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Why do they spray that much???

post #1 of 36
4/16/10 at 11:47am
Thread Starter 
I was in a Boots store in London today and a sale rep in the fragrance counter was spraying all over himself with Dior Homme Sport, I've counted he did over 40 sprays!! He sprayed all over his jacket, then trousers, then his shirt, then the underarm and then chest and neck.

I was literally choking, and I felt I was smelling concentrated ginger juice...

Another guy working at Boots took a bottle of Prada Amber pour homme and did nearly the same thing...

Why do they do that???

I see a lot of people not know how to apply colone, applying too much, applying on clothes, rubbing furiously! But people working in the counters?!

at least it wasn't Amen or Joop!...
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post #2 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:02pm
Maybe you can find the answer in the 7 Deadly Sins?
#2 ... it' s free! But 40 sprays? That just plain gross!

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Envy
4. Wrath
5. Lust
6. Gluttony
7. Sloth
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post #3 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:05pm
Oh thank goodness it wasn't Joop!, the place would have melted. Some people just have weaker noses.. or I should say not as trained noses. It could take time for some people to realized when too much is too much. Fragrances with weaker top notes and less sillage are ones that people often go to town with, and while it may appeal to your nose at the moment, it's just gonna make you smell like a prostitute and take its toll on your bank. As far as the sales rep doing that, I used to work at Macy's and they all did that. For marketing, to get certain signature aromas up in the air so that all can smell. You may feel ridiculous, but when a man 10 feet away browsing Tommy Bahama shirts smells these notes, he's gonna walk right over to that counter and find out what it is (and half the time make a purchase). I've seen it time and time again.
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post #4 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:11pm
The only reason I can think of is that they obviously don't realize what they're doing, and probably only personally own cheap-o fragrance products (like Axe body sprays) which they also over-spray to some extent. The only obvious motivation for this excessive behavior is that they feel they're getting something for nothing, so they excessively abuse the privilege afforded them of working at a fragrance counter.
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post #5 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:15pm
After reading The_Cologneist's explanation, it also seems quite possible that this excessive spaying behavior could be a directive from management in order to attract potential customers to the fragrance counter. Good point!
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post #6 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:18pm
Olfactory fatigue sucks... some people like to smell it, that's all.
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post #7 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SillageMonger View Post

The only obvious motivation for this excessive behavior is that they feel they're getting something for nothing, so they excessively abuse the privilege afforded them of working at a fragrance counter.

Exactly!

Overly applyed frag would scare more costumers off - then attract them! No?!
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post #8 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:28pm
so people will smell it and they can talk, promote and sell it. $$$$$$$$
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post #9 of 36
4/16/10 at 12:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Grand Duc View Post

Exactly!

Overly applyed frag would scare more costumers off - then attract them! No?!

Depends on the fragrance and when they get a whiff of you. If it's in those first 5 minutes and the choice is A*Men, Joop!, or Kouros.. I could imagine some unhappy customers. Either way the entire fragrance department smells like such a harsh mix of chemicals.. it really smells as if you've walked into a massive bag of make up. Most people expect this when going to look for a new fragrance at the department store.
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post #10 of 36
4/16/10 at 1:06pm
A lot of people overspray scents, and consequently can't smell them. Anytime you read a review here on BN where the longevity is horrible and the scent "lasted only 10 minutes on my skin" is a case of this happening. Molecules that can last for hundreds of hours on paper do NOT disappear from skin in 10 minutes.
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post #11 of 36
4/16/10 at 1:35pm
Oh God. I would have died.

I'm the kind of person that can smell what someone is wearing as they casually pass by me, and sometimes even pick out the exact fragrance they are wearing (if is a common one). I can be just in the same room with someone and catch a whiff. That being said I have never found a fragrance that I can spray on myself more than 4 times and not get a headache. Even with the 'lightest' scents, once I hit 5 sprays (in the normal spots of course) I'm done. I get light headed and nauseous.


I think the 'getting something for free' mentality definitely had a helping hand here. It's easy to be frivolous with someone else's money.
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post #12 of 36
4/16/10 at 3:54pm
LOL who care, i do that sometime, but not 40 spray!! well you know it tester bottle so people like to smell and probly want girl to notice them
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post #13 of 36
4/16/10 at 4:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

For marketing, to get certain signature aromas up in the air so that all can smell. You may feel ridiculous, but when a man 10 feet away browsing Tommy Bahama shirts smells these notes, he's gonna walk right over to that counter and find out what it is (and half the time make a purchase). I've seen it time and time again.

