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Basenote Hype Victims?!

post #1 of 116
Thread Starter 
which one of you have been a victim of the hype shown in a fragrance here on basenotes? so after you splashed your money you were regretting your purchase! please share your experience guys maybe you can help some of us avoiding to be victims too.
post #2 of 116
I simply choose to ignore the hype of any fragrance expressed anywhere although I understand that others might fall victim.
post #3 of 116
IMHO FWIW and all other disclaimers "Aventus"!
PS Now on the flip side the Hype that paid off was with DHI!
post #4 of 116
I'm yet to receive the bottles of PM and PH that I blind bought, but I feel as though I'll be disappointed with, at least, one of the two.
post #5 of 116
In fact, discussing openly about my fragrance curiosities, incompatibilities, cravings etc. here on Basenotes have spared me lots of money wasted, as well as mental/cognitive drawbacks while helping me, through constructive advice and suggestion, to avoid major fragrance purchasing, fragrance selection mistakes.
post #6 of 116
Well, I sample first before I buy now..for the most part. I was hoping more from Aventus as far juice, projection, wear. I bought a sample and I really didn't like it at first..like a can of pineapple juice. The wood notes are great..I just wanted more out of that one. I wouldn't say I am a victim but didn't understand all the hype. It's a classy scent and I am glad the pineapple fades away rather quickly..but ya.
post #7 of 116
One word - sample.
post #8 of 116
Musc Ravageur. I was lured into the hype by not only BN, but also by FB and Youtube reviewers as well. They all said that it was sex in a bottle and a panty dropper. Imagine my surprise when I finally smelled it and was immediately reminded of a day at the zoo surrounded by old men. It's sooo musky and old fashioned. It does dry down nicely, but it doesn't smell like vanilla pudding or Cinnabon as described. I like MR, but it is so far from being sex in a bottle, that it's actually kinda funny b/c of the hype.

Terre D'Hermes. Yeah it smells nice, but it just smells like oranges and earth. I don't find it to be spectacular in any way. I like it, but I don't love it like the majority of the BN populace seems to.

As for Aventus, it was everything I dreamed it would be and more. I love it. It deserves every last scrap of hype it gets.
post #9 of 116
I always sample a fragrance before buying a full bottle.

- - - Updated - - -

I always sample a fragrance before buying a full bottle.
post #10 of 116
I really like Musc Rav..but it wasn't what I thought it was going to be..didn't know what I thought it was going to be, but I still like it. Lol, 'a day at the zoo'. My husband said it smells like cinnamon+road kill, lol..I try not to wear it around him. LOL. It doesn't smell like Cinnabon, however. No one ever has been able to catch that scent, no candle, no fume, nothing..you have to go there. I could eat a dozen-full size- lol.
post #11 of 116
With the exception of Pure Malt, which for some reason received it's own sticky if memory serves me correctly, I think that basenotes members do a pretty good job of avoiding the 'hype train'. What I refer to is that members tend to express opinions on fragrances and open these opinions up for discussion, rather than telling everyone to go out and buy a specific fragrance. There are enough varied and diverse opinions here to stop scents becoming hyped or over-hyped. That is something that I really enjoy about being a member here; that everyone has their own opinion and generally, these opinions are not ridiculed. The best thing to do is to read as many opinions as you can, even the negative ones to enable you to get a global view of a fragrance, test, sample and then if you feel so compelled, buy a bottle.
post #12 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by kalli View Post

I really like Musc Rav..but it wasn't what I thought it was going to be..didn't know what I thought it was going to be, but I still like it. Lol, 'a day at the zoo'. My husband said, it smells like cinnamon+road kill, lol..I try not to wear it around him. LOL.

Haha nice. I think it's a nice scent for sure, but it's nowhere near the scent I imagined it would be. It really does remind me of the zoo though b/c of the heavy, animistic musk.
post #13 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

I always sample a fragrance before buying a full bottle.

