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What was your worst blind buy ever?

post #1 of 152
1/20/10 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 
I hated Guerlain's Vetiver and sold in on eBay for 7 bucks less than what I paid. Smelled like fresh carrot at first. An hour later I kind of felt like I was wearing a cinnamon scented bug spray. Thank God the longevity was abysmal.

My worst one was Boucheron pour Homme EDP. Old verbena, powder, musk, pompous... one spray, put it in back in the box. Sold it on eBay for 10 bucks less than what I paid, and was ecstatic!
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post #2 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:02am


Ive said it before and I'll say it again: Trussardi Light Him
Absolutely dreadful stuff...
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post #3 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:07am
Nvm. Delete this please
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post #4 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:10am
When I first started my collection I almost exclusively blind bought, and funnily enough I don't hate any of my purchases. I always tried to research it first, even if I hadn't smelt it before. If I had to choose a worst I'd say Givenchy's Pi... it's just a bit too strong for my liking and I haven't had many chances to even use it.
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post #5 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:11am
Some Escada frag that smells like jackfruit (can't remember the name). I failed myself the day I bought it.

I discarded it within a day.
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post #6 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:15am
Habit Rouge EDT. A real "classic" that doesn't belong in my collection. Full bottle, sprayed once.
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post #7 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amit View Post

Some Escada frag that smells like jackfruit (can't remember the name). I failed myself the day I bought it.

I discarded it within a day.

LOL, Jackfruit! My first experience with jackfruit was with some Hawaiians in Oahu. The sold us (dumb haoles) a beautiful jackfruit - that was rotten on the other side! We found out when he had gotten back to Laie and opened the bag. LOL that was a blind buy IN PERSON!
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post #8 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spray View Post

LOL, Jackfruit! My first experience with jackfruit was with some Hawaiians in Oahu. The sold us (dumb haoles) a beautiful jackfruit - that was rotten on the other side! We found out when he had gotten back to Laie and opened the bag. LOL that was a blind buy IN PERSON!

That's classic
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post #9 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amit View Post

Some Escada frag that smells like jackfruit (can't remember the name). I failed myself the day I bought it.

I discarded it within a day.

Amit.....You must mean Escada Scentiment. I didn't buy this one blind, but I can't say that I wear it much. It's not my favorite by any means. Thanks for reminding me to either swap or abandon that one! LOL!!!! I have been fairly lucky with my blind buys, although I bought a real cheap-o frag earlier this year that I (gladly) abandoned in a restroom at work for some less-discerning slob to wear and boast about (it is AWFUL!). I bought one ounce of Paris Hilton's Heir for Men for $7.99 USD, and I couldn't believe that any scent could be so lacking in personality. By far my worst blind buy, but it wasn't much of a risk at under $10.00 USD. I did, however, take a fairly hefty risk when I bought 100 ml of Kouros semi-blind a couple of years ago (I had sniffed it on a paper test card), but fortunately for me, I rather like the juice!
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post #10 of 152
1/20/10 at 1:49am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SillageMonger View Post

Amit.....You must mean Escada Scentiment. I didn't buy this one blind, but I can't say that I wear it much. It's not my favorite by any means. Thanks for reminding me to either swap or abandon that one! LOL!!!! I have been fairly lucky with my blind buys, although I bought a real cheap-o frag earlier this year that I (gladly) abandoned in a restroom at work for some less-discerning slob to wear and boast about (it is AWFUL!). I bought one ounce of Paris Hilton's Heir for Men for $7.99 USD, and I couldn't believe that any scent could be so lacking in personality. By far my worst blind buy, but it wasn't much of a risk at under $10.00 USD. I did, however, take a fairly hefty risk when I bought 100 ml of Kouros semi-blind a couple of years ago (I had sniffed it on a paper test card), but fortunately for me, I rather like the juice!

Thanks for focusing Amit's hatred. It's good to know the names of the ones that stink to you.
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post #11 of 152
1/20/10 at 3:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by subpain View Post

When I first started my collection I almost exclusively blind bought, and funnily enough I don't hate any of my purchases. I always tried to research it first, even if I hadn't smelt it before.

same here
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post #12 of 152
1/20/10 at 3:53am
Amen, I don't personally like habit rouge aswell, light and does not appeal to me. Though hopefully the fragrances I'm buying now don't hinder me!! :S. They're Sample vials so all is good!

