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How many is too many?

post #1 of 43
2/16/13 at 5:46am
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My collection is starting to hover around 30 bottles, and I can't stop. Everytime I read/watch a review, or smell a sample, I have to expand. But at 30 bottles, if i were to wear each fragrance one day of the month, I would only get about 12 wears out of said fragrance in a year. Obviously thats not the case, as I have fragrances for certain social settings; however, do you thin that a collection should stop growing, or should I start selling off some of my lesser worn bottles? Just can't seem to part with them.

What are your opinions?


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post #2 of 43
2/16/13 at 5:49am
In my case, around 30 is plenty. Any more makes me feel like I have too much I'll never use.
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post #3 of 43
2/16/13 at 5:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckW View Post

In my case, around 30 is plenty. Any more makes me feel like I have too much I'll never use.

I feel like 30 is both plenty, and not enough at the same time. I want so many more fragrances, but feel bad not depleting the ones I already have. For example, I love the unique qualities of Blvgari Black; however, I don't get enough occasions to wear it, and sometimes when it is appropriate, I find myself reaching for something else.
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post #4 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:03am
I have probably around 50, although only 5-7 are worn 97% of the time.
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post #5 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:11am
One year ago, I had one bottle. I went to get a replacement for it, and discovered what was out there. Within a few weeks, my collection was up to 11 and growing. Since I was still interested in others, I set a mental limit of around 30 - one for every day of the month is how I justified it. Then when it kept growing, I thought: "ok 60 would be the max"... Then I set my limit at 100. No way I need more than that!

Well, now, one year into this, I have over 130 full bottles, many splits, and a few hundred samples. My goal is still the same: to stop. My point is, how many is too many depends on you personally. To me, it's not about needing to justify if I will ever use a full bottle of it or not, it's about if I really like the way it smelled - if so, I added it to my collection. I have some I could live without, and most of my samples will slowly fade away, but I am sure over this next year I will continue purchasing more (but hopefully at a much slower pace), and will get a few more samples - but I feel there is less to get and less to explore as time goes on, so that is why I think my collection will soon reach a max number - and maybe shrink sometime soon.

I realized I needed to stop thinking of a specific number - and rather set a spending limit / month and try to stick to that to curb my obsessiveness. I guess you should stop if you can't afford to buy any at the moment, or when nothing else intrigues you.
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post #6 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:14am
My goal is to set up for 20 no more, it's hard but I can do it. I have just to decide which one to sell before.
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post #7 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:21am
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Personally, my ideal number is a moving target because there's just too many scents to try. Last year, I was happy with a 20-ish frags. Now, I prefer to have/own 35-40 bottles. If I feel like I am exceeding, I just send some to my father.



3073
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post #8 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:26am
16 months ago I had 1 bottle. Today I have 100. I figure I need to get rid of at least 70. With the new shipping regs in the UK it's going to be difficult, if not impossible. I am going to Florence next week and I just know I won't be able to keep away from Lorenzo Villoresi. I have told my wife that if I buy any more than 1 bottle she can have a free punch. I'm not taking any bets on whether my face matches my passport photo on the way home....
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post #9 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:27am
If you only use fragrance for social setting, I think 20 is plenty.

But I use perfumes daily, it was 6 bottles before Basenotes lure me to the passion of aroma, now I have around 80 scents both FW & decants, but there are so many scent I have not tries yet so my collection might be a lot bigger.
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post #10 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:30am
While I cannot truly evaluate how much would be enough for me, let's say, strictly personally speaking, I am still open for new fragrance experiences and/or purchases.

Then again, a few scents later, it may also change abruptly and I might consider my fragrance wardrobe may be largely saturated.
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post #11 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:31am
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I started really getting into it about 4-5 months ago and I now have over 30 bottles. I don't want to limit myself with a certain number anymore. I tried to stop at 30 though... But I didn't. I guess it's a passion and if you can afford it. Why not? So I'm lmiting myself to a certain budget now. I guess there are more bad things in this world to spend money and for me it doesn't affect my family needs. Years ago I was really into fashion but at a point I had to stop. I bought shoes for 400€, belts 300€, shirts 300€.... I workes like crazy just to be able to buy designer clothes. About a year ago I stopped doing that and saved money. Now I have a new hobby: collecting sents. A designer bottle doens't cost half of what a dsquared jeans costs so I'm very happy now!
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post #12 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:32am
As long as you have enough space, money and enjoy them, there is no too many.
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post #13 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rüssel View Post

As long as you have enough space, money and enjoy them, there is no too many.

