqueness and quality that is just so special. And while a good lattafa can be nice to wear casually it will never compare to a genuine top quality unique niche
Trust me the amount of decants in my home don't nearly annoy me as much as all the money I would've spent on Xerjoff and other expensive niche perfumes that would've bitterly disappointed me. Try before you buy, always.
Great content. To me, what I got out of this is quality over quantity and be mindful of your bank account when it comes to fragrance buying because you wanna buy everything that sounds interesting and your account says you can't do that but you find a way and now your account is in the negative. Not good having a negative in that account
Totally agree with you😀 I always choose quality,even it can be really expensive,but save some money for month-two and buy I do that with fragrances,boots and leather jackets Rather buy expensive and quality that will last for years than cheap one
Great video Justin I really appreciate your words and perspective I used to feel this way all the time when I didn't have as much money but exactly what you're saying is so true
Word! I like some of Chaos fragrances content, but I think he is promoting soooo much crap, too many clones and redundant fragrances. There is no value in his videos if every single flanker, every cheapie and clone in his opinion is great stuff, just to promote his discount links and recycle another top 10 list. I would love to here some perspective and critical thinking from TH-camrs.
This is the exact same advice I would give to a new collector. I've been collecting for about 10 years now. When I started, I broke the bank buying. About 5 years ago, I was forced to declutter, and realized that there were very few fragrances in my collection that I actually loved. To be honest, the majority were kind of pedestrian. Nice fragrances, sure...but nothing extraordinary. So I basically started over. I got a journal and started investing a small amount of money on high end niche fragrance samples. I sat with those samples for a long time. If a fragrance REALLY spoke to my heart, over a prolonged period of time sampling, then buying that one fragrance was my goal. And that actually became much easier (and far less expensive) because I began to realize that most fragrances really don't speak to my heart. I may find them pretty, or I may find them artistic and interesting, but that doesn't mean I have to own them. AND, there is so much more to loving perfumery than just collecting. Stop and learn about the art, have fun sampling , immerse yourself in training your nose, etc. etc. This hobby is about so much more than quantity.
Truth. Thanks for these kinds of videos. By the way, is there any chance of getting a replacement bottle cap for YSL l'Homme fragrances? They are really fragile. 🤣
the point of the video is not related of not buying cheap fragrances.... it is to think about before pulling the trigger... it does not matter if cheap or expensive... I was about to buy ameer al oud.. or armaf craze... then I thought..both are like sweet vanilla blablabla.. i just got mercedes club black.. i have coach platinum... do I need those? so I am waiting.. :)
New subscriber here! Great topic. I talk about stuff like this on my channel too, but buying lots of cheap stuff I had not thought about yet. But agree for sure! Slowing down is a good idea. I have a method that works for me. I tell myself ”I can have it, but not today” and then I tell myself that over and over and many times the desire disappears and get replaced by new desires and then I tell myself the same thing all over again. You can have it, just not today.
@@stayfreshproductions I just got recommended your channel by a perfume friend. She really appreciates you bringing up the psychological sides of this hobby/passion.
Solid advice again, Justin! That cheapie won't be cheap if you only spray it a couple of times and then forget about it. It's more important to focus on the fragrances that really impress and get used regularly. I try to be pragmatic, my collection is already big enough to last maybe a decade or two... there is no reason to buy anything new unless I use the old ones up and by that time there will be something new on the market again - some of those new ones will be better than what we have now. So there is another reason to take it slow. This hobby can get out of hand easily, but that's why this channel is so great! I'm glad someone takes this issue seriously and keeps talking about it. Some of your earlier videos made me re-evaluate my choices and I've been taking things much more slower now. And to be honest, buying that new fragrance feels good at first, but I've had some disappointments too. Those moments make me wish that I waited a little longer.
Very interesting and good view on the whole topic and how to really build up a fragrance collection to enjoy. very often I don't wear those bought cheapies and they catch dust
Good video. I totally agree. I haven't bought any new fragrances in months. I am split now between 4 fresh (Eau Givree, 1861 Renaissance and Gentle Fluidity Silver) and a few darker ones (Beach hut Man, Bracken Man, Royal Tobacco, Declaration EDP, Bois Marocain, Ebene Fume, Costa Azura, African Leather and Halfeti Leather) . I noticed you have Euphoria Gold from CK on your shelf, LOL. What do you think of it? I got it as a present and I like it a lot.