These are the frags:

1. Bal A Versailles Pure Parfum
2. Creed Windsor
3. Yatagan
4. Jubilation XXV
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post #13 of 152
1/20/10 at 4:03am
For me its the following: Guerlain's Vetiver, D&G Pour Homme and Tom Fords Oud Wood.
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post #14 of 152
1/20/10 at 4:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

For me its the following: Guerlain's Vetiver, D&G Pour Homme and Tom Fords Oud Wood.

I thought you REALLY loved Oud wood !?
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post #15 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:05am
Rive Gauche Pour Homme.. :/
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post #16 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Balavassassin View Post

These are the frags:
4. Jubilation XXV

Holy, a whole bootle?Blind???

I'm with dro and subpain, bought lots blind, didnt really regret any, except maybe cuba gold but that one i bought because of its comparable good reputation while costing like 7 bucks..
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post #17 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:30am
Rive Gauche and John Varvatos Artisan
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post #18 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Balavassassin View Post

Amen, I don't personally like habit rouge aswell, light and does not appeal to me. Though hopefully the fragrances I'm buying now don't hinder me!! :S. They're Sample vials so all is good!

These are the frags:

1. Bal A Versailles Pure Parfum
2. Creed Windsor
3. Yatagan
4. Jubilation XXV

Balavassassinin....you're Australian and you can't appreciate the austere, stark, dry elements of Yatagan!!!! No insult intended, mate, but you need to try this juice again (and again, and again!!!!). It could just be that I'm 51 and you're still a teen or in your early 20s.....I don't know how old you are, but if you're over 25 you should (I would imagine) love Yatagan. It's just an assumption, but I'm curious.
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post #19 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawk View Post

I thought you REALLY loved Oud wood !?

Its weird I liked it at first then I read somewhere that it smelled like rubber on the opening. And since then when I smell the frag thats what I smell medicinal rubber and I cant get that association out of my head. I wish I had not read that particular post as it has ruined that frag for me. Lol
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post #20 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:56am
Most of my purchases are blind buys, and I've been very lucky because I've liked just about every one. No awful stinkers so far. However, my most disappointing blind buy has to be Ungaro II. It got rave reviews here, called a powerhouse by many, so I took the risk. Though not a terrible scent, I found it to be a limp, overly fruity, rather weak scent, not at all what I was expecting. Plus I found the blend of civet and fruit to be nauseating.
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post #21 of 152
1/20/10 at 6:36am
  • MFJ
  • offline
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Aigner X limited
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post #22 of 152
1/20/10 at 8:28am
B*Men... but it was only $15. On me it just smells chemical. I gave it to my nephew, who seemed to like it.
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post #23 of 152
1/20/10 at 8:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tedster View Post

Rive Gauche and John Varvatos Artisan

I thought people only bought Artisan for the bottle anyway? ;-)
I can understand Rive Gauche, it's an acquired taste. I'm wearing it today actually.
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post #24 of 152
1/20/10 at 8:55am
Polo Black. Blech.
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post #25 of 152
1/20/10 at 9:43am
Echo by Davidoff -- for sure
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post #26 of 152
1/20/10 at 9:47am
So far I've had good luck with my blind buys.
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post #27 of 152
1/20/10 at 10:28am
Halston Z-14.
Wretched stuff which shouldn't have left the 1970s. No offense, to Z-14 fans out there... Sorry.
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post #28 of 152
1/20/10 at 10:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SillageMonger View Post

Amit.....You must mean Escada Scentiment. I didn't buy this one blind, but I can't say that I wear it much. It's not my favorite by any means. Thanks for reminding me to either swap or abandon that one! LOL!!!!

That was it, yes -- Escada Sentiments! Lame, lame scent really.
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post #29 of 152
1/20/10 at 11:25am
I have only bought 3 fragrances completely blind, and they all worked out well (although once again, the wife hates one!).

