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Al from Street Scents is wrong about rubbing it in

post #1 of 30
5/17/12 at 7:32pm
Thread Starter 
Sometimes it's good to rub a fragrance in. For example, the Patou Pour Homme thread got me curious about my Bijan Men, which supposedly smells like PPH. However, Bijan is too strong to just spray, so I sprayed one spray on my arm then rubbed it in both arms vigorously spreading it all around. It's tone down, more tolerable and much better smelling this way.

Rubbing it in sort of leap frogs you to the mid / dry down, which is often a good thing.
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post #2 of 30
5/17/12 at 7:37pm
I've spoken to a few people who also do that with some scents and they say the same thing you do.
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post #3 of 30
5/17/12 at 8:16pm
Al is correct, but he is wrong about the reason why it's bad. Roja Dove actually said that the friction caused by rubbing it in causes the top notes to evaporate. Most people know that already. However, he also said that by rubbing you actually cover the fragrance with the oils on your skin. So you kind of form a layer over the fragrance, but I guess that's a good thing with a really really strong fragrance.
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post #4 of 30
5/17/12 at 8:23pm
Meh, that's one of Al's trademarks. Technically, he is right if friction kills topnotes a bit. Sure, in cases this may be desirable, but he's not wrong per se. Either way, I find his videos awesome. Love his enthusiasm.
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post #5 of 30
5/17/12 at 8:48pm
Who cares I love to hear him say it Makes me giggle
He enjoys fragrances and that's all that should matter
No rights or wrongs that's what makes fragrances great it's what you like and however u want to use them
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post #6 of 30
5/17/12 at 9:18pm
I never intentionally rub my fragrances. Why would you do that?
If you do not like a scent from the get-go, just try to find another to your liking.
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post #7 of 30
5/17/12 at 10:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dollars&scents View Post

I never intentionally rub my fragrances. Why would you do that?
If you do not like a scent from the get-go, just try to find another to your liking.

My same sentiments.
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post #8 of 30
5/17/12 at 10:21pm
I stand in front of a mirror. Spray. Rub. Rub some more. Rub just a bit more. Spray again.
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post #9 of 30
5/17/12 at 10:31pm
I think it's easier and better to spray on the chest and then just blow on that area while trying not to breathe in the top notes. That way, you get a little of the top notes but you avoid olfactory fatigue and can deal with frags that have massive openings.
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post #10 of 30
5/18/12 at 12:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

I stand in front of a mirror. Spray. Rub. Rub some more. Rub just a bit more. Spray again.

Yeahhh BABY !!!
Rub it in, Biaatttccchhhh

On a more serious note I do sometimes rub my frags in, in case I want to walk past the top notes faster and get to the mid and base faster........just a FYI TIP

For instance I hate the top notes of Habit Rouge so in testing and using it, I tried rubbing it in and the sharp floral top evaporated a bit faster that way. I still disliked the frag though ..... sighhh
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post #11 of 30
5/18/12 at 5:06am
I wouldn't say it "kills the molecules", rather it may reduce some of the aromatic chemicals used to make the top notes project the way that they do. Which in some cases, it's favorable, due to sickening, cloying, overly chemical, etc, type top notes.
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post #12 of 30
5/18/12 at 5:25am
I respect that.
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post #13 of 30
5/18/12 at 6:08am
I always thought rubbing it in gets u to the mid notes faster. So if u hate the top, rub rub rub!
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post #14 of 30
5/18/12 at 6:56am
I do enjoy his enthusiasm in the street scents videos, but I can only take so much of him saying the exact same thing every time.

I mean....what does "It kills the molecules" mean? That line doesn't really make sense.
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post #15 of 30
5/18/12 at 2:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by starshipvelcro View Post

I do enjoy his enthusiasm in the street scents videos, but I can only take so much of him saying the exact same thing every time.

I mean....what does "It kills the molecules" mean? That line doesn't really make sense.

Yup. I'm not a chemistry major, but saying something like, "rubbing the fragrance spreads the molecules out more so they outgas or evaporate more quickly" seems simple and way more accurate.
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post #16 of 30
5/18/12 at 2:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mesaboogie View Post

I respect that.

lol
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post #17 of 30
5/18/12 at 3:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamwires View Post

lol

The question is WHY would you rub it in? I never felt the need to do that. If I dislike the top notes that much, I will not wear the fragrance..
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post #18 of 30
5/19/12 at 2:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

I stand in front of a mirror. Spray. Rub. Rub some more. Rub just a bit more. Spray again.


Amouage Reflection Man?
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post #19 of 30
5/19/12 at 3:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropics View Post

Amouage Reflection Man?