@@stayfreshproductions I smelled intense a while ago, I don't remember which one I prefer, but yes amazing cheapies. Encre Noir a l'extreme is another amazing cheapy that I like even more than the original.
First video that i headed into thinking: oh boy, it will be some stupid advices that every youtuber says; but after 40 second that completely changed, beacuse i absolutely agree that buying only cheap fragrances isn' t the way to go in this hobby!
This is not what everyone will want to hear.
Resisting instant gratification in the fragrance consumer/influencer space is quite a feat. But if you can do it, I think it will only yield fulfillment and stave off headache.
I get this question in my DMs constantly: "I tried this fragrance and loved it, but it's too expensive. Are there any cheaper alternatives?"
Is this harmless? Definitely. But you know what is also harmless? Saving your pennies until you can afford that thing you already know you love.
I didn't mention this in the video, but clones often don't convey the same magic as the original. So you're likely selling yourself short by giving into impatience and buying early.
If you feel averse to any of my points, I totally understand. Nonetheless, I hope we can have a mature and logical discussion about it without letting emotion get involved.
The most important thing in this hobby is to wear what you like whether it s a clone or a $500 fragrance.
Agreed.
My point is this: there is no hurry. Many folks only buy cheap because they don’t want to wait.
I recently sold 90% of my collection and kept a handful that I truly enjoy. Some of these are expensive, some are cheap. What they have in common is that all of them are special to me.
I did the same!!
The only way to do it!
Same here! To be honnest... I enjoy my perfumes more now, than I was in the rabbit hole.
How did you sell them? EBay?Facebook? Just curious
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I’m happy I found this channel when I did. I started into fragrances last year and the influence is real. Best fragrance
channel 🥇
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Great to see somebody giving validation to people like us who wants to build a collection slowly and smartly. For people who are in fragrance groups on Facebook, unfollow them. Don’t leave, just unfollow. Just go to the group when you are actually in search of something. I recently joined multiple groups and my feed was bombarded by posts that kinda feeds that “I need more” mentality. So I unfollowed them cos it was exhausting too. People there were talking about having no set budget for fragrances, just buy buy buy. I dont need that.
One of the best fragrance reviewer’s hands down! You always speak the truth with total transparency!
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I agree with your takes. It’s easy to feel like you need to buy them all when your favorite influencer sits in front of hundreds and hundreds of bottles, making your collection feel like it’s inferior.
Justin is the giga Chad of perfume influencers
Those decants cost often more than those "cheap" fragrances. You just have to know what you are buying. If you try those "cheap" fragrances and you like them then I don't see any problem owing many "cheap" fragrances and the reason I use quotation marks is because nowadays a lot of those "cheap" fragrances smalle as good as your common designer fragrance, but costs 1/5th of the price.
Never more. Usually 2x per ml. 2-5ml is much cheper than a bottle.
@@spleenful I have seen decants of 2ml going for 15 bucks and I am not even speaking about Roja Dove decants lol. For 30 bucks you can literally buy a full bottle Lattafa fragrance from their Pride collection which are exceptional quality between designer and niche. Gone are the days when clones or inspired by fragrances were cheaply made with harsh alcohol smells and cheap ingredients, nowadays clones and "cheap" fragrances might smell better than most designers.
Totally agree with this video. Instant gratification has taken me over 100 bottles and need to de clutter @40 of them cause I’ll never wear them. And about 15 of them still sealed🤦🏻♂️ Trying to figure best way to get rid of them besides just throwing them out.
Yup! Started collecting about a year ago and was buying cheap fragrances and designer flankers.Flanker’s eventually wear themselves out because they really don’t seem to move the needle much with a new flanker. The a few months ago I bought a sample of Amouage Interlude black iris. I smelled it and was thinking there’s no designer that smells anything like that. Now I save my cash and do my research as to what I think i might be blown away by. Samples are the best way to find out if it’s right for you. Less than a year In and I am looking primarily at niche. I just ordered a 30ml bottle of Triumph of Bacchus from Argos. The quality and uniqueness of niche what I like. Keep up the great work Justin!
YOU ARE CORRECT!!!! I’m terrible with curbing my issues with instant gratification. I have these spurts where I will hit every TJ Maxx in the area, or outside my area for three weeks, straight looking for something that I don’t have in my collection, I must do better!
What's wrong with that .
It's treasure hunting and is fun.
It is a hobby and there isn't anything wrong with it
I've done the same for a while. Walk into TJs, Ross, Marshalls, etc..buying something because it's a "name brand" at a cheaper price and thinking that I'm getting a "good deal" only to be disappointed a week later.
