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Unhelpful reviews

post #1 of 23
5/29/06 at 10:20pm
Thread Starter 
Just starting out and I don't want to flame anyone (or be flamed!) so I'm writing in the Off-topic area.
How many times have you read a list of really good reviews on a frag' only to read one smack-bang in the middle of it all which goes,
"Smells like air freshener" or "Disgusting". Quite often the reviews surrounding it are quite positive or at least neutral with some qualitifications.
I haven't gone through the process of seeing whether their are some members who often give scathing or emotionally charged reviews but I wonder if others find it a bit unhelpful to read yet another "Makes me want to puke" review for a frag' which you know isn't bad? :-/
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post #2 of 23
5/30/06 at 5:48am
I really dont care about it that much. If someone writes one sentence long review and it says just something negative, there propably allways some one that isnt a member, or just have that one review. Ewen if the frag would have 10 negative, un imaginative bad reviews and on good from lets say MonkeyManMatt, i believe MMM 8-)
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post #3 of 23
5/30/06 at 6:02am
I think those are good though. Some people have similar tastes to one another and by knowing who likes what you like you can base your thoughts to testing it off of their reviews. If they don't like it then, chances are you won't like it either. I think they help some people but I agree that the one word reviews are pointless. I think reasons should be listed as to what attracts or repels people from each bottle.

I agree that it should stop unless it is labeled with reasons...

EnvYuS
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post #4 of 23
5/30/06 at 8:00am
I myself have written two such "reviews". I blush with shame when I think about them, MODERATOR PLEASE DELETE THEM!

:-[
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post #5 of 23
5/30/06 at 9:11am
I don't mind one word or one sentence "reveiws." It's basically a vote thumbs up/thumbs down and lets me know what one person thought.

And it's not like they take up much room.
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post #6 of 23
5/30/06 at 9:56am
I don't really need to someone to compare a scent to a Picaso painting or some lengthy sonnet to get an idea if it smells good or not. I've found that the reviews like "smells like air-freshener" are more helpful than a scent being compared to a scene out of Othello. I'm more familiar with Airwick than English Lit. , I do enjoy the longer descriptions, but not everyone has the talent to do so. This is done for fun, not competition.
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post #7 of 23
5/30/06 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinker424

I've found that the reviews like "smells like air-freshener" are more helpful than a scent being compared to a scene out of Othello. I'm more familiar with Airwick than English Lit.

I'm a Glade girl myself.
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post #8 of 23
5/30/06 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinker424

I don't really need to someone to compare a scent to a Picaso painting or some lengthy sonnet to get an idea if it smells good or not. I've found that the reviews like "smells like air-freshener" are more helpful than a scent being compared to a scene out of Othello. I'm more familiar with Airwick than English Lit. , I do enjoy the longer descriptions, but not everyone has the talent to do so. This is Â*done for fun, not competition.

I have to agree here. I find the reviews comparing scents to everyday items far more useful than long winded ones which reek of "look at how book learned i am about this stuff". that's not to say long ones are bad, I have some long ones. However, I think that any review that gives reasons why they feel the way they do are worthwhile. The ones that say, "GREAT!!!" or "HORRIBLE!" are useless without reasons. Then again that's true for life in general.
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post #9 of 23
5/30/06 at 12:50pm
does a person have to justify his tastes? I personally find it difficult to put into words why I like or dislike a particular fragrance. this does not mean that my ability to appreciate a fragrance is impaired nor that my judgement is inappropriate
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post #10 of 23
5/30/06 at 12:58pm
Hobo- It is not a question of justifying one's tastes. Some have a hard time with "IT SUCKS!" as a review and others have a hard time with long winded Shakesperean verse. My personal pet peeve is seeing the notes described so differently by several members. Perhaps we should appoint an official note identifier, someone whose opinions have always been accurate. Any nominees?
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post #11 of 23
5/30/06 at 1:19pm
but who hasn't smelled a perfume at one time or other and thought something so concise as "it sucks" or "this is sofa king awful" "-my nose is bleeding" I think the majority of us are capable of deciding for ourselves which of these reviews are of merit
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post #12 of 23
5/30/06 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinker424

I don't really need to someone to compare a scent to a Picaso painting or some lengthy sonnet to get an idea if it smells good or not. I've found that the reviews like "smells like air-freshener" are more helpful than a scent being compared to a scene out of Othello. I'm more familiar with Airwick than English Lit. , I do enjoy the longer descriptions, but not everyone has the talent to do so. This is done for fun, not competition.

