Every time I blind bought cheap fragrances, I'll be disappointed. There's always a lack of something compared with the fragrances I sampled from the niche houses. Maybe the placebo effect, but I can tell the quality and it's very obvious, yet I still bought the cheap ones. You're right. Always involve brain when it comes to buying fragrances.
Justin, i'm brazilian and here in my country some niche fragrances are priced at more than 2 times the local minimum wage. It is extremely difficult for anyone here to be able to buy high quality perfumes, unless they are from the highest classes, unfortunely 😔
I saw, my girlfriend is from São Paulo and we went back in August to visit her family I left 4 bottles there for a couple of her friends and they absolutely loved them.
I think as Justin reiterated that niche brands are specific to a certain economic class of people that perhaps make way more money than you or I do… I don’t think we should begrudge those people for being able to afford these fragrances because most likely they worked hard for their income and there tends to be a little bit of jealousy from many people that can afford higher-end fragrances because they simply make more money than you or I do…. That’s not fair to them…. I see people driving Lamborghinis up and down the road and highways and I do in a way envy them and wish I could afford those types of cars but when I really sit down and think logically about it, who am I to begrudge someone from buying stuff that they can afford? Do they deserve it? Who am I to determine who deserves a Lamborghini or who doesn’t? This is not the fragrance companies trying to jip you or take advantage of people who cannot afford their fragrances…. And as Justin mentioned if there is a market for their fragrance and people are willing to pay that price for the product then how is that a reflection on the house or company that makes the fragrance? Contrary to what everybody believes it’s not up to an organization or company to make you feel good about their prices or shame them to death for pricing their products that some people are willing to pay… I think we really need to sit back and take a look within ourselves and stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and be happy with what we can afford… remember, there’s always somebody that you know that looks up to you and what you’ve accomplished and perhaps there making less money than you are so their envious of even you…. my wife had to bring this to my attention about the house we live in where I was basically jealous of other people‘s homes that had nicer things in their homes than my own home and my wife had to take me down to reality and explain that there are many people that look at my house and wish they have a house as nice as mine…. It’s really called humility…. Justin did a great job talking about goals and income, and if you want to be able to afford those luxury things that are frankly financially out of reach, then look at changing your goals that could have a direct impact on increasing your income…. One other comment, the benefits of niche fragrances that I think appeals to many of us that can afford it is also very unique and because the price of these are very high and they use quality ingredients, this helps keep it out of the mainstream, where everybody and their mother has access to that particular fragrance, so it makes it unique….. for instance, you might be the only person in a room of 100 people that has this particular fragrance versus the other 90% of the room are wearing Gio or one of the other mainstream fragrances that everybody and their mother can afford… so you’re also paying for the individuality and uniqueness as opposed to mainstream fragrances that everybody tends to wear, which makes it more valuable in my mind… I don’t want to smell like everybody else so to me that’s worth the extra price…
@@FSU92grad Yeah that's true. Another thing is, you never know what that person is doing to make the money they do so sometimes you may be _"jealous"_ of the wrong thing unknowingly. Another thing is, if I can't afford a fragrance, I just save in order to be able to buy it when I am able to but it has to be a fragrance I like. I am not really a fan of easily accesible fragrances as I prefer to stand out a bit in terms of scent. So I think the higher price points enables smelling less like others. But as I said, it has to be a fragrance I like and not for the sake of it being expensive and less accessible.
Even though i have $300-$500 bottles, i still feel $20 clone bottles are here to stay. Clones still have a role to play. I love fragrances. If it's good, it's good, and i will most likely try to get it.
Niche,dupe,clone or whatever,I love fragrances period! I wear my $20 fragrances just as much as I wear my $500 Amouages and Rojas. The fragrance community is amazing
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
Influencers tend to get fragrances for free and forget that the prices of said fragrances aren’t realistic for a lot of people so if they can get 90% the smell and performance for a fraction of the price.. why not
You're right! I didn't say there is anything wrong with cheap fragrances in general...it's when it gets out of control and folks are buying them en masse just because they're cheap that's the issue.
I fell into the cheapie hype stuff a few years ago. I wore most of those a couple times and then they gathered dust. I gave away most of them. What I do now is get a decant of something i’m interested in, then buy a bottle of if I love it. Recently I got Psychedelique after going through 3 10ml decants, and after I couldn’t stop thinking about it when they were gone I bought a full bottle. Now THAT is gratifying. Getting a full bottle of a fragrance that I know that I love and means something to me. Also did the same with a couple Thomas De Monaco. For people who truly love this hobby and the artistry that goes into niche fragrances, that’s the only way to go if you’re not a reviewer. In my opinion.
@@flump0 I've had excellent success buying the much less expensive fragrances from Armaf,Lattafa, Afnan, etc. They perfume well & saves me huge $ as a fragrance enthusiast. I like Bleu de Chanel EDP & a few others that I'll pay more for but not many & definitely not any Creed, Xerjoff, etc. Decants to me are a bigger waste of $ because it's a lot more $ per ml. I appreciate your perspective though.
All the reasons listed according to my thoughts: 1-) Unbelievably high prices. Some companies really think that they're worth more than they are but in reality there are no different to any other company. 2-) Simply, product's themselves aren't worth our money anymore. 3-) Redundancy 4-) Some lies, some truths has been shrinking into our brains by content creators since Jeremy's times. 5-) We want different things, we just want to be happy and seeing other small companies meeting our needs is just making us buy their products.
Arabian Oud, Parfums De Parley's some fragrances, DEFINITELY Aaron Terence Hughes, Dior Private Line, Amouage, Initio are my favourites that still meet my need for new things
#1 and 2 are obvious, but #3 is another BIG reason...designers pushing out the same scent profile, just slightly tweaked, at increased prices, and acting like it's this big NEW thing that isn't...the average buyer can't even distinguish between most flankers. I hope the ME and dupe houses crush the designer market until they come back to their senses from their greedy money grubbing ways since Covid, which is when the gouging began.💯
Dior bags like 50 bucks and they sell them for thousands, so, lattafa and groups are here to stay. It was also psychologically proved that luxury items are NOT for the intelligent and rich. Like most Rolex watches are 99% made of steel but sold for thousands, so you choose where you feel you belong
I like a wide variety of scent profiles & like to switch up what I wear.almost daily. The real deal for some I like & for how often I would wear it just isnt worth it to me.
Thank you for the economics lesson on colognes! I’ve found that less expensive colognes aren’t necessarily lower in quality and give me what I like. With the cost of one high-end fragrance, I can get five or six affordable ones that still make me smell great. I don’t see it as a downside at all. Plus, I can still afford to splurge on one or two pricier ones in my collection. I love your videos-they’re so fun and informative! I think I’ve developed an addiction to hearing about colognes, and your decant suggestions have me really tempted to try some out. Thanks for the thoughtful insight!
YES JUSTIN!!! I'm very, VERY glad to see a big content creator talking about this. I've spoken about some of these same things before, and uh... well, I just hope the mob treats you better than they did me 😅 I think a lot of the problem is just the byproduct of general content creation; regardless of genre, an influencer makes one video that performs really well, and so naturally they want to make a follow-up to that video - then another influencer notices that video type is doing well and so makes a similar video, and so on. In the Fragrance corner of content, analytics-wise I'd imagine that the majority of the watchers are in the Males Aged 18-24 Category (though maybe not for StayFreshProds specifically because your channel is unique, but I mean for the community as a whole), which is a group that generally doesn't have the spending power to afford such an expensive hobby. It's pretty easy to see how videos about cheapies and clones would take off in this kind of Echo Chamber eco-system. Add on hype/FOMO, social media pictures of influencers with 100s of bottles, and the staggering rate at which cheap fragrances are pumped out, and that's a recipe for something to trigger even the stingiest of peoples' Collector's Instincts. I know you ( "you" i.e. Justin, I'm selfishly assuming you're reading this) have done this in the past, but I'd like to see more influencers state more consistently that their collections are not realistic and should not be taken as a goal that people try to attain. I keep preaching that it's not about having a collection or being a Fragrance Collector, it's about being a Fragrance Enthusiast; at the end of the day, no one else cares what you own, so what's the point in owning 100 different fragrances (most of which you probably don't care about and which just sit on your shelf collecting dust), when you could instead have just 5-10 that are 10/10s that perfectly represent you, that you love, that you couldn't live without? It would certainly be cheaper in the long run, and probably a lot more fulfilling too. I also think that there's an insidious sexual bent to fragrance content that more people need to recognize. We had that string of awful "Top Panty-Droppers" videos at the end of last year, which have now been replaced by "Top Compliment-Getters" videos (TOTALLY not the same thing, ;) wink wink). This Sex Sells approach primarily affects, again, that same Males Aged 18-24 Category, maybe high school-aged guys who maybe aren't that experienced with relationships, who see influencers saying "this fragrance will get you alllllllllll the ladies!" and so they shell out the cash for it. Then, when the girl of their dreams doesn't immediately fall for them, they think "okay, maybe the NEXT fragrance will do the trick!" and so the cycle continues. Cheapies are there, are available, and are, well, cheap... and so they seem like a good outlet by which to solve their perceived "issue," an issue which is probably not even there in the first place. More people (i.e. young guys) need to realize that that insecurity is largely the result of marketing tactics, and that the thing standing between you and getting laid is, more than likely, NOT the fragrance you're wearing... unless the fragrance you're wearing is Geoffrey Beene's "Grey Flannel," in the which case, that's 100% the reason. I'm not trying to lay all of this entirely on the feet of influencers, of course people need to have their own personal accountability, and to realize that fragrances are a luxury item and not a necessity - I'm just saying that this seems to be the general nature of online communities in 2024, fragrance-related or not. There are leaders who dictate trends, and the rest follow. For us, it's cheapies and clones and panty-droppers. Echo Chambers are gonna Echo Chamber. Anyhow, sorry for the novel, I've just thought a lot about this in the past and... idk, the NASCAR race just ended, so I have nothing better to do on a Sunday evening. Thanks to whoever's reading if you've gotten this far 🤠7
This is on the fragrance houses themselves. They’ve raised prices so much and reformulated certain frags to the point people need an alternative and the clone houses fulfilled the need. Not only that the clone houses have outperformed a lot of the originals (of course not all but enough) to the point that people are just paying for pretty bottles. I like fragrances and all but I got way more important things in life to take care of than paying $400-500 for a single bottle of scented water with or without a code. Influencers played a big part in this as well. Free bottles get handed out and comparison videos get made what do you expect. People out here struggling so of course they gonna go for the clones. Patience is a virtue and most don’t have it nor can afford it. Marketing 101.
I think if we're honest with ourselves, most of us could look at our monthly bank statements and see a minimum of $200 spent on BS. I think that if you really like a fragrance that is expensive, cut down on the BS spending, save some money and get it.
Not too long ago, I was perfectly happy with one versatile frag and maybe one for special occasions. Trying two frags for an entire year challenges the Pavlov gratification effect embedded with daily watching of influences. You hit the bail on the head, Justin!
In my experience with fragrances and makeup, I often find that just because something is expensive, doesn't mean that it has good quality. In my case, I am tired of buying some expensive things with bad quality. I don't know how some brands have the audacity to charge so much money for products with terrible quality. I love BDK Gris Charnel, I've got the original and I've got Liam from Lattafa, it's basically identical but I find that Liam projects more and lasts longer. Would I buy the original again, probably not. If Lattafa can produce great fragrances and charge by far less, it means that the expensive brands in many cases, are not using better ingredients, we are just paying for the brand. I don't mind paying for what worths the money, but I don't appreciate when some brands try to insult their customers.
I think at the end of the day, it comes down to what your goals are with this hobby. For the vast majority, I suspect that they're just looking for a handful of fragrances that smell good, and are attractive to the opposite sex. That's why clones and cheapie designers are what usually get the clicks. For the people who are really into this more for the artistry, those people are the ones that tend to gravitate towards the indie / niche spectrum. Both can coexist peacefully, but just understand that the clone / designer segment is much larger.