Agreed.
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post #14 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:49am
People who collect fine wines probably won't be able to drink their stock during their lifetime.

I would like to think the same applies for fine fragrances.
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post #15 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:50am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rüssel View Post

As long as you have enough space, money and enjoy them, there is no too many.

This!
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post #16 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rüssel View Post

As long as you have enough space, money and enjoy them, there is no too many.

Agreed.

I've got limited space, so that's the real factor in play for me. Cutting out other mostly minor vices would allow me to comfortably budget around $300 CDN a month--one or two bottles, given my tastes, but my sweetie would rebel if the collection crept out of my "personal" space into "common" space. I'll probably top it at 15 bottles.

Samples I use for nose training and curiosity, and have a bag of 50 or so that come and go.
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post #17 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:28am
No specific amount. Will keep collecting until it gets played out or I can't afford it.
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post #18 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:54am
As a 27 yr old who has had many of collections, hobbies, that i've fallen in and out of love with.. One of them being shoes/sneakers, the hoarder culture that some of these hobbies possess is disgusting, now i'm not one to tell people what to do with their money, especially if the have loads of disposable income.. But when you realize you can only reach for so many bottles and truly enjoy them, stop there.

I had a 100+ pair of kicks but only wear 5-6 at the most.. I don't NEED that many, and knowing that there are people out there that walk around barefooted, I can't bring my self to keep hoarding, no matter how much i love them..
I just started with frags, but the main reason was to find a few signature scents.. I would like to keep that at a max. 4 per season and maybe another 4 "daring" or specialty scents. 20 max.. and I'm out. I don't have "NEED" for 5 frags, much less 20.
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post #19 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:58am
Know yourself, is all I can say. Life is about personal choices. The sooner you figure out what you want and what will make you happy, the better.
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post #20 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:30am
As long as you like them and enjoy them own as many as you'd like.

When the size of my collection begins to impede my enjoyment of my collection that's when I've reached my limit. For me, this usually occurs around the 60 mark, but it's different for everybody.
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post #21 of 43
2/16/13 at 9:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buysblind View Post

As long as you like them and enjoy them own as many as you'd like.

Absolutely
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post #22 of 43
2/16/13 at 9:31am
Anywhere from 3 to 500.

It's relative.
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post #23 of 43
2/16/13 at 10:04am
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25 feels too many for me.
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post #24 of 43
2/16/13 at 4:26pm
It depends where you live and your income. If I was living in Europe where there is effectively next to no discounting I can understand people on under very wealthy income thinking that 50 scents is too much.

But if you live where discounting is rife - well I have a hard time walking past big bottles going for $10 or $20 or $30 (or even $35 which I paid for classics like Egoiste, Blenheim's Bouquet, Equipage) - and really what is the point of walking past them?
For whose benefit is this display of frugality?
Having hundreds of scents becomes relatively immaterial compared to other more expensive hobbies.
Regards,
Renato
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post #25 of 43
2/16/13 at 4:30pm
Ask Hednic. I think he has developed a good strategy
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post #26 of 43
2/16/13 at 4:44pm
Buy a 5ml bottle before the full bottle. If you can't finish the 5ml within a month, you probably shouldn't purchase the full bottle.
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post #27 of 43
2/16/13 at 5:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stesa View Post

People who collect fine wines probably won't be able to drink their stock during their lifetime.
I would like to think the same applies for fine fragrances.

I agree. I doubt I'll be able to drink all my frags in my lifetime.
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post #28 of 43
2/16/13 at 6:09pm
While I personally only have 30 bottles I would never knock anyone who has a massive collection. Firstly if stored properly fragrances can last a life time and 2nd fragrances don't take up too much space. I can see how it can be a very rewarding hobby. I think my collection will probably grow to around 50 though I anticipate to use most of them by doing alot of decanting and swapping.
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post #29 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:08pm
I think the way to stop it is to sample until you feel confident that you know what you want, in terms of bottles. I feel confident in getting rid of many bottles at this point, but 30 would be way too few for me, though as I wear them several times I may be a bit more likely to want to move them out than keep them (perhaps 55 to 45%).
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post #30 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:25pm
1 to 2 for the average person. 10 to 15 for those that want to have a fragrance for each occasion and season. Anything over 15 i'd say your pretty much a fragrance addict. 100 would probably be a small collector. Anything over that would probably be considered hording and a seriously bad investment unless you have a decanting business.
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post #31 of 43
2/16/13 at 7:35pm
Depends on the individuals "need vs want"...
How many do you need? Literally none, a good shower can take care of you from smelling bad or a simple deo stick will do the job...That said, around 5-20 FB's of decent to good EDT's / EDP's should be more than ample for day to day life.
Any collector here IMHO is feeding into their "want" including myself and their love for a good parfum...I would call this my bad vice. As a BN'er said in his entry, I'm now trying to keep a limit on the $'s to spend / month on parfums to keep this under control or to be within 5-20 FB's per year depending on their individual cost.
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post #32 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:00pm
366
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post #33 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rüssel View Post

As long as you have enough space, money and enjoy them, there is no too many.

