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Life expectancy, collector instincts and a rant or two.

post #1 of 41
1/28/13 at 4:44pm
Thread Starter 
Having just suffered (sic) my birthday and feeling that the numbers make me really old, I started thinking about buying a new fragrance or two...which I did indeed purchease. I am told that you are only as old as you feel and this is true...to a point. Eventually you will need a walker! Reality sets in. The is no way in hell that I can make a dent in my collection unless I live to be well over 200 years old. (Note to new collectors: Bigger bottles are a much better deal if you use just a few scents. But if you can't ever use them do yourself a favor and spend more per ml and get smaller bottles.)

On the other hand I simply hate decants unless getting a decant is a prelude to getting a full bottle.

Second rant: A 1.7oz bottle is such a rip off that I almost always buy a 3.3oz. I think that every single house should make 5, 7, or 10ml bottles...with sprayers. Not doing so is a waste.

Sorry about my rant. But ask yourself, how long will your collection last at the rate you use, and what will gour next 5 bottles be? ;-) And where did I leave my walker...
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post #2 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:17pm
I'm 45 and I agree with 99% of what you said. I think every company should make 30 ml bottles. 1 ounce is perfect.
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post #3 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:17pm
If I didn't buy another bottle assuming an average lifespan I would run out of fragrance before my death. The thing is I've bought my whole collection in that last year and there is no chance that I won't buy any more. I enjoy and it isn't doing any harm so I refuse to feel any guilt. My last hobby was experimenting with mind altering drugs, this seems tame in comparison.
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post #4 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:21pm
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30ml bottles are perfect imo.

Nice to see creed does 30mls, frederic malle and byredo also sells 3 x 10ml sprays.

everything else ive seen tends to be minimum of 50mls.
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post #5 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:21pm
My collection will definitely outlive me. I hope it brings the new owner(s) much joy.
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post #6 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:23pm
Akahina, have you thought of offering decants yourself? Reasons being twofold:

1. You will have less to use up yourself

2. It will offset some of your own costs

I discovered decants on this site, and I wish I never bought those 100ml bottles (that were the only size offered by the house) as I'll never use them all up at the rate I'm buying new bottles.
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post #7 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:24pm
I don't mind buying 50ml in most not daily wear frags but then the price difference is so small that it isn't worth the bother.

Example Amouage 50ml = £150 and 100ml = £180, you'd have to be a on a very tight budget to buy 50ml but then on tight budget you won't be buying Amouage.
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post #8 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:44pm
My collection will probably last 30 years, assuming I don't buy anything else ever.

But I would probably sell decants.
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post #9 of 41
1/28/13 at 5:55pm
Happy Birthday!

I have only been "collecting" (didn't intend on that - just kinda happened) for about 11 months now, and I already am over 120+ bottles, and twice as many samples - so, while I probably already have enough to last several lifetimes, I doubt I will stop anytime soon (but do plan to / need to cut down significantly this year!).

Most of my purchases have been for 100ml sizes - Since I haven't been doing this very long, I guess I didn't really know the "rate of usage". Also, the price difference is so small - often times to get double the juice (50 --> 100 ml), it's only 20% - 25% more, so I feel if I like it enough to buy it, I should buy enough to last (not realizing my collection would grow so much). I am at the point where I do feel now like 50ml may be better. 30ml bottles are even worse price wise. If you only want that much, a split is a much better way to go for sure.
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post #10 of 41
1/28/13 at 6:12pm
Its really going to suck when we have to figure out weather or not to buy a half or full gallon of milk based on whether or not we will be around to use all of it....
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post #11 of 41
1/28/13 at 6:43pm
I hear you guy. Whenever I plan on purchasing a 1.7 oz bottle of a frag, I usually end up getting a 3.4. oz bottle. As I purchase more frags, I tend to give more away. My son has a nice starter kit collection compliment of his pops. By the way, Happy Birthday man!
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post #12 of 41
1/28/13 at 6:46pm
I buy big bottles whenever possible so that I can swap or sell off decants. Otherwise I'd agree with you 100%.
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post #13 of 41
1/28/13 at 7:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by socalwoman View Post

My collection will definitely outlive me. I hope it brings the new owner(s) much joy.