I totally agree. I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
Not really, if you dumb enough to just blind buy what they recommend. Then you lack a lot. Sample, then maybe you can have your own opinion. Blaming influencers is really sad, like viewers can’t have an own opinion
No mate it's not sad it's true, if you don't think this is an issue then you need to get your head out of the sand, watch robes08 video in relations to free bottle brigade. In relations to sampling, how do you sample a fragrance that no one offers to sample or its just came out?
@av_dt6388 They are called influencers for a reason, and they are getting paid for a reason. You're saying you're watching this video and never bought a fragrance because of them? If I didn't watch TH-cam videos, I wouldn't even have known half of these brands existed. Every Amouage and Xerjoff I bought is thanks to Justin
It is a reason for sure. But I agree with what was said--every person is accountable for their own actions and consequences. There are no weapons to anybody's head. No one is being forced to spend money. So while there is truth to your original comment, it is more balanced than you present it to be. Viewers are players in the game too.
Justin, i agree people need to be reasonable for their actions however you have been on both sides on the fence and in your early videos you have mentioned how easy it was being influenced in the start of your journey and i think all of us have, especially when everyone is talking about the same fragrance and being hyped.
It's really up to the person at the end of the day though I do have a mix of expensive and cheap fragrances/products.Sam's club has some of the best non-brand name products that are just as good and works the same as some (not all) of the name brand products at a fraction of the cost.
Hands down one of the best reviews online. Appreciate your openness and down to earth approach. Top 5 and not 2. Thank you o much for your educational reviews to us.
@unicdelmore4382 I did put them side by side. And they are fairly similar. And those that are not cloned we have to buy the original. I wish all of the high-end and masterpieces were cloned.
Love the content. I have a decent size collection of 21 bottles evenly divided between niche, designer, clones/cheapies and I think of them based on occasion and functionally. The fragrances that I just absolutely love that resonate in the limbic brain are the ones I spend $$$ on the niches. Designer fragrances I really do enjoy wearing and like the fragrance make sense for me at times. Maybe it’s a night out with some friends for a casual dinner or something I just want to smell in a light setting. I reach for the clones or cheapies when I just need to run quick errands, go to the gym or I just want to be in my pajamas and smell something nice. Why not spend 1/3 of the price if my primary purpose is for the gym our home use. I think of cheapies/clones in a similar fashion that you think about fresh fragrances. Don’t expect something from them that they aren’t.
Justin, you keep doin it, brotha. You've been gifted with a lot of wisdom and I appreciate you sharing some of it, even with those of us who've had a few more trips around the sun than you. Stay blessed!
Naw. Live within and below your means always. Real rich folks save their money and don't spend on so-called lux items. They but boats and property and not scented water
Great topic Justin. I think cheap fragrances can be extremely valuable when starting out so you can know what you like. An influencer said it's much better to save up and get the fragrance that you want as opposed to buying multiple cheap fragrances. Now that i know what i like, that's my approach.
"You do you, Boo" ain't entirely bad advice either, JC. The best we can muster is our subjective understanding of Objective Truth; We do well to always bear that in mind, at least IMO. 😂❤
The biggest reason the clone/cheap fragrances have dominated the market over the last few years is because companies like Creed,Xerjoff,Tom Ford,etc have been listing their fragrances at such high $. They have been getting 'schooled' and consumers have learned there are excellent alternatives for a fraction of the $. It began with Creed offering 100ml bottles instead of their 120ml bottles & increasing $ too Performance wasn't always so good as well.
Exactly. most clones of expensive niche fragrances are usually spot on and perform better for far less money so that alone makes cheaper alternatives far more appealing to most people. I have a few Niche fragrances that I really really enjoy and find they are worth what they cost but it isn't financially responsible to spend 4 to 5 hundred dollars on a single perfume and own a large collection of those unless of course you are getting them for free from the brands them self.
^^^ THIS is by far the #1 reason. Most people arent stupid and know when they are getting gouged, when they see nearly identical products at 1/4 to 1/5 the price, and will always go with what's more affordable. 💯 It's not rocket science that the ME and dupe houses have figured out.🤷
Expensive fragrances are not worth it most times. Maybe niche are but expensive designer fragrances are truly a rip off. I've seen guerlain and hermes at reasonable prices but dior, chanel and the likes are a hard no for me. Even kilian and tom ford seem overpriced to me. But like you said, most people are not part of the target market. Instant gratification is a real issue tho. I've found myself purchasing zara and korres fragrances that i didnt really want and not buying the ones i actually wanted because i have to save for a while to get them. I do cherish my free time too much and dont think working extra hard just to buy more perfumes is worth it.
I could never recommend working during your free time just to buy new perfumes, and that is not what I tried to convey. I just mean elevating one's life in general. Fragrances are completely inconsequential. But I understand your perspective!
Hello and thanks. Coincidentially, a spanish reviewer also published today a video on the same subject. Your buy is your choice. But I would have not know many of the fragrances I like without reviewers
I have a few bottles of niche and designer. If could only have one, it’d probably be Creed Aventus. That being said buy what you like and don’t knock people whose preferences differ from yours.
so many people need to hear this. the amount of fragrances that just sit in most of the community’s collections is ridiculous. like yeah, i get that it’s a collection but pretty much everyone agrees with the sentiment of quality of over quantity. yet not many people actually adhere to that philosophy at all. they’re just chasing the highs of getting a new fragrance. my recommendation to anyone who owns more than 10 bottles (cause let’s be honest, even 10 is pushing it) is to try and sell/trade off the ones you don’t absolutely love or see yourself using the full bottle of so that you can either invest in the better alternatives in the market or to use that money to instead buy samples. at least with that second option, you’ll still be getting new fragrances and at the same time discovering new scents you might actually want to buy a full bottle of in the future
For me its because the “expensive” fragrances I like dont LAST! Ive had cheaper fragrances that smell BETTER than the original even though its not an exact match. So many houses have “reformulated” or discontinued already good fragrances yet increases the price for a lesser product.
It's not that cheap fragrances are taking over. It's that other fragrances, designer and niche or otherwise, are becoming way overpriced. As innovation is reaching critical mass, the event horizon, and the pinnacle many fragrances are becoming redundant. Hence, clone companies can duplicate more easily and make them cheaper en masse. Profitability can be achived by mass appeal numbers rather than targeting a specific group and stratum of society. Especially the rich ones.
After buying almost 120 bottles since 2011, in the last year I've switched to only affordable, high quality ME houses. I just cant justify paying these increasingly ridiculous designer and niche prices, when another more affordable market for the same exact scent profiles exists. Not going back to buying full designer bottles when I can get 80%-95% close to a designer profile for 1/4 to 1/5 the price and typically better performance.🤷 The designer/niche math just aint mathin' for me and my budget anymore, esp given that there are now viable options that didn't exist even 3-4 years ago. The market is in agreement and the designer houses better figure it out, or succumb to the competition. 💯If the ME houses can do it, why cant they? 🤔
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
provocative topic. Here is one other possibility. Each person sent capability is different. Some can and never will be able to smell the difference between lattafa maahir Legacy and Sedley. And, one more that might be the hardest one to understand for people. They just like how it smells. Everyone has their reasons prevailing or isolated. As long as they are enjoying the hobby who is anyone to question. Not saying you are just saying. I personally like these topics cause they aren't just watch and forget. Keep up the good work.
And even if one can smell the differnce in Maahir Legacy and Sedley, since you used this example, one would likely agree that difference is minimal, _and_ just because they're different doesn't mean the PdM is objectively better. I think a lot of people assume that "the original is best," but I think that's a faulty assumption. When Jimi Hendrix covered Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," I believe Dylan said something like "Jimi's version is the way I had intended it to sound." What a compliment! And what a revealing statement about doing a take on another person's creation.
@FragranceAnon sadly, so many want to demonize cheaper houses because they are just copying someone else's work. When,In fact, the slight twist (some do) is an improvement. Take the Lattafa Maahir Legacy as the perfect example. I know and understand the quality difference between it and Sedley, yet the pepper in Maahir Legacy makes it more interesting to me personally.
@@Mr.E.Fragrance Nobody (in my opinion) that is around me when I wear Legacy can tell if it's Sedley or something else. They'd simply think I smell great.
Thank you. I just want to be clear that I'm not trying to draw lines and say "these fragrances are better than these" with this video, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary.
Here's my corollary that interacts with 1&3: I would be scared to use it even if I did save up the money to purchase the (super expensive thing). Niche fragrances that exceed the $75 price point at discounters are my cut off right now. So even though I think Aventus is a classically masculine Chypre that I would love to wear, fragrance is ultimately a finite disposable resource with a replacement cost. Luckily, the decant market is great in the US. I think that the desired gratification of owning a new bottle of our own blinds is to alternatives.
Cheap frags are taking over because Middle Eastern houses are providing an incredible value and demonstrating that a fragrance doesn't have to be expensive to smell great. As far as clones go, we could get into a discussion of intellectual property rights, but, honestly, if someone can provide a comparable scent at a significatly lower price, it makes sense to not waste your money on the more expensive product (What exactly is the advantage of "quality" [more expensive] ingredients?). This has the added advantage of putting pressure on big-name companies to lower their prices in order to be competitive. This is why free markets are a good thing. Case in point: I have Club de Nuit Blue Iconic and Bleu de Chanel EDP. The Blue Iconic smells better to me (yep, I said it) _and_ is _much_ more reasonably priced. No reason to buy the BdC unless you just really want to for a personal reason. In the end, I think a better question is, "Why do people keep wasting money on overpriced products that are overpriced because of a brand name?" Good video topic, Justin. I like that you don't just put out top ten lists.
I'm glad someone else has said it. That Iconic Blue lasts all day as well. Projects better also. Most people hardly notice the difference in the air. I had to tell a young lady that it was Club de Nuit Iconic and not BDC. It's just with Armaf, it's the initial spray. But after 30 seconds, can't tell the difference.
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary! Thanks for watching!
I do think you first need to have/experienced something (cheapies) in order to appreciate quality and save up for something you really like. Its also a shame brands keep raising prices and now they are not 2x or 3x the price of a cheap clone but 10x the price.
I have 17 bottles on my shelf. 4 are expensive niche, 7 are clones of niche and 6 are designer. I see no problem using clones to flesh out my collection as long as the fragrances they clone are taking liberties with pricing or poor longievity. Xerjoff Naxos, Dior Tobacolor etc are worth their pricetag as the clones dont hit the mark and the OGs perfom fantastically. I much prefer clones that go for unique bottle designs and aren't called silly twists of the OGs name e.g. 'Leytone' 🙃. By these measures, Dusk by The Woods Collection (PdM Layton clone) is great as it has a niche quality bottle design with a magnetic cap and smells nearly identical to Layton on the drydown with similar performance for 20% the cost of the orignal. No brainer. Royale Stallion by Al Haramain would also fit this criteria.
I think what most people don't understand is you don't need 100 fragrances even if they are cheap. I agree with Justin that you should just buy 1 or 2 quality fragrances a year if you are a enthusiast. Also stick to sampling that way you can try more fragrances without breaking the bank. Also justin can we talk ?
I buy decants now. 10mL decent sometime is equal value to a 80-100mL clone. Some may say just buy a 100mL clone brah but naw I'm good. Most of my clones are sold off or collecting dust. I now buy clones of frags that are not available anymore or frags that are ok... Just my input.
I say it doesn't matter niche/ cheap there's plenty of niche not worth the asking price just as some cheap fragrances. At the end of the day there's a market catered TO EVERY CONSUMER, the market doesn't care if you buy niche or cheap JUST BUY SOMETHING. The consumer gets to choose WHERE THEIR MONEY GOES, If they like it i love it.
I started my collection off all clones. Was the biggest mistake i made. Sold them all off and got my focus in the game right. I have few niche frags in my collection now which taught me i dont need them although i do appreciate the quality perfumery that i have and have supported by buying them. Now i understand. My collection is prodominantly designer. And that is what works for me, i have something for every season that is of undeniable quality. And i know i didnt spend too much on them. I only pay retail at a store if I want it then and there and it's a must have. Everything else has been purchased at discounters and has been heavily marked down. I have everything i need for warm, cool, and mild weather. And its all legitimate name brand stuff no nameless garbage. I buy and sell frags on the regular and am also a car guy. I want a Lexus, Acura, Mercedes or BMW. Why?, because if i go to sell one i dont use it should have value like a designer would. Nobody is paying you what you paid for your lattafa/armaf crap. Just like nobody in the u.s would want to buy your no name strip down base model cars you've imported from China that have no air conditioner or car play in them. No point in buying assets with no secondhand value in them.