The closest I have had to bad blind buys is buying after only smelling on a paper test strip and not how it behaved on my skin. DKNY for Men (the 2000 original) became strangely both metallic and plasticy. Allure Homme Sport, once the Citrus top had gone, smelt like butyric acid (look it up, not pleasant!).
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post #30 of 152
1/20/10 at 12:17pm
pino silvestre blue
keneth cole black
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post #31 of 152
1/20/10 at 12:55pm
Hugo Energise. It had a strange woody smell and it was this sort of soury sweet, I believe. Also, the stupid nozzle sprayed in STREAMS. Thankfully this was just given to me by a fellow BNer and all it cost me was $5 to ship it. LOL. Kinda regretted not taking his Boss Bottled instead. I think I would have liked that one a lot more.
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post #32 of 152
1/20/10 at 4:49pm
Azzaro Pour Homme. I don't think its bad it just freaks me out... I cannot ever wear it but appreciate it.
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post #33 of 152
1/20/10 at 4:55pm
Nasomatto Duro. It makes me feel like a walking hard-on.
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post #34 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:01pm
Thymes Eucalyptus
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post #35 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:06pm
Comme Des Garcons EDP - God awful. Couldn't rub it off quick enough. Unfortunately, the scent sticks to your sking like glue.
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post #36 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:06pm
I would have to say definitely Jubilation XXV
another would be tom fords TV
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post #37 of 152
1/20/10 at 5:13pm
Mine would have to be Yatagan. I know a bunch of folks just love this stuff. I just can't jump on board with it. I have so many others that just knock me out that I don't have the will to mess with it.
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post #38 of 152
1/20/10 at 8:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TricsMan View Post

Mine would have to be Yatagan. I know a bunch of folks just love this stuff. I just can't jump on board with it. I have so many others that just knock me out that I don't have the will to mess with it.

Funny, Yatagan was my best blind buy ever! It's my second all time favorite scent!
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post #39 of 152
1/20/10 at 9:11pm
David Beckham Instinct. Pretty vile stuff
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post #40 of 152
1/20/10 at 9:35pm
A*Men
Grey Flannel

Thank god I could re-sell them on eBay.
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post #41 of 152
1/20/10 at 10:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by UngerWoo View Post

Nasomatto Duro. It makes me feel like a walking hard-on.

Wait, I thought women were into that sort of thing
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post #42 of 152
1/20/10 at 10:57pm
Guerlain Vetiver. So dissapointed on this one, as I really like a lot of vetivers, however this one smelled like a full ashtray. Couldn't wash off fast enough...
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post #43 of 152
1/21/10 at 1:09am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramtip View Post

Guerlain Vetiver. So dissapointed on this one, as I really like a lot of vetivers, however this one smelled like a full ashtray. Couldn't wash off fast enough...


I like the carrot-smelling top of Vetiver, but the drydown smelled like bug spray and cig butt with some cinnamon. I sold it on eBay.
Did you like Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver?
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post #44 of 152
1/21/10 at 6:19am
Spazio Krizia.
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post #45 of 152
1/21/10 at 8:16am
Guerlain Vetiver. -Bitter grass and tobacco..
Guerlain Habit Rouge. -The cheapest grandma perfume..
Jil Sander Man. -Just don`t anderstand all the god rewievs. It`s booring.
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post #46 of 152
1/21/10 at 8:37am
Wow! That's unfortunate! You must have gotten an "off" bottle. Normally Guerlain Vetiver smells sublime. EVERYONE on Basenotes agrees! ;-)

Worst blind buys (3-way tie)

Zino Davidoff (WTF??)
Tuscany per Uomo (Easy Off oven cleaner)
Escape by Calvin Klein (truly nauseating)





Quote:
Originally Posted by Spray View Post

I hated Guerlain's Vetiver and sold in on eBay for 7 bucks less than what I paid. Smelled like fresh carrot at first. An hour later I kind of felt like I was wearing a cinnamon scented bug spray. Thank God the longevity was abysmal.