"Quality and interest are worth waiting for"...barssss
Actually I'm in the phase of slowing down. Not easy of course but I limit myself to buy decant only right now if I have the itch to try. But then again I only buy decants that intrigued me for a long enough period. Mad respect to you for being honest and always encourage us to be a smart buyer and not easily fall into hype.
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I am slowing down, I have so many. Going to enjoy them.
My collection is 95% ME clones! I've sampled most of the originals and I get more satisfaction from the clones
I really like my clones too. I mostly collect designer frags because that’s just what I prefer oil wise but I have a ton of clones too and they get a lot of wear! I also have a few niche but I always feel bad using them just watching all my money literally evaporating…..
IMO an ideal collection should consist of mostly designer and clones and a few niche scents of your fav note profiles. Unless your a multi millionaire like Justin apparently…..😂
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Thank you Justin for the timely reminder about this sensitive subject. You are probably the only reviewer that tackles more serious topics such as getting into debt as a result of fragrance addiction. I will admit to being caught in a pattern, looking for that sudden hit or thrill of something new, and that feeling of excitement on the day a delivery was due. It all happened rather quickly for me and I can connect it directly to the pandemic when I was stuck indoors all day, desperately in need for an outlet. That outlet became fragrance collecting. And to compound matters, being unable to go into a store to smell and purchase, I found it far too easy to click a few buttons online knowing that my parcel would soon be delivered to my doorstep. Delivery days soon became exciting and I couldn't wait to receive and open yet another fragrance.
I have begun to challenge my purchases, and to question if they are necessary or if they will add something different to my collection. Cutting back and being more selective is an ongoing battle but I do know that I'm getting better at it, albeit slowly.
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I got into this hobby late 2021 and I started to fall into the trap of buying up all the hyped up cheap fragrances I could get my hands on. But I’ve since slowed down and more interested in finding what really appeals to me and is an expression of me. I want to enjoy this hobby and discover what fragrances really connect with me. Thanks to your video on why you sold most of your collection was a big eye opener to where this hobby can lead if left unchecked. Just buying up all the designer frags that each have their own version of basically the same basic way to smell good takes all the fun out of it. It should be about what really captivated you and keeps your interest.
Justin, thank you for making this a topic! I know you have said it before, but the 'instant gratification' leads to settling and disappointment. I took a break from fragrances because I fell into this trap and became very disillusioned. The best fragrances I own (and proud to own) happen to be the most expensive, and they are worth every penny. Wait...patience is the best tool for shopping for fragrances.
So very true. I spend too much money blind buying. I've got amazing frags, but a ton of cheap crap too. It really is a thrill I need to control. Thank you for making me think of this. Again.....lol.
This is one of the reasons I subbed to your channel, open discussions like this. And you’re right about TH-camrs recycling the same old videos (We all know who they are)… videos like these is a nice change of pace
Thank you 🙏🏾
I agree and disagree... I have a mixed collection of designer, high designer, flankers, niché and clones... and I'll admit I have impulse bought fragrances, usually when something is unavailable through discounters for a length of time.. but it's simply undeniable that there are good quality clone alternatives out there... I will say it can be a balancing act with level of quality and price.. but when you consider things like discontinuation, price increasings and reformulations.. I personally don't hold much brand loyalties these days
always hitting us with the refreshing content. Great advice, Justin.
I appreciate that Bryce 🙏🏾
Great video Justin
This hobby like many hobbies can get out of control if you do not have a structure in place to acquire fragrances.
I am an advocate of everyone creating this "I" collection which represents only the fragrances that are special to you and deserve to be showcased in your personal collection. Less sometimes is more. Quality vs quantity.
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You hit the nail on the head Justin! Avoid clones; avoid designer flankers (and more flankers); sample and give full wearings; save your money and buy only those full-bottle fragrances that are truly magical; continually evaluate and curate your collection as your nose develops; and finally … eliminate less than exceptional scents.
I would agree with you if the originals weren't too expensive. Perfumes are just too overpriced.
Even if money was not an issue I would find it extremely unlikely I could bring myself to spend £300+ on a bottle of any fragrance. Even ATH says if these companies keep increase the prices along with reformulating their own frags, yet they spit the dummy out when companies like Lattafa, Armaf to name but 2 can come along and give us good alternatives. I know where my cash is going.....
@@ZZ-vl5nd They are quite expensive that’s for sure. Of course, they are also a luxury item and certainly not needed to live a meaningful life.
