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Expensive Juice That Smells Like Something Cheap

post #1 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:10pm
Thread Starter 
Today I was wearing Memoir Man and lady told me that it smelled like Axe. I dont get that vibe from it but it makes me wonder how many times have you had your heart set on the a niche frag. Saved your coin. Spent several sessions at the boutique. Finally pulled the trigger. Sprayed liberally for your first public unveiling. Only to be told he that smells like Axe or something worse.

Would like to know your stories about frag fails.
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post #2 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:20pm
any expensive fragrance could smell like a cheap fragrance to an average person.

most people don't take into account the quality of the notes, but if they don't like the smell, then it smells like cheap cologne.

but bond no 9 has a lot of $200 fragrances that smell like $30 fragrances.
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post #3 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:21pm
creed wood and spice....does not smell expensive......smells like if axe made a synthetic smelling wood and spice bodyspray....anxiously awaiting negative karma hits from creed fanboys
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post #4 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:23pm
The bois 1920 line
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post #5 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:24pm
i am afraid Al from street scents is going to come out of the woodwork and tell me not to rub the cologne on my skin
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post #6 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:39pm
To many, the difference is not apparent in passing. They simply do not focus their attentions on these matters as do many here.
I might be quietly miffed by someone likening Memoir to Axe though, I think.
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post #7 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lanky View Post

i am afraid Al from street scents is going to come out of the woodwork and tell me not to rub the cologne on my skin

It destroys the molecules. You can't argue with science.
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post #8 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:50pm
I have never been told yet by another individual that any niche fragrance I've worn smelled cheap.
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post #9 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

any expensive fragrance could smell like a cheap fragrance to an average person.

most people don't take into account the quality of the notes, but if they don't like the smell, then it smells like cheap cologne.

but bond no 9 has a lot of $200 fragrances that smell like $30 fragrances.

I agree. For $200 + dollars you can buy something from a house like Amouage which makes most Bonds smell like something you'd buy on the clearance rack in Walmart.
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post #10 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:53pm
Creed Original Santal smells like Joop. I've never been happier to eat rid of a frag so quick in my life.
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post #11 of 41
1/17/13 at 7:54pm
Ive tried the "rub it in" theory to test it, and all i was left with was a pleasant scent on both my wrists instead of just one. But im not gonna rub it in.
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post #12 of 41
1/17/13 at 8:02pm
most of Creeds & Bond No. 9
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post #13 of 41
1/17/13 at 8:16pm
Lack of experience/interest. That's the only scent they're really familiar with, so their scent memory draws associations.

While I'm not concerned about an expensive scent smelling like something cheaper to someone without much of a clue, I am kind of concerned about whether they think it smells OK, or whether the scent is discomforting them somehow.
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post #14 of 41
1/17/13 at 8:22pm
New Haarlem and Michael Jordan legend, although I love the dry down and longevity of new haarlem
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post #15 of 41
1/17/13 at 8:53pm
Most bond fragrances for sure.
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post #16 of 41
1/17/13 at 9:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post


but bond no 9 has a lot of $200 fragrances that smell like $30 fragrances.

My exact thought when I saw the thread title. I generally like Bond, but they have some wonky stuff. I recently tried New York musk, and it smelled cheap and lousy.
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post #17 of 41
1/17/13 at 9:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Awakening950 View Post

It destroys the molecules. You can't argue with science.

lol, thats his pet peeve
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post #18 of 41
1/17/13 at 9:54pm
Molecule 01.

$140 for some Iso E super and perfumers alcohol? Can't I make this myself for $10?
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post #19 of 41
1/17/13 at 10:13pm
A friend once tells me that Noir de Noir smells like fabric conditioner
I personally think Ciel Man by Amouage smells like cheap peach scented hairspray
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post #20 of 41
1/17/13 at 11:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noirdrakkar View Post

any expensive fragrance could smell like a cheap fragrance to an average person.

most people don't take into account the quality of the notes, but if they don't like the smell, then it smells like cheap cologne.

but bond no 9 has a lot of $200 fragrances that smell like $30 fragrances.

+1000
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post #21 of 41
1/18/13 at 12:12am
It'd be like believing or taking into consideration a non wine connoisseur saying a good red wine tasted like dr. Pepper.
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post #22 of 41
1/18/13 at 1:45am
I think most of the Creed's could be perceived as cheap as most people would assume you are wearing Cool Water instead of GIT and similar with a lot of them.
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post #23 of 41
1/18/13 at 1:59am
Most Creeds smell cheap to me.

