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Blind buys you have most regretted...

post #1 of 168
4/21/06 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 
As a result of popular opinion here, I bought YSL Body Kouros and M7 Fresh.

Both have been very dissapointing.

Note to self: buying a fragrance blind is the epitome of stupidity. Don't do it again.

We have nearly all done it though haven't we?
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post #2 of 168
4/21/06 at 3:45pm
Habit Rouge

GIT
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post #3 of 168
4/21/06 at 3:46pm
Just curious...In what way exactly you did find Body Kouros disapointing? I mean, what were your expectations?
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post #4 of 168
4/21/06 at 3:53pm
WAY too many to list! My MOST regrettable though was probably Clive Christian 1872. Blinds can be fun if you don't spent too much. But over $200 for a frag I wound up swapping for something of much less value was just plain stupid.
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post #5 of 168
4/21/06 at 5:23pm
Issey Blue
Claiborne Mambo
Aramis Always
Givency Gentlemen
Aramis
Ultraviolet
Romance Silver


many more I just can't remember at the moment, the latest blind buy was Gier, and i am having my doubts as I just don't see whats so special about it, unlike the Creeds which smell amazing, Geir just smells like the average airy sweet fragrance.
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post #6 of 168
4/21/06 at 5:40pm
In order of most regrettable:

1. Néroli Sauvage - Creed
2. Silver Light - Escada
3. One Man Show - Jacques Bogart (AWFUL!)
4. Animale Parfums - Animale for Men
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post #7 of 168
4/21/06 at 5:43pm
Opium pour homme.

I don't hate it, but I must say that it is the least liked in my wardrobe. I find it more cloying than Givenchy Pi. However it does have its good days (during winter, obviously.)
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post #8 of 168
4/21/06 at 5:50pm
Lacoste Essential... no comment. >

Allure Sport, was not SO bad, but I expected something lighter, since it's "sport", but I found it even heavier than the original Allure(which I love).
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post #9 of 168
4/21/06 at 6:20pm
M7. After all the praise this scent gets I was very disappointed.
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post #10 of 168
4/21/06 at 6:21pm
I have never bought completly blind, however I have bought after first try. Â*Its almost as stupid because fragrances can be tricky at first. Â*There have been some fragrances which I detested on the first run only to later become the love of my life. Â*In the same regards I have bought a fragrance after the first try which I loved only to hate it within a week.

I now try to do a test run of at least a week.

Anyhow, I loved Bvlugari the first time but became disapointed in the first week....$90 for nothing!
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post #11 of 168
4/21/06 at 6:24pm
I've had pretty good luck - I guess the blind buy gods have been gentle with me. That said, I do have a few that just aren't my style, or I can't find proper occasions to wear.

Iquitos: too much rose, I thought I would like it, and it is good, but not really my style and don't know when I would wear it
Navegar: the reviews rave about it and say it's chameleonic; on me, it's always the same - cedar chest with spice packet
Navagateur: again, due to reviews, which rave over this one; for me it's a bit too "perfumey," sort of like Eau des Iles, which is just not my style
Xeryus: saw it at TJ Maxx and figured I'd take a shot; like a weaker waterier, less interesting version of Antaeus or Eucris; smells thin and cheap to me

Still, overall, my blind buys have been worth it: Rocabar, Vetyver Oriental, Bois d'Argent, L'Anarchiste, and L'Eau du Caporal have all been solid for me.
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post #12 of 168
4/21/06 at 6:48pm
I am suprised that you didn't like those two. I find them very nice. I'm wearing M7 Fresh right now in fact... I guess it is not for all of us...

There are just a few decants but no bottles. Noting major at all. I'm pretty satisfied. I like to really try a fragrance before I try it now a days so there really is nothing I fully regret. I bought Xeryus Rouge blind and I don't wear it much anymore because of some really plasticy fake quality in it. I guess that would be it...

EnvYuS
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post #13 of 168
4/21/06 at 7:21pm
My only real blind buy (which I haven't tried at all) is YSL Rive Gauche. But it seems that it is hard to find a tester of this to try in stores anyways, so I took a risk. My bottle arrived this past Wed., but I'm still at school so I'll have to wait on trying it. The anticipation is growing.....
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post #14 of 168
4/21/06 at 7:49pm
Vetiver de Puig
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post #15 of 168
4/21/06 at 11:06pm
1. Bel Ami (Hermes)
2. Contradiction (CK)
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post #16 of 168
4/21/06 at 11:13pm
L'eau Par Kenzo, horrible s#!t I must say IMO. After reading all of those good reviews for it, I really was expecting something special. > It actually smells good in the bottle, than on my skin.
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post #17 of 168
4/21/06 at 11:31pm
Clinique Happy, Lacoste Original, and Opium Poour Homme.