- - - Updated - - -

I always sample a fragrance before buying a full bottle.

Absolutely, that should be rule #1 for every Basenoter.
post #14 of 116
There is a difference between Hype and Reputation.

Hype is the advance fuss about the soon to be launched CHANEL Coco Noir.

Reputation is the applause that certain scents have garnered such as TAUER PERFUMES L'air du desert Marocain.

Whether it be Hype or Reputation, I usually test the scent first on my particular skin before money is spent.

There is no such thing as a Victim, as everybody is free to choose and pick.
post #15 of 116
I was lured to order DHI with all the gushing fanboy reviews. What a load of crap that frag is! Total sickly, synthetic mess. I never met anyone in real life who liked it. It's not the waste of money that bothered me, it's the fact that so many"reviewers" can lie so easily.

One good tip: Make a list of members names that you consider untrustworthy and also a another list of members who actually have great taste.

Of course, never blind buy.
post #16 of 116
Edition Blanche..bought a sample..smells like lemon Pledge. I got the sample for my hubs..he said, 'I smell like I just cleaned a toilet.' LOL. He cracks me up! Needless to say..we both didn't like it or buy it.
post #17 of 116
Pure Malt but that was my fault as I despise A*Men.
post #18 of 116
I didn't like Like This and Dzongkha, both being quite respected here in BN (bought full bottles blind, luckily they were cheap).

However, the Coromandel hype paid off!
post #19 of 116
I've bought a couple of bottles blind based on help and advice people have given me here - but there was no hype, just very useful descriptions and opinions. And they were bargain-priced ones anyway, so I was happy to take the risk - I wouldn't risk big money on a blind buy.
post #20 of 116
Edition Blanche
That longevity
post #21 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Pure Malt but that was my fault as I despise A*Men.

Oh no, is Pure Malt like A*Men? I hate A*men, just awful! I was thinking to try Pure Malt but idk now..and I am a little skeptic, after all it's a TM scent and I haven't sniffed one I like.
post #22 of 116
I was brutally victimized by SMW & OS. Through the undeniable power of the written word, I was tricked into believing they were both something special. They're not. They kicked my ass and stole my lunch money.







Seriously, I was such a dumb-ass for not sampling these first! Live and learn. If one is not prepared to simply shrug a blindbuy off if it doesn't work out then one should definitely sample first... or hush up. Coming on the boards and whining after the fact is rather self-deprecating, no? Just my opinion.
post #23 of 116
I wouldn't advise anyone to follow the herd if you don't know who you're running with . . .
post #24 of 116
kalli, Pure Malt is an A*Men flanker, so it shares part of the base with A*Men.

As others have said on here and elsewhere, ALWAYS SAMPLE. You will never be a victim of hype if you sample first. And if you're going to pull the trigger without sampling, at the very least make sure that you're taking advice from someone whose taste is similar to your own.
post #25 of 116
...they are not 'Basenotes hype victims', but 'victims of their own naivety'...!
post #26 of 116
Pure Malt, but I flipped it on eBay for a profit - I knew I would be able to if I didn't like it.

Musc Ravageur was a blind trade, and I don't find it very interesting. When I get around to making a swap thread, it will be on it.

Blind cheapos that I didn't like were Kouros, Body Kouros, Bulgari Black, VCA PH.

TdH and L'ADDM were samples I was expecting greatness from that I didn't like much.

I like Dior Homme Intense, no lie. I've gotten positive feedback on it as well.
post #27 of 116
Thread Starter 
first of all not everyone has access to samples, at least not me.

ok now lets share my experience, i bought 2 fragrances according to basenote hype, it was one hit and one miss.

on the miss side it was L'instant de Guerlain extreme, well i like this fragrance but i find it hard to wear because it is 2 potent! it is a strictly winter fragrance and even in winter i don't dare splashing more than one spray! so it is still 98% full.

on the hit side, it was Azzaro PH , first of all it is a cheapy, and IMO it is a masterpiece, not a thing that you can rock everyday, but to be made in the 70s and still a 25 years old guy like me think it is a masterpiece so yes IT IS a masterpiece.

now the hype is still pushing me to buy the likes of Avenuts, DHI, MIP, Prada Amber PH, Encre Noir, Tobacco Vanille ( btw is spice bomb 2 similar 2 TV or it is just me )... but till now i didn't pull the trigger on either one...
post #28 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fadi007 View Post

first of all not everyone has access to samples, at least not me.