Bingo. I feel 100% the same way....its like as if the mona lisa was looking out over a breathtaking sunset and....ok ill stop hahah
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post #13 of 23
5/30/06 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hobo Joe Junkpan

does a person have to justify his tastes?

For me personally to find any merit to the review/have any use for it, yes. Â*


Quote:
Â*I personally find it difficult to put into words why I like or dislike a particular fragrance.

I agree, just what I was saying. Many of us, myself included, don't like the long winded or extremely verbose reviews. (check out one or two of the reviews for Creed Himalaya that's here and you'll see what I'm referencing). However a simple what you like or don't like about it is all I'm asking for it. Â*I like the sweetness, or the drydown is very interesting or it's wonderful through the topnotes but turns sour later in the scent is all that I really need. Â*


Quote:
this does not mean that my ability to appreciate a fragrance is impaired nor that my judgement is inappropriate

wow, no one ever said that. Â* i just find reviews that give a comparison or gives a why more useful. Â*it's like i teach my eight and nine year olds while teaching persuasive writing.....what you think isn't the most important thing, it's having reasons why. Â*the following conversation, is what i try to get my kids to avoid

kid 1 "it's great!!!"
kid 2 "why"
kid 1 "because!"

reviews without any reason just doesn't do it for me. Â* this is just my opinion, but unless someone backs up their thoughts, with even the most remedial of reasons I personally don't put much stock into it. Â*if someone find merit in a two word review, more power to them, i don't. Â*might as well just give a thumbs up or down and leave it at that. Â*
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post #14 of 23
5/30/06 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul G.

Quote:
this does not mean that my ability to appreciate a fragrance is impaired nor that my judgement is inappropriate

wow, no one ever said that. i just find reviews that give a comparison or gives a why more useful. it's like i teach my eight and nine year olds while teaching persuasive writing.....what you think isn't the most important thing, it's having reasons why. the following conversation, is what i try to get my kids to avoid

kid 1 "it's great!!!"
kid 2 "why"
kid 1 "because!"

reviews without any reason just doesn't do it for me. this is just my opinion, but unless someone backs up their thoughts, with even the most remedial of reasons I personally don't put much stock into it. if someone find merit in a two word review, more power to them, i don't. might as well just give a thumbs up or down and leave it at that.

I think I misstated that last part... I mean if someone doesn't offer an explanation I won't immediately assume there is none.
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post #15 of 23
5/31/06 at 1:03am
Yeah. I dont like to read long reviews, that are written just to show someone can write long reviews. Its like Paul G said.

Quote:
I like the sweetness, or the drydown is very interesting or it's wonderful through the topnotes but turns sour later in the scent is all that I really need.

As long as you dont just write it sucks! And dont ewen bother writing why, THAT sucks!
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post #16 of 23
5/31/06 at 3:28am
It can be just as difficult or challenging to write short reviews sometimes, and I doubt many people write long reviews just to "show that they can write long reviews" Â*:-?

With risk of sounding like a diplomatic sissy: I like all sorts of reviews. I found Basenotes and a handful of blog-gems by googling on perfume x (can´t remember which one) + review once, and I think it´s one of the greatest features. It´s both helpful and entertainting to read peoples different opinions on fragrances, long, short, positive or negative. A good mix is best in my opinion (ie 10 "it sucks" "no, it doesn´t" reviews for the same fragrance would be quite useless, and 10 prose-poems about another would be tiresome).
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post #17 of 23
5/31/06 at 6:25am


Yup, let there be all sorts of reviews. Came to think this as an example, where I have reviewed one specific scent two times...and the look of it is quite different.

http://www.basenotes.net/community/Y...num=1145319823

http://www.basenotes.net/ID10211641.html


[smiley=lolk.gif]
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post #18 of 23
5/31/06 at 4:22pm
Thread Starter 
So to summarize, I should scrap that 200 word expose on Love in White, but NOT replace it with, "it sucks"
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post #19 of 23
5/31/06 at 5:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by deepthought

So to summarize, I should scrap that 200 word expose on Love in White, but NOT replace it with, "it sucks" Â*

no....i've tried love in white. it sucks will suffice ;D
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post #20 of 23
5/31/06 at 6:48pm
One of the features that I've found most helpful when reading a review of a certain fragrance, is to then be able to read all of the other reviews of a particular reviewer. If I found their original review helpful or interesting or I don't agree with it at all, I can then see what fragrances they do like, don't like and why. This gives me a much better idea whether we share similar tastes (or perhaps even body chemistry), and I can then judge for myself whether to find someone else whose opinions I tend to share, and whose taste I might trust a bit more.