While Happy would be nice in summer days, it just doesn't last.

As refreshing as Lacoste Original is, the smell becomes nauseating.

As for Opium, there are days that I'd reach for it, but there are days that I wish I had never made the purchase.
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post #18 of 168
4/21/06 at 11:34pm
everything guerlain
body kouros
visit
laguna
beware the duds
some members here would gladly sell you a skunk.
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post #19 of 168
4/22/06 at 12:04am
I bought "Perry Ellis" blindly because I rarely see it. Fortunately, it was on sale. I have not tried it again since I bought it a month ago. It's a bit to spicey for the spring/summer months.
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post #20 of 168
4/22/06 at 12:46am
Quote:
everything guerlain

Even L'Instant? :'(
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post #21 of 168
4/22/06 at 12:49am
  • JP1
  • offline
  • Gender:
or vetiver? :'(
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post #22 of 168
4/22/06 at 2:03am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigeon Murderer

Just curious...In what way exactly you did find Body Kouros disapointing? I mean, what were your expectations?

I just found it to be very simple, linear (boring?) scent and it just doesn't last on me. I was completely underwhelmed by it. M7 Fresh likewise. Oh well, you win some you lose some.

In terms of expectations, the scent that you buy blind could meet 100% of those expectations so that prima facie you have bought successfully. However, if the frag does not last then IMO it does not qualify as a successful purchase. Dzing! is a case in point. You simply cannot legislate for how a fragrance will react to your skin chemistry, unless you have tested it beforehand and you cannot extract an accurate consensus from this site in respect of something as personal as a frag, without reference to a dummy run.
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post #23 of 168
4/22/06 at 2:48am
Oh, that' easy. Go to my wardrobe, click on *" owned " and you'll *find 57 frags. * :-[

With the exception of the 4-5 star frags: *Cristobal, *Art of Shaving Sandalwood, Cacharel, *212h20, Quasar, John Varvatos, Joseph Abdoud, Miracle Homme, Versace L'Homme, Francesco Smalto and OR Black *that leaves 47 disappointments.

Is Eau Savage the worst because it's a great scent (on others) but smells like I spilled basil tea on me? * Or are Quorum and Bandit worse because they truly suck and yet, *to add insult to injury, * enjoy a fanatical following here?

Or Givenchy Gentleman, *Mont Blanc Individuel or Duc the Vervins because I really liked them at first but *then grew very, very weary?

I don't know. *But I am sure that the cumulative effect of the 2-3 star mediocrities and the one star stinkeroos *have been both an aesthetic and financial drag.

THE biggest?

Too wounded to say :'(

(sniffle) *

Mario
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post #24 of 168
4/22/06 at 3:39am
I have bought a few fragrances blind, although usually after doing my homework on Basenotes.

The only two I have not grown to love are Cristobal and Allure. I thhink the problem is the sandalwood in the drydown.
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post #25 of 168
4/22/06 at 4:44am
I thoroughly enjoy buying blind! I havn't bought very many yet, but have not been dissappointed by any of those I have bought. Even if it is not love at first sniff, the fact that I have built up high expectaitions on the scent - and paid a lot of money - makes me try much harder to see the qualities of the scent, much harder than when I am smelling something in a shop.

Of course, decants could be a better, more economical way, but then I won't get the bottle... Gah!
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post #26 of 168
4/22/06 at 4:50am
Bandit EdP. Not at all the leather I thought it would be. I'm thinking of either swapping for the EdT or just simply buy it, but since I don't really appreciate the EdP I can't really see how different the EdT would be. Different, but still in the same vein?

CdG Shiso. I don't really mind this buy that much, but I don't think I will ever use it. The reason I still don't regret the purchase that much considering I'm not planning on using it is simple. CdG is my favorite perfume house and I could really see myself collecting their entire line.
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post #27 of 168
4/22/06 at 9:09am
Not that I dislike them as much as I prefer to wear others

Marc Jacobs
Polo Black
Jazz

I'm hoping that once some times passes, and I go back to these I'll have a new appreciation for them.
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post #28 of 168
4/22/06 at 9:42am
None for me yet, but my fragrance fund is woefully low right now :'( I guess I can include near blind buys, eh?

I bought Burberry Brit and loved it, though only tested it only once. I still love the scent but I've found it makes me feel sick if my body tempature rises at all. Probably worse near buy would have been True Star for men. Yes, I admit it, I almost bought because it's just an easy, unobtrusive scent.

*ducks the tar and feather mob*
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post #29 of 168
4/22/06 at 11:22am
I've probably made 20 to 30 blind buys and I don't regret one of them. I was out to try things out, and online purchases come very cheap as a rule.