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post #20 of 30
5/20/12 at 8:45am
Generally, one should not rub in fragrance, but allow it to develop. However, Roja Dove states that rubbing it in is fine, only in combination with a moisturizer. My experience is that rubbing with moisturizer tends to mute the fragrance. I prefer to layer it by first rubbing with moisturizer, then spraying the fragrance for the final layer. This should not be done with all fragrances, as some are too strong. To Al's credit, the whole "kills the molecules" thing might be just a colloquialism. It would be more accurate to say that it kills the opening. However, it depends on how hard someone rubs. Nevertheless, it's still a good rule of thumb.
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post #21 of 30
5/20/12 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DIRTYDUNNZ View Post

Generally, one should not rub in fragrance, but allow it to develop. However, Roja Dove states that rubbing it in is fine, only in combination with a moisturizer. My experience is that rubbing with moisturizer tends to mute the fragrance. I prefer to layer it by first rubbing with moisturizer, then spraying the fragrance for the final layer. This should not be done with all fragrances, as some are too strong. To Al's credit, the whole "kills the molecules" thing might be just a colloquialism. It would be more accurate to say that it kills the opening. However, it depends on how hard someone rubs. Nevertheless, it's still a good rule of thumb.

I respect that ^
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post #22 of 30
5/20/12 at 2:45pm
BTW Al is a boss, Street Scents FTW.
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post #23 of 30
5/20/12 at 9:03pm
In the A-Z Guide, TS says that it doesn't "crush the notes" or "break the molecules" or any other leap of faith in physics. What rubbing does do is spread the liquid more thinly across the skin, making a larger, thinner coating which can evaporate or be absorbed more quickly. Rubbing with some exertion will also raise the temperature, due to friction. Either way, all you're doing is mitigating the top/middle of the frag.
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post #24 of 30
5/21/12 at 12:30am
There's was a woman on one of his video's that was a ninja rubber inner and got away with it. You could tell that she knew it was wrong and did it really fast when he turned his back to her and faced the camera. Half the fun of his video's are seeing if they can get away with it. Al's great!
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post #25 of 30
5/21/12 at 2:18am
Seems like everyone is in agreement that rubbing a fragrance in prompts a loss in top and/ or mid notes. Al's opinion, as he expresses in HIS videos, is simply that one should experience the entirety of a fragrance. Is this thread, which title reads that he is WRONG, really fair to him? As fragrance lovers, can we truly say he is WRONG for wanting someone to experience the entirety of a fragrance? Lay off the guy.
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post #26 of 30
5/21/12 at 5:24am
He made a street scents video recently (past couple of months I think) where a guy who was into essential oils was the guest. The guy that was into essential oils rubbed it in slightly. Al asked why and told him why you shouldn't. The essential oil guy disagreed and gave his reason why. Check it out on youtube.

I agree with Al BUT I do think that if you don't like the top notes OR if you are using a essential oil or something that has a single note or two, then rubbing may be a good thing.
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post #27 of 30
5/21/12 at 5:30am
I haven't noticed any difference when rubbing my wrists together or not. The top notes didn't magically disappear and the longevity wasn't affected. The only difference was that I saved a spray by not spraying both wrists. I think dabbing your wrists together is a good compromise.
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post #28 of 30
5/21/12 at 5:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmm150 View Post

He made a street scents video recently (past couple of months I think) where a guy who was into essential oils was the guest. The guy that was into essential oils rubbed it in slightly. Al asked why and told him why you shouldn't. The essential oil guy disagreed and gave his reason why. Check it out on youtube.

I agree with Al BUT I do think that if you don't like the top notes OR if you are using a essential oil or something that has a single note or two, then rubbing may be a good thing.

Yeah it was on the Street Scents of Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme....

The guy seemed to be knowledgeable, if I'm not mistaken I can remember Al stating in a video maybe 4 videos again stating that he would be bringing that guy back to discuss essential oils.
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post #29 of 30
5/21/12 at 6:23am
Attars are meant to be rubbed in. Top notes and all.
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post #30 of 30
6/16/12 at 4:14am
I was up in Guerlain earlier today, they had their traveling sales rep in who apparently is very good at matching frags to people and supposedly knowledgable about Guerlain products. So I start chattin' her up and she asks what i wear. I say "lots of stuff." She says, "well what recently?" I tell her "Ivasion Babare, Reflection, Memoir, JXXV." She's clearly getting annoyed that I haven't mentioned Guerlain. She then says, "well what do you own from Guerlain?' I tell her. She grabs a bottle of London and bombs me without three sprays and immediately starts rubbing my arm then lightly smacks it a few times. I told her "I thought we weren't supposed to rub it in." She dismissed what i was saying in way I'd only let a french broad get away. Bottom line. I didn't respect that.
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