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To Creed.... or Not to Creed

post #1 of 44
11/28/10 at 12:30am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys.. its been a little while since I've posted on this forum, but you guys never seem to steer me wrong in terms of good advice.

Anyways, I'm a 20 year old guy (soon to be 21 in two weeks ), and have made collecting different fragrances a hobby for as long as i can remember wearing them. Being that I don't yet have a full time job and am still in college... I've been cutting down on my spending habits, seeing that having 15+ bottles of cologne can seem somewhat excessive when I'm short on money as it is. Anyways... its almost my 21st birthday, and as a gift from myself, to myself, i wanted to get myself a great bottle of cologne (weird... but its what i do sometimes haha) . Naturally, the first thing that came to my mind was Creed, given the immense amount of reviews on this site and the lengthy history of the company, which contained the trademark scents for many celebrities over time.

My main concern... is that this would be pretty much my first niche fragrance.. and Creed would be a pretty huge step. Here are some of my top colognes I own... just to give you guys an idea:

Versace - Dreamer
Bvlgari - PH Soir
D&G - Light Blue
Ralph Lauren - Polo Blue (1st cologne)
Ralph Lauren - Polo Black (2nd cologne)
Ralph Lauren - Polo Double Black (3rd cologne) (haha... I've been expanding my horizons recently)
Lancome - Hypnose
Juicy - Dirty English
Calvin Klein - Euphoria Intense
Guess - Guess for Men
Hugo - Hugo Boss
Armani - Armani Code
Azzaro - Chrome
Burberry - Burberry Brit

So you see... all of these are widely available and I've tried at Macys etc. before buying them. After doing a little research on Creed... i decided to go to a Niemen Marcus by me and try out a few Creeds. The one I had in mind was Millisime Imperial... but I ended up not liking the drydown after wearing it around the mall for about a half hour. The ones I most liked were the Original Vetiver and the Original Santal.

Anyways.... that's my predicament guys. I usually order my scents online to save money.. but since its my 21st and i want to get a "unique" fragrance I wouldnt mind spending more (just this one time ). I'd appreciate any and all advice / tips you guys have for me.

Thanks again
Joe
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post #2 of 44
11/28/10 at 12:38am
You deserve yourself a nice gift so yeah go get a Creed if you like it. Aventus seems to get a lot of hype here, go check this one out. For as long as this wouldn't make you totally broke. =) Advance happy birthday! You don't need to get a big bottle. Maybe the 75ml should work. You'll be buying more frags in the future, that's for sure.
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post #3 of 44
11/28/10 at 12:53am
I gotta try out Aventus the new hype. But so far, the only 2 creeds I would buy are Himalaya and SMW.
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post #4 of 44
11/28/10 at 1:18am
Aventus is fun stuff. Weird, but fun. It seems to disappear at times although others can smell it on you. It doesn't share that creamy ambergris drydown found in MI, SMW, Himalaya, etc. You might like it as a result. You're not going to find it at the discount perfumers for a while, however. Get Neiman's to make you a sample - they're quite generous about it especially if you let them know that you're considering a purchase and that you know they're one of the few retailers that stocks it. And give yourself a good 3 sprays of it from the tester bottle at the counter. It's a compliment getter.

In the same $ range are the Amouage perfumes. They're pretty special. I don't know if Neiman's carries them.

Bottom line, take your time and find the one that you really enjoy. You'll be 21 for 365 days.
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post #5 of 44
11/28/10 at 1:39am
Aventus in a heart beat if you don't like millesime imperial enough. Other than that creeds aren't worth the price tag after you hit the 1-2 bottle owned/own mark.
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post #6 of 44
11/28/10 at 8:57am
Yeah, I think we're all seeing the same thing. You like the modern stuff, so Aventus is a great suggestion. You might also want to check out Virgin Island Water by Creed - it also has a more modern vibe. Original Santal is fairly modern-feeling, but it's a hard one to wear regularly, IMO.