There were several that I turned out to dislike, but I easily used them in trades thanks to the swap board here and I had the sincere satisfaction that at least I now knew for myself how good/bad I thought certain scents were.

I discovered that I didn't like LV's Piper Nigrum by a blind purchase, but the greatest stinker came when I bought Jacomo's Paradox PH blind. Luca Turin has raved about Jacomo's Paradox, both the men's and women's versions, and I had to figure out what he meant.

Mr. Turin and I don't share tastes regarding Paradox.
--Chris
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post #30 of 168
4/22/06 at 11:42am
Bowling Green
I bought it based on the positive reviews, but .. It didnt' settle well on my skin, there was some spicy note in it that was very annoying, once I went to sleep, it still poked me right in the nose, and I woke up twice, and finally went, washed it off. I then returned it the next day.
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post #31 of 168
4/22/06 at 12:22pm
Ungaro III,

Lot of raving about this one on this board so I could not resist buying blind. Huge dissapointment since I found it to be a dated typical 90's "yuppie" fragrance - too much sandalwood. The 90s is to "close" - can not even wear this one as an ironic retro statement.
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post #32 of 168
4/23/06 at 1:13am
l'anarchiste, god is this stuff ever awful
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post #33 of 168
4/23/06 at 1:25am
Tommy T

Givenchy Pour Homme

Both are synthetic-smelling beyond belief.
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post #34 of 168
4/23/06 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by verve

Tommy T

Givenchy Pour Homme

Both are synthetic-smelling beyond belief.

Two of my favorites!

I have bought several blind, but Escada Sentiment and M7 stand out the most. I bought Sentiment in a gift set, and I like the aftershave and shower gel, but the edt is too sweet in all seasons. It smells too fruity and soapy for me, and I like fruity and soapy!

I guess M7 is just a bit too much for me. I don't like the YSL house notes that remind me of others I didn't like (Jazz, Kouros, & Sport), and the wood is just too raw and heavy. It would be great if the wood could be tempered by something, but it just runs loose on my skin and drives my allergies wild. Combine that with great expectation, and I have myself a big regret.
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post #35 of 168
4/23/06 at 10:24am
Drakkar Noir

Instant headache. As a matter of fact, I'll trade the 100mL EdT, 100mL aftershave balm and 2.5 oz deodorant set for 50mL of something interesting (make me an offer).
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post #36 of 168
4/23/06 at 10:42am
No great remorse on these. They were worn, determined not to personal preference and swapped or given away:

YSL M7 - couldnt take a liking to the medicine note.
CDG Sequoia - had reviews of smelling like a forest woodsy smell, no such luck on wearing it. Ive lived for years in various forests.
Guerlain Vetiver - Had a soapy note that was... hard to explain but I didnt take to it. Â*
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post #37 of 168
4/26/06 at 11:53pm
Probably Boss Soul by Hugo Boss & Boss Motion by Hugo Boss :-[
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post #38 of 168
5/2/06 at 4:47pm
best blind buy: CDG sequoia
worst blind buy: without doubt Tea for Two.
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post #39 of 168
5/3/06 at 12:09am
I'm still contemplating my YSL Rive Gauche blind buy. It is a good smell and I like it, but it is definetly different from the other scents I own. All the other fragrances seem to have something refreshing or citrusy about it; Rive Gauche seems very, very spicy. I'm debating on whether I should have bought XS instead. I'll probably get it soon, maybe after a few weeks/months.
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post #40 of 168
5/3/06 at 7:22am
Lagerfeld Classic (initially I thought It was ok, now I think its notes clash strangely and It's too cloying)
Quorum... Oh my god, nowadays I think It's a spicy bomb, I smell a dirty rotten flower mixed with the spices and pine.
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post #41 of 168
5/3/06 at 7:41am
I can't recall many, except for the following:

Xeryus Rouge - the original Xeryus was the first fragrance I ever purchased and very much loved at the time. I thought getting the new version of this would make sense - big mistake! Smelt very early '90s and synthetic. I ended up selling it for a small loss.

Romeo Gigli Man - I expected great things from this fragrance, only to discover that it's basically a watered down version of L'eau D'Issey (with the peppery notes dominating the citrus ones instead). Longevity was disappointing as well. I'm now using it as a work fragrance (I only use my favourite frags for social occasions/going out). Still, I got it at a reasonable price so I can't really complain about this one.


Trebor
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post #42 of 168
5/3/06 at 8:09am
Herrera for Men
Boss Bottled
Zihr

all bought on sale on the same day. learned my lesson!
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post #43 of 168
5/3/06 at 10:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonbreath

Ungaro III,

Lot of raving about this one on this board so I could not resist buying blind. Huge dissapointment since I found it to be a dated typical 90's "yuppie" fragrance - too much sandalwood. The 90s is to "close" - can not even wear this one as an ironic retro statement.