"Higher priced" fragrance brands are more than happy to sell bottles to anyone who is willing to pay for it. That being said, their target market is those who can afford to pay for it. It is foolish to say "no fragrance should cost X amount" when there are clearly people who are willing and able to pay for them at full retail. I've heard from multiple sales people at luxury fragrance stores and counters selling 5 bottles of an expensive fragrance at full retail to one person. Frankly, I think this bothers a lot of people in fragcomm. Great subject matter Justin.
I’m in the 3rd rationale. I primarily buy designer fragrances from both discounters and dept stores. I’m of the opinion that after $160 the fragrance just doesn’t provide the bang for the buck. I’ve sample high end niche fragrances and never felt the value was justified. I’d rather splurge on a nice suit.
Excellent , sir Fragrance purchases should be WAY down on the priority list. In fact, most people don't wear fragrances at all. Think about how many times you don't smell a perfume or cologne in contrast to how many times you do. Save your money. Buy only a quality fragrance only when you've taken care of your obligations.
For me I have money, I could afford the better real fragrances, but tbh I think when you look at costs of making a fragrance and then a mark up, the real ones do not have the value to me, I definitely get that it is an art form and I don’t deny that. I wouldn’t pay an insane amount of money on an art piece either, I just don’t personally find value in that. I respect people’s decisions that do and don’t dig on what other people enjoy spending their money on. I have a few real colognes I’ve been given as gifts, namely Versace Eros and one million, but I have bought over 20 clones or “cheapies” with my own money. The clones number one are sometimes super similar and even when they aren’t super similar they still smell good most of the time. And on rare occasions they are better. The clones of Tom fords cherry I have my wife likes way better than the real one. And it was 18 bucks and it last me all day. No will u get a dud if u buy enough cheapies? For sure! But u spent 20 or less on it and still got the dopamine hit when u placed that order and the excitement of waiting and u have something more in ur collection i guess so it’s not such a big loss. To me when i get a compliment on my little 15 dollar cologne it’s analogous to a beating someone in a game that spent hundreds on the game and I’ve been free to play the whole time. It feels good. Idk that’s just me curious what you all think? Also nice video bro
I have a large enough collection of fragrances that I don't really need to buy any more, but I will if I really enjoy the fragrance. Cheap or not so cheap, without a sample there is no way I purchase anything though.
I stay in a third world country so dupes are a no brainer,but seriously some middle east releases have really lived up to their price point,in my country there are no fragrance discounters,no decant services and we pay double for mediocre performing edts which have been refomulated or faked
When your income is low, you still want to have alot of products. That is why people buy many cheap products, and later they almost no use it. I life alone have and have an income not too much, but my clothes are from boss. I only buy clothes when i really need it, and quality last always longer. I always wait for the sale to buy clothes, in this way i save alot of money. Some people may think i have a good job because i always look sharp. Nowadays i never buy bottles but only the 10 ml from the good brands. I prefer having good parfums and instead of spending more then €200 for a bottle, i buy 4 or 5 10 ml from different brands.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Cheapies most of the time smell like their price tag to say least. I own two cheapies just for the purpose of having easy grabs for casual wear like the supermarket or just for chilling at home, not because I consider them good enough. They allow me to extend the life of my relatively expensive fragrances. So yeah, quality over quantity. Also, I think the greatest value is the inexpensive tier. (50-100$). Most fragrances in that price range smell of high quality without burning a hole in one's pocket. 100-200$ is expensive, but sometimes reasonably. 300+$ is straight up robbery. That is in my humble opinion.
"Cheapies most of the time smell like their price tag to say least." This isnt remotely true anymore. Maybe more than 2-3 years ago, sure. But now, there are MANY middle eastern and other high-quality dupes and inspirations that are every bit as good as the OG and have better performance. Alhambra, Fragrance World, Alexandria, Al Wataniah, Lattafa, etc.
@@DocRock71In my experience, that's not true at all. What performs well smells synthetic, what smells natural doesn't perform. Especially the house of Lattafa, don't really care for it. Very over-rated IMO.
@@yousif_mangirous That's why I listed Lattafa last, but they still have some amazing fragrances, but some are also not as good. I've yet to have less than a banger from the other ME houses I listed. I've been very pleased with my ME houses experience over the last year or so, and just cant see going back to designers anymore, because of their ridiculous price gouging they started doing during the pandemic. 4 years ago, most top designers were under $70. Now most start out at $100-$120+. Nah fam, I'm out. ME house are treating me really well lately.💯👍
@@DocRock71That's a good point, but there are some great designers that do not exceed the 70$ mark. ME brands are not bad don't get me wrong, I'm talking about houses that steered themselves into cloning when they were doing OGs. This is clearly a path that will get them the most profit, but it's also the path that shows us they don't care about the art of fragrance anymore. I wouldn't trust such brands. Al-Hambra (which is basically Lattafa btw), Lattafa itself, Armaf, and AlHaramain come to mind. No innovation there. Note: When it comes to Oud for example, no brand does it better than a Middle Eastern brand. Especially those from Saudi Arabia.
@@DocRock71is performance really the only thing that matters in a fragrance? It's pretty easy to get good performance by putting cheap harsh materials in the base of the perfume but that doesn't necessarily make it good or artistic To get that consistent performance you can't do much more than a one note fragrance. For example none of Aventus' clones fully accurately replicate the citrus top, green middle and smoky base evolution of aventus in the same way. And fragrance can and is a luxury product at times. Some people enjoy the fact that they own a Creed fragrance and if that's what they want there isn't much wrong with that. It's like an LV bag, does it actually cost 5k to make? Or is it because it says LV on the side?
I’ve been collecting frags off and on since 5th grade (1998). I just got into clones/dupes and I love them. For me personally, it gives me access to profiles I don’t have access to since the stores that carry them are almost 1hr away. I’d rather spend $30 on a full size clone versus $30 on 10ml of the original. But clones, like Layton- have actually led me to buy the OG because I loved it and it’s something I would’ve prob never been able to test. I also have clones of OG bottles I own because I can stretch the OG a bit more while enjoying that DNA. There are some awesome designer cheapies too, like BR Grassland. There’s also the case where I enjoy the cheapie more than the OG. Asad is one that comes to mind because it’s creamier, more vanilla forward than Sauvage Elixir. The End 😂 Also can we get an Acqua Di Parma house rank ? I’m not familiar with them and wanna dive in.
I finally ordered a Naxos decant that arrived on Friday. Very underwhelmed, not because it doesn't smell great, it absolutely does. But it doesn't live up to the consistent hype train.🤷 I pulled out my Alexandria sample of 1981X and did a side by side, and I actually prefer the Alexandria a tad bit more. It's under $50. The cheapest I can find a Naxos tester is $148 on FragNet. Which one do you think I'm buying a bottle of?🤔🙄
I know wealthy ppl who don't buy all the name brand things when they've discovered something that works and does just as good as the name brand.I know it hurts to hear but it's very true.
@@stayfreshproductions in my circles and family.I personally prefer getting the real thing more than purchasing a lot of cheap clones but like I said ppl I know (family and non family) who are well of financially like buying cheap clones and it has me like "really...u have the money" but that's their preference!
@@thegreatone5355You're very correct in your statement. Most wealthy people I've grown up with in my family and friends may have that 1 expensive fragrance. And they're known by wearing that fragrance. Otherwise, they're always looking for a deal, or they're friends with a designer and they'll get it comped. They don't spend money like that. I go for what smells great, lasts long.
For me I simply dont value smelling nice enough to spend $150 on a single scent profile. Also, if i like a clone enough after 50 wears, at least I'll be confident that I do like the DNA, and either rebuy it or buy the real thing. Some clones totally smell good enough for me
Does anyone know a good app that I can use to keep track of the fragrances I wear each day? I've seen it on this channel before, but I can't find anything online. Thanks.
It really depends…this is a snob thing. Some are 1:1 for what it’s cloning, some are not close, some are very cheap. I really depends. Also how much money are you saving. 40 vs 80 just save the money. 40 vs 120….ehhhhh how close is it? lol!
Hey just, I this type of video! I thinking making a few vids a month about where the state of the fragrance industry and its trends, just as entertaining as reviews tbh
This is such a good video lol. I have been so entertained by all the ridiculous posturing about how someone's clone fragrance is super beast mode compared to the now super diluted original, and then the same people make fun of the "idiots" who pay for brand name fragrances -- as if fragrance isn't already a totally superfluous luxury purchase to begin with??? Most people would do fine by taking two showers a day and using roll on deodorant. All I really hear from people crapping on others for paying top dollar for super expensive fragrances is "I am poor". Like fine, broadcast that you don't have any money or have poor spending habits and can't save for something high quality, original (clones after all simply copy something that someone else took a risk on to begin with) because they love instant gratification, but I think these people genuinely don't understand that the type of people paying a few hundred dollars for a new bottle of Tom Ford or Roja every month see those few hundred dollars the same way these people see 30 bucks. It's a drop in the bucket for that group. So if they wanted to they could spend whatever the hell they wanted on fragrance. Fragrance is objectively not a very expensive product compared to other luxury goods such as designer bags, clothes, jackets, and higher order things like sports cars, yachts etc. The really top end fragrances cap out at a couple thousand bucks per bottle for the most part but they tend to be nuclear composition and 100mL of the night probably lasts 3 years or more if you sprayed it once a day. That's $3400. But if you bought a venti latte from Starbucks every day for the same three years you're literally pissing away $6000 over the same amount of time but somehow only the former purchase is financially irresponsible? Give me a break lol. And I say this as someone who has smelled incredibly close clones of popular fragrances before; these can 100% pass for the original in many scenarios. But the "only buy cheap clones" crowd is among the most annoying, petty, and ultimately envious group of people I've seen
For sure, but I was not trying to communicate that the issue is buying cheap fragrances in general. The issue is when it gets out of hand and people are buying them en masse or very frequently just because they're cheap. Just trying to help folks think critically.
I don't know why but I get way more excited about buying a cheap clone that's super close or sometimes even better than the original more so than I do buying the actual original version😂 and I'm being totally honest
Great topic. I’ve been saying for years that people that have the money will spend it. Period. And companies have a target audience. And if you don’t think the prices match the perceived value or if you simply can’t afford expensive perfumes then politely excuse yourself and move on. It’s a personal choice. As long as we continue to spend they’ll continue to raise prices. And I’m cool with that 😂 I hate it when I tell someone that I don’t like clones and they insist that all clones are “just as good” as the original. They’re not on my skin. And If I’ve smelled the original and it’s great on me then that’s what I want not something that is almost like it. Great video!
"they’ll continue to raise prices. And I’m cool with that 😂" This is the problem in a nutshell right here. These companies see them coming from a long way off. Some people will always mess up a good thing.
@@DocRock71 they can raise the prices but when it gets to a number that I no longer value then I do NOT have to make the purchase. Everything around us has gone up so choose what works for you. Even you average designer scents cost way more than they did a few years ago and guess what people still buy them. The malls, restaurants, movie theaters, bars and airports are not empty. People find money for what they want to spend it on. And it’s pretty evident with the cost of everything NOT just perfume. There’s always been cheap vs expensive in any area of life and the only reason the topic of fragrance is at hand is due to social media. Niche isn’t new just the exposure or platform that it now sits on
@@AScentedSoul The greedy corps & companies feed off of ignorance like... "they’ll continue to raise prices andd I’m cool with that 😂." Getting gouged or ripped off isnt much to laugh about, or in yours, or anyone else's best interests. These companies see people with this attitude, and they rub their greedy hands together and say "Yaaaaaasss!"💯 The market is clearly leaning my way, with many, if not most people waking up and say "F their silly prices", when they see good, far more affordable alternatives... and when that lasts long enough, the designers will be forced to lower their prices back down to compete.💯👍
I think it’s too broad to just tell people to save money and purchase the higher end fragrance. People just getting into the hobby don’t see the value in a higher end fragrance if they can’t tell the difference in quality. They probably just see it as a higher price tag just for the brand name. I think value comes with being in the hobby for a while, having your nose mature to realize the depth and quality in higher end fragrances, where as in fact sometimes there are designer brands that slap their name on a cheap generic fragrance and price it over $100, but that’s when the experience nose can pick up the low quality and avoid the scent where as the undeveloped nose thinks it smells amazing. To recap I think it’s just hard to tell someone to save up for that creed/ xerjoff/ Amouage or whatever when the clone smells the exact same to them.