I like the suggestion of Amouage for you. They're pricey, but more modern. Awesome scents. By Kilian has some nice masculine-leaning scents, too, if you're looking for something with a pipe-tobacco or boozy nature.
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post #7 of 44
11/28/10 at 9:03am
I would suggest Aventus. It's more a clean modern scent and appropriate for someone in their 21st year.
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post #8 of 44
11/28/10 at 9:15am
I think Creed is over hyped and way overpriced. It has been available from Walgreen's for awhile and people (with money to spare) are wearing it around town. It is not that exclusive anymore.
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post #9 of 44
11/28/10 at 9:36am
Yup. Go with Aventus.
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post #10 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:21am
I like the Aventus suggestion UNLESS you try it and don't like it. It baffles me too much for me to enjoy it. As Adonis said, it comes and goes and that drives me nuts. For the time being, it is is THE Creed of the moment. Fresh, modern and very appreciated by women.

Original Vetiver is a really nice scent for a young guy, but the longevity is a little dicey on me. Really think you should test wear. If you tested it in store only I will warn you, it has fantastic green, clean soapy opening notes that are easy to fall in love with fast. The full wearing reveals its character better.

The Creeds to me are very cool. It's the niche I started with and I won't talk you out of buying one. But for that kind of change, there are a lot of great scents out there. You've already got a nice wardrobe to play with. Be patient and buy some samples. It's kind of "do as I say not as I do," because I've done my share of buys without a test wearing (we all have), but with having to watch your frag budget carefully right now, make sure you get something you'll really like all day long.
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post #11 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:34am
The Creed house is a very mixed bag indeed. Given the potential outlay - sample,sample,sample
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post #12 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
Arrite thanks a lot for the input guys. When i went the other day i dont think the Neimem Marcus i went to had Aventus in stock yet, so i never got a chance to try it out.

And @squatter : hmm i had no idea Creed was carried at Walgreens.... are they authentic ? And what would you recommend insead?

Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate all of your feedback, because as I said before, i have nooooo idea about anything on the niche market really. And also... a lot of you guys mention asking for samples of Creed... would they give that to me at a store? Or being that it is so expensive, would I have to buy them somewhere?
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post #13 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by muzicfreak2k3 View Post

Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate all of your feedback, because as I said before, i have nooooo idea about anything on the niche market really. And also... a lot of you guys mention asking for samples of Creed... would they give that to me at a store? Or being that it is so expensive, would I have to buy them somewhere?

You may be able to talk your Nieman's rep into a couple of samples. I wouldn't expect them to be very generous. (Maybe I'm just a pessimist- some people have had very good luck). If you chat up the rep, show some of your frag knowledge and perhaps discuss Basenotes with them, their appreciation of your knowledge may go up. In years of observing threads and posts about Creed reps here and in other forums, they can be dismissive of people they don't know as a regular shopper and frankly, someone as young as yourself.

I recently watched my Creed rep dueling for an hour with a young guy who was told he should buy a Creed. But he was nowhere near as frag savvy and focused as you seem to be. Someone told him Creed was "the shyt," and he couldn't have been more indecisive, insecure and unfocused. It was painful to watch.

Worst case scenario- you score a couple of free samples from the rep and have to buy a couple for like $6-$8 from The Perfumed Court or Lucky Scent. Or, make trips to Niemans, spray some on and see how it sits on you rest of day like you did with MI. Any rep should respect that you're aware you can't get full sense of how scent will "wear" on you from a quickie card spray.
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post #14 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:52am
I actually recommend checking out Serge Lutens. Chergui is absolutely incredible and lives up to it's praise

As for Creeds? Silver Mountain Water is pretty nice, it impressed me alot in terms of uniqueness
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post #15 of 44
11/28/10 at 11:22am
They sell authentic stuff.
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post #16 of 44
11/28/10 at 11:35am
At fregrancex you can find creed with incridible prices

http://www.fragrancex.com/products/_...C__brands.html
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post #17 of 44
11/28/10 at 12:30pm
I'd say so. Their fragrances are as accessible as mainstream ones, but very well made. I'd probably go with MI or Aventus. I really like SMW, but that one is a bit polarizing.
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post #18 of 44
11/28/10 at 12:52pm
I'm sure Aventus is a good suggestion, but I haven't tried that one yet myself. If you kind of liked MI, then you definitely need to sample Erolfa and SMW before you make your decision.