The reviews I detest the most read, "This is an old man (or old lady) scent." This only tells me that the person is probably in their teens or early twenties and isn't used to that type of fragrance or notes or has only experienced it on their parent's generation. But it says absolutely nothing about the fragrance itself and whether they like it on its own merits. And that should be the point of any review.
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post #21 of 23
6/3/06 at 5:24am
Quote:
author=deepthought May 30, & quote author Herb Lady, June 01]

1. deepthought: "Just starting out and I don't want to flame anyone (or be flamed!) so I'm writing in the Off-topic area.

How many times have you read a list of really good reviews on a frag' only to read one smack-bang in the middle of it all which goes, "Smells like air freshener" or "Disgusting"..."

2. Herb Lady: "...The reviews I detest the most read, "This is an old man (or old lady) scent." This only tells me that the person is probably in their teens or early twenties and isn't used to that type of fragrance or notes or has only experienced it on their parent's generation. But it says absolutely nothing about the fragrance itself and whether they like it on its own merits. And that should be the point of any review."

I think that was a perfect choice, deepthought, to place the thread here, and it worked very well! We have had a very peaceful exchange of opinions on a difficult subject. I think all of the posts are are memorable for review writers. However short - I am glad to find reviews at all! There is still too many blank spaces on the female frag side. Accompanied by the proper thumbs even 'it sucks' tells me something!
With perfumery developped to an art, also I am occasionally disgusted with vulgar comparisons and adjectives. But then, basic experience has taught us to read between the lines, make allowances, and deduct from all too beautiful hymns. In essence, I feel respect for authors, as long as the statement is felt. BN reviews (from real members) appear to be more honest than on many other perfume sites or blogs. People tend to be rather self congratulatory at some places. That can get sickening. Sometimes, a review is being pepped up with commercial blabla. You can detect and ignore that fairly easily. There is no way to avoid little vanities, or other deficiencies. But I am glad that there is space for a little criticism in this thread, if just to see that I am not the only one discovering a hair in the soup.

I share your criticism of the attribute 'old', Herb lady, although for a much simpler reason I am not so young myself :'(! Let's not fool ourselves, everybody loves youth more than the opposite. Scents can smell old, when they are. But certainly that is not meant. As the young ones say old they usually mean: domaine of our parents and/or the elderly. Smells old really says: if you are young, you might not like perfume Y, because it is in the style of our parents generation! I think that can be a clear warning for some readers, and an incentive for others so it is a valid review, even if other qualities of a perhaps wonderful frag are not understood, or discussed. Someone might pick up those, and not be concerned with wearability depending on age. As there is not one perfect review, many are ideal. Masters like Luca Turin are admired by some, called an undiscerning hack by others - and the alternatives are?
ps, Jun 04: I wrote this before I read the thoughtful deliberations on age and unsuited scents for anyone knocking on thirty! The name of this man is zsesc, he wrote quite a few reviews, which serve to highlight some of the things discussed here. Enjoy!
http://www.basenotes.net/community/Y...num=1145589755 :
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post #22 of 23
6/3/06 at 10:59am
I've always felt I've learned more about the person via their review, than I did about whatever it is they're reviewing. It's what's said, and what methodologies and such that back it up, that makes it a quality review or not. I always love it when trolling down the aisles in Blockbuster and I see a movie I just know to be a clunker, with a qoute on the cover from some obscure radio station in what might as well be a third-world country. It's always much more difficult to make an arguement for your opinion vs. simply giving it. Give me a review of a cologne that reads "it sucks", and I'll show you a review that not only does likewise, but blows, too.
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post #23 of 23
7/25/06 at 11:15am
I don't believe there is such thing as an 'unhelpful' review. Somewhere, someone will connect with a comment - be it poetic or be it vulgar. No sensorship please. I prefer honesty, and will read the good with the bad!
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