Where are you based mate?
post #29 of 116
90~95% of my collection was bought blind. Since Im at Brazil the things here is impossible to try (fragrances here are ultra expensive and limited to brands like CK or Boss) and a sample overseas would cost me almost the same as a full bottle (very expensive shipping costs).

The basenotes hype helped me a lot with my purchases, i have absolutely no regrets.
post #30 of 116
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Livingdead View Post

Where are you based mate?

Lebanon.
post #31 of 116
Basenotes hype has done me good. Liked or loved each of the scents that get big hype here:

Musc Ravageur
Egoiste
Dior Homme Intense
LIDGE
Sycomore
New Haarlem
Rive Gauche

Two that didn't live up to the hype were L'ADDM and Pure Malt. But I'd say that's a good ratio overall.
post #32 of 116
I am a victim only of my very own stupidity when it comes to buying scent !
post #33 of 116
The hype does lead me to sample scents that i've not heard of or never thought I'd sampled; the damage, if any, is temporary nose rot.
post #34 of 116
Some that didn't live up to the hype:

Musc Ravageur
Escada Magnetism
L'ADDM
Chergui
Dior Homme Intense
New Haarlem
Jicky
Ambre Narguille
post #35 of 116
I think everybody is responsible for his own actions, can't blame the hype. Blind buy is always a risk, if one wants to play safe, then sample first.
post #36 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by dƶfƤ91 View Post

I think everybody is responsible for his own actions, can't blame the hype. Blind buy is always a risk, if one wants to play safe, then sample first.

Very well said!
post #37 of 116
Pure Malt, Pure Havane & Pure Coffee, I guess. They are not bad but I expected much more after all the hype. Subsequently I sold / swapped all of them pretty soon. At least because of the hype there are many looking for them, too.
post #38 of 116
Dzing! and a lot of the newer Lutens--granted these were just decants, so no big loss. I can see why others like these, but they're too much like scent pictures or experiments and not quite wearable to me.

3++ that if anything BN helps temper the hype. Before joining discussions here about a month ago, I blind bought any vintage or designer cheapie that seemed exciting. I lucked out with good results, but only for so long. Sometimes people are more forgiving of cheapies because it's so fun to get a bargain, so best to sample even the cheap things if possible.

Niche is often where one has to beware the hype. Expensive, not designed to appeal to a wide range of people, and the words of a reviewer can hardly convey the often puzzling, complex experience. I've learned not to buy anything based on a review. Only a testing, maybe a personal recommendation, or at least a full picture of pyramid and familiarity with a house or perfumer will do.
post #39 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by kalli View Post

Oh no, is Pure Malt like A*Men? I hate A*men, just awful! I was thinking to try Pure Malt but idk now..and I am a little skeptic, after all it's a TM scent and I haven't sniffed one I like.

It's ~85% similar to A*Men. Stay away if you cannot tolerate A*Men.
post #40 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fraghead View Post

With the exception of Pure Malt, which for some reason received it's own sticky if memory serves me correctly, I think that basenotes members do a pretty good job of avoiding the 'hype train'. What I refer to is that members tend to express opinions on fragrances and open these opinions up for discussion, rather than telling everyone to go out and buy a specific fragrance. There are enough varied and diverse opinions here to stop scents becoming hyped or over-hyped. That is something that I really enjoy about being a member here; that everyone has their own opinion and generally, these opinions are not ridiculed. The best thing to do is to read as many opinions as you can, even the negative ones to enable you to get a global view of a fragrance, test, sample and then if you feel so compelled, buy a bottle.