I totally understand where you're coming from, and I agree. But on the flip side, what I unfortunately see from new folks to the hobby these days, as a result of what they see on social media, is the hoarding of cheap/inexpensive clones. So it's not the buying of clones/cheap fragrances in general that's the problem, it's the buying of them en masse simply because they are cheap. Typically, most of them sit and collect dust. Some may say it is fine, or even necessary, for a new person to go through these "growing pains". But speaking from experience, I could not disagree with with that more fervently. It is absolutely unnecessary.
There’s one specific guy I’ve been seeing getting tones of praises for bashing original creation by saying dupes are better. He’s been misleading so many of his followers without even having the originals of the dupes he tells them to buy. 🤦🏾♂️ he’s even selling a book of dupes.
I got influenced and caved and got Lattafa Maahir Legacy silver thinking it would smell like sedley and it is pure trash and smells like shower gel at a high school gym. do not recommend. low key, maybe don't use the word "gypped," just a heads up.
I'm not the biggest fan of Straight to Heaven but a huge fan of Justin doing videos like this! One of the issues that also play a role is that consumers are conditioned to believe that higher price = higher status, but also that higher price = marketing ripoff (as you point out). This is kind of where modern consumerism (as in 1950s to 1990s) meets late-modern (sometimes called post-modern) consumerism (since late 1990s / 2000s, especially since books like Naomi Klein's No Logo). These are two assumptions that consumers carry around, and both of them have some (but not all the) truth to them. These cheaper dupes are so appealing because they provide a very workable synthesis between these two styles of consumption: You can have your cake and eat it, too. In the context of fragrances, it especially helps that discerning differences between high/low quality is often subjective and needs a trained nose. Thus, the argument of "most people will not know the difference" or "I don't even know the difference once it dried down" become very defensible in our own heads. Compare this to, for example, cheap tablet computers: You can't escape knowing that the knock-off is bad, because the built quality is so obviously lower (e.g., screen response rate is super slow). But with fragrances, we're relying on our olfactory senses, which are amongst our least practiced ones. Meanwhile, the marketing of these dupe fragrances -- both in terms of the visual presentation in product packaging and visual images, as well as tapping into OTHER influencers (not Justin) for legitimization -- is top notch. Our visual senses and our desire to be a responsible consumer thus give us license to buy the knockoff... even if this is a symptom of being addicted or the quality of it doesn't fulfill us long time. I should mention that I also bought Armaf and Parfums Vintage (the latter don't really fall into this category, I would say), precisely because I wanted to find out how well they match the real thing. Armaf doesn't do it well enough for me, but I can see the appeal.
It is still just scented water. If it smells nice and last long enough for you, that is all that matters. Niche, designer, or clone, no one cares. It is about if you like it and if YOU feel like it is a reasonable price.
I'm so sorry, but, I think you have missed out a very significant point. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford, for example, something like creed aventus. However, the price to performance ratio doesn't work out. The Amarf clone, limited edition, is a superior product when price is to be considered. I will happily pay the price for quality time and time agian. I refuse to get ripped off! £200 plus for 4 hours of performance is not acceptable. I do belive that brands such as perfumes de marly are worth their price and will happily pay the price because the quality, thus far, is there.
Your point is valid. But the counterpoint I would provide is that performance is relative and subjective. You may very well only get 4 hours out of Aventus, but there are people who get much more. Myself included. So that is not an absolute, it is simply your experience. If that doesn’t make it worth it for you, all good!
@stayfreshproductions Agreed. So doesn't that mean a clone with reliable performance and relatively good quality across all batches is a better buy....? Many electronic goods, as an example, have been replaced over time with cheaper and more reliable Chinese 'clones'. Isn't the fragrance world experiencing the same thing?
@@matthewmadhanga leveraging performance as the reason to get or not get a fragrance is once again a subjective decision. If it matters to you, and your experience has been negative with the authentic products, then it sounds like it will benefit you personally to go for the cheaper stuff. But if performance is not a point of concern (whether it is lacking or not), then the more expensive, authentic product is still worth the money to someone. As I said in the video-those who can genuinely afford more expensive products will likely buy them. Getting “bang for your buck” may not necessarily be an issue for them.
@stayfreshproductions. Performance is finite and measurable. Therefore, it's an objective attribute, I think we can both agree on that. The importance of performance to someone is subjective, I think we can both agree on that. I'll surrender on this point and bring it back to my original comment, "I think you missed out an important point", for most people, the subjective value to performance ratio is the reason why clones are taking over, I think most people will agree on that.
@@matthewmadhanga I have a favor to ask: I’d be curious to get your feedback on this video I made a year ago that speaks to this concern: th-cam.com/video/EAmB4WS_x8A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dSYyMLWYKqk6B-Ff
I have an odd suspicion you’ve read “rich dad, poor dad” in your lifetime but i guess i’ve been wrong before. Great video. Timeless opinion. Nice work.
It's these kinds of topics I particularly like to take my time in commenting, that I'm booting up my laptop at 6:30am to comment and not my phone, because I can do paragraphs 😆This will probably the longest comment I have posted on your channel. I feel a bigger concern would be the propagation of counterfeit fragrances being labeled as "(name of country) tester" or 'mall pullouts" or "Class A". Since those are packaged so similarly to the original, passed off AS FROM THE ORIGINAL BRAND, and they actually have a market, the original companies are definitely losing out sales to those. Often, these counterfeits are categorized with inspired fragrances, which is not right, and I feel, quite unfair. Now, based on your thumbnails, I will touch a just little bit on inspired fragrances because that's a definite rabbit hole. For a long time, ME fragrances make a lot of money for being able to provide products that are a fraction of the price of the original and cater to the trifecta MANY fragrance enthusiast only value: beast mode projection, undying longevity, and 90%+ similarity to the original. One particular US-based brand is quite good at being able to do this, and I will admit to going to them, and purchasing from them, when I find a fragrance I like and then I find out that its price tag (the original one) will be more justifiable to spend on more urgent needs. Here in the Philippines, our fragrance community is quite robust. Inspired houses have taken it upon themselves to take the original and recreate it with tweaks to primarily suit our weather, and the economic capacity of our population. It is for that reason that I recommend these houses to those who ask me about acquiring specific fragrances. I normally would mention the original first, but when the price is mentioned, it usually elicits a negative reaction, even when the price is already at the USD 40 mark. So, I then mention the inspired houses, which are priced at max USD 20 approx. Sometimes, those who inquire with me are already familiar with the original and are looking for alternative suggestions. I always push for the local inspired, "cheap" houses than the ME or US ones. I will admit to personally not sampling all of them (i.e., local inspired houses) yet, as I prefer to delay my gratification and save up instead (see what I did there? 😉) for the LOCAL houses who do original blends. Now THAT'S the ultimate niche for me! And we have a growing number of EXCELLENT perfumers. Wren Atelier's Valensole Romance, for example, has been lauded by Scout Dixon West on Tiktok (vt.tiktok.com/ZS2QwouFQ/). In closing, when it comes to the exploration of olfactory art, I abide by "Desire and acquire, within your plan; keep it authentic, whenever you can."
If i can smell 90% similar and it's 300 dollars less it just makes sense. If I could afford some of the fragrances you suggest I would but bills come first hobbies come way after.
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary.
I usually use clones to try out the scent profile of a more expensive fragrance. If I really like a clone, I may buy the original. In some cases, I will just get a decant and decide the clone is my best buy.... for example Alexandria's Black Panther is indistinguishable to my nose from Bvlgari Tygar. Sometimes I like the clone a lot better as in Parfums Vintage Isla Tropical Prive over Virgin Island Water.
Thankfully I'm able to afford fragrances but I won't buy clones nor pay full retail on originals, ever. Why? I've worked for a cosmetics chain and I KNOW that the retailers are ripping off Perfume producers. That's why I'm not buying clones, but original fragrances - in Bosnia, for much cheaper. There are a few online sellers in Bosnia that work on tightmargins and sell almost every fragrance for much less than retailers charge in the EU. Plus when you purchase 2 or more bottles you get free shipping. For example: Two Xerjoff fragrances (Naxos 100 ml & Alexandria II 50 ml) would cost me around €600 plus shipping on the German eBay. In Bosnia I got them for €350 (with free shipping). So I still support fragrance companies who are creative and invest in the art. So I don't nee to buy clones. By buying original fragrances in exotic countries - Producers still earn as usual, but without the parasites called retailers getting involved in the prices we pay.
Every time I blind bought cheap fragrances, I'll be disappointed. There's always a lack of something compared with the fragrances I sampled from the niche houses. Maybe the placebo effect, but I can tell the quality and it's very obvious, yet I still bought the cheap ones. You're right. Always involve brain when it comes to buying fragrances.
Justin, i'm brazilian and here in my country some niche fragrances are priced at more than 2 times the local minimum wage. It is extremely difficult for anyone here to be able to buy high quality perfumes, unless they are from the highest classes, unfortunely 😔
I saw, my girlfriend is from São Paulo and we went back in August to visit her family I left 4 bottles there for a couple of her friends and they absolutely loved them.
I understand! That's why I spoke about my 2nd point being region/country can be a hindrance.
I think as Justin reiterated that niche brands are specific to a certain economic class of people that perhaps make way more money than you or I do… I don’t think we should begrudge those people for being able to afford these fragrances because most likely they worked hard for their income and there tends to be a little bit of jealousy from many people that can afford higher-end fragrances because they simply make more money than you or I do…. That’s not fair to them…. I see people driving Lamborghinis up and down the road and highways and I do in a way envy them and wish I could afford those types of cars but when I really sit down and think logically about it, who am I to begrudge someone from buying stuff that they can afford? Do they deserve it? Who am I to determine who deserves a Lamborghini or who doesn’t? This is not the fragrance companies trying to jip you or take advantage of people who cannot afford their fragrances…. And as Justin mentioned if there is a market for their fragrance and people are willing to pay that price for the product then how is that a reflection on the house or company that makes the fragrance? Contrary to what everybody believes it’s not up to an organization or company to make you feel good about their prices or shame them to death for pricing their products that some people are willing to pay… I think we really need to sit back and take a look within ourselves and stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and be happy with what we can afford… remember, there’s always somebody that you know that looks up to you and what you’ve accomplished and perhaps there making less money than you are so their envious of even you…. my wife had to bring this to my attention about the house we live in where I was basically jealous of other people‘s homes that had nicer things in their homes than my own home and my wife had to take me down to reality and explain that there are many people that look at my house and wish they have a house as nice as mine…. It’s really called humility…. Justin did a great job talking about goals and income, and if you want to be able to afford those luxury things that are frankly financially out of reach, then look at changing your goals that could have a direct impact on increasing your income…. One other comment, the benefits of niche fragrances that I think appeals to many of us that can afford it is also very unique and because the price of these are very high and they use quality ingredients, this helps keep it out of the mainstream, where everybody and their mother has access to that particular fragrance, so it makes it unique….. for instance, you might be the only person in a room of 100 people that has this particular fragrance versus the other 90% of the room are wearing Gio or one of the other mainstream fragrances that everybody and their mother can afford… so you’re also paying for the individuality and uniqueness as opposed to mainstream fragrances that everybody tends to wear, which makes it more valuable in my mind… I don’t want to smell like everybody else so to me that’s worth the extra price…
When i went to Brasil i thought i could buy for a low price parfum there. The price was almost 2 x the price in the Netherlands.