Erm...Is it time to mention channel Bleu?
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post #24 of 41
1/18/13 at 2:24am
The name Bond almost automatically springs to mind, doen't it? When I tested Creed's Royal Oud it reminded me of a cheapo seventies masculine after about ten minutes. I've always found MI, SMV, OS very pedestrian. Courvoisier was shockingly vulgar as well and I find nasomatto cheap-smelling as well. Agree with BOIS 1920, too. There's lots of that redundant, mediocre undercomplex pseudo-niche stuff around, even if it doesn't always smell quite as bad as AXE.
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post #25 of 41
1/18/13 at 3:37am
Tom Ford's Italian Cypress is a dead ringer for Halston Z-14.
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post #26 of 41
1/18/13 at 3:50am
I tried alot of the Loewe lineup last year and was shocked by the lack of quality, Most of the aquatics smell like something you'd clean a pool with.
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post #27 of 41
1/18/13 at 4:41am
Its the same with a lot of things:

"2500 for a camera? My phone camera is better"
"This 300usd wisky is the same as my 25usd red label"
"So you pay 40 dollars a beer??!?"
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post #28 of 41
1/18/13 at 5:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kron View Post

I tried alot of the Loewe lineup last year and was shocked by the lack of quality, Most of the aquatics smell like something you'd clean a pool with.

+1 on most of their line (except for 7). Agua de Loewe smells like air freshner or fabric softener. Not a bad smell, but kind of a cheap feeling.
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post #29 of 41
1/18/13 at 5:49am
The first time I smelled Creeds Erolfa there was a strong marine ozone note that I had smelled in countless cheap drugstore fragrances. And everytime I have sampled it since I cannot help associate the scent with the countless marine anti-perspirant/deodrants you can buy cheap.
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post #30 of 41
1/18/13 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by d4N13L View Post

Its the same with a lot of things:

"2500 for a camera? My phone camera is better"
"This 300usd wisky is the same as my 25usd red label"
"So you pay 40 dollars a beer??!?"

Yep!

One thing any collection of people (with different cultures, income, mindsets, life experiences, etc, etc) will not be able to come to agree with is the kind of question being asked. I love Bois Vetiver Ambrato because it reminds me my beloved Old Spice. Will that make me like VA less? No. Even when someone tells me my "Old Spice" evokes in them fond/bad memories, and i am actually wearing VA? No, again.

The only perception of cheapness that matters to me is what my nose tells me. If Old Spice just smelt cheap, rather than nice, i will never have liked it in the first place. But if a more expensive frag smells like a cheaper one that i already like a lot, and i am convinced it is made of better quality (natural/synthetic) ingredients, and i have the cash for it, I will buy it. I have Boellis' Panama 1924 which is a "gentleman's" Le Male, IMO.
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post #31 of 41
1/18/13 at 7:03am
Unfortunately I have forgotten the Creed fragrance sample I was trying when this happened:

"What do you think of this?" I asked as I proffered my wrist to my teenage daughter to sniff.
"You smell like a public bathroom."
Crestfallen look.
"A CLEAN public bathroom!"
Eye roll.
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post #32 of 41
1/18/13 at 8:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by docluv45 View Post

Unfortunately I have forgotten the Creed fragrance sample I was trying when this happened:

"What do you think of this?" I asked as I proffered my wrist to my teenage daughter to sniff.
"You smell like a public bathroom."
Crestfallen look.
"A CLEAN public bathroom!"
Eye roll.

At least it's a ladies' room!
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post #33 of 41
1/18/13 at 9:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by juanderer View Post

At least it's a ladies' room!

i used to clean ladies bathrooms for a living....the unspeakable horror....for some reason they throw balled up toilet tissue all over the floor....and dont get me started on the "white box"...i think i have PTSD....
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post #34 of 41
1/18/13 at 10:02am
No idea, most expensive scents actually smell according to their price (no snobbery, just a personal impression). Though there is actually a scent that - while not niche - might be expensive, yet smells (to my nose) way more underdeveloped than one might expect for the price, is in my opinion: Eau de Campagne by Sisley (or, it may be simply that this kind of grassy notes simply fail to impress me).
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post #35 of 41
1/18/13 at 10:10am
Tested a few from M. Micallef and every one of them was not worthy the price tag.
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post #36 of 41
1/18/13 at 11:23am
I know I will hear about this...but virtually every time I wear GIT I hear "Oh...I LOVE COOL WATER!!!! True GIT fans can tell the difference...but It is no accident about novices thinking my $300 fragrance is a $19 WalMart bargin fragrance.

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:
Originally Posted by docluv45 View Post

Unfortunately I have forgotten the Creed fragrance sample I was trying when this happened:

"What do you think of this?" I asked as I proffered my wrist to my teenage daughter to sniff.
"You smell like a public bathroom."
Crestfallen look.
"A CLEAN public bathroom!"
Eye roll.