Regarding dupes and clones, it’s a matter of ethics for me (and I’m not suggesting my values should be adopted by anyone). If Aventus or Baccarat Rouge 540 were never imagined and created by their respective perfume artists, and if they weren’t tremendously successful and popular, no dupes/clones of those fragrances would exist. The dupe/clone perfumer (or mass spectrometer) is not an artist nor a creator, but instead … a plagiarist. I have no idea why the perfume industry allows this behavior to continue. So for me (and only for me) I am happy to pay for the original scent (which is almost always better in a side-by-side comparison) and pay for the artistry it took to create it.
There are amazing clones, you just have to know which and where to get them for dirt cheap.
@@sheldon3996 I don't know if we can get ethics into it, because IMHO, giving less rihlch people access to food, clothes, fragrances, etc. Comes before mega corporations bottom line.
I bought myself expensive ones like creed, Amouage, Tom Ford, etc. But I find them providing less value than clones, especially that I love offering decants for colleagues and friends.
Totally agree. I got a little heavy on the cheapies at the start but now I hunkered down and realized the more expensive quality fragrances are worth saving up for. I will say though that the clones I got of the original expensive fragrances did help me decide which expensive fragrances I really wanted. I still think a lot of cheapies are worth keeping in my collection though. Some are damn good.
I have a small collection of medium price niche fragances, 100-250 USD mostly and a couple cheap designer for daily use, my problem is that I almost never want to use the expensive ones because I don’t want to run out of them ha…
This is deep.. Life lesson teaching moment
A man with principles , One of the few honest fragrance reviewers , I love it. Thank you sir.
I appreciate that
So true Justin, you don't need that dopamine shot on the buy (maybe a little) but your brain must give you the dopamine shot everytime you smell the scent on yourself ...
I love most of my fragrances a lot!!
And yeah, i have some 😬 (around 55).
Maybe there are around 5 i can't appreciate that much anymore, like dior addict (new edition) dior hypnotic poison
Narciso Rodriguez poudree... once i loved them 😮
Great video Thanx 👍🏻
In this age of clones, this topic is most definitely justified. If that's all you want, more power to you. Nothing wrong with it. Some clone houses actually are doing decent things (Khamrah, for example). But in my humble opinion, getting a bleh looking bottle of Detour Noir versus having that fresh pretty Layton bottle coming in that you saved for is worth so much more. You'll display it proudly, with reason. Doesn't matter if it's a bottle of PdM or Boadicea, either. But the satisfaction of a clone versus the real deal is just not the same, regardless of price point.
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Very helpful insight, and timing too! Just thinking about tidying up the collection and putting some bottles up for sale
Thank you so much for this advice. I've not long been collecting and was certainly a sucker for the instant gratification. I recently gave a whole load of my small collection away, mainly the clones i had purchased and will now only use decants and samples to find fragrances I know I'll keep. I know this actually will be more gratifying as well.
You as a fragrance mentor are simply the best and the most informative, so a big thank you.
So accurate. I made this mistake in the beginning and so I pumped those brakes and gave away all my cheapies and clones and only kept what was sentimental and what was way to good to throw out like my club de nuits. I can make sense of what I'm doing now and almost every fragrance gets a good wear 😅
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I really enjoy these videos that balance out your content. I've purchased 5 bottles already this year when I thought that I'd only buy 2 for the whole year... Someone mentioned having only 4 per season, so I'm going to give that a try and being extra selective instead of blind buying for the thrill.
Once again spot on JC!!! I went through exactly what you said on this video and I am now being little more cautious of what I purchase and not to act so impulsively. Fantastic video, JC and you are definitely setting yourself apart from other fragrance reviewers by tackling such topic that's much needed to put things in perspective.
Thank you
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As a psychologist I totally agree with you!
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I really appreciate this video I use to run out and grab all these cheap fragrances now I buy only what I can afford
Hi Justin. Great topic. I would say decants solved my spending problem, quenched my thirst to smell new and expensive fragrances without risking blind buying and for that saved me thousands of dollars. What I started to do after initially blind buying and getting disappointed, and not knowing that there’s something called a decant, is I watched reviews, slowly built a wish list of fragrances that sounded like I would like. Then started comparing prices over multiple decanting sites, waited for discounts or offers, then bought a few and so on. After sampling and giving full wearings I then made a list of what I actually want to spend money on a full bottle, then wait for a holiday discount and grab them for almost half price.
