Do People Give Hyped Fragrances More Leniency?

[noirdrakkar]

I know that I'm certainly guilty of being biased towards popular fragrances here, so if an overwhelming majority of people on here say they love a fragrance and think it is a masterpeice, then I feel more obliged to try it, buy it, or at the very least give it a second chance if I don't like it.

Terre d'Hermes and L'Homme La Nuit for example, are both highly hyped fragrances. I sampled them both on my skin twice each, and I thought they were both respectable, but I personally didn't like them. If they hadn't been hyped on Basenotes, the truth is, I probably would have just sprayed it on a test card and walked away without any second thoughts.

Anyone else, honestly, guilty of at least sometimes being biased towards popular scents on Basenotes, as silly as it may seem?

[Fraghead]

No (personally)

[Candide]

Does "hype" mean a) something that is estimated by a broad variety of basenoters over a number of years or b) the metastatic spread of threads peering hard at one and the same scent? In the first case I'm always thankful for information, because it sometimes is a useful "guide" through the mass of fragrance releases each year.

[hednic]

In my case, can't really say I have.

[hedonist222]

Errrr, it depends on which BN social circle hypes it.

[Kybid]

I will definitely try the hyped frags when I see them and can test them because I want to see what the hype is all about. In response to the question posed as the topic "Do people give hyped fragrances more leniency?" All I have to say is are resounding 100% YES!!! Example Creed gets an ecstatic huge thumbs up from the vast majority of Basenoters-I almost feel that they can do no wrong even though many say that the longevity is severely lacking and they have batch variation issues, etc...and they are expensive. Yet, on the other hand Bond no 9 gets an overly ecstatic thumbs down from the majority of Basenoters-I almost feel that they can't do anything right even though they have amazing longevity and cost less than a lot of Creeds. Creed fragrances are fragrances, and Bond fragrances are fragrances, weird how that works, but some say that you can't pay enough for Creed, and you can't pay too little for Bond even though they both, yep, that's right, are fragrances-they both smell, crazy...I know. But, the hype of Creed makes it royalty, and the cursing of Bond makes it the spawn of satan.

I really don't want this to be a creed vs bond again...I'm just using it as an example, an overly dramatic example, but an example all the same. I judge each fragrance that I smell as...yep...a fragrance. I'm wild and crazy, I know.

[SpicyPepper]

i would say yes

[senore01]

I please Guilty, with extenuating circumstances.

[heperd]

I dont know if I would call it bias. Of course i want to try something that everyone says is great. If I dont like it I may try to actually figure out why I dont like it so I can be part of a conversation and have an actual informed opinion. I always try things again even if the arent hyped because my taste changes frequently.

[jamwires]

I'll try stuff that gets hyped around here, but if it sucks, I dont buy it. I also try stuff that isnt hyped.

- - - Updated - - -

to be fair, much of the hyped fragrances on BN are at least good. Even ones I dont like (ex Chergui), are good, just not for me.

[knit at nite]

Leniency? If I don't like it after sampling