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50ml or 100ml? How good is 100ml good?

post #1 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:39am
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  • juk
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I know that 100ml bottles are far better value than 50ml bottles, but then again 3 x 50mls can often be had for the price of 2 x 100ml.. Giving 3 different items, but overall still less.

Im wondering, who here buys 50ml and who buys 100ml? Just how good does it have to be to be "100ml"good?
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post #2 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:49am
For me the issue isn't about "so good" I'll buy the 100ml. With a large variety of scents, I'll rarely wear any of them very often, so i always go for the smallest I can get. I wish more frags came in 30ml.

The 100ml is always cheaper per ml, but still, the outlay is higher and I know I'll have to look at the 100ml bottle with barely a dent in it.
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post #3 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:52am
Dior Homme Intense. When I found it online it was in a 100ml size. Haven't regretted it.
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post #4 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:55am
TBH it all depends on how much spare cash I have at that given time
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post #5 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:11pm
100 mls for discontinued and/or hard to find frags. Otherwise i would rather buy 50ml or even 30ml bottles. With a large wardrobe, the cost-per-ml argument for larger bottles is actually redundant.
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post #6 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:21pm
I always get the 100ml. It's a bad habit, and I only should do it with really expensive fragrances (e.g. Amouage 50ml costss $200, 100ml costs 250) or fragrances I know I'm going to use a lot. For designer fragrances, paying half of the price (~$20) for an extra 50ml I'll never use is not worth it. Oh well it's a habit I can't get over it seems.
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post #7 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:22pm
I buy larger sizes of fragrances I consider to be current/future staples, and smaller of those that are leaning more towards fun or interesting distractions or reference pieces.
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post #8 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:23pm
I'd rather buy 30ml or (if they existed) 15ml bottles as I prefer variety to having loads of one fragrance that I really like.
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post #9 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:26pm
Lately in the discount shops and discount chemists, it is not unusual for the 100ml bottle to be on sale one week, and it's price being less than that of the 50ml bottle.

Thus the marginal price for the additional 50mls is actually negative.

More often though, the 100ml bottle gets discounted and the 50ml bottle remains unchanged, thus the marginal price is positive and pretty good value, for example,
Before discounting 50ml bottle = A$60, 100ml bottle = A$100,
After discounting, 50ml bottle =A$60, 100ml bottle = A$70

Marginal price = $10 for the extra 50ml, which is better value (except that I usually wait for the price to come down to A$40 or under for the 100ml bottle, which is better value)
Renato
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post #10 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:28pm
Yes, there is probably a tight relation between wardrobe size and packaging sizes. I have had only 1 or 2 frags up to now packed in less than 100ml bottle, and I never had more than 6-7 frags in one moment. So, small wardrobe leads to bigger package - I suppose.

Also, depends on how you do apply. I always shoot several (huh..., ok - many ) sprays. Therefore, bigger package is always welcome.
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post #11 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

For me the issue isn't about "so good" I'll buy the 100ml. With a large variety of scents, I'll rarely wear any of them very often, so i always go for the smallest I can get. I wish more frags came in 30ml.

The 100ml is always cheaper per ml, but still, the outlay is higher and I know I'll have to look at the 100ml bottle with barely a dent in it.

this.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deviant View Post

I'd rather buy 30ml or (if they existed) 15ml bottles as I prefer variety to having loads of one fragrance that I really like.

and this.
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post #12 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:40pm
I'll always get the smallest available size. The worst are the Chanel Les Exclusifs, which only come in Costco-sized 200ml bottles. At around $200 this is actually a great price per ml, but you're stuck with more than you'll ever need. I've only gotten one, Coromandel, and at the rate I'm using it, it should last me until sometime in the 25th century.
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post #13 of 65
9/12/10 at 12:44pm
  • RHM
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Good question & I've changed my opinion about this as my collection has gotten larger. I'll only get a 100 ml bottle of something I really love. Having said that, it is the same criteria I'm "supposed" to be using for any more fragrance purchasing whatsoever. I have way too many bottles as it is.
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post #14 of 65
9/12/10 at 1:36pm
I don't want 100ml. 50ml is plenty.
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post #15 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:16pm
Usually I go with the cheapest $ I can find online, whatever size that is. However, if the price difference between the 50ml bottle and the 100 ml bottle is small...say under $10, I'lll sometimes buy the bigger bottle.
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post #16 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfaddict View Post