Thank you for this! I appreciate the look at the process. It's nice to see how this plays out and how to do it with a little bit more awareness and mindfulness :-)
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@Ram Mul I was just curious if you have sites that you prefer to get decants from? (I have found decants to be pretty well priced so far, but would love to know others you like too!) And also, do you have certain times of year that you know of that you can regularly get discounts outside of Black Friday for example?
I totally agree with what you are saying , you don’t have to pay so much to get niche or quality fragrance , there are lots of other ways to get perfumes from “grey markets” like eBay , depop, Etsy, Facebook marketplace. You just have to make sure you are getting perfumes from genuine and trusted sellers, I have had a lot of success buying from eBay especially(here in the U.K.)
^ This. Many expensive niche fragrances can be found for designer prices (or even cheaper) if you look in the right places and keep your eyes peeled. I’ve seen some absolutely astonishing deals over the years. 👀
Agree. No need to splash 350+ dollars for a brand new bottle. I have a decent collection of round about 25 fragrances, so I always look for a preowned bottle with like 60/100 ml for half the price or less. No need to have 25+ full bottles. That's a great way to save money.
I only have about 20 different fragrances, but even that is too many! Great advice!
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Totally agree man, I currently only own niche full bottles, I have small collection, around 20 but those are the ones I really like, I am planning to add a few more later on, I always buy decants to try and use the fragrance a few days to see how it performs and everything,, the problem I have is that I love to try a lot of fragrances and I usually like to buy 5ml decants to have a good amount of liquid to test , long story short I have bought around 400 decants (all niche) this between the last 2 years, which is a quite good amount of money , the good thing is I have tried so many different smells , the bad thing is I have many of those decants stored and dont even use them, not because I don't like them, but because they are a lot and I don´t have the enough time to use them all , so talking about money I have spent a lot just for decants (I feel a little bad about it) , but at least they are not 400 bottles, I mean I wish they were but my finances arent that good for that privilege, lol , I have also seen my bank account in 0 many times due to this addiction, thanks for the great content man 👍
This is a fantastic video and I can relate in many ways. Thank you for this one
Do you now see why I keep coming back to your content? You do it like no other. 💪🏽💪🏽💯💯💯
Haha, thank you.
I agree, not JUST cheapies. But I WILL look for the beat deal I can find and am not afraid to go after well-reviewed clones.
Why haven't you got more followers and views? This is solid stuff! Important to be aware of in this kind of society we all live in. Love and respect!
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I even find myself in this situation as somebody in niche. My experience with scents above €500 suggest that those offer me a far more compelling experience than some of the scents in the €200-300 price range. I haven't intentionally stopped buying or anything, but now I look for better pricing so as to not excessively add when there's no need to.
Justin is the only person who talks about this!
I just got a sample of Caron, I dislike it(it's gross). Better $5 than a whole bottle to throw away, because I would be embarrassed to give it away.
Top Shelf creator-
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The video I needed. I recently switched from buying countless cheapies that I will never wear to saving up for expensive originals. I thought the bigger my collection the better, but now I'm going for quality over quantity, the niche bottles look way better in my collection
Wise words Justin! You are a voice of reason among so many sirens that just urge people to buy more all the time.
Thank you!
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Yet another good PSA. This separates you from the rest. God bless you JC
Wow... this message spoke directly to me😮😊
☆Lol, Hi J.C. thoughtfully put, and the opposite problem buying too many expensive frags because of being a scent-fiend (the I gotta have it syndrome!). I have learned tons from your channel, and balance is key. Much luv!, and respect for you and the Frag-fam!☆
I was having this conversation last week. I’m glad you put this out there.
Thanks for watching
I'm from Eastern Europe. Monthly paycheck is about 600/700$. It's hard but it's my passion. Was thinking quantity is everything, enjoying the view of all that bottles! Wrong! Sold everything,started from scratch. Now with just 9 fragrances (last two were Megamare and Ganymede coz I really like them) I have more enjoyment than with 47 thrashy that I had. Wish my tempo is faster but my wallet is saying No :)
Oh nowww you tell me. A month ago, I bought cheap clones, and I regret it. Thank you for teaching us this Art of War: Juice Proverb. I will save up to buy the real thing. Stay strong my fellow Juice Heads, stay strong. Thanks JC and keep it coming!
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I can totally agree on what you are saying. I am more and more thinking whether I will wear a fragrance before buying it. The point about the decants I also see and constantly more understand now, but there is still bit of way left for me to go.