My worst one was Boucheron pour Homme EDP. Old verbena, powder, musk, pompous... one spray, put it in back in the box. Sold it on eBay for 10 bucks less than what I paid, and was ecstatic!
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post #47 of 152
1/21/10 at 10:12am
Probably Caron's Third Man. It's the only blind buy that I've disliked enough to trade away. I can appreciate that it's a well-done scent, but it's absolutely not my style.
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post #48 of 152
1/21/10 at 10:16am
Tom Ford for Men...when it first came out. I was furious and mad at myself for this one. Retail price for weak orange blossom/generic woods water.
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post #49 of 152
1/21/10 at 10:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents View Post

Tom Ford for Men...when it first came out. I was furious and mad at myself for this one. Retail price for weak orange blossom/generic woods water.

+1. I didn't buy it but when I sampled it I was confused. I could barely smell anything at all, just sort of bit of citrus and some woods or spice. It made me wonder if I was anosmic to something.
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post #50 of 152
1/21/10 at 12:34pm
D & G Light Blue - yuck

Yatagan - the caraway note is a little hard to take
Sables - ditto immortelle
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post #51 of 152
1/21/10 at 12:49pm
-Romeo Gigli - the top notes smelled great - like Opium PH and Penhaligon's LP#9 for men. But then....the civet kicked in and was disgusting. I had to wash it off since I was getting sick and I traded it here on Basenotes.
-Mouchoir De Monsieur - I tracked this down for a long time and I bought a decant from a Basenotes member. Right away the opening civet note was disgusting. It settled down smelling pretty good - like the really nice fragrance Zizanie - but it was gone in a short time.
-Fendi PH - there was some awful note in it - probably animalic. I was lucky to tell the store that the box was unopened and that it was an unwanted gift to a friend!
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post #52 of 152
1/21/10 at 1:27pm
Does swaps count?

- Dorissima Narciss
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post #53 of 152
1/21/10 at 8:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spray View Post

I like the carrot-smelling top of Vetiver, but the drydown smelled like bug spray and cig butt with some cinnamon. I sold it on eBay.
Did you like Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver?

I haven't had the pleasure to try GV yet, I'll need to add it to the list. My fav's are Floris Vetiver and Encre Noire.
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post #54 of 152
1/21/10 at 8:39pm
Kenneth Cole Signature and I only paid like 8 bucks, shipped, off of ebay. I still felt ripped off. I am sure I have smelled frags just as bad but that one left a nasty memory with me. Thank god I
have tamed my blind buys down to almost nil.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amit View Post

Some Escada frag that smells like jackfruit (can't remember the name). I failed myself the day I bought it.

I discarded it within a day.

I instantly thought you were referring to Escada PH. I blind bought it and thought it was overly femme (even though it's touted on here as macho/powerhouse. Maybe a bad bottle?)
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post #55 of 152
1/21/10 at 8:48pm
Hands down Kouros, followed by Encre Noir, followed by Habit Rouge, followed by Guerlain Vetiver, followed by Boucheron Pour Homme, followed by L'Anarchiste, followed by Rose Poivree. And fortunately for buyer and seller one mans trash is another mans treasure, as these were quickly traded/sold through the forum.
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post #56 of 152
1/21/10 at 11:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Felswoop View Post

Hands down Kouros, followed by Encre Noir, followed by Habit Rouge, followed by Guerlain Vetiver, followed by Boucheron Pour Homme, followed by L'Anarchiste, followed by Rose Poivree. And fortunately for buyer and seller one mans trash is another mans treasure, as these were quickly traded/sold through the forum.

Wow! I thought I was bad with blind buys (lol, I am bad - I sell or give them away all the time - some are so bad that I want to just leave them in public for some poor sap who will love it.

KOUROS is so controversial (I'm surprised by the NEUTRAL reviews)!
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post #57 of 152
1/22/10 at 4:32am
Bulgari PH Soir - ewww
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post #58 of 152
1/22/10 at 5:17am
Me, too. I'm very accepting as fragrances go, but that stuff is horrid!

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewfoo View Post

Aigner X limited
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post #59 of 152
1/22/10 at 5:26am
One more for Yatagan.
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post #60 of 152
1/22/10 at 6:12am
Michael - Michael Kors .... I despise that ish.
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