100 mls for discontinued and/or hard to find frags. Otherwise i would rather buy 50ml or even 30ml bottles. With a large wardrobe, the cost-per-ml argument for larger bottles is actually redundant.

Agree.
And if you have signature, or you know probabely you will purchase it several times, get 100 ml, else buy 30 ml.
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post #17 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tott View Post

I buy larger sizes of fragrances I consider to be current/future staples, and smaller of those that are leaning more towards fun or interesting distractions or reference pieces.

How many larger staple scents have you emptied? Just wondering.
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post #18 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larwiz View Post

Usually I go with the cheapest $ I can find online, whatever size that is. However, if the price difference between the 50ml bottle and the 100 ml bottle is small...say under $10, I'lll sometimes buy the bigger bottle.

Me too. I prefer to buy 100 ml bottles and when I m bored, I give it to a friend or coworker or whatever.
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post #19 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:50pm
I tend to buy 50mls when I'm making brand new bottle purchases but when I'm buying bottles used, I don't really care. I like 50ml bottles for 2 reasons: 1) they're travel friendly; 2) I have a large collection and I don't need too much of any one fragrance.
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post #20 of 65
9/12/10 at 3:51pm
I always get the 100ml bottles because I'm a picky bastard. If I enjoyed quite a few fragrances and started to grow a big collection, I may opt for the smaller bottle. But since I rarely buy full bottles, I know I'll like it enough to use it until its gone. If there was a fragrance I was on the fence about I may get a small bottle, but I usually just don't bother with scents like those. I only get bottles of things I really adore. If down the road I grow sick of it; swap time!
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post #21 of 65
9/12/10 at 9:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Punisher View Post

How many larger staple scents have you emptied? Just wondering.

None recently, but I have made noticeable dents in some. Considering I'm likely to live for a few decades longer, I will have time to use up some more...
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post #22 of 65
9/12/10 at 10:29pm
I decided on 50ml or smaller, only a few bottles into my collection. I wish Profumum had smaller than 100ml bottles though - at their prices it's pretty painful, and I had a hard time choosing just one for now...
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post #23 of 65
9/12/10 at 10:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Punisher View Post

How many larger staple scents have you emptied? Just wondering.

10oz aluminum sprayer of Gendarme goes in 3-4 months
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post #24 of 65
9/12/10 at 10:38pm
My usual approach is to wait until I can get some kind of deal on the 100ml and then buy that. Percentage wise, the idea of paying that much more for the box and the lid annoys me. But I tend to like things for a long, long time, and my taste isn't especially expensive, and I have a rare knack for loving things that are about to be discontinued. If those things weren't true, maybe I'd buy the small ones.
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post #25 of 65
9/12/10 at 10:48pm
I always try to get the 100ml. I only recall ever picking like 6 of the 50ml bottles.
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post #26 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:56pm
100ml or bigger is what I always buy. Not saying that I do the right thing but that's what I do.
Even though I have 100's of full bottles & I know I will never get to use them in one lifetime, the price per ml difference between the smaller 50ml and the larger 100ml is far too much for me to digest.
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post #27 of 65
9/12/10 at 11:59pm
I always buy 100ml flacons, because I get an extra 50ml for under half price!
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post #28 of 65
9/13/10 at 12:02am
As I use fragrances all the time, I always get a 100 ml bottle. I chafed at buying the 100ml bottle of Le Male as the local purveyor was out of the bigger bottle at the time. My 5th bottle of Gendarme ran out yesterday and again, the local purveyor had only a little bottle available.
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post #29 of 65
9/13/10 at 1:29am
I used to go for the large bottles because the ml/$$ amount is more favourable. In the last two years I have switched to always buying the smallest size available (except for hard-to-find, discounted scents). I haven't finished a single bottle yet so I clearly don't need anything above 30 ml (it also saves a lot of money). Even the scents I adore don't get worn much because I have so many scents that I adore.
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post #30 of 65
9/13/10 at 2:20am
I prefer bigger bottles. In fact, the bigger the better. I have no wish to finish any of the fragrances I have, and like my bottles to last as long as possible. I think this is a good policy when buying vintage stuff, stuff that's hard to find, or stuff that you're concerned might be discontinued.