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Thanks for this Truth!!! I pace myself, sample first n then I buy the 30 ml only👊🏿💯👍🏿
I see you have a picture of Lataffa Asad. It's the only cheapie I have but it replaces Savauge Elixir for $100+ dollars less than elixir. Using it sparingly with Sauvage EDP makes the EDP much better .... far cheaper than buying elixir. That's as far as my cheapie replacement goes.
Easily one of your best videos Justin! Everybody who are into fragrances need to watch this.
Thank you
Another great video! I really appreciate you being honest about our passion. Also I appreciated you getting 40 knots yesterday. Just like me you were badly surprised about it not being that aquatic at all. The scent is marketed differently to how it smells, still: it smells amazing to me and its one of my favorites. Best regards
I appreciate that, Johannes.
Justin you the guy that I watch after I see a lattafa or armaf fragrance review I like......then you smack me with KNOWLEDGE
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Well Spoken TRUTHS I just keep 4 or 5 big bottles of the best and a few decants and I'm good.
Funny how nobody talks about this part of the hobby. Recently I bought 23 samples of some fragrances I would've otherwise blind bought. Shouldn't surprise anyone if I tell you I can live without a full bottle of any of those samples. A fragrance that you truly love is something you rarely find. And if you are not a fragrance reviewer or if you don't decant fragrances, maybe you don't need 100 fragrances in your collection.
P.S. : I'm repeating these words so they get to my mind too. I love blind buying and I love owning bottles 😄😆
I hear you.. I blind bought reflection man , lyric man , Layton and Carlisle … out of these .. I can live without Carlisle and lyric man. Should have ordered decants. 😫I hardly use these two
I think I started wanting Layton last year (2022) in like January/Febuary, since then I want it so bad and also since then I think I bought like 10 to 12 sample bottles of different fragrances. Now, over a year later, I have saved up enough money to get Layton and I hope I’m gonna get it to the end of April. The following months I’m planning to get Sedley for summer, maybe Arabians Tonka for autumn and Herod for winter time.
Enjoy it it is a beautiful fragrance. I let it macerate now.
@@wheretfismutz thanks. Gonna be my signature scent. What is that macerate thing you mentioned?
That's awesome
I wait for deals, buy two or 3, and then flip them on ebay. If i cant find a sample ill buy new, if i dont like it ill sell discounted on ebay, so its like a i got a 5$ sample, and someone who cant afford new in plastic gets a brand new bottle. Win win in my mind.
That's why I love this channel. Justin is always transparent and speaks so eloquently. I went down the rabbit hole and ended up having over 200 bottles 😩 I sold and gave some to friends. Now I have only 50 of my favorites
Thank you
Very valid points…what I typically do for more expensive scents is buy decants if if I can find em and then get the clone to see how it compares…if I can’t find a decant or a clones that gives me what I love of the original scent then I save up to get the OG
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Great points. Personally speaking I’m over purchasing bottles period. It’s just not that serious at all to me anymore. I was purchasing for content after a while which also has become pointless to me. Especially when it seems that the payoff on the backend isn’t reciprocated by the views.
One Reason I Love Your Channel, You Come Up With Some Thought Provoking Content!!!... For The Last Month I've Been Slowing Down On Getting The Hot New Thing And Just Purchase Fragrances That Blows Me Away Or That Are Very Intriguing To Me... Great Video!!!
I appreciate that!
The truth Clones,Niche, Designer,Indie...none of it matters. The only thing that matters is if YOU like the smell because its a clone doesnt mean its bad I have clones I prefer than Niche and just because its Niche means its good there are some Creeds Id never buy. I have Tom Ford I have Armaf I have Mancera I have Lattaffa. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THE JUICE.
my issue has not been a lack of money of late, but more like the opposite. i consider myself to be in a very fortunate financial situation in my life and career right now where if i wanted to, i could buy myself 10x 200 dollar fragrances every single month and still have a good chunk of money left to do other things. but the thing is, i have had this tendency to yearn for a new fragrance only for me to throw it into my existing collection once i receive it in the mail and test it out a few times. the desire for instant gratification is always there, whether it's a 20 dollar fragrance or a 200 dollar fragrance. i have had to force myself to significantly slow down on my acquisition of fragrances in recent times. maybe now it's 2-3 frags per year MAX as opposed to 5-10 per year just a few years ago. i currently have about 45 bottles in my collection, so that really is more than enough to enjoy for a long time.