@@FSU92grad Yeah that's true. Another thing is, you never know what that person is doing to make the money they do so sometimes you may be _"jealous"_ of the wrong thing unknowingly. Another thing is, if I can't afford a fragrance, I just save in order to be able to buy it when I am able to but it has to be a fragrance I like. I am not really a fan of easily accesible fragrances as I prefer to stand out a bit in terms of scent. So I think the higher price points enables smelling less like others. But as I said, it has to be a fragrance I like and not for the sake of it being expensive and less accessible.
Even though i have $300-$500 bottles, i still feel $20 clone bottles are here to stay. Clones still have a role to play. I love fragrances. If it's good, it's good, and i will most likely try to get it.
Niche,dupe,clone or whatever,I love fragrances period! I wear my $20 fragrances just as much as I wear my $500 Amouages and Rojas. The fragrance community is amazing
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
Scented water for $500 is a giant rip off.
That can probably costs the manufacturer around $10.
@@revo2321 why were you even on this channel bro😹
Influencers tend to get fragrances for free and forget that the prices of said fragrances aren’t realistic for a lot of people so if they can get 90% the smell and performance for a fraction of the price.. why not
You're right! I didn't say there is anything wrong with cheap fragrances in general...it's when it gets out of control and folks are buying them en masse just because they're cheap that's the issue.
I fell into the cheapie hype stuff a few years ago. I wore most of those a couple times and then they gathered dust. I gave away most of them.
What I do now is get a decant of something i’m interested in, then buy a bottle of if I love it. Recently I got Psychedelique after going through 3 10ml decants, and after I couldn’t stop thinking about it when they were gone I bought a full bottle. Now THAT is gratifying. Getting a full bottle of a fragrance that I know that I love and means something to me. Also did the same with a couple Thomas De Monaco.
For people who truly love this hobby and the artistry that goes into niche fragrances, that’s the only way to go if you’re not a reviewer. In my opinion.
@@flump0
I've had excellent success buying the much less expensive fragrances from Armaf,Lattafa, Afnan, etc.
They perfume well & saves me huge $ as a fragrance enthusiast.
I like Bleu de Chanel EDP & a few others that I'll pay more for but not many & definitely not any Creed, Xerjoff, etc.
Decants to me are a bigger waste of $ because it's a lot more $ per ml.
I appreciate your perspective though.
Samehere, I gave/give most of my cheap stuff away.
Agreed
All the reasons listed according to my thoughts:
1-) Unbelievably high prices. Some companies really think that they're worth more than they are but in reality there are no different to any other company.
2-) Simply, product's themselves aren't worth our money anymore.
3-) Redundancy
4-) Some lies, some truths has been shrinking into our brains by content creators since Jeremy's times.
5-) We want different things, we just want to be happy and seeing other small companies meeting our needs is just making us buy their products.
Arabian Oud, Parfums De Parley's some fragrances, DEFINITELY Aaron Terence Hughes, Dior Private Line, Amouage, Initio are my favourites that still meet my need for new things
#1 and 2 are obvious, but #3 is another BIG reason...designers pushing out the same scent profile, just slightly tweaked, at increased prices, and acting like it's this big NEW thing that isn't...the average buyer can't even distinguish between most flankers. I hope the ME and dupe houses crush the designer market until they come back to their senses from their greedy money grubbing ways since Covid, which is when the gouging began.💯
Dior bags like 50 bucks and they sell them for thousands, so, lattafa and groups are here to stay. It was also psychologically proved that luxury items are NOT for the intelligent and rich. Like most Rolex watches are 99% made of steel but sold for thousands, so you choose where you feel you belong
I hear what you're saying. But I'm not referring to overpriced luxury when talking about niche fragrances.
I like a wide variety of scent profiles & like to switch up what I wear.almost daily. The real deal for some I like & for how often I would wear it just isnt worth it to me.
Thank you for the economics lesson on colognes! I’ve found that less expensive colognes aren’t necessarily lower in quality and give me what I like. With the cost of one high-end fragrance, I can get five or six affordable ones that still make me smell great. I don’t see it as a downside at all. Plus, I can still afford to splurge on one or two pricier ones in my collection. I love your videos-they’re so fun and informative! I think I’ve developed an addiction to hearing about colognes, and your decant suggestions have me really tempted to try some out. Thanks for the thoughtful insight!
Thank you Michael! I appreciate your perspective!
YES JUSTIN!!!
I'm very, VERY glad to see a big content creator talking about this. I've spoken about some of these same things before, and uh... well, I just hope the mob treats you better than they did me 😅
I think a lot of the problem is just the byproduct of general content creation; regardless of genre, an influencer makes one video that performs really well, and so naturally they want to make a follow-up to that video - then another influencer notices that video type is doing well and so makes a similar video, and so on.
In the Fragrance corner of content, analytics-wise I'd imagine that the majority of the watchers are in the Males Aged 18-24 Category (though maybe not for StayFreshProds specifically because your channel is unique, but I mean for the community as a whole), which is a group that generally doesn't have the spending power to afford such an expensive hobby. It's pretty easy to see how videos about cheapies and clones would take off in this kind of Echo Chamber eco-system.
Add on hype/FOMO, social media pictures of influencers with 100s of bottles, and the staggering rate at which cheap fragrances are pumped out, and that's a recipe for something to trigger even the stingiest of peoples' Collector's Instincts. I know you ( "you" i.e. Justin, I'm selfishly assuming you're reading this) have done this in the past, but I'd like to see more influencers state more consistently that their collections are not realistic and should not be taken as a goal that people try to attain. I keep preaching that it's not about having a collection or being a Fragrance Collector, it's about being a Fragrance Enthusiast; at the end of the day, no one else cares what you own, so what's the point in owning 100 different fragrances (most of which you probably don't care about and which just sit on your shelf collecting dust), when you could instead have just 5-10 that are 10/10s that perfectly represent you, that you love, that you couldn't live without? It would certainly be cheaper in the long run, and probably a lot more fulfilling too.
I also think that there's an insidious sexual bent to fragrance content that more people need to recognize. We had that string of awful "Top Panty-Droppers" videos at the end of last year, which have now been replaced by "Top Compliment-Getters" videos (TOTALLY not the same thing, ;) wink wink). This Sex Sells approach primarily affects, again, that same Males Aged 18-24 Category, maybe high school-aged guys who maybe aren't that experienced with relationships, who see influencers saying "this fragrance will get you alllllllllll the ladies!" and so they shell out the cash for it. Then, when the girl of their dreams doesn't immediately fall for them, they think "okay, maybe the NEXT fragrance will do the trick!" and so the cycle continues. Cheapies are there, are available, and are, well, cheap... and so they seem like a good outlet by which to solve their perceived "issue," an issue which is probably not even there in the first place. More people (i.e. young guys) need to realize that that insecurity is largely the result of marketing tactics, and that the thing standing between you and getting laid is, more than likely, NOT the fragrance you're wearing... unless the fragrance you're wearing is Geoffrey Beene's "Grey Flannel," in the which case, that's 100% the reason.
I'm not trying to lay all of this entirely on the feet of influencers, of course people need to have their own personal accountability, and to realize that fragrances are a luxury item and not a necessity - I'm just saying that this seems to be the general nature of online communities in 2024, fragrance-related or not. There are leaders who dictate trends, and the rest follow. For us, it's cheapies and clones and panty-droppers. Echo Chambers are gonna Echo Chamber.
Anyhow, sorry for the novel, I've just thought a lot about this in the past and... idk, the NASCAR race just ended, so I have nothing better to do on a Sunday evening. Thanks to whoever's reading if you've gotten this far 🤠7
I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate this comment! Thank you for sharing the nuances from a creator's POV. All so true.
This is on the fragrance houses themselves. They’ve raised prices so much and reformulated certain frags to the point people need an alternative and the clone houses fulfilled the need. Not only that the clone houses have outperformed a lot of the originals (of course not all but enough) to the point that people are just paying for pretty bottles. I like fragrances and all but I got way more important things in life to take care of than paying $400-500 for a single bottle of scented water with or without a code. Influencers played a big part in this as well. Free bottles get handed out and comparison videos get made what do you expect. People out here struggling so of course they gonna go for the clones. Patience is a virtue and most don’t have it nor can afford it. Marketing 101.
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I think if we're honest with ourselves, most of us could look at our monthly bank statements and see a minimum of $200 spent on BS. I think that if you really like a fragrance that is expensive, cut down on the BS spending, save some money and get it.
Facts.
Not too long ago, I was perfectly happy with one versatile frag and maybe one for special occasions. Trying two frags for an entire year challenges the Pavlov gratification effect embedded with daily watching of influences. You hit the bail on the head, Justin!
In my experience with fragrances and makeup, I often find that just because something is expensive, doesn't mean that it has good quality. In my case, I am tired of buying some expensive things with bad quality. I don't know how some brands have the audacity to charge so much money for products with terrible quality. I love BDK Gris Charnel, I've got the original and I've got Liam from Lattafa, it's basically identical but I find that Liam projects more and lasts longer. Would I buy the original again, probably not. If Lattafa can produce great fragrances and charge by far less, it means that the expensive brands in many cases, are not using better ingredients, we are just paying for the brand. I don't mind paying for what worths the money, but I don't appreciate when some brands try to insult their customers.
I think at the end of the day, it comes down to what your goals are with this hobby. For the vast majority, I suspect that they're just looking for a handful of fragrances that smell good, and are attractive to the opposite sex. That's why clones and cheapie designers are what usually get the clicks. For the people who are really into this more for the artistry, those people are the ones that tend to gravitate towards the indie / niche spectrum. Both can coexist peacefully, but just understand that the clone / designer segment is much larger.
I totally agree. I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
INFLUENCERS is definately a huge reason.
Not really, if you dumb enough to just blind buy what they recommend. Then you lack a lot. Sample, then maybe you can have your own opinion.
Blaming influencers is really sad, like viewers can’t have an own opinion
No mate it's not sad it's true, if you don't think this is an issue then you need to get your head out of the sand, watch robes08 video in relations to free bottle brigade.
In relations to sampling, how do you sample a fragrance that no one offers to sample or its just came out?
@av_dt6388 They are called influencers for a reason, and they are getting paid for a reason. You're saying you're watching this video and never bought a fragrance because of them? If I didn't watch TH-cam videos, I wouldn't even have known half of these brands existed. Every Amouage and Xerjoff I bought is thanks to Justin
It is a reason for sure. But I agree with what was said--every person is accountable for their own actions and consequences. There are no weapons to anybody's head. No one is being forced to spend money. So while there is truth to your original comment, it is more balanced than you present it to be. Viewers are players in the game too.
Justin, i agree people need to be reasonable for their actions however you have been on both sides on the fence and in your early videos you have mentioned how easy it was being influenced in the start of your journey and i think all of us have, especially when everyone is talking about the same fragrance and being hyped.
It's really up to the person at the end of the day though I do have a mix of expensive and cheap fragrances/products.Sam's club has some of the best non-brand name products that are just as good and works the same as some (not all) of the name brand products at a fraction of the cost.
Hands down one of the best reviews online. Appreciate your openness and down to earth approach. Top 5 and not 2. Thank you o much for your educational reviews to us.
Thank you 🙏🏾
When cheap clones are 90 percent similar and sometimes even better, why would I spend on buying real deals?
Nah they aren't 💯
They are never 90% similar. That’s what shills and brokies are telling you.
They never that close. I used to think the same till I put them side by side
@unicdelmore4382 I did put them side by side. And they are fairly similar. And those that are not cloned we have to buy the original. I wish all of the high-end and masterpieces were cloned.
@@mostafa.hoseinimanesh they aren’t very close
When u Shrink your goals u Have less to lose less to fight for ... And u will find happiness in small things that mostly will not be things at all.
You can still find happiness in the small things as you grow.