I agree with this; the hype here isn't nearly as intense as it is on other fragrance boards.

At first, all the opinions definitely influenced me to try many things I wouldn't otherwise have, but I generally didn't buy without smelling first. Now, a certain amount of hype around perfume types that I like (e.g., green chypre!) by recognized and trusted names here can actually persuade me to buy blind if something's not too expensive. Good examples: Silences, Cuir de Lancome.
post #41 of 116
I sample everything before I buy, even cheap frags like Caron. I think it's a shame to blind buy something and let it sit on my table when someone else could have purchased and enjoyed it. The hype may influence which samples I try, but in the end I won't consider myself a victim. I'm only a few $ poorer, anyway
post #42 of 116
For me, it was Bond No. 9 Wall Street. Did not care for it.
post #43 of 116
Musc Ravageur..... sex in a bottle, really? Only if sex involves milk and cookies.
post #44 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Furriner View Post

Musc Ravageur..... sex in a bottle, really? Only if sex involves milk and cookies.

Somebody out there has to have a fetish for it, especially as these paraphiliae often come from early childhood fixations
post #45 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by dƶfƤ91 View Post

I think everybody is responsible for his own actions, can't blame the hype. Blind buy is always a risk, if one wants to play safe, then sample first.

I'm with...ahh, I don't know how to type that...

There are certainly a handful of frags I've ended up purchasing that were heavily chatted up here. A couple I didn't like were Pure Malt and Musc Ravgeur. But I had the opportunity to sample both and just wasn't patient enough. It comes down a lot to patience for me. I need to wear scents all day a couple of times to see how I like them as a rule. But as often as not, some of things I've purchased somewhat blindly have worked out quite well. I'm very fortunate living in a city where I can find almost everything in a brick and mortar store between Beverly Hills and the Scent Bar. In the last year or so, I really pushed myself to buy at least a 2ml sample first so I can wear it like any scent in my wardrobe. Longevity is a personal issue of mine, so regardless of a beautiful open, I want to see how it develops and lasts.
post #46 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropics View Post

I was lured to order DHI with all the gushing fanboy reviews. What a load of crap that frag is! Total sickly, synthetic mess. I never met anyone in real life who liked it. It's not the waste of money that bothered me, it's the fact that so many"reviewers" can lie so easily.

One good tip: Make a list of members names that you consider untrustworthy and also a another list of members who actually have great taste.

Of course, never blind buy.

You really need to get over this weird DHI obsession you have.

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean the positive reviewers are lying. It just means people have a different opinion. If you can't understand this basic concept, you really shouldn't be on this forum or, quite frankly, using fragrances at all.
post #47 of 116
I think Havana has become a BHV. It seemed to be the Messiah of fragrances, and when he
finally arrived, people realized that he wasn't able to walk over water at all.
The parish wasn't all that thankful for his incarnation! :-)

(Talkin about the Messiah, I just realized I have reached an evil number of posts.)
post #48 of 116
well I don't buy blind expensive stuff based on hype but some cheaper scents I purchased based on positive feedback from basenotes and those scents caught me off guard big time, so overhyped
but yeah Musc Ravageur....f*** that s***, of all the things to be described as a panty dropper is ludicrous. That's about as niche sexy as you can get, definitely not for all people, and most certainly an absolute acquired taste.
post #49 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Livingdead View Post

One word - sample.

THIS!

Have I been disappointed? Sure.
Have I been delighted? Sure!

For me, Encre Noir was a bust. I spent a total of $3 to find out. No harm done. On the other hand, Aventus and Gucci Pour Homme II were out of the ballpark home runs for me. I sampled both, wore both and then bought both. And GphII led me to discover my all time favorite so far: GphI.

Hype is just chatter. Sometimes it can be helpful, but usually it's just noise. The nose knows the difference, so let your nose decide.
post #50 of 116
Just ignore them, mostly for two reasons: first of all, someone“s tastes might not be be the same as yours. And second, hype might be a covered sales action.