I have to agree as well, sometimes it’s clones, sometimes it’s an original fragrance as each has its own vibe and style to what u want to have
I love Overture Man and could have afforded to get it as soon as it dropped. However, I waited. It hit the grey market not long ago, and the price came down significantly. Just saved over $150 on it.
I haven’t got nose on Overture Man yet. It sounds fantastic. I just got Journey Man and I think it’s great . I’m a huge fan of Amouage. Fantastic house with great quality.
@Christopher Kenyon it's really good but was and still is $360 in most places. Fragrancemet has it for a little over $200 with discount code. Sample it first because it's not for everyone. However, I love it. Also Journey Man is one of my favorites from the house too.
@@kelvingoliday9245 I haven’t paid full retail for any of my fragrances. I can’t justify almost $400 for a bottle. I paid just under $200 for my Amouage.
Justin what you articulated in this video has been what I’ve been telling myself for the past two years now. SLOW DOWN!!! It’s a journey!!! Quite frankly you’re the only content creator who seems to truly care about the longevity of this hobby when it comes to other collectors whether they’ve just started or been in this a while. Nobody else out there is telling us to “Slow down”.
The way you touched on the clone market as well was wonderful !!! You’re my favorite bro !!
Thank you!
Very true. 💯. I’ve bought some crap “cheap” cologne. Just for the sake of “smelling good”. Around $30 lowest. I buy designer stuff more than niche brands. My personal feelings are I can buy more cheaper designer brand stuff than one bottle of high end niche.
As always, Justin, you present a valuable point for reasonable discussion. Personally, I don’t smell the great “quality” difference between most of the niche, designer and clone frags I own - my Rojas smell different from my Guccis and different from my DUAs and MEs but not inherently better or worse. I find myself suffering much more buyer’s remorse after spending hundreds of dollars on any fragrance. 🤔
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I'm so glad you made a video about this. I find myself feeling the rush to keep buying things. Or, even just to blind by something. Which is obviously not great. I really like to get samples as well. I just ordered a bunch off of Etsy. I'm super excited to get them. Had to wait a little to make the order, and I think the anticipation can be good too, because once you get whatever it is you waited to get, it feels worth it.
I definitely know the feeling of that anticipation.
I most definitely agree with you bro. I too fail into that trap of redundancy with buying cheaper fragrances. Not to say I never find any good cheap ones they're just far an few in between. I did downsize my collection tremendously since I moved from TX to FL an while it's a few I truly miss wearing I don't need them. The older I get the more patient I have become when it comes to making any kind of purchase an plus I have so many other interests in life an I know continuing to buy fragrances would only hinder my other interests and hobbies. Great video as always my boi keep em comin!!
Thanks for sharing Josh. Sounds like you’re experiencing some true growth 👌🏾
Love this video these are absolute facts. A cheapie is okay to start but try exploring the really good stuff, ever since I got my first Xerjoff (40 knots) my whole mentally on fragrance changed I started to sample more because now I want to experience that incredible uniqueness and quality that is just so special. And while a good lattafa can be nice to wear casually it will never compare to a genuine top quality unique niche
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I'm liking these Hot take discussions.
Trust me the amount of decants in my home don't nearly annoy me as much as all the money I would've spent on Xerjoff and other expensive niche perfumes that would've bitterly disappointed me. Try before you buy, always.
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What an amazing advice!! Thank you.👏👏
Great content. To me, what I got out of this is quality over quantity and be mindful of your bank account when it comes to fragrance buying because you wanna buy everything that sounds interesting and your account says you can't do that but you find a way and now your account is in the negative. Not good having a negative in that account
Totally agree with you😀
I always choose quality,even it can be really expensive,but save some money for month-two and buy
I do that with fragrances,boots and leather jackets
Rather buy expensive and quality that will last for years than cheap one
Thanks man. I’m really pulling back a lot.
Thanks for telling the truth, and thanks for talking about the dark side of this hobby. This is why you are one of the very few real ones ✌
Great video Justin I really appreciate your words and perspective I used to feel this way all the time when I didn't have as much money but exactly what you're saying is so true
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏾
I feel all the fragrance TH-camrs need to come at it as you do. You do this community A service
Word! I like some of Chaos fragrances content, but I think he is promoting soooo much crap, too many clones and redundant fragrances. There is no value in his videos if every single flanker, every cheapie and clone in his opinion is great stuff, just to promote his discount links and recycle another top 10 list. I would love to here some perspective and critical thinking from TH-camrs.
Nah the others are selling fragrances they're reviewing on eBay and Amazon
@@xzombo32I called Chaos out once. He's a shill and pretty redundant reviewer.