I believe this is probably the reason. Not unlike the way A&F and Hollister spray down their clothes racks with scents everyday.

In truth, few people spray themselves so heavily, but in the context of being someone trying to call attention to a scent, it makes some sense to over apply. There's a woman in one the stores I frequent who is always aggressively pushing her line on me, insisting that I smell her arm. In truth, she's usually wearing it so lightly it makes me wonder why I would buy it.
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post #14 of 36
4/16/10 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

There's a woman in one the stores I frequent who is always aggressively pushing her line on me, insisting that I smell her arm. In truth, she's usually wearing it so lightly it makes me wonder why I would buy it.

She just wants you to get close enough to smell her arm, dear boy.
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post #15 of 36
4/16/10 at 4:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfume4life View Post

LOL who care, i do that sometime, but not 40 spray!! well you know it tester bottle so people like to smell and probly want girl to notice them

They will be noticed. That's for sure.
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post #16 of 36
4/16/10 at 5:05pm
I hate it every time I go to Boots to try something. The better department stores like Debenhams or House of Frasier aren't so bad, but every single, and I literally mean EVERY. SINGLE time I go in, there'll be at least one person who just walks in, sprays like 5 sprays all over his clothes, then walk off again. It comes off as cheap as hell, like just eating several free food samples.

I was actually in Boots just today, and then 3 chavs appear from nowhere, spraying several different fragrances all over themselves on top of each other, saying rubbish like "yoooooo that's BAD man that's sick". Just...ugh. It's an insult to perfumery.
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post #17 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

A lot of people overspray scents, and consequently can't smell them. Anytime you read a review here on BN where the longevity is horrible and the scent "lasted only 10 minutes on my skin" is a case of this happening. Molecules that can last for hundreds of hours on paper do NOT disappear from skin in 10 minutes.

Paper doesn't have pores though. You mean to tell me that you've never come across a fragrance that only lasted 10 minutes on your skin?
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post #18 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

I believe this is probably the reason. Not unlike the way A&F and Hollister spray down their clothes racks with scents everyday.

In truth, few people spray themselved so heavily, but in the context of being someone trying to call attention to a scent, it makes some sense to over apply. There's a woman in one the stores I frequent who is always aggressively pushing her line on me, insisting that I smell her arm. In truth, she's usually wearing it so lightly it makes me wonder why I would buy it.

Exactly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by perfume4life View Post

LOL who care, i do that sometime, but not 40 spray!! well you know it tester bottle so people like to smell and probly want girl to notice them

Sorry, but that went over my head.
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post #19 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Paper doesn't have pores though. You mean to tell me that you've never come across a fragrance that only lasted 10 minutes on your skin?

No. I can smell things like Acqua Di Parma Colonia for over 6 hours, and Eau d'Orange Verte for 6+ hours easily, too. The only times things have seemed to disappear too fast is if I've sprayed too much or too close to my nose. For this reason spraying on the neck is absolutely NOT advised as it will often lead to olfactory fatigue.
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post #20 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Oh thank goodness it wasn't Joop!, the place would have melted. Some people just have weaker noses.. or I should say not as trained noses. It could take time for some people to realized when too much is too much. Fragrances with weaker top notes and less sillage are ones that people often go to town with, and while it may appeal to your nose at the moment, it's just gonna make you smell like a prostitute and take its toll on your bank. As far as the sales rep doing that, I used to work at Macy's and they all did that. For marketing, to get certain signature aromas up in the air so that all can smell. You may feel ridiculous, but when a man 10 feet away browsing Tommy Bahama shirts smells these notes, he's gonna walk right over to that counter and find out what it is (and half the time make a purchase). I've seen it time and time again.

Makes total sense to me. I work in retail and can totally see that.
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post #21 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfume4life View Post

LOL who care, i do that sometime, but not 40 spray!! well you know it tester bottle so people like to smell and probly want girl to notice them

Most, if not all women I know find a guy reeking of fragrance to be a total turn off and instant deal breaker.
Maybe the dude just wanted some alone time.