Love the content. I have a decent size collection of 21 bottles evenly divided between niche, designer, clones/cheapies and I think of them based on occasion and functionally. The fragrances that I just absolutely love that resonate in the limbic brain are the ones I spend $$$ on the niches. Designer fragrances I really do enjoy wearing and like the fragrance make sense for me at times. Maybe it’s a night out with some friends for a casual dinner or something I just want to smell in a light setting. I reach for the clones or cheapies when I just need to run quick errands, go to the gym or I just want to be in my pajamas and smell something nice. Why not spend 1/3 of the price if my primary purpose is for the gym our home use. I think of cheapies/clones in a similar fashion that you think about fresh fragrances. Don’t expect something from them that they aren’t.
Blind bought tarathi blue and loooove it, so i just blind bought marj moscow mule. I got a problem, but its cheap!!!!
Justin, you keep doin it, brotha. You've been gifted with a lot of wisdom and I appreciate you sharing some of it, even with those of us who've had a few more trips around the sun than you. Stay blessed!
Thank you!!
“Don’t shrink your goals to match your income. Grow your income to match your goals” 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
That's a bar!
Amen!
When u have no goals u have nothing to lose ... Happiness...
Absolute brainrot. But some people need it, I guess
Naw. Live within and below your means always. Real rich folks save their money and don't spend on so-called lux items. They but boats and property and not scented water
You always make points that causes us to think about things.
The quality of "inexpensive" colognes is stellar. Also, Lattafa puts "niche colognes" to shame.
Great topic Justin. I think cheap fragrances can be extremely valuable when starting out so you can know what you like.
An influencer said it's much better to save up and get the fragrance that you want as opposed to buying multiple cheap fragrances. Now that i know what i like, that's my approach.
Thank you 🙏🏾
"You do you, Boo" ain't entirely bad advice either, JC.
The best we can muster is our subjective understanding of Objective Truth; We do well to always bear that in mind, at least IMO. 😂❤
The biggest reason the clone/cheap fragrances have dominated the market over the last few years is because companies like Creed,Xerjoff,Tom Ford,etc have been listing their fragrances at such high $.
They have been getting 'schooled' and consumers have learned there are excellent alternatives for a fraction of the $.
It began with Creed offering 100ml bottles instead of their 120ml bottles & increasing $ too
Performance wasn't always so good as well.
Exactly. most clones of expensive niche fragrances are usually spot on and perform better for far less money so that alone makes cheaper alternatives far more appealing to most people. I have a few Niche fragrances that I really really enjoy and find they are worth what they cost but it isn't financially responsible to spend 4 to 5 hundred dollars on a single perfume and own a large collection of those unless of course you are getting them for free from the brands them self.
^^^ THIS is by far the #1 reason. Most people arent stupid and know when they are getting gouged, when they see nearly identical products at 1/4 to 1/5 the price, and will always go with what's more affordable. 💯 It's not rocket science that the ME and dupe houses have figured out.🤷
Exactly, the trend began with Creed. Thank them and Blackrock
Great Message Justin !
Expensive fragrances are not worth it most times. Maybe niche are but expensive designer fragrances are truly a rip off. I've seen guerlain and hermes at reasonable prices but dior, chanel and the likes are a hard no for me. Even kilian and tom ford seem overpriced to me. But like you said, most people are not part of the target market. Instant gratification is a real issue tho. I've found myself purchasing zara and korres fragrances that i didnt really want and not buying the ones i actually wanted because i have to save for a while to get them. I do cherish my free time too much and dont think working extra hard just to buy more perfumes is worth it.
I could never recommend working during your free time just to buy new perfumes, and that is not what I tried to convey. I just mean elevating one's life in general. Fragrances are completely inconsequential. But I understand your perspective!
Hello and thanks. Coincidentially, a spanish reviewer also published today a video on the same subject. Your buy is your choice. But I would have not know many of the fragrances I like without reviewers
I have a few bottles of niche and designer. If could only have one, it’d probably be Creed Aventus. That being said buy what you like and don’t knock people whose preferences differ from yours.
so many people need to hear this. the amount of fragrances that just sit in most of the community’s collections is ridiculous. like yeah, i get that it’s a collection but pretty much everyone agrees with the sentiment of quality of over quantity. yet not many people actually adhere to that philosophy at all. they’re just chasing the highs of getting a new fragrance. my recommendation to anyone who owns more than 10 bottles (cause let’s be honest, even 10 is pushing it) is to try and sell/trade off the ones you don’t absolutely love or see yourself using the full bottle of so that you can either invest in the better alternatives in the market or to use that money to instead buy samples. at least with that second option, you’ll still be getting new fragrances and at the same time discovering new scents you might actually want to buy a full bottle of in the future
Agreed!
For me its because the “expensive” fragrances I like dont LAST! Ive had cheaper fragrances that smell BETTER than the original even though its not an exact match.
So many houses have “reformulated” or discontinued already good fragrances yet increases the price for a lesser product.
It's not that cheap fragrances are taking over. It's that other fragrances, designer and niche or otherwise, are becoming way overpriced.
As innovation is reaching critical mass, the event horizon, and the pinnacle many fragrances are becoming redundant.
Hence, clone companies can duplicate more easily and make them cheaper en masse. Profitability can be achived by mass appeal numbers rather than targeting a specific group and stratum of society. Especially the rich ones.
After buying almost 120 bottles since 2011, in the last year I've switched to only affordable, high quality ME houses. I just cant justify paying these increasingly ridiculous designer and niche prices, when another more affordable market for the same exact scent profiles exists. Not going back to buying full designer bottles when I can get 80%-95% close to a designer profile for 1/4 to 1/5 the price and typically better performance.🤷 The designer/niche math just aint mathin' for me and my budget anymore, esp given that there are now viable options that didn't exist even 3-4 years ago. The market is in agreement and the designer houses better figure it out, or succumb to the competition. 💯If the ME houses can do it, why cant they? 🤔
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
Im new in the space and find that most of my cloned fragrances inspire the very compliments I was looking for at a fraction of the cost.
Average Guy here. I just wanna smell good and for it to situationally last long, regardless of price. Also, I like to have a little variety.
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provocative topic. Here is one other possibility. Each person sent capability is different. Some can and never will be able to smell the difference between lattafa maahir Legacy and Sedley. And, one more that might be the hardest one to understand for people. They just like how it smells. Everyone has their reasons prevailing or isolated. As long as they are enjoying the hobby who is anyone to question. Not saying you are just saying.
I personally like these topics cause they aren't just watch and forget. Keep up the good work.
And even if one can smell the differnce in Maahir Legacy and Sedley, since you used this example, one would likely agree that difference is minimal, _and_ just because they're different doesn't mean the PdM is objectively better.
I think a lot of people assume that "the original is best," but I think that's a faulty assumption.
When Jimi Hendrix covered Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," I believe Dylan said something like "Jimi's version is the way I had intended it to sound." What a compliment! And what a revealing statement about doing a take on another person's creation.
@FragranceAnon sadly, so many want to demonize cheaper houses because they are just copying someone else's work. When,In fact, the slight twist (some do) is an improvement.
Take the Lattafa Maahir Legacy as the perfect example. I know and understand the quality difference between it and Sedley, yet the pepper in Maahir Legacy makes it more interesting to me personally.
@@Mr.E.Fragrance
Nobody (in my opinion) that is around me when I wear Legacy can tell if it's Sedley or something else.
They'd simply think I smell great.
@@FragranceAnonand guess how Dylan performs it to this day??? Like Hendrix version. Boom 💥💥
Thank you. I just want to be clear that I'm not trying to draw lines and say "these fragrances are better than these" with this video, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary.
Here's my corollary that interacts with 1&3: I would be scared to use it even if I did save up the money to purchase the (super expensive thing). Niche fragrances that exceed the $75 price point at discounters are my cut off right now. So even though I think Aventus is a classically masculine Chypre that I would love to wear, fragrance is ultimately a finite disposable resource with a replacement cost. Luckily, the decant market is great in the US. I think that the desired gratification of owning a new bottle of our own blinds is to alternatives.
Thank you Sir. It was a great video. Very educational. Beyond the mainstream. Appreciate the efforts.
Thank you 🙏🏾
Cheap frags are taking over because Middle Eastern houses are providing an incredible value and demonstrating that a fragrance doesn't have to be expensive to smell great.
As far as clones go, we could get into a discussion of intellectual property rights, but, honestly, if someone can provide a comparable scent at a significatly lower price, it makes sense to not waste your money on the more expensive product (What exactly is the advantage of "quality" [more expensive] ingredients?). This has the added advantage of putting pressure on big-name companies to lower their prices in order to be competitive. This is why free markets are a good thing.
Case in point: I have Club de Nuit Blue Iconic and Bleu de Chanel EDP. The Blue Iconic smells better to me (yep, I said it) _and_ is _much_ more reasonably priced. No reason to buy the BdC unless you just really want to for a personal reason.
In the end, I think a better question is, "Why do people keep wasting money on overpriced products that are overpriced because of a brand name?"
Good video topic, Justin. I like that you don't just put out top ten lists.
I'm glad someone else has said it. That Iconic Blue lasts all day as well. Projects better also. Most people hardly notice the difference in the air. I had to tell a young lady that it was Club de Nuit Iconic and not BDC. It's just with Armaf, it's the initial spray. But after 30 seconds, can't tell the difference.
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary!
Thanks for watching!
I do think you first need to have/experienced something (cheapies) in order to appreciate quality and save up for something you really like. Its also a shame brands keep raising prices and now they are not 2x or 3x the price of a cheap clone but 10x the price.
I have 17 bottles on my shelf. 4 are expensive niche, 7 are clones of niche and 6 are designer.
I see no problem using clones to flesh out my collection as long as the fragrances they clone are taking liberties with pricing or poor longievity. Xerjoff Naxos, Dior Tobacolor etc are worth their pricetag as the clones dont hit the mark and the OGs perfom fantastically.
I much prefer clones that go for unique bottle designs and aren't called silly twists of the OGs name e.g. 'Leytone' 🙃.
By these measures, Dusk by The Woods Collection (PdM Layton clone) is great as it has a niche quality bottle design with a magnetic cap and smells nearly identical to Layton on the drydown with similar performance for 20% the cost of the orignal. No brainer. Royale Stallion by Al Haramain would also fit this criteria.
I think what most people don't understand is you don't need 100 fragrances even if they are cheap. I agree with Justin that you should just buy 1 or 2 quality fragrances a year if you are a enthusiast. Also stick to sampling that way you can try more fragrances without breaking the bank. Also justin can we talk ?
I buy decants now. 10mL decent sometime is equal value to a 80-100mL clone. Some may say just buy a 100mL clone brah but naw I'm good. Most of my clones are sold off or collecting dust. I now buy clones of frags that are not available anymore or frags that are ok... Just my input.
Class was in Session! 💪🏾🫡
I really like this guy , only fragrance channel TH-camr I trust wholeheartedly!
I appreciate that!
I say it doesn't matter niche/ cheap there's plenty of niche not worth the asking price just as some cheap fragrances. At the end of the day there's a market catered TO EVERY CONSUMER, the market doesn't care if you buy niche or cheap JUST BUY SOMETHING. The consumer gets to choose WHERE THEIR MONEY GOES, If they like it i love it.
I started my collection off all clones. Was the biggest mistake i made. Sold them all off and got my focus in the game right. I have few niche frags in my collection now which taught me i dont need them although i do appreciate the quality perfumery that i have and have supported by buying them. Now i understand. My collection is prodominantly designer. And that is what works for me, i have something for every season that is of undeniable quality. And i know i didnt spend too much on them. I only pay retail at a store if I want it then and there and it's a must have. Everything else has been purchased at discounters and has been heavily marked down. I have everything i need for warm, cool, and mild weather. And its all legitimate name brand stuff no nameless garbage. I buy and sell frags on the regular and am also a car guy. I want a Lexus, Acura, Mercedes or BMW. Why?, because if i go to sell one i dont use it should have value like a designer would. Nobody is paying you what you paid for your lattafa/armaf crap. Just like nobody in the u.s would want to buy your no name strip down base model cars you've imported from China that have no air conditioner or car play in them. No point in buying assets with no secondhand value in them.
Thank you for sharing!