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This is the exact same advice I would give to a new collector. I've been collecting for about 10 years now. When I started, I broke the bank buying. About 5 years ago, I was forced to declutter, and realized that there were very few fragrances in my collection that I actually loved. To be honest, the majority were kind of pedestrian. Nice fragrances, sure...but nothing extraordinary. So I basically started over. I got a journal and started investing a small amount of money on high end niche fragrance samples. I sat with those samples for a long time. If a fragrance REALLY spoke to my heart, over a prolonged period of time sampling, then buying that one fragrance was my goal. And that actually became much easier (and far less expensive) because I began to realize that most fragrances really don't speak to my heart. I may find them pretty, or I may find them artistic and interesting, but that doesn't mean I have to own them. AND, there is so much more to loving perfumery than just collecting. Stop and learn about the art, have fun sampling , immerse yourself in training your nose, etc. etc. This hobby is about so much more than quantity.
I went through a very similar journey!
@@stayfreshproductions I remember when you did that video, Justin. It's the reason I decided to subscribe.
Truth.
Thanks for these kinds of videos.
By the way, is there any chance of getting a replacement bottle cap for YSL l'Homme fragrances? They are really fragile. 🤣
My solution is definitely decants for now. Ten plus sprays from 1ml, leading up to a full Niche bottle anytime soon. Love from South Africa.
the point of the video is not related of not buying cheap fragrances....
it is to think about before pulling the trigger... it does not matter if cheap or expensive...
I was about to buy ameer al oud.. or armaf craze... then I thought..both are like sweet vanilla blablabla.. i just got mercedes club black.. i have coach platinum... do I need those? so I am waiting.. :)
New subscriber here! Great topic. I talk about stuff like this on my channel too, but buying lots of cheap stuff I had not thought about yet. But agree for sure! Slowing down is a good idea. I have a method that works for me. I tell myself ”I can have it, but not today” and then I tell myself that over and over and many times the desire disappears and get replaced by new desires and then I tell myself the same thing all over again. You can have it, just not today.
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Thank you! I will check out your channel.
@@stayfreshproductions I just got recommended your channel by a perfume friend. She really appreciates you bringing up the psychological sides of this hobby/passion.
@@thehonestperfumereviewer6336 I’m honored. 🙏🏾
Tanks immediately. Oh hell yes we do.
Excellent content Justin.
Thumbs up.
Much appreciated
Solid advice again, Justin! That cheapie won't be cheap if you only spray it a couple of times and then forget about it. It's more important to focus on the fragrances that really impress and get used regularly.
I try to be pragmatic, my collection is already big enough to last maybe a decade or two... there is no reason to buy anything new unless I use the old ones up and by that time there will be something new on the market again - some of those new ones will be better than what we have now. So there is another reason to take it slow.
This hobby can get out of hand easily, but that's why this channel is so great! I'm glad someone takes this issue seriously and keeps talking about it. Some of your earlier videos made me re-evaluate my choices and I've been taking things much more slower now. And to be honest, buying that new fragrance feels good at first, but I've had some disappointments too. Those moments make me wish that I waited a little longer.
Wise words!
Thank You! I needed this video!
THANKS BRO JUST ORDERED BUNCH OF SAMPLES FROM SITE YEAH BUDDY
Prime example is people buying dozen clones of Aventus when they just could've saved up for the real deal
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Very interesting and good view on the whole topic and how to really build up a fragrance collection to enjoy. very often I don't wear those bought cheapies and they catch dust
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Good video. I totally agree. I haven't bought any new fragrances in months. I am split now between 4 fresh (Eau Givree, 1861 Renaissance and Gentle Fluidity Silver) and a few darker ones (Beach hut Man, Bracken Man, Royal Tobacco, Declaration EDP, Bois Marocain, Ebene Fume, Costa Azura, African Leather and Halfeti Leather) . I noticed you have Euphoria Gold from CK on your shelf, LOL. What do you think of it? I got it as a present and I like it a lot.
A great list. And that was Euphoria Intense, which is one of my favorite cheapies.
@@stayfreshproductions I smelled intense a while ago, I don't remember which one I prefer, but yes amazing cheapies. Encre Noir a l'extreme is another amazing cheapy that I like even more than the original.
First video that i headed into thinking: oh boy, it will be some stupid advices that every youtuber says; but after 40 second that completely changed, beacuse i absolutely agree that buying only cheap fragrances isn' t the way to go in this hobby!