To date, I've never had trouble with a fragrance going off (I am careful with how I store my collection), and think that's actually a more unusual event than is commonly thought.
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post #31 of 65
9/13/10 at 3:34am
  • yrk
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tough question, if its at half price as i got Joop Thrill 33bucks for 50ml and 60 or even 66 for 100ml
i got 50ml but if the price is really close i get extra juice and sell decants or simply swap for something different
so simply i get a lot of decants for cheaper
(exception: super strong scents Joop Homme, A*Men 30ml is plenty)
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post #32 of 65
9/13/10 at 8:34am
My favorite range? 10-30ml

With 40-50 fragrances on rotation, that easily works out to ~ 400 - 1500 ml. Not only is this enough to last me another 5-12+ years, I haven't stopped buying fragrances! Get some perspective my friends!
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post #33 of 65
9/13/10 at 9:05am
100ml good? Easy - Habit Rouge.

Otherwise, I think it makes sense to buy smaller. I just bought eleven 2ml samples, and I reckon I could spend three months going through that. In that time, I'd definitely buy more samples, but it doesn't make sense to ultimately buy more than I'd ever use before it goes off (and it does all go off eventually, right?). In that time, I get to try out lots of different smells, and spend enough time with each to decide whether it's a further purchase or just a meh. All for the price of around a 100ml bottle.

I am kind of surprised at the number of "blind-buy" posts on BN.
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post #34 of 65
9/13/10 at 4:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ceekay View Post

I decided on 50ml or smaller, only a few bottles into my collection. I wish Profumum had smaller than 100ml bottles though - at their prices it's pretty painful, and I had a hard time choosing just one for now...

For me it depends on several things: How much I'm sure I love it, whether it is on the chopping block or might soon be, how much difference the price between the sizes is, etc. I've never bought anything from Profumum because they only have 100 ml sizes at $240, although I would have probably paid half that price for a 50 ml of a couple of them. However, the way things seem to work, if they did come out with 50 ml bottles, they'd probably be $175.
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post #35 of 65
9/13/10 at 4:47pm
Yep, I did consider there would be a price break on a larger size if they had a selection. At any rate, I found it a little easier to pull the trigger on a bottle once I'd sampled Olibanum a couple of times. The thing with the Profumums though is that a little goes a looong way, so I'm not sure I'll ever get through this one.

I can probably justify everything if I get my wife hooked on my new hobby. She already approves of my purchases so far, so we're getting there, I think.
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post #36 of 65
9/13/10 at 4:55pm
I prefer bigger bottles- if I know I am going to really use it all up .Otherwise, experience and spending too much .... has taught me -better get the smaller bottle in case you get fed up with the fragrance. Now if it were Mitsouko - I'll take a 250 ml bottle if there was one.
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post #37 of 65
9/13/10 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimi Gardenia View Post

I prefer bigger bottles- if I know I am going to really use it all up .Otherwise, experience and spending too much .... has taught me -better get the smaller bottle in case you get fed up with the fragrance. Now if it were Mitsouko - I'll take a 250 ml bottle if there was one.