Montale Bois de Aoud / Original Aoud smells EXACTLY like those toilet/urinal cakes that deodorize a bathroom toilet.
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post #37 of 41
1/18/13 at 11:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by silentrich View Post

I agree. For $200 + dollars you can buy something from a house like Amouage which makes most Bonds smell like something you'd buy on the clearance rack in Walmart.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tappio View Post

My exact thought when I saw the thread title. I generally like Bond, but they have some wonky stuff. I recently tried New York musk, and it smelled cheap and lousy.

Heartily agree with both of these.

I do tend to think that even some of the more prestigious houses all have at least one or two stinkers in their line that could smell cheap or common to others though. I can't think of a single house that I've smelled that didn't at least have one fragrance that didn't jive with me well, and gave off a sort of cheapy vibe. I would agree over all that Bond has the market on this one, followed by Creed (though both houses have a few fantastic scents in their line up) though that could also be part factor to just how many fragrances both houses are pumping out.

I suppose I'll have to tip my hat towards some (not all) of the Serge Lutens recent releases to be fair as well, as he might be coming up on this territory soon enough.
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post #38 of 41
1/18/13 at 11:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by baldheadjim View Post

Today I was wearing Memoir Man and lady told me that it smelled like Axe. I dont get that vibe from it but it makes me wonder how many times have you had your heart set on the a niche frag. Saved your coin. Spent several sessions at the boutique. Finally pulled the trigger. Sprayed liberally for your first public unveiling. Only to be told he that smells like Axe or something worse...

That person who told you that Memoir Man smells like Axe is......how to put this politely.....doesn't know fragrance. Period.

She is just a product of her social surroundings. Confusing quality perfume with Axe. Doesn't mean anything really, except how unfortunate that the general public does not appreciate good fragrance ( doesn't have to be a $200 fragrance that is good, it can be a $30 YSL ). Comments from strangers are vastly overrated.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Possum-Pie View Post

....
Montale Bois de Aoud / Original Aoud smells EXACTLY like those toilet/urinal cakes that deodorize a bathroom toilet.

Not sure why you would think that, but my sample vial smelled nothing like urinal or toilet cakes. It smelled like a nice, yet simple Aoud fragrance from the Montale line. Nice, kind of a moist like quality. Like damp wood almost. Lacks a rose and I am not sure if there is much or any patchouli in it ( like Black Aoud).
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post #39 of 41
1/18/13 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

The bois 1920 line

I'm not a huge fan or anything, but Bois 1920 Extreme smells anything but cheap. No budget fragrance could get anywhere near it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JiveHippo View Post

Molecule 01.

$140 for some Iso E super and perfumers alcohol? Can't I make this myself for $10?

Yes, you can.

Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

It'd be like believing or taking into consideration a non wine connoisseur saying a good red wine tasted like dr. Pepper.

No, it'd be like saying it tasted like cheap red table wine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Cosgrove View Post

Tom Ford's Italian Cypress is a dead ringer for Halston Z-14.

Correct. Though it does smell a little deeper, rounder, and richer. Not 17x deeper though (which is the price ratio).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kron View Post

I tried alot of the Loewe lineup last year and was shocked by the lack of quality, Most of the aquatics smell like something you'd clean a pool with.

Yeah their only good men's release is Esencia. What a release though. Could never be mistaken for budget crap.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_Russell View Post

No idea, most expensive scents actually smell according to their price (no snobbery, just a personal impression). Though there is actually a scent that - while not niche - might be expensive, yet smells (to my nose) way more underdeveloped than one might expect for the price, is in my opinion: Eau de Campagne by Sisley (or, it may be simply that this kind of grassy notes simply fail to impress me).

I've never smelled a cheapie that had that much tomato leaf absolute in it. (Not that I'm a huge fan.)

Meanwhile, who gives a crap whether other people think your juice smells fancy? If you're wearing frags to impress others, you might want to reexamine your whole approach to the hobby (and to life too). (Not necessarily directed at the OP.)
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post #40 of 41
1/18/13 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
Sported Memoir Man to work and was given several compliments. Conversation with one lady in particular was interesting because she turned out to be a frag huffer too. We exchanged emails. Thank you MM. The heck with Axe lady.
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post #41 of 41
1/18/13 at 4:04pm
Too many to mention, and cheap (inexpensive) doesn't mean they aren't some of the best ever made.

There are many great niches but most of them are based upon an older designer and are usually not as good. Most of the good designer fragrances were made before 1990 or so.
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