What I was about to say. Frankly, why put borders and hurdles for yourself?

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJ View Post

Buy a 5ml bottle before the full bottle. If you can't finish the 5ml within a month, you probably shouldn't purchase the full bottle.

Well from a purely utilitarian perspective, your suggestion is ideal.

But the very fact that one is a member here on Basenotes almost completely rules out that we're in it from a utilitarian mindset. I think we've slid down the spectrum and comfortably sit on the passionate school of thought mentality.

Meaning, perfumes may sit weeks and months before getting used. But when it is needed, hallelujah to and from the pleasure it derives. A good example of this is Peau d'Espagne by Santa Maria Novella. I think I wear it only a maximum number of 5 times a year. If you've smelled it, you'll understand why. But when I crave it and use it , satisfaction has no bounds.
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post #34 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:19pm
There is a sub-forum here to help if your buying urge gets out of control.
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post #35 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:19pm
I haven't put a number on my collection, but I think enough will be when I start to not enjoy them any more.
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post #36 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:28pm
Depends on what you're comfortable with. It's like collecting vs hoarding. You'll know if you have too many if you start feeling uncomfortable with it. You can always swap or give away and doing both gives you room to keep your collection small and still enjoy new fragrances. Too many, IMO, is when you've got bottles falling out of kitchen cupboards when you open them and other odd places in the house cause you've run out of room on your dresser or vanity.
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post #37 of 43
2/16/13 at 8:52pm
i am over 200. i now only try to buy used bottles,decants and samples of top niche scents. just got decants of frapin 1270/odin/and something else i forgot..
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post #38 of 43
2/16/13 at 9:01pm
4,327 is too many.
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post #39 of 43
2/16/13 at 9:50pm
It depends on what it means for you. Is fragrance a consumable? Something you actually need for grooming, to make a good impression like a nice tie or whatever. Then I guess something between 3 to 10 would actually do it.
If you want that signiture scent that is you and nothing else, you won't need many either.
But I guess for most of us perfume is more like artwork. Although I have a too big collection to give each of them a full wearing very often, I love (almost) all of them and like sniffing through my collection quite often, spra stuff on my wrists before sleeping and so forth. In this stage I think it is kind of pointless to worry about finishing all the bottles. Even if it took more than I lifetime to finish all the bottles I just don't care. It's pointless, it is not a consumable to me like coffee, milk or toothpaste. So I just stopped this kind of thinking. Ok, if the production of perfume consumed a super high amount of resources that compete with other, more reasonable utlilization of this resource (energy, raw material), this attitude might be considered amoral. But taking into account the small amounts really and the value of perfume as a high added value product consisting more in the creativity and brainwork to make it (as every peace of art), I think it is perfectly ok.
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post #40 of 43
2/17/13 at 12:09am
Nothing is too many until you stop enjoying this hobby...
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post #41 of 43
2/17/13 at 1:03am
I have friends who spend £4000 + on a wrist watch. That makes my fragrane buying seem tiny. As many have said, live within your means....so long as you are not causing yourself to get into finacial difficulty or putting your family/livelyhood at risk, but whatever YOU want!!
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post #42 of 43
2/17/13 at 1:11am
I only got 11 bottles and I barely ever use a couple of them. I mostly reach for certain 3-4 scents in cold weather and another 3-4 in warm weather. I'm planning to sell a few bottles that I don't enjoy that much anymore. But on the other hand there are always some new fragrances I'd like to purchase. All in all I'm trying to keep my collection under 15 bottles or so.
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post #43 of 43
2/17/13 at 1:36am
I plan to get about 10 more bottles during the year and it's probably it for me and gonna sell some of my existing ones that I don't wear anymore.
YSL La Nuit, JPG LeMale, Burberry London, Creed Vetiver, Creed Santal, Creed GIT, Creed Aventus, Creed Millesime Imperial and a few more.
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