Amen to that Mims! (if there was a 750 ml bottle of Mitsuoko I would take THAT!) My 200 ml Sycomore will likely become depleted in my lifetime and before I die, as an example of when bigger is better.)
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post #38 of 65
9/13/10 at 8:23pm
I only buy 100ml. Rarely 75ml when it doesn't come in a 100ml.
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post #39 of 65
9/13/10 at 8:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suppressor View Post

I don't want 100ml. 50ml is plenty.

I agree with Supressor and StylinLA. I almost always by the smaller size.
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post #40 of 65
9/13/10 at 9:06pm
I've bought too many large bottles over the years and have now started buying the smaller sizes when available. I just don't use them up fast enough.
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post #41 of 65
7/24/11 at 8:49am
for how long, after you open it, you think a 100 ml perfume bottle keeps the real and initial smell of the fragrance, without getting weaker?

thanks
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post #42 of 65
7/24/11 at 12:58pm
So far, all my 100 ml buys were good value for money
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post #43 of 65
7/24/11 at 2:23pm
I've started buying smaller sizes, or often decants even though they are much more $$ / mL. It's hard, but I know it saves me money in the end. For all the unfinished bottles I could have bought quite a bit more even at high per mL prices.

If I use up a small bottle or even a 10-15 mL decant and I love and miss the scent I'm allowed to get a big one though. There's something satisfying about picking up a big heavy bottle and spraying it on. And it encourages me to use up what I have.
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post #44 of 65
7/24/11 at 2:38pm
The only thing I could imagine owning 100ml of is my holy grail scent, Tubereuse Criminelle. Yet, as I've figured I go through about 10ml of it a year, that would last me a decade or more, depending on what else I discover.

For the rest of the time, I'm with Diamondflame: 10ml to 30ml is my perfect bottle size. I really wish more fragrance companies would invest in making mini-sizes like this. It makes sense, especially in niche lines targeting the fragrance enthusiast audience, who are extremely unlikely to own just one bottle of something.

( Please Serge Lutens: mini bell jars of your Paris Exclusives for export! )
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post #45 of 65
7/24/11 at 11:22pm
I really shy away from 50s and 100s if smaller sizes like 30s and 15s are available. One instance has been when I was in search of the 15ml for Le Labo Rose 31. Even though my friends were saying I would save much more money with a 100ml bottle, I insisted on a 15 because I knew I didn't like it THAT much. The discovery of decants and splits has been a life saver...

...except when it comes NR For Her - I have consumed about 400ml in both the EdP and EdT and estimate that even with regular use of my other perfumes (I have about 50 full bottles), I will still use up 100ml of each within 1.5 years, based on past experience. If they made 500ml bottles of NR For Her I would definitely prefer those.
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post #46 of 65
7/25/11 at 12:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

For me the issue isn't about "so good" I'll buy the 100ml. With a large variety of scents, I'll rarely wear any of them very often, so i always go for the smallest I can get. I wish more frags came in 30ml.

The 100ml is always cheaper per ml, but still, the outlay is higher and I know I'll have to look at the 100ml bottle with barely a dent in it.

This I've a bunch of 100-120ml bottles but, anytime is available I go for 50ml.
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post #47 of 65
7/25/11 at 8:40am
This is actually an interesting thread, good idea.

I think inherently, when people first get into fragrances, they aim on building a solid collection, looking up to the 'old hands' with large collections, wanting to be like them, sooner rather than later. So (i'm guessing), a lot started with 30 to 50ml bottles. Until they realized they had spent a fair amount on fragrances, and started to become more conservative, only purchasing large bottles of select fragrances.