But ultimately don't lock yourself into Creed just to have a Creed. Buy one of them ONLY if YOU really like it. There are other great fragrances out there from other houses.
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post #19 of 44
11/28/10 at 2:10pm
Always been disappointed by Creed so far. Nice quality but something is simply missing and I got bored of all my Creed purchases the last 3-4 years and wound up selling or swaping them.

That is until Aventus, which I ll keep for sure. It has the lasting power and sillage many others are lacking of, and i love the smell. It also gets a lot of attention, ppl notice it and like it.
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post #20 of 44
11/28/10 at 2:20pm
What was it that you purchased from the Walgreens.com site?
Quote:
Originally Posted by squatter View Post

I think Creed is over hyped and way overpriced. It has been available from Walgreen's for awhile and people (with money to spare) are wearing it around town. It is not that exclusive anymore.
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post #21 of 44
11/28/10 at 2:34pm
I'm 23 and right now have 3 creeds; Aventus, Green Irish Tweed and Vintage Tabarome. Ladies our age love both Aventus and Green Irish Tweed. I would recommend Aventus.
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post #22 of 44
11/28/10 at 2:58pm
GIT and SMW is great stuff!
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post #23 of 44
11/28/10 at 3:50pm
Ok here's the deal. Creed are good fragrances and there are a number I would recommend - GIT, MI, SMW, BdP, Erolfa and even Aventus is a nice smoothe single note green chypre. I have owned over a dozen various Creeds and enjoy the brand. BUT, from your description of your financial situation I think spending your money on Creed is an unfair hardship on your wallet. Creed is overpriced for most people. They are selling a name and an image. But, the Creed target audience are people who need to waste money on small indulgences to feel better about themselves - and they won't miss the cash at all. Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that Creed is actually worth that incremental extra amount of money especially when money is in short supply. Sounds like your budget will be pressed so I would say DON'T BUY A CREED NOW!

You can obtain very similar fragrances to the Creeds mentioned above by checking out these below. Why not look into some Comme des Garcons - great line and much less expensive! But there are many others too.

Creed comparables:
Cool Water ($26) vs. Green Irish Tweed ($140 online discounters)
Unforgiveable Multi Platinum ($60) vs. Creed Millisime Imperiale ($220)
Nicolai New York ($45) vs. Creed Bois du Portugal ($120)
Mugler Cologne ($49 ) vs. Creed Original Vetiver ($220)

All these are as good and some better than their Creed comparables. I think you should consider your budget. There are very many outstanding fragrances that are so much better more interesting than Creeds that can be had for well under $100 for a 50 ml. bottle.
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post #24 of 44
11/28/10 at 4:23pm
Creed is a house that is kind of a mix between designer and niche. It's an easy transition to niche and while many releases are very nice, people who usually have tried many niche find Creed a but overhyped and I'd agree. That said, I love Virgin Island Water and plan on purchasing it. Creeds are very nice and typically inoffensive so you can't really go wrong since they're versatile but, just make sure you love it before you drop a wad of $$
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post #25 of 44
11/28/10 at 4:35pm
Original vetiver is solid man for daytime wear , but I agree Aventus is something you need to investigate but I think Green Irish Tweed would work as well.
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post #26 of 44
11/28/10 at 4:49pm
Creed makes some very good quality fragrances though most of them are comparable to cheap designer fragrances. For a taste of what Creed could do the old days one should consider Orange Spice, Selection Verte, Royal Scottish Lavender, Citrus Bigarrade, and Bois de Cedrat as these perfumes appear to be slated for the chopping block of late.
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post #27 of 44
11/28/10 at 5:02pm
Aventus is one I've been using for the past several weeks...it hits me with a blast of pineapple then settles down fairly quickly into its middle and base notes, which I like...it stays close to the skin on me yet a day afterwards I pick it up on the dress shirt I wore the previous day. So...maybe you'd say sneaky longevity?