Same here.
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post #14 of 41
1/28/13 at 7:48pm
if i leave my collection in my will to the grandkids they will probably hold a lighter up to the atomizer and use them as a flamethrower...just empty every bottle on my dead body and close the casket(thats how every frag head should go...or empty all the bottles in my urn.
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post #15 of 41
1/28/13 at 7:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lanky View Post

if i leave my collection in my will to the grandkids they will probably hold a lighter up to the atomizer and use them as a flamethrower...just empty every bottle on my dead body and close the casket(thats how every frag head should go...or empty all the bottles in my urn.

Nah. I think they will end up on eBay as "pre-reformulations" or "vinage" lol
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post #16 of 41
1/28/13 at 9:18pm
I love 1.7oz/50ml size and for those that offer 3 sizes like Creed, the 75ml; I never get the largest size atomizer even if it's only $10 difference, because that's not the size I want and not at all interested in decanting.

IMO, buying the largest size because $/ml is cheaper is sort of like super sizing a fast food meal when you not that hungry. I don't need or want to get fragrance fat.
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post #17 of 41
1/28/13 at 9:29pm
Makes perfect sense. I'm determined to find handy uses for them. I plan to sent my vehicle and home with some to help use them. If anyone has Gucci rush and hates it, I'll take it lol
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post #18 of 41
1/28/13 at 9:53pm
I assume that my collection will be given away to an assortment of janitors, doormen and handymen who will empty the bottles at such a rate that they'll only get three strip club visits per frag, tops.
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post #19 of 41
1/28/13 at 9:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bgoc View Post

I don't mind buying 50ml in most not daily wear frags but then the price difference is so small that it isn't worth the bother.

Example Amouage 50ml = £150 and 100ml = £180, you'd have to be a on a very tight budget to buy 50ml but then on tight budget you won't be buying Amouage.

The price difference isn't that small if you start to add up bottle after bottle. For me it's about total money spent, not price per ml (I don't decant and I have never finished a bottle). I have more than I'll ever use and I've probably saved around £2000 so far by buying the smaller 30ml or 50ml sizes.
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post #20 of 41
1/28/13 at 10:18pm
I look at it this way - I now have a pretty comprehensive snapshot of of 'fin de siecle' perfumery both 'niche' and 'designer' - 1980's - 2000+ when the EU/IFRA stepped in and jointly killed off the industry as it once was. I can enjoy this, hand it on to my son and his wife when he's married, in the knowledge that they will own stuff that will not be seen again.

Of the more recent releases - I'll pick up the odd good one but I'm really still interested in mopping up the few remaining ones I wear regularly before they are gone forever - Sous le Vent, Granville, Tiffany for Men and a few other Guerlains that cannot hang on in their present form much longer before being maimed beyond recognition or, more humanely, put out of their misery.

I applaud Patricia de Nicolai for offering 30mls and the others who have taken a more enlightened approach for those of us who do not need 100ml+, good for them.
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post #21 of 41
1/28/13 at 10:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Akahina View Post

......But ask yourself, how long will your collection last at the rate you use, and what will gour next 5 bottles be? ;-) And where did I leave my walker...

I'm not interested in the details of my "collection". It's a pleasant but relatively small thing in my life. I just buy what I like and have a good time while I'm here. Buying bottles of perfume has always been a hell of a lot of fun. :-)
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post #22 of 41
1/29/13 at 12:35am
I agree 100000000000%.

I want Amouage Interlude Man. It's something like $235 for 50ml or $275 for 100ml. At those prices, it makes no sense to only buy 50ml, yet I'd probably never even go through 50ml. Grrrrrr... It's almost as if fragrance houses want us to hate them.