Logically,

As alcohol oxidizes in relation to the surface area in contact with the air, relative to the amount of liquid, 100ml bottles technically are a better idea for storage of a fragrance. But if one wishes to learn or build up a scent memory of a particular fragrance, one could survive on 3ml or even just 15ml. Just keep it in a cool dark spot. If you wish to learn properly by wearing it, 30ml!
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post #48 of 65
7/29/11 at 6:00pm
I love minis and have tons of them. I buy a lot of mini collections, and if there is a line (like YSL, Chanel, Guerlain, EL, etc) where I know I will like many of them, I buy the mini set. These are almost always splash bottle though, unfortunately. I dislike samples and decants unless they come from the fragrance house themselves, because I like the original concept of the bottle.
My favorite might be the travel sets...those fit my lifestyle the best.
Having said that, if I am going to buy a FB, I usually will get the 100ml, unless the fragrance is harder to wear.
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post #49 of 65
7/29/11 at 7:19pm
Splash bottles rock! You're not limited to having to spray it to smell it! They're more conducive for smelling strip use
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post #50 of 65
8/16/11 at 10:52am
I tend to look at the $/ml when deciding to buy a fragrance, so I probably have ended up with more than I'll ever need. But at least I can be generous with it.
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post #51 of 65
8/16/11 at 12:32pm
Nice argument but here is a supposedly out of the box advise buy 100 ml bottles with a friend then split
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post #52 of 65
8/16/11 at 1:21pm
the bigger the better
bigger bottles juice is cheaper by ml than smaller sized bottles.

There is always a good moment to save money and a precious moment to split or share with goos friends!!
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post #53 of 65
8/16/11 at 2:08pm
I buy the largest size available, usually 100ml. Its because I spray anywhere from 10 to 20 sprays. Also, I can easily share it with others. Plus , i only buy perfumes I LOVE.
I wear perfume twice a day. Once before work and then in the evening when I socialize with friends or relax with family. Had my son not had infant asthma I would apply once more before bed. No I'll dab a sparsely on my wrists.
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post #54 of 65
8/16/11 at 10:47pm
Generally I am better now at judging whether I will wear something a lot or a little and while the 100ml prices are more attractive on a $ per ml basis, I have made that mental leap to the fact that the saving in pure dollar terms on a 50ml or 30 ml vs the 100ml leaves real cash in play. No hard and fast rules . . .
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post #55 of 65
8/16/11 at 11:04pm
I prefer 30ml now instead of 100ml like I used to
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post #56 of 65
8/17/11 at 7:32am
I will buy a mini if it is available, usually. Sample first, actually, and try to maintain variety with samples not full bottles. Fine with 30ml of most scents. But 100ml AND a backup of Jailia and yes I've used a whole bottle, and if there was a bigger bottle of the Reglisse Noire I'd definitely go for it. 100ml of Mure et Musc Extreme (pricing, it was 115 for 50, 155 for 100) and 75 of Datura Blanche (only size available). Those are the backbone of the collection I think, so no worries about 'too much'.
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post #57 of 65
8/17/11 at 9:18am
i prefer 100ml since its more bang for your buck BUT if i'm on a budget i'd go 50 ml (or 30ml)
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post #58 of 65
8/17/11 at 11:33am
I like the 30ml size, although it often represents poor value for money next to 50ml or 100ml. Most of my frags are 30ml, and I also have a few 5ml and 10mls. Many reasons for preferring the smaller sizes - they're easier to store, likely to be used up before I tire of the scent and make me feel better about amassing a reasonable collection.

I'll buy bigger if it's a frag I love and it only comes in a larger size (Les Exclusifs - thank goodness they brought out the 75ml), it's about to be pulled from the shelves (Envy), or it's an ebay/online bargain (some vintage L'Air du Temps edt).
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post #59 of 65
8/17/11 at 1:50pm
I really wish smaller sizes were more reasonably priced. I'm such a sucker for the old "well, it's only $20 more for twice the juice" marketing ploy.
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post #60 of 65
8/17/11 at 2:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tappio View Post

I really wish smaller sizes were more reasonably priced. I'm such a sucker for the old "well, it's only $20 more for twice the juice" marketing ploy.

Solution: Splits, problem solved. Works well with CREED
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