Yeah, I bought it blind too (100ml tester for $20) and was very underwhelmed. Not that it's unwearable but given the reviews here on bnotes, I expected much more. Very dry and uninspiring.

But my worst blind buy was Mont Blanc Presence Cool. I love the original Presence but this juice reeks of rotten apples. Avoid at all costs. My bothers & father said no when I offered it to them.
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post #44 of 168
5/3/06 at 10:39am
Worst blind buys are:
Chopard's Casran
Gucci's Envy for Men
Kor's Michael for Men
Picasso's Minataure (not really blind...the scent strip smelled great....the bottle not so much)
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post #45 of 168
5/3/06 at 11:13am
Actually not a blind BUY but a blind SWAP....

Hands down, Habit Rouge, or as I affectionately refer to it, Nausea Bottled. BLECH! I know a lot of people love this...but I find it to be the most sickly sweet, cloying concoction ever. Â*Rancid baby oil! Yuck!

And now, after that glowing review...I have a full bottle up for swap! hehe

Truly though, my days of blind buying are over....one look at my swap list should give you a clear idea of how expensive that can be.

GraySwan Â*:'(
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post #46 of 168
5/3/06 at 11:27am
Pre-Basenotes:

~ Azzaro Chrome


Post-Basenotes:

~ Iceberg Fluid Man :P
~ Bulgari Pour Homme
~ Chanel Platinum Égoïste
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post #47 of 168
5/3/06 at 1:40pm
Incanto PH is one. I loved the sample but the bottle turned out to be different. Those inscense/pepper notes were weak and the overall scent didn't last too long.
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post #48 of 168
5/3/06 at 3:39pm
Diptyque Virgilio.. too herbaceous for me. :-/
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post #49 of 168
5/3/06 at 3:46pm
Tie between Salvador Dali pH & Caron puH
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post #50 of 168
5/3/06 at 5:00pm
Costume National - Scent Intense
Santa Maria Novella - Nostalgia
Dolce and Gabbana Pour Homme
Herrera for Men
Demeter Dirt.....gone in fifteen seconds
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post #51 of 168
5/3/06 at 5:03pm
I read the title wrong, and thought it said "Blind guys you have most regretted..." and I had to blink at the screen a couple of times.
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post #52 of 168
5/7/06 at 9:34pm
I smelt Gucci Envy when I tested it and it smelt woody.My question is how long does gucci last and is it overpowering.I enjoy overpowering fragrances as it shows that you are in control.Can you help me with that?I would really appreciate your help.
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post #53 of 168
5/7/06 at 9:44pm
I guess I kind of regret buying RL Romance. It wasn't a blind buy per se, but I bought it with only testing it briefly from a scent strip. Don't get me wrong, I think the scent is decent and I don't mind it, but paying full retail price, I probably could have got something better with my money. I probably could have gotten a scent that I love or think highly of instead of a mediocre, decent scent.
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post #54 of 168
5/7/06 at 9:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by moreyete

I smelt Gucci Envy when I tested it and it smelt woody.My question is how long does gucci last and is it overpowering.I enjoy overpowering fragrances as it shows that you are in control.Can you help me with that?I would really appreciate your help.

hey moreyete, welcome to basenotes! It'll probably be best to make this question into a new thread. I got some responses to your question, but I'll wait for the new thread.
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post #55 of 168
5/7/06 at 9:49pm
Floris Elite-GROSS!
Marc Jacobs-Still undecided. But it seems to synthetic
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post #56 of 168
5/7/06 at 10:19pm
Vetiver Guerlain,Gucci Nobile,Abercrombie and Fitch Woods are my bad buys thus far...On the upside,I sold every one for more than I paid.
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post #57 of 168
5/7/06 at 10:46pm
BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT! BANDIT!
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post #58 of 168
5/8/06 at 3:48am
My worst blind buy was the new version of Joop. I think its called Spring Fever or something. It has a palm tree on the box. It was a watered down, pathetic version of the original Joop. I threw it away the same day i got it.....i won it off ebay.
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post #59 of 168
5/8/06 at 4:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Rose

As a result of popular opinion here, I bought YSL Body Kouros and M7 Fresh.

Both have been very dissapointing.

Note to self: buying a fragrance blind is the epitome of stupidity. Don't do it again.

We have nearly all done it though haven't we?

Body Kouros smells horrible
M7 Fresh on the other hand is a scent that grows on you, give it some time, really I felt the same the first time I tested it. But it keeps me coming back, really a nice, well balanced and interesting scent.
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post #60 of 168
5/8/06 at 4:16pm
Santos De Caritier - smelled very synthetic to me.
Drakkar Noir for the same reason.
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