Good wisdom bro. GOD bless you
Thank you
"Higher priced" fragrance brands are more than happy to sell bottles to anyone who is willing to pay for it. That being said, their target market is those who can afford to pay for it. It is foolish to say "no fragrance should cost X amount" when there are clearly people who are willing and able to pay for them at full retail. I've heard from multiple sales people at luxury fragrance stores and counters selling 5 bottles of an expensive fragrance at full retail to one person. Frankly, I think this bothers a lot of people in fragcomm. Great subject matter Justin.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m in the 3rd rationale. I primarily buy designer fragrances from both discounters and dept stores. I’m of the opinion that after $160 the fragrance just doesn’t provide the bang for the buck. I’ve sample high end niche fragrances and never felt the value was justified. I’d rather splurge on a nice suit.
Excellent , sir
Fragrance purchases should be WAY down on the priority list.
In fact, most people don't wear fragrances at all. Think about how many times you don't smell a perfume or cologne in contrast to how many times you do.
Save your money. Buy only a quality fragrance only when you've taken care of your obligations.
For me I have money, I could afford the better real fragrances, but tbh I think when you look at costs of making a fragrance and then a mark up, the real ones do not have the value to me, I definitely get that it is an art form and I don’t deny that. I wouldn’t pay an insane amount of money on an art piece either, I just don’t personally find value in that. I respect people’s decisions that do and don’t dig on what other people enjoy spending their money on. I have a few real colognes I’ve been given as gifts, namely Versace Eros and one million, but I have bought over 20 clones or “cheapies” with my own money. The clones number one are sometimes super similar and even when they aren’t super similar they still smell good most of the time. And on rare occasions they are better. The clones of Tom fords cherry I have my wife likes way better than the real one. And it was 18 bucks and it last me all day. No will u get a dud if u buy enough cheapies? For sure! But u spent 20 or less on it and still got the dopamine hit when u placed that order and the excitement of waiting and u have something more in ur collection i guess so it’s not such a big loss. To me when i get a compliment on my little 15 dollar cologne it’s analogous to a beating someone in a game that spent hundreds on the game and I’ve been free to play the whole time. It feels good. Idk that’s just me curious what you all think? Also nice video bro
I have a large enough collection of fragrances that I don't really need to buy any more, but I will if I really enjoy the fragrance. Cheap or not so cheap, without a sample there is no way I purchase anything though.
congratulation mate on 100k subs! big fan here.
Thank you!
I stay in a third world country so dupes are a no brainer,but seriously some middle east releases have really lived up to their price point,in my country there are no fragrance discounters,no decant services and we pay double for mediocre performing edts which have been refomulated or faked
When your income is low, you still want to have alot of products. That is why people buy many cheap products, and later they almost no use it. I life alone have and have an income not too much, but my clothes are from boss. I only buy clothes when i really need it, and quality last always longer. I always wait for the sale to buy clothes, in this way i save alot of money. Some people may think i have a good job because i always look sharp. Nowadays i never buy bottles but only the 10 ml from the good brands. I prefer having good parfums and instead of spending more then €200 for a bottle, i buy 4 or 5 10 ml from different brands.
Great points as always, my brother, but as a fragrance addict, what is this... prescribed... budget? 😅
Lol!
That Mahiir Legacy is a fresh pepper BOMB !!!! An absolute WINNER.
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Cheapies most of the time smell like their price tag to say least. I own two cheapies just for the purpose of having easy grabs for casual wear like the supermarket or just for chilling at home, not because I consider them good enough. They allow me to extend the life of my relatively expensive fragrances. So yeah, quality over quantity.
Also, I think the greatest value is the inexpensive tier. (50-100$). Most fragrances in that price range smell of high quality without burning a hole in one's pocket. 100-200$ is expensive, but sometimes reasonably. 300+$ is straight up robbery. That is in my humble opinion.
"Cheapies most of the time smell like their price tag to say least." This isnt remotely true anymore. Maybe more than 2-3 years ago, sure. But now, there are MANY middle eastern and other high-quality dupes and inspirations that are every bit as good as the OG and have better performance. Alhambra, Fragrance World, Alexandria, Al Wataniah, Lattafa, etc.
@@DocRock71In my experience, that's not true at all. What performs well smells synthetic, what smells natural doesn't perform. Especially the house of Lattafa, don't really care for it. Very over-rated IMO.
@@yousif_mangirous That's why I listed Lattafa last, but they still have some amazing fragrances, but some are also not as good. I've yet to have less than a banger from the other ME houses I listed. I've been very pleased with my ME houses experience over the last year or so, and just cant see going back to designers anymore, because of their ridiculous price gouging they started doing during the pandemic. 4 years ago, most top designers were under $70. Now most start out at $100-$120+. Nah fam, I'm out. ME house are treating me really well lately.💯👍
@@DocRock71That's a good point, but there are some great designers that do not exceed the 70$ mark.
ME brands are not bad don't get me wrong, I'm talking about houses that steered themselves into cloning when they were doing OGs. This is clearly a path that will get them the most profit, but it's also the path that shows us they don't care about the art of fragrance anymore. I wouldn't trust such brands. Al-Hambra (which is basically Lattafa btw), Lattafa itself, Armaf, and AlHaramain come to mind. No innovation there.
Note: When it comes to Oud for example, no brand does it better than a Middle Eastern brand. Especially those from Saudi Arabia.
@@DocRock71is performance really the only thing that matters in a fragrance? It's pretty easy to get good performance by putting cheap harsh materials in the base of the perfume but that doesn't necessarily make it good or artistic
To get that consistent performance you can't do much more than a one note fragrance.
For example none of Aventus' clones fully accurately replicate the citrus top, green middle and smoky base evolution of aventus in the same way.
And fragrance can and is a luxury product at times. Some people enjoy the fact that they own a Creed fragrance and if that's what they want there isn't much wrong with that.
It's like an LV bag, does it actually cost 5k to make? Or is it because it says LV on the side?
I’ve been collecting frags off and on since 5th grade (1998). I just got into clones/dupes and I love them. For me personally, it gives me access to profiles I don’t have access to since the stores that carry them are almost 1hr away. I’d rather spend $30 on a full size clone versus $30 on 10ml of the original. But clones, like Layton- have actually led me to buy the OG because I loved it and it’s something I would’ve prob never been able to test. I also have clones of OG bottles I own because I can stretch the OG a bit more while enjoying that DNA. There are some awesome designer cheapies too, like BR Grassland. There’s also the case where I enjoy the cheapie more than the OG. Asad is one that comes to mind because it’s creamier, more vanilla forward than Sauvage Elixir. The End 😂 Also can we get an Acqua Di Parma house rank ? I’m not familiar with them and wanna dive in.
Thanks for sharing!
I have several Acqua di Parma, but there are SO many I don't have. So I feel like I would need more!
Well done and excellent job
Thank you
I finally ordered a Naxos decant that arrived on Friday. Very underwhelmed, not because it doesn't smell great, it absolutely does. But it doesn't live up to the consistent hype train.🤷 I pulled out my Alexandria sample of 1981X and did a side by side, and I actually prefer the Alexandria a tad bit more. It's under $50. The cheapest I can find a Naxos tester is $148 on FragNet.
Which one do you think I'm buying a bottle of?🤔🙄
I know wealthy ppl who don't buy all the name brand things when they've discovered something that works and does just as good as the name brand.I know it hurts to hear but it's very true.
That doesn’t hurt at all. Who are these people you know?
@@stayfreshproductions in my circles and family.I personally prefer getting the real thing more than purchasing a lot of cheap clones but like I said ppl I know (family and non family) who are well of financially like buying cheap clones and it has me like "really...u have the money" but that's their preference!
@@stayfreshproductions oh and I wasn't saying that it hurts you to hear this Justin I was speaking in general. 👍
@@thegreatone5355You're very correct in your statement. Most wealthy people I've grown up with in my family and friends may have that 1 expensive fragrance. And they're known by wearing that fragrance. Otherwise, they're always looking for a deal, or they're friends with a designer and they'll get it comped. They don't spend money like that. I go for what smells great, lasts long.
@@olskool719 this Justin Copeland replying to me up under another account right??👍
For me I simply dont value smelling nice enough to spend $150 on a single scent profile.
Also, if i like a clone enough after 50 wears, at least I'll be confident that I do like the DNA, and either rebuy it or buy the real thing. Some clones totally smell good enough for me
Does anyone know a good app that I can use to keep track of the fragrances I wear each day? I've seen it on this channel before, but I can't find anything online. Thanks.
Parfumo.net
@@stayfreshproductions Thank you for the reply. WIll check that out.
It really depends…this is a snob thing. Some are 1:1 for what it’s cloning, some are not close, some are very cheap. I really depends. Also how much money are you saving. 40 vs 80 just save the money.
40 vs 120….ehhhhh how close is it? lol!
Hey just, I this type of video! I thinking making a few vids a month about where the state of the fragrance industry and its trends, just as entertaining as reviews tbh
These are the types of videos that set you apart in the world of fragrance reviews. You are the best my friend.
Thank you!
It's these kinds of topics I particularly like to take my time in commenting
Thank you for watching 🙏🏾
Great video!
Thanks!
This is such a good video lol. I have been so entertained by all the ridiculous posturing about how someone's clone fragrance is super beast mode compared to the now super diluted original, and then the same people make fun of the "idiots" who pay for brand name fragrances -- as if fragrance isn't already a totally superfluous luxury purchase to begin with??? Most people would do fine by taking two showers a day and using roll on deodorant. All I really hear from people crapping on others for paying top dollar for super expensive fragrances is "I am poor". Like fine, broadcast that you don't have any money or have poor spending habits and can't save for something high quality, original (clones after all simply copy something that someone else took a risk on to begin with) because they love instant gratification, but I think these people genuinely don't understand that the type of people paying a few hundred dollars for a new bottle of Tom Ford or Roja every month see those few hundred dollars the same way these people see 30 bucks. It's a drop in the bucket for that group. So if they wanted to they could spend whatever the hell they wanted on fragrance. Fragrance is objectively not a very expensive product compared to other luxury goods such as designer bags, clothes, jackets, and higher order things like sports cars, yachts etc. The really top end fragrances cap out at a couple thousand bucks per bottle for the most part but they tend to be nuclear composition and 100mL of the night probably lasts 3 years or more if you sprayed it once a day. That's $3400. But if you bought a venti latte from Starbucks every day for the same three years you're literally pissing away $6000 over the same amount of time but somehow only the former purchase is financially irresponsible? Give me a break lol.
And I say this as someone who has smelled incredibly close clones of popular fragrances before; these can 100% pass for the original in many scenarios. But the "only buy cheap clones" crowd is among the most annoying, petty, and ultimately envious group of people I've seen
I really appreciate your perspective, and I agree with many of your thoughts!
@@stayfreshproductions thanks brotha, love the videos too
You’re educating in an entertaining way
Thank you
Clones are simply smelling just as good or great in some instances. So people figure why spend real high when you are going to smell good anyway.
For sure, but I was not trying to communicate that the issue is buying cheap fragrances in general. The issue is when it gets out of hand and people are buying them en masse or very frequently just because they're cheap. Just trying to help folks think critically.
@@stayfreshproductions agree with that assessment.
3:14 .. you got me..
I don't know why but I get way more excited about buying a cheap clone that's super close or sometimes even better than the original more so than I do buying the actual original version😂 and I'm being totally honest
Great topic. I’ve been saying for years that people that have the money will spend it. Period. And companies have a target audience. And if you don’t think the prices match the perceived value or if you simply can’t afford expensive perfumes then politely excuse yourself and move on. It’s a personal choice. As long as we continue to spend they’ll continue to raise prices. And I’m cool with that 😂
I hate it when I tell someone that I don’t like clones and they insist that all clones are “just as good” as the original. They’re not on my skin. And If I’ve smelled the original and it’s great on me then that’s what I want not something that is almost like it.
Great video!
"they’ll continue to raise prices. And I’m cool with that 😂"
This is the problem in a nutshell right here. These companies see them coming from a long way off. Some people will always mess up a good thing.