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheatstraw2 View Post

I assume that my collection will be given away to an assortment of janitors, doormen and handymen who will empty the bottles at such a rate that they'll only get three strip club visits per frag, tops.

Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch!
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post #23 of 41
1/29/13 at 1:23am
small bottles make me sad, if the scent is good..the bigger,the better!
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post #24 of 41
1/29/13 at 1:38am
Smaller collections and smaller bottles = happiness.
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post #25 of 41
1/29/13 at 2:03am
It's easier to hide the smaller-sized bottles from a prying spouse.
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post #26 of 41
1/29/13 at 2:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dougczar View Post

Happy Birthday!

I have only been "collecting" (didn't intend on that - just kinda happened) for about 11 months now, and I already am over 120+ bottles, and twice as many samples - so, while I probably already have enough to last several lifetimes, I doubt I will stop anytime soon (but do plan to / need to cut down significantly this year!).

Most of my purchases have been for 100ml sizes - Since I haven't been doing this very long, I guess I didn't really know the "rate of usage". Also, the price difference is so small - often times to get double the juice (50 --> 100 ml), it's only 20% - 25% more, so I feel if I like it enough to buy it, I should buy enough to last (not realizing my collection would grow so much). I am at the point where I do feel now like 50ml may be better. 30ml bottles are even worse price wise. If you only want that much, a split is a much better way to go for sure.

This is more or less my exact thoughts on the matter. I've been collecting for just about a year, slightly more and have aquired my whole wardrobe in that time.

Only some of my latest purchases have been 50 ml bottles, and I sort of regret it now with the price difference being so close between 50 and 100 ml. In the future, I'm going to do 100 ml and just decant to friends / family / whoever. I know I mostly can't use up all the juice myself, so why not treat everyone around me to my hobby? I've been doing this here and there to some friends / family, and they really enjoy it.

I'd LOVE 30 ml bottles with sprayers with a non-absurd price tag, though, but that isn't going to happen any time soon except PDN?

I also hope I can at least pass on some of my collection when I decide to chill out for life, but seeing as I'm only 30 I'm hoping I'll outlive most of my collection ...
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post #27 of 41
1/29/13 at 2:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Homme Blanc Individuel View Post

I agree 100000000000%.

I want Amouage Interlude Man. It's something like $235 for 50ml or $275 for 100ml. At those prices, it makes no sense to only buy 50ml, yet I'd probably never even go through 50ml. Grrrrrr... It's almost as if fragrance houses want us to hate them.

From an economic perspective, it totally does make sense. The price per ml is irrelevant to your interest, but it tempts you into spending more. That $40 could go toward another fragrance that you'll want more than you want the extra 50ml of the Amouage. But instead, you spend more money to get something you don't even want.
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post #28 of 41
1/29/13 at 3:42am
I guess I'm a size queen, but I visually love big bottles. I may follow Kagey's advice though, as I have been mindlessly spending a stunning amount of money in more juice than I could ever use up. Let's go for less is more!
I agree on everything you say, Akahina.
I am moving to Brussels for a few months and I obviously am not bringing my bottles along, just those ugly, tiny decants. Makes me feel guilty about having such deadweight that's refraining me from moving around free with ease of mind...
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post #29 of 41
1/29/13 at 3:42am
Even if it won't outlast me, my collection would probably last me 10-20 years or even more, also taking into account almost daily fragrance applications and no further purchases either (some of the scents being also present in backup bottles and/or not even present in the fragrance directory, so I sometimes reach the stage where I have an increasingly harder time to keep track of most scents in the collection).

