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Making the Transition? Designer to Niche

post #1 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:16pm
Thread Starter 
After checking a bunch of different "niche" fragrances at nordstrom and bloomingdales i did like some and i can see why people would rather buy niche then designer stuff. (doesnt matter which i checked)

My only issue is the price tag. I understand that exclusivity cost, but i cant justify paying over 100 for a bottle. My collection is only getting bigger and i find myself buying more fragrances then i used to be, but as of right now it is starting to get a little expensive, but if i start collecting Niche it will be a problem.

I am not saying it is a waste of money; not at all.
I am a 20 y/o college student with an inconsistent job (i tutor hebrew in my area)

I would like to add some niche fragrances to my collection but i dont know where to start, or better yet; what to start with.

My question is basically what are some good "introductory" niche fragrances that wont cost me too much?
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post #2 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:24pm
I came from Le Male to Serge Lutens' Chergui... only because I read a recommendation considering this a "nexus".. quite fateful personally
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post #3 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:28pm
sell off your frags you do not want, thin your wardrobe and you will have some extra cash.
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post #4 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:41pm
1.) Sell off all bottles you don't love.
2.) Take this money and add it to whatever amount you can afford for fragrances.
3.) Decide which niche you love ( from sampling) and is bottle worthy.
4.) Buy the niche and be satisfied with them until they are gone.
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post #5 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:44pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kbar View Post

....
My question is basically what are some good "introductory" niche fragrances that wont cost me too much?




Parfum d'Empire is a house worth exploring. Reasonable prices for substantial scents. Try: Ambre Russe, Eau De Gloire, Cuir Ottoman.

Parfums de Nicolai is another. Try: New York, Patchouli Homme.

The smaller bottles from these houses are below a 100$ if I recall right.
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post #6 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:47pm
If you find a niche scent you like, try buying a small sized portion/decant through scentsplits. Markups aren't very much and you can enjoy your favorite niche scent at a reasonable price. I could also never see myself finishing such potent scents like Black Aoud, so a small size will last you quite a while. I don't see much of a point of owning large bottles of some of my favorite niche scents.

Good Luck!!!
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post #7 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:47pm
Gendarme EDC is $60
Acqua Di Parma Colonia is $85
Geo F Trumper Colognes are around $70
Tam Dao is around $80
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post #8 of 12
6/7/10 at 11:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewfoo View Post

Parfum d'Empire is a house worth exploring. Reasonable prices for substantial scents. Try: Ambre Russe, Eau De Gloire, Cuir Ottoman.

Parfums de Nicolai is another. Try: New York, Patchouli Homme.

The smaller bottles from these houses are below a 100$ if I recall right.


Thanks i will try to look into these scents.

It isnt the money. i could afford expensive scents, but at this point i cant justify it.
I am looking for transition scents from simple designer into niche fragrances, which will help me appreciate the expensive ones better.

At this point i cannot justify jumping from 50~ a bottle to 200~ a bottle.

I did get a chance to check few different ADP colonia and i do like their stuff. I did like few of the Mediterranean ones they had at the sephora near my house. Tuscan Cypress was a very interesting fresh scent
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post #9 of 12
6/8/10 at 7:28am
I agree with Parfums d'Empire. Quality scents and unique without an enormous investment.

Of course, sampling is the way to go. Buy samples and decants.
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post #10 of 12
6/8/10 at 7:39am
If you're not ready to put down the money for a full bottle, a split or a decant would be the way to go I reckon. You can arrange a split here in the marketplace, or some people will do large decants at Crystal Flacon.
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post #11 of 12
6/8/10 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smeghead View Post

If you're not ready to put down the money for a full bottle, a split or a decant would be the way to go I reckon. You can arrange a split here in the marketplace, or some people will do large decants at Crystal Flacon.

If you're a person with several scents already and wear a variety, there is a lot to be said for buying small decants. The Perfumed Court or Crystal Flacon will sell 8ml vials for most of the niche scents you'll see frequently mentioned in here. Yes, it's a bit like wine in a resataurant in that the cost per ml is higher than a full bottle. But, it gives you a chance to see if you really like a scent, and the initial outlay is much less than a full bottle.
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post #12 of 12
6/8/10 at 8:56am
Post your wardrobe! You may get more specific advice if we can see what your interests are.
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