Read posts by BN members whose tastes are akin to yours, then test, then try, then wear, then buy.
post #51 of 116
I also fell into the Musc Ravageur hype with much regret. I purchased a smaller bottle and could not stand the opening and middle. The dry down smelled of some older type ladies parfume. I was so disappointed. To make matters worse, I could not find one person who could tolerate the incredibly harsh, clove opening this fragrance has. Women are so turned off by it. Well needless to say it was my one, major regret.
post #52 of 116
Dirty English, Nightflight, Safari, Michael, Nautilus Aqua..
post #53 of 116
I have done a fair bit of blind buying and consider the few misses as a learning experience.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Fadi007 View Post

on the miss side it was L'instant de Guerlain extreme, well i like this fragrance but i find it hard to wear because it is 2 potent! it is a strictly winter fragrance and even in winter i don't dare splashing more than one spray! so it is still 98% full.

Dear heart, you say that like it's a bad thing! If, you like the scent and 1 spray is enough for you- what is wrong with that? Your bottle will last forever, think of all the money you will save


And, hello Tropics!
Most reviewers don't lie the exception being paid shills. But if you don't know if the reviewer has taste similar to yours,the review may not be helpful to you in choosing a scent.
post #54 of 116
Pure Malt.
post #55 of 116
I have given into the "hype" only once for a blind buy...and it wasn't an expensive one at that and I was able to trade it just like that so it didn't bother me. The thing that does bother me is the way that people describe the hyped scents. It's like the hype hypes them up on how they describe the frags. It's hard not to be caught up in the hype when people are willing to sacrifice their babies and leave their spouses for a chance to smell that frag just one more time. And, I know that everyone perceives a scent differently, but some of the ways that people describe some of the hyped frags are so far off from how I perceive it that I question their sense of smell...remember I said "some" not most.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's hard not to get caught up in the hype by the ways that people describe them, so I, like many others, try to make sure to sample first before pulling the trigger. I have discovered that for some reason I don't enjoy a LOT of the hyped frags, and I kinda really dig the ones that don't get a lot of hype. I love New Haarlem and that's about the only "hyped" frag that has truly lived up to it's hype. So when I read about a hyped frag, I study it out, check out the notes to see if they are one's I like, and go from there. I really like this hobby, it's extremely addictive and interesting, and I love discovering some true gems, so I just make sure that I find the "gems" that really shine for me.
post #56 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tropics View Post

I was lured to order DHI with all the gushing fanboy reviews. What a load of crap that frag is! Total sickly, synthetic mess. I never met anyone in real life who liked it. It's not the waste of money that bothered me, it's the fact that so many"reviewers" can lie so easily.

One good tip: Make a list of members names that you consider untrustworthy and also a another list of members who actually have great taste.

Of course, never blind buy.

I enjoyed reading your post. It has the perfect blend of paranoia, wildeyed accusation, and enemies list making. Please keep up the good work and remember, just because they appear to be friendly doesn't mean they don't mean to stab you in the back with a fake review.
post #57 of 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kybid View Post

It's hard not to be caught up in the hype when people are willing to sacrifice their babies and leave their spouses for a chance to smell that frag just one more time.

LOL!

Hype (or more like "board infatuation") has helped me more than it has hurt me. And like Brian said, finding people with similar taste makes all the difference when you do have to make those blind buys.
post #58 of 116
1. Chergui
2. Jicky
3. Wall Street
4. Vetiver (Guerlain)
post #59 of 116
Most of them actually, I've bought everything hyped virtually and thought that they were ok but were definatly not worth the hype
post #60 of 116
All fragrance marketing is, to some extent, "hype." I feel sorry for the victims who have bought fragrances based on the hype generated by companies with fake coats of arms, and a list of "noble" perfumers and so-called patrons from the ranks of nobility and royalty.
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