Also, while I agree that bigger bottle sizes are better value for money in general and even excluding the possibility of damage/limited lifespan, still sometimes the excitement and even owner's, collector's pride over a particular scent may be over time replaced by an increasing "boredom factor".
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post #30 of 41
1/29/13 at 3:51am
When I find a frag I love, and wear often, I buy the large bottle. When I find one I love, but won't wear much I still buy the large bottle, and decant out half to sell to others. I am 47, and don't want to leave thousands of dollars of frags for my relatives to throw out when I die, they don't appreciate frags like I do. I bought the large bottle of Amouage Tribute, knowing that I couldn't ever use 30mls in 5 lifetimes. I sold all but 5mls. After all the EBAY fees and postage, I find that I end up getting the remainder of what I keep for free, so I indeed have many bottles half full of juice that I sold half to others. I a sucker for a good deal.
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post #31 of 41
1/29/13 at 4:59am
Considering that I am thinking of selling most of my stuff, I doubt I'll have the fragrances outlast me
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post #32 of 41
1/29/13 at 5:38am
I like having too much of something, so not too worried. Also I plan on living for a while still. Agree though that it would be nice to have some stuff in smaller sizes (e.g. the Mugler flankers. I like them but not enough to have 100ml of each. 30ml would be much better). I do like smaller bottles of scents that I enjoy sometimes but who are not my top favourites.
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post #33 of 41
1/29/13 at 6:05am
I buy the largest (up to 200ml).

This way I'll have the perfume forever. I won't have to worry about replenishing it when it's close to finishing and more importantly I won't have to worry about it having been reformulated.
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post #34 of 41
1/29/13 at 7:53am
Before I became fragrance aware, I wore just one scent I sprayed about once a day from a 100ml bottle. It took about a year to empty. Today I have near 500 bottles of fragrance either dumped on me by others, purchased, or traded. I know I will never empty them all. This is the time you wish to share what you have with others and they share from their finds as well. It is no longer about finishing everything as much as it is about finding others to share your hobby.
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post #35 of 41
1/29/13 at 10:31am
I like to have piece of mind that I have enough. Big bottles if possible from now on for me. I don't want to have to feel like I have to limit myself...even if it never gets to that point.

Also, I'm beginning to like dowsing myself 10+ sprays per application.
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post #36 of 41
1/29/13 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by socalwoman View Post

My collection will definitely outlive me. I hope it brings the new owner(s) much joy.

This is a true statement for me also!!! And I don't like decants, so will not buy them except as samples. Once I'm in for a fragrance, I am all in. And I realize that I will be old, senile and drooling all over the pretty bottles with the pretty liquid at some point, but at least I will still be entertained by them, even if I don't remember how to use the sprayer.
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post #37 of 41
1/29/13 at 8:53pm
I'm 47 and have been confronted by my own mortality for a few months. My collection was up to about 50 bottles. I realized I will never use them all, and what's more, many I just didn't enjoy as much. I'm already downsizing. Once I get down to about ten bottles that will be my goal going forward: to have about six in constant rotation and four revolving, one-bottle-purchase scents.

But damn is it hard to resist it when I get a sample I enjoy.
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post #38 of 41
1/29/13 at 9:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by starshipvelcro View Post

I like to have piece of mind that I have enough. Big bottles if possible from now on for me. I don't want to have to feel like I have to limit myself...even if it never gets to that point.

Also, I'm beginning to like dowsing myself 10+ sprays per application.

Nice opinion!
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post #39 of 41
1/30/13 at 3:55am
I would buy so many 5 ml and 10 ml bottles. That's the perfect size as far as I'm concerned when I think of the number of scents I own or would like to own. I wouldn't mind a small markup over larger bottles, but the price difference seems ridiculous to me.
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post #40 of 41
1/30/13 at 6:06am
On some days I'm able to wear perfumes thrice a day like today. Once for the morning errand, then a change of clothes for afternoon lunch and another perfume and then finally a third for the evening outing.
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post #41 of 41
1/30/13 at 6:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kagey View Post

The price difference isn't that small if you start to add up bottle after bottle. For me it's about total money spent, not price per ml (I don't decant and I have never finished a bottle). I have more than I'll ever use and I've probably saved around £2000 so far by buying the smaller 30ml or 50ml sizes.

I agree 100% with you.
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