@@DocRock71 they can raise the prices but when it gets to a number that I no longer value then I do NOT have to make the purchase. Everything around us has gone up so choose what works for you. Even you average designer scents cost way more than they did a few years ago and guess what people still buy them. The malls, restaurants, movie theaters, bars and airports are not empty. People find money for what they want to spend it on. And it’s pretty evident with the cost of everything NOT just perfume. There’s always been cheap vs expensive in any area of life and the only reason the topic of fragrance is at hand is due to social media. Niche isn’t new just the exposure or platform that it now sits on
@@AScentedSoul The greedy corps & companies feed off of ignorance like... "they’ll continue to raise prices andd I’m cool with that 😂."
Getting gouged or ripped off isnt much to laugh about, or in yours, or anyone else's best interests. These companies see people with this attitude, and they rub their greedy hands together and say "Yaaaaaasss!"💯
The market is clearly leaning my way, with many, if not most people waking up and say "F their silly prices", when they see good, far more affordable alternatives... and when that lasts long enough, the designers will be forced to lower their prices back down to compete.💯👍
Thanks Ms. Barnes! Appreciate your perspective and I agree.
I think it’s too broad to just tell people to save money and purchase the higher end fragrance. People just getting into the hobby don’t see the value in a higher end fragrance if they can’t tell the difference in quality. They probably just see it as a higher price tag just for the brand name. I think value comes with being in the hobby for a while, having your nose mature to realize the depth and quality in higher end fragrances, where as in fact sometimes there are designer brands that slap their name on a cheap generic fragrance and price it over $100, but that’s when the experience nose can pick up the low quality and avoid the scent where as the undeveloped nose thinks it smells amazing. To recap I think it’s just hard to tell someone to save up for that creed/ xerjoff/ Amouage or whatever when the clone smells the exact same to them.
I totally understand where you're coming from, and I agree.
But on the flip side, what I unfortunately see from new folks to the hobby these days, as a result of what they see on social media, is the hoarding of cheap/inexpensive clones. So it's not the buying of clones/cheap fragrances in general that's the problem, it's the buying of them en masse simply because they are cheap. Typically, most of them sit and collect dust. Some may say it is fine, or even necessary, for a new person to go through these "growing pains". But speaking from experience, I could not disagree with with that more fervently. It is absolutely unnecessary.
John varvatos a good cologne brand to try?
Yes
There’s one specific guy I’ve been seeing getting tones of praises for bashing original creation by saying dupes are better. He’s been misleading so many of his followers without even having the originals of the dupes he tells them to buy. 🤦🏾♂️ he’s even selling a book of dupes.
Oh man! I was not aware of this.
Random question Justin what do you think of the house perris Monte Carlo
I only own one, and I enjoy it. Cedro di Diamante.
@@stayfreshproductions Nice! Is it where you tried them all already or haven’t gotten round to it yet?
For the office/work would you still recommend more fougere type fragrances and if so could you name a few?
@@leepaterson7340 I did a whole video on barbershop/fougere fragrances not long ago-check it out!
@@stayfreshproductions appreciate you man!
I got influenced and caved and got Lattafa Maahir Legacy silver thinking it would smell like sedley and it is pure trash and smells like shower gel at a high school gym. do not recommend.
low key, maybe don't use the word "gypped," just a heads up.
I'm not the biggest fan of Straight to Heaven but a huge fan of Justin doing videos like this!
One of the issues that also play a role is that consumers are conditioned to believe that higher price = higher status, but also that higher price = marketing ripoff (as you point out). This is kind of where modern consumerism (as in 1950s to 1990s) meets late-modern (sometimes called post-modern) consumerism (since late 1990s / 2000s, especially since books like Naomi Klein's No Logo). These are two assumptions that consumers carry around, and both of them have some (but not all the) truth to them.
These cheaper dupes are so appealing because they provide a very workable synthesis between these two styles of consumption: You can have your cake and eat it, too.
In the context of fragrances, it especially helps that discerning differences between high/low quality is often subjective and needs a trained nose. Thus, the argument of "most people will not know the difference" or "I don't even know the difference once it dried down" become very defensible in our own heads. Compare this to, for example, cheap tablet computers: You can't escape knowing that the knock-off is bad, because the built quality is so obviously lower (e.g., screen response rate is super slow).
But with fragrances, we're relying on our olfactory senses, which are amongst our least practiced ones. Meanwhile, the marketing of these dupe fragrances -- both in terms of the visual presentation in product packaging and visual images, as well as tapping into OTHER influencers (not Justin) for legitimization -- is top notch. Our visual senses and our desire to be a responsible consumer thus give us license to buy the knockoff... even if this is a symptom of being addicted or the quality of it doesn't fulfill us long time.
I should mention that I also bought Armaf and Parfums Vintage (the latter don't really fall into this category, I would say), precisely because I wanted to find out how well they match the real thing. Armaf doesn't do it well enough for me, but I can see the appeal.
On the production side, dupe fragrances also have become much better I guess, thanks to mass spectral analysis of the original's chemical makeup
You done writing?
@@Maxpayne-m6k Yes, you are welcome
@ARmarketing Personally, I appreciated your well thought out insight!
@@ProfessorBath Thank you, professor
Buying so many clones will eventually equal up to the retail price of the expensive one. How are you saving money if you’re buying so many?
Exactly 👍🏾
It is still just scented water. If it smells nice and last long enough for you, that is all that matters. Niche, designer, or clone, no one cares. It is about if you like it and if YOU feel like it is a reasonable price.
I'm so sorry, but, I think you have missed out a very significant point. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford, for example, something like creed aventus. However, the price to performance ratio doesn't work out. The Amarf clone, limited edition, is a superior product when price is to be considered. I will happily pay the price for quality time and time agian. I refuse to get ripped off! £200 plus for 4 hours of performance is not acceptable. I do belive that brands such as perfumes de marly are worth their price and will happily pay the price because the quality, thus far, is there.
Your point is valid. But the counterpoint I would provide is that performance is relative and subjective. You may very well only get 4 hours out of Aventus, but there are people who get much more. Myself included. So that is not an absolute, it is simply your experience. If that doesn’t make it worth it for you, all good!
@stayfreshproductions Agreed. So doesn't that mean a clone with reliable performance and relatively good quality across all batches is a better buy....? Many electronic goods, as an example, have been replaced over time with cheaper and more reliable Chinese 'clones'. Isn't the fragrance world experiencing the same thing?
@@matthewmadhanga leveraging performance as the reason to get or not get a fragrance is once again a subjective decision. If it matters to you, and your experience has been negative with the authentic products, then it sounds like it will benefit you personally to go for the cheaper stuff. But if performance is not a point of concern (whether it is lacking or not), then the more expensive, authentic product is still worth the money to someone. As I said in the video-those who can genuinely afford more expensive products will likely buy them. Getting “bang for your buck” may not necessarily be an issue for them.
@stayfreshproductions. Performance is finite and measurable. Therefore, it's an objective attribute, I think we can both agree on that. The importance of performance to someone is subjective, I think we can both agree on that. I'll surrender on this point and bring it back to my original comment, "I think you missed out an important point", for most people, the subjective value to performance ratio is the reason why clones are taking over, I think most people will agree on that.
@@matthewmadhanga I have a favor to ask: I’d be curious to get your feedback on this video I made a year ago that speaks to this concern: th-cam.com/video/EAmB4WS_x8A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dSYyMLWYKqk6B-Ff
I refuse to spend over $50 on scents. Lattafa, Maison Alhambra, Afnan, Paris Corner, etc all do a fantastic job and meet my expectations.
Awesome 👏🏾
I have an odd suspicion you’ve read “rich dad, poor dad” in your lifetime but i guess i’ve been wrong before. Great video. Timeless opinion. Nice work.
😉
Thanks Jessie!
If you want to pay 50 times the production cost. Go ahead :D Creed, Roja etc. 5-10 dollars ingredience costs is all I am saying!
Creed, Roja, and all of the other big name, well-known brands like that are not the only niche brands out there!
Mega Awesome 😎💯❣️
It's these kinds of topics I particularly like to take my time in commenting, that I'm booting up my laptop at 6:30am to comment and not my phone, because I can do paragraphs 😆This will probably the longest comment I have posted on your channel.
I feel a bigger concern would be the propagation of counterfeit fragrances being labeled as "(name of country) tester" or 'mall pullouts" or "Class A". Since those are packaged so similarly to the original, passed off AS FROM THE ORIGINAL BRAND, and they actually have a market, the original companies are definitely losing out sales to those. Often, these counterfeits are categorized with inspired fragrances, which is not right, and I feel, quite unfair.
Now, based on your thumbnails, I will touch a just little bit on inspired fragrances because that's a definite rabbit hole. For a long time, ME fragrances make a lot of money for being able to provide products that are a fraction of the price of the original and cater to the trifecta MANY fragrance enthusiast only value: beast mode projection, undying longevity, and 90%+ similarity to the original. One particular US-based brand is quite good at being able to do this, and I will admit to going to them, and purchasing from them, when I find a fragrance I like and then I find out that its price tag (the original one) will be more justifiable to spend on more urgent needs.
Here in the Philippines, our fragrance community is quite robust. Inspired houses have taken it upon themselves to take the original and recreate it with tweaks to primarily suit our weather, and the economic capacity of our population. It is for that reason that I recommend these houses to those who ask me about acquiring specific fragrances. I normally would mention the original first, but when the price is mentioned, it usually elicits a negative reaction, even when the price is already at the USD 40 mark. So, I then mention the inspired houses, which are priced at max USD 20 approx. Sometimes, those who inquire with me are already familiar with the original and are looking for alternative suggestions. I always push for the local inspired, "cheap" houses than the ME or US ones.
I will admit to personally not sampling all of them (i.e., local inspired houses) yet, as I prefer to delay my gratification and save up instead (see what I did there? 😉) for the LOCAL houses who do original blends. Now THAT'S the ultimate niche for me! And we have a growing number of EXCELLENT perfumers. Wren Atelier's Valensole Romance, for example, has been lauded by Scout Dixon West on Tiktok (vt.tiktok.com/ZS2QwouFQ/).
In closing, when it comes to the exploration of olfactory art, I abide by "Desire and acquire, within your plan; keep it authentic, whenever you can."
Thank you for sharing! I really appreciate your perspective.
If i can smell 90% similar and it's 300 dollars less it just makes sense. If I could afford some of the fragrances you suggest I would but bills come first hobbies come way after.
I actually own a few designers and 1 niche and a few clones so I have a mix.
I gotcha! I'm not drawing lines and saying these fragrances are better than these, I'm just trying to encourage folks to think critically about their purchases. Through social media these days, it's all too easy to hoard all of the clones/cheapies en masse simply because they're cheap. And it's unnecessary.
Great video
Thanks!
I usually use clones to try out the scent profile of a more expensive fragrance. If I really like a clone, I may buy the original. In some cases, I will just get a decant and decide the clone is my best buy.... for example Alexandria's Black Panther is indistinguishable to my nose from Bvlgari Tygar. Sometimes I like the clone a lot better as in Parfums Vintage Isla Tropical Prive over Virgin Island Water.
Sometimes the clone is better but that still becomes a gambling addiction loop adjacent reward mechanism
I sample both clones and originals, then decides whichever to get in full bottle
I'm just looking for the most complimented, longest lasting, loin-drenching, beastmode fragrances.. regardless of the price.😂✌🏾
😆
Thankfully I'm able to afford fragrances but I won't buy clones nor pay full retail on originals, ever. Why? I've worked for a cosmetics chain and I KNOW that the retailers are ripping off Perfume producers. That's why I'm not buying clones, but original fragrances - in Bosnia, for much cheaper. There are a few online sellers in Bosnia that work on tightmargins and sell almost every fragrance for much less than retailers charge in the EU. Plus when you purchase 2 or more bottles you get free shipping. For example: Two Xerjoff fragrances (Naxos 100 ml & Alexandria II 50 ml) would cost me around €600 plus shipping on the German eBay. In Bosnia I got them for €350 (with free shipping). So I still support fragrance companies who are creative and invest in the art. So I don't nee to buy clones. By buying original fragrances in exotic countries - Producers still earn as usual, but without the parasites called retailers getting involved in the prices we pay.