-Slim
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post #22 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by knit_at_nite View Post

She just wants you to get close enough to smell her arm, dear boy.

LOL!!! You may actually be right. I've known her awhile. But she's always really on me to buy this pricey juice.
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post #23 of 36
4/16/10 at 6:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

No. I can smell things like Acqua Di Parma Colonia for over 6 hours, and Eau d'Orange Verte for 6+ hours easily, too. The only times things have seemed to disappear too fast is if I've sprayed too much or too close to my nose. For this reason spraying on the neck is absolutely NOT advised as it will often lead to olfactory fatigue.

Might I recommend you try Instinct by David Beckham, Nautica (original), I'll think of some others later.
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post #24 of 36
4/16/10 at 11:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smeghead View Post

...I was actually in Boots just today, and then 3 chavs appear from nowhere, spraying several different fragrances all over themselves on top of each other, saying rubbish like "yoooooo that's BAD man that's sick". Just...ugh. It's an insult to perfumery.

I can't stand guys like that either. Annoys the heck out of me.
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post #25 of 36
4/17/10 at 11:44am
I don't feel bad about 8-10 sprays anymore.

Who knows, maybe the guy worked in a wind tunnel testing aerodynamics, and that was the only way any of it would stick around for the day.
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post #26 of 36
4/17/10 at 1:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smeghead View Post

I hate it every time I go to Boots to try something. The better department stores like Debenhams or House of Frasier aren't so bad, but every single, and I literally mean EVERY. SINGLE time I go in, there'll be at least one person who just walks in, sprays like 5 sprays all over his clothes, then walk off again. It comes off as cheap as hell, like just eating several free food samples.

I was actually in Boots just today, and then 3 chavs appear from nowhere, spraying several different fragrances all over themselves on top of each other, saying rubbish like "yoooooo that's BAD man that's sick". Just...ugh. It's an insult to perfumery.

Yeah House of Frasier and Debenhams is alot better wherebout you can test and spray alot perfume there to play with then Boots
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post #27 of 36
4/17/10 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrd4t View Post

I don't feel bad about 8-10 sprays anymore.

Who knows, maybe the guy worked in a wind tunnel testing aerodynamics, and that was the only way any of it would stick around for the day.

That wind tunnel would just succeed in making everyone in the place sick, as well. Do you really spray 10 times?
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post #28 of 36
4/17/10 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

No. I can smell things like Acqua Di Parma Colonia for over 6 hours, and Eau d'Orange Verte for 6+ hours easily, too. The only times things have seemed to disappear too fast is if I've sprayed too much or too close to my nose. For this reason spraying on the neck is absolutely NOT advised as it will often lead to olfactory fatigue.

+ 1,000 Pre-BN, I was a neck sprayer, and had headaches, and could only smell my fragrances for mere minutes, or at most a couple of hours. If I found BN at that point, I'd probably use the bold statements that fragrances only lasted an hour on my skin too. But, I figured out the formula. The farther away from the nose the better, the closer the quicker you'll lose the scent. I promise people, 2-3 sprays on the chest for almost ANY scent, will last you plenty and put off more than enough sillage.
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post #29 of 36
4/17/10 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtgprox05 View Post

+ 1,000 Pre-BN, I was a neck sprayer, and had headaches, and could only smell my fragrances for mere minutes, or at most a couple of hours. If I found BN at that point, I'd probably use the bold statements that fragrances only lasted an hour on my skin too. But, I figured out the formula. The farther away from the nose the better, the closer the quicker you'll lose the scent. I promise people, 2-3 sprays on the chest for almost ANY scent, will last you plenty and put off more than enough sillage.

I disagree for the most part, although there is some truth to that.. it's not a fact; but that's another topic all togehter.
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post #30 of 36
4/17/10 at 4:22pm
I find that different colognes require different techniques to increase longevity and sillage for me. I just played around until I found the right ones that work best for me.
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post #31 of 36
4/17/10 at 5:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

I disagree for the most part, although there is some truth to that.. it's not a fact; but that's another topic all togehter.

