Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Do negative reviews of a fragrance inspire you to try it?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Do negative reviews of a fragrance inspire you to try it?

post #1 of 25
1/9/11 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 
Maybe I have an anti-establishment streak in me, but when I read a ton of negative reviews on a fragrance here on Basenotes, it often inspires me even more to try it out. I have enjoyed many a scent that has been trashed here (e.g., Bleu de Chanel, Davidoff, Guerlain Homme, etc.).

Case in point. Yesterday I saw on super clearance Puff Daddy's "I Am King" at Target. Few fragrances have received as much lambasting on BN as this one, yet I'm intrigued by it. I sprayed some on my wrist and it smelled pretty good (I have a cold, so my sense of smell isn't too acute right now), and my wife thought it smelled great. Therefore, I'm going back to Target today to pick up a bottle. I would never pay suggested retail for this, but at the clearance price, it won't break the bank.

Anyone else in the same boat?
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
post #2 of 25
1/9/11 at 9:18am
I am often curious to try lambasted fragrances as well as polarizing ones. Probably less so with celebrity scents, as I tend to be less interested in these overall.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 25
1/9/11 at 9:27am
Inspire me, not really, but it does make me more curious, thus leading me to indeed test this frag
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 25
1/9/11 at 10:00am
Like Ken Russell, if I see a lot of negative reviews, I may want to give it a sniff to see if it is as bad as the reviewers say. I won't seek it out right away, but make a mental note to try it on a fragrance run (Secretions Magnifique comes to mind).

If the reviews and negative comments are from a range of Basenoters and includes some "old timers," most often they're fairly accurate.

In the case of I AM KING, I think much of the dislike is inspired mostly by the fact that it's a Sean Jean scent meant to be a copy of Silver Mountain Water.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 25
1/9/11 at 10:00am
Sometimes, out of curiosity. But as a rule, in an attempt to maintain objectivity, I don't read other reviews of a fragrance I'm about to review.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 25
1/9/11 at 10:43am
Nah....now if there is something in the reviews to think I might disagree (ex. too much a powerhouse, which I might like) I will make a mental note, like StylinLA. Generally I try to use the reviews to save time
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 25
1/9/11 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Force of One View Post

Nah....now if there is something in the reviews to think I might disagree (ex. too much a powerhouse, which I might like) I will make a mental note, like StylinLA. Generally I try to use the reviews to save time

Same here.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 25
1/9/11 at 12:42pm
It has happened one time for me. I read all the bashing of Bleu de Chanel here on BN. Bleu de Chanel wasnt a fragrance that I had on my purchase list, not even on my sample list but I was so eager to find out more about it so I tried it and Im glad I did because it's so freakin good!

I missed BN too much. I will write once in a while.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:17pm
Well, it depends. Sometimes I read negative comments like, "It smells like a brushfire on my arm. I had to scrub it off!" or "Smells like some hairy chested guy in the '70's, I think, "Hmm. I might like that one." When I read comments about something being boring or "inoffensive" or "non-descript," I tend to lose interest in trying those fragrances.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:19pm
Not really. Most of the reviewers here have pretty good taste and if it's not liked there's usually a good reason. On the other hand, there are some reviewers I look to for guidance, and if they like a fragrance everyone else hates, I might give it a try.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:35pm
I am usually curious to sample scents that elicit strong critical reactions from other Basenoters - negative as well as positive. It's partially out of morbid curiosity and partly because I enjoy novel and challenging fragrances that I'll sample scents with vehemently negative reviews. On the other hand, I'm less likely to sample scents that are consistently reviewed as boring, bland, or undistinguished.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:36pm
Yes. The do. Should they say it smells like Quorum. I love Quorum. I'll give it a try.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:39pm
Sometimes, since I seem to like what other people dislike.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 25
1/9/11 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonyprince View Post

Well, it depends. Sometimes I read negative comments like, "It smells like a brushfire on my arm. I had to scrub it off!" or "Smells like some hairy chested guy in the '70's, I think, "Hmm. I might like that one." When I read comments about something being boring or "inoffensive" or "non-descript," I tend to lose interest in trying those fragrances.

This is usually true for me as well. When something is critiqued as wild, nasty, overflowing, never-should-be-applied awful, then I'm really going to want to try it. When something is called boring or generic I'm not very provoked.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 25
1/9/11 at 2:44pm
If they do, then I'm an inspiration.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 25
1/9/11 at 2:52pm
Reviews whether they be positive or negative have no bearing on whether I will purchase a fragrance.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 25
1/9/11 at 4:54pm
Yes they do.....There are times when I will like something that is not a favorite of Basenotes.....A prime example of this is The House Of Bond No.9.....I am a big fan of the Bond No.9 Family!!!
Gary
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 25
1/9/11 at 5:22pm
I am so wanting to smell Secretions Magnifiques.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 25
1/9/11 at 6:01pm
Do you know what my problem is?

If I hear bad reviews, I want to try it, not just sample it, but to get the whole flask.
If I hear good reviews, I want to try it, not just sample it, but to get the whole flask.
If I hear so so reviews, I want to try it, not just sample it, but to get the whole flask.

In short, If I just hear of a perfume, I want to try it, not just sample it, but to get the whole flask
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 25
1/9/11 at 6:42pm
Of course! You have no idea how badly I've been wanting to try Hai Karate!
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 25
1/9/11 at 6:48pm
Generally, positive reviews spur me more to try a fragrance than negative reviews would hold me back.

However, I have realized that if my mind is predisposed on trying something, I pay more attention to the good things being said about it and largely disregard the negative comments.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 25
1/9/11 at 7:06pm
If the listed accords are comprised of notes that I already have a proclivity for.......and.......particular reviewers have slammed it, then there's no doubt I'm trying it.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 25
1/9/11 at 8:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AromiErotici View Post

and......a particular reviewers have slammed it, then there's no doubt I'm trying it.

I know what you mean, if Fxxxxxxs sweeps the floor with a perfume, it's a ringer I'll like it LOL
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 25
1/9/11 at 9:26pm
Yes they do. Especially if they are written by people whose taste is a polar opposite of mine.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 25
1/9/11 at 9:39pm
As I have said before, some folk here get carried away in their analysis. Hence when they thrash it,I will try it. Some have biases towards certain scents and houses. It is not too difficult to see.Pick the opposites of thier likes and you should have a great personal collection of juices
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Do negative reviews of a fragrance inspire you to try it?