In any case, to try to answer your question about Creed, there are many of them worth checking out, and don't be intimidated at all by your age...this is one of the great fragrance houses of all time...get samples from the local Neiman Marcus salesperson, or from the Creed Boutique if you happen to live in the NYC area. Some of my own faves are Green Valley, Green irish Tweed, Silver Mountain Water, Bois du Portugal and Vintage Tabarome. The latter might not work well for a guy your age (not a problem for 50-something me), but check out the others.
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post #28 of 44
11/28/10 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bokaba View Post

Creed makes some very good quality fragrances though most of them are comparable to cheap designer fragrances. For a taste of what Creed could do the old days one should consider Orange Spice, Selection Verte, Royal Scottish Lavender, Citrus Bigarrade, and Bois de Cedrat as these perfumes appear to be slated for the chopping block of late.

Cb and Sv are already chopped my fellow Creed connoisseur .
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post #29 of 44
11/28/10 at 5:13pm
With as much as I love MI and the amount of people I've had say something...I feel it's worth every penny... I'm a big fan of a few of their fragrances, but as stated above, if you're not sure about the money thing...you might be better off with other alternatives... Although, I've tried some of the "similar" fragrances, and as time progresses they start to smell much different than their more expensive counterparts...
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post #30 of 44
11/28/10 at 5:20pm
Joe, another one I like very much (albeit not a Creed) for the colder months is Tom Ford Extreme...this is potent, to say the least. For summer wear, consider Creed's Silver Mountain Water and Virgin Island Water (this latter one smells like a pina colada initially, so maybe wear on weekends only). Another one for summer months that I love is Acqua di Parma Colonia (one of the ageless classics). Enjoy the search!
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post #31 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:25pm
Just buy whatever you like.

I have the following Creeds in 4oz

Creed Green Irish Tweed
Creed Aventus
Creed Virgin Island Water
Creed Millesime Imperial
Creed Silver Mountain Water.

I buy it because i like it... and i can afford it. I just recently bought Bond 9. Riverside Drive to. Yes... i'm crazy
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post #32 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:30pm
I think Joe would do well to consider all advice given here, but it strikes me that he's not looking for "smell alikes." As a relatively new collector, he wants to break loose with a big name niche product like Creed. There are many who think Creed overrated, overpriced, liars, etc, etc, etc.

But Creed has the best established name amongst the niche scents. When you're first starting down this insane path, they show up a lot. That, plus in this forum, the mere mention of their name brings out fan boys and haters which makes an impression as well. I remember my first Creed: GIT. It felt special to buy it and wear it whether it was developed for Cary Grant or not. It WAS a cut above the designer offerings I had been wearing.

So I'm taking the tack that Joe wants a Creed. Go for it Joe. But once you know the one you want, you can check out cheaper alternatives than Nieman Marcus retail. Beauty Encounter, Scentiments, Walgreens, FragranceNet among some of the companies selling many of the Creeds for less than usual retail. And they're legit.
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post #33 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

I think Joe would do well to consider all advice given here, but it strikes me that he's not looking for "smell alikes." As a relatively new collector, he wants to break loose with a big name niche product like Creed. There are many who think Creed overrated, overpriced, liars, etc, etc, etc.

But Creed has the best established name amongst the niche scents. When you're first starting down this insane path, they show up a lot. That, plus in this forum, the mere mention of their name brings out fan boys and haters which makes an impression as well. I remember my first Creed: GIT. It felt special to buy it and wear it whether it was developed for Cary Grant or not. It WAS a cut above the designer offerings I had been wearing.

So I'm taking the tack that Joe wants a Creed. Go for it Joe. But once you know the one you want, you can check out cheaper alternatives than Nieman Marcus retail. Beauty Encounter, Scentiments, Walgreens, FragranceNet among some of the companies selling many of the Creeds for less than usual retail. And they're legit.

I concur. Well said StylinLA. The haters are the one who usually cries because they like the scent, but can't afford it
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post #34 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistawho View Post

I concur. Well said StylinLA. The haters are the one who usually cries because they like the scent, but can't afford it

I agree as well, Creed regardless of any argument you can bring against them have great scents. Period. Who gives a crap if it was or not made for X. If it is good it is good.
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post #35 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:51pm
Sample many and then decide yourself. These are my top three picks from the house of Creed:

Aventus
Windsor
Millésime Impérial
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post #36 of 44
11/28/10 at 7:56pm
I beg to disagree Mista. Did not see here - or anywhere else - the Creed haters you are refering to, the ones who love the fragrances but bash them because they can't afford them.

Actually many of the so-called haters (being said that I am obviously not one of them having just bought an Aventus bottle) are also "educated" noses who have been sampling niche fragrances for years and found that other stuff is better than Creed. They can afford Amouage or Xjerjoff and could hence most certainly also afford Creed. Sometimes it's only a question of tastes, and I can see why so many people love Creed but so many just find them boring or not price worthy. Everyone has his own taste.
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post #37 of 44
11/28/10 at 8:00pm
Well said.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roc_Xel View Post

I beg to disagree Mista. Did not see here - or anywhere else - the Creed haters you are refering to, the ones who love the fragrances but bash them because they can't afford them.

Actually many of the so-called haters (being said that I am obviously not one of them having just bought an Aventus bottle) are also "educated" noses who have been sampling niche fragrances for years and found that other stuff is better than Creed. They can afford Amouage or Xjerjoff and could hence most certainly also afford Creed. Sometimes it's only a question of tastes, and I can see why so many people love Creed but so many just find them boring or not price worthy. Everyone has his own taste.
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post #38 of 44
11/28/10 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roc_Xel View Post

I beg to disagree Mista. Did not see here - or anywhere else - the Creed haters you are refering to, the ones who love the fragrances but bash them because they can't afford them.

Actually many of the so-called haters (being said that I am obviously not one of them having just bought an Aventus bottle) are also "educated" noses who have been sampling niche fragrances for years and found that other stuff is better than Creed. They can afford Amouage or Xjerjoff and could hence most certainly also afford Creed. Sometimes it's only a question of tastes, and I can see why so many people love Creed but so many just find them boring or not price worthy. Everyone has his own taste.

I also agree with what you said and i understand that.
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post #39 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:12pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks again for all the advice everyone. I will certainly check out the Creeds you mentioned, and when I do find one I like I'll be sure to try and but it from one of the sites that you mentioned to try and save a few dollars.

@ StylinLA - Yes, I would prefer to get a Creed... i guess for the reason you stated as yourself.. as something "special' for myself for my 21st birthday. But like I said... my knowledge about colognes comes from the many that i've tried that my friends / family own, or the ones I've samples at fragrance stores / Macys etc. Therefore, i don't have too much experience in terms of the rarer less commercial scents.

P.S. - I'll be sure to let you guys know which i choose !
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post #40 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:12pm
muzicfreak2k3 - Take your time, there's no hurry. And try Aventus.
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post #41 of 44
11/28/10 at 10:28pm
Yeah, try Aventus, and please report back. =)
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post #42 of 44
11/29/10 at 12:04am
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post #43 of 44
11/29/10 at 12:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mistawho View Post

I concur. Well said StylinLA. The haters are the one who usually cries because they like the scent, but can't afford it

Not true at all. I'm no fan of Creed but it's certainly not because I can't afford them.
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post #44 of 44
11/29/10 at 6:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDS1963 View Post

Not true at all. I'm no fan of Creed but it's certainly not because I can't afford them.

Agree completely. I think most of their stuff smells nice but I'm never "WOWed." If you take that aspect and add price then it is a matter of investment. Afterall that is what people do in the market. That is what it boils down to...investment. If you want to spend money on something great but make sure it is something you love, not just a name. Maybe he should take some advice others gave me and set a price range and then go nuts at The Perfumed Court and get 5-6 Creed Decants and then see what he thinks. Win, win. He gets the name stuff he is looking for and he can use multiple ones and see how he likes them.
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