About which part? Other than the sweeping generalization that anyone that comes on here as a newbie is going to incorrectly assume that olfactory fatigue means the fragrance has poor longevity, I don't see anything that's debatable there. Yes, there are fragrances that inherintly last longer than others, but if a fragrance is closer to your nose, it's safe to assume you will be smelling said fragrance more, correct? If a fragrance is on my neck, it's going to be reaching my nose more often than if it on my chest. Now quoting from Wikipedia:

Quote:
Olfactory fatigue or adaptation is the temporary, normal inability to distinguish a particular odor after a prolonged exposure to that airborne compound[1]. For example, when entering a restaurant initially the odor of food is often perceived as being very strong, but after time the awareness of the odor normally fades to the point where the smell is not perceptible or is much weaker.

So if we A) assume that a fragrance sprayed on your neck reaches your nose more often than one on your chest and B) that olfactory fatigue, is indeed, a scientific phenomena, then we can come the safe conclusion that spraying on your chest as opposed to on your neck will increase the perceived longevity of a fragrance. Try it out, you'll be surprised. And yes, I feel comfortable in the assumption that most people that experience "poor longevity" are in fact perceiving olfactory fatigue.
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post #32 of 36
4/17/10 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtgprox05 View Post

About which part? Other than the sweeping generalization that anyone that comes on here as a newbie is going to incorrectly assume that olfactory fatigue means the fragrance has poor longevity, I don't see anything that's debatable there. Yes, there are fragrances that inherintly last longer than others, but if a fragrance is closer to your nose, it's safe to assume you will be smelling said fragrance more, correct? If a fragrance is on my neck, it's going to be reaching my nose more often than if it on my chest. Now quoting from Wikipedia:



So if we A) assume that a fragrance sprayed on your neck reaches your nose more often than one on your chest and B) that olfactory fatigue, is indeed, a scientific phenomena, then we can come the safe conclusion that spraying on your chest as opposed to on your neck will increase the perceived longevity of a fragrance. Try it out, you'll be surprised. And yes, I feel comfortable in the assumption that most people that experience "poor longevity" are in fact perceiving olfactory fatigue.

Quoting Wikipedia.. enough said.

edit- I know what "factory fatigue" means, but I don't entirely agree that spraying something further from your nose is beneficial. Many spray their wrists and then smell their wrists constantly.. the scent remains there and the longevity and sillage of it vary depending upon the fragrance.

Here's a good example: You spray your wrists with 2 sprays of CK Be. You smell it once in an hour, you then smell it in the following hour and it's pretty much gone. vs. You light a glade scented candle in your room.. you smell it strongly for the first few minutes.. then it begins to subside (factory fatigue) You step out of the room for 10 minutes and walk back in and the smell is there and as strong as ever.

Fatigue of the nose is 100% true, but blaming longevity and sillage problems on "factory fatigue" is pretty lame. Quite common on basenotes as well. As I said.. true to an extent.. but not the root of sillage and longevity issues.
Rather than blame our noses, blame the fragrance.
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post #33 of 36
4/17/10 at 6:36pm
^^^^ Using the CK Be example..... just because you aren't consciously aware of a scent doesn't mean that it isn't in your nasal passages. This is a very very big misconception that many before you have fallen for, myself included. Simply smelling your wrist isn't good enough. Wave your wrist about 8 inches from your face, I guarantee you will smell it.
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post #34 of 36
4/17/10 at 6:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtgprox05 View Post

^^^^ Using the CK Be example..... just because you aren't consciously aware of a scent doesn't mean that it isn't in your nasal passages. This is a very very big misconception that many before you have fallen for, myself included. Simply smelling your wrist isn't good enough. Wave your wrist about 8 inches from your faces, I guarantee you will smell it.

I'll try this soon.
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post #35 of 36
4/17/10 at 6:56pm
I like the spraying under your shirt method. Often times it works perfectly. I continuously get the smell for a few hours longer. I easily suffer from nose fatigue, though.
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post #36 of 36
4/17/10 at 7:01pm
See I don't feel that I suffer from this. While on some fragrances yes, but the majority no. I feel they are flaws in the fragrances.. and I live with enough people who always compliment me when they smell my fragrances, and more times than none (depending on what I'm wearing) I only get these compliments when a fragrance is in its top notes stage. I'm not at all complaining, I'm quite used to this, and I've come to the understanding that this is just how most fragrances are made. We can say factory fatigue this and that, but for the most part.. it isn't your nose, it's the fragrance, or the way the fragrance reacts with your skin.
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