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Blind Buy Due to Notes: Do you do this?

post #1 of 16
7/27/10 at 1:30pm
Thread Starter 
Do you ever blind buy fragrances simply based on their notes, and if so have you had successes or failures?

I've tried to avoid blind buying based on notes as its mostly resulted in failure. My worst results have been Adidas fragrances, which i've totally given up on. To put it simply: they suck. I read the notes for the two i've got and they SEEMED good, but they are abysmal.

My successes have been pretty good however. John Varvatos is one example, i love it and bought it based on a recomendation. I bought Le Male totally blind, minus review knowledge, and its 1 of 2 fragrances i own that i've given 5 stars.
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post #2 of 16
7/27/10 at 1:45pm
I consider the house list of notes to be essentially advertising copy. At best, you still won't know how well blended the individual notes are. At worst, you won't even smell them. If a trusted reviewer mentions notes, I'll take them into account along with the rest of the review.

I'm not surprised you've had some successes. You could buy 100% blind and pick a winner. There are a lot of great fragrances out there. (Surely you had some idea Le Male was popular when you bought it?)
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post #3 of 16
7/27/10 at 1:49pm
I do consider the notes before I blind buy. For instance, I love carnation, so I'm always up to try something with it. If it's cheap enough, I blind buy.
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post #4 of 16
7/27/10 at 1:57pm
I never would blind buy based on notes alone.

I rarely blind buy based on a combination of multiple consistent reviews, coupled with other information (notes).

I tend to discourage blind buying bottles and encouraging sampling
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post #5 of 16
7/27/10 at 2:06pm
I would be less than a truth sayer if I did not admit to blind buying based on notes and the house from which it comes. My success rate has been very good actually, all things considered. Sometimes it is good to take risks in life, even if it only a fragrance purchase.
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post #6 of 16
7/27/10 at 2:07pm
No, you need to know if the notes are fairly strong, because it's common, especially for more recent frags, to have what one might call "phantom notes" listed.
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post #7 of 16
7/27/10 at 2:09pm
I have purchased blind quite a long time ago, before I was clued up perfume wise. It's all well liking the notes, but you'll find it's more down to how they are mixed and interact with one another, also the quality of the ingrediants used etc. It can be a costly mistake thinking this looks ideal for me because it has this and that in that I like - don't blind buy, sample it first and make certain before parting with your cash
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post #8 of 16
7/27/10 at 3:09pm
..........
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post #9 of 16
7/27/10 at 3:18pm
Naw. It might give me a sense of what to sample or investigate in here. The descriptions in these forums and the directory are a better gauge for me.

I saw the notes profile on Aventus and with birch tar and oakmoss, I expected a heavy manly frag. But in practice it's nice, but lighter than I like.

I don't understand the notes profile on many of my favorites anyway. I see what's in Versace L'Homme, L'Instant and Racquets, but it doesn't make any sense to me when I wear them. I just like the way they smell.
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post #10 of 16
7/27/10 at 3:20pm
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reviews say me more than notes, so I blind buy after reading some reviews and i know what will I like and what I wont
the clinique chemistry was one fail only
but maybe it will gown on me
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post #11 of 16
7/27/10 at 3:41pm
I blind buy based on notes, reviews, and knowing the company. For example an Adidas sandalwood note will be much different than a MPG sandalwood note.
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post #12 of 16
7/27/10 at 4:16pm
Yes I do buy on notes. Yes I've bought blind on notes - one of my threads started this evening was on Witness by Bogart which I bought because it sounded exactly like the kind of oriental I like. And guess what? I love it.

I've made some mistakes however, Carlos Santana pour homme for example, I just thought didn't live up to it's description and so I prompty sold it on Ebay.
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post #13 of 16
7/27/10 at 4:28pm
I have blind bought on notes. Some successes such as Cuir Ottoman, Ambre Russe or Parfum d'Habit. Some were not too successful such as Eau de Grey Flannel, which was nothing like its parent scent. Happily, many of these are at perfume discounters and I don't like to gamble at high stakes, something a dandy is ashamed to admit... LOL!
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post #14 of 16
7/27/10 at 11:33pm
I do not consider the notes before I blind buy.
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post #15 of 16
7/28/10 at 12:12am
I blind buy based on reviews mainly. In the absence of reviews, then notes.
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post #16 of 16
7/28/10 at 12:39am
Never. Blind buys based on rave reviews, ad copy, discount prices, and gorgeous spokesmodels, yes, but never on a mere list of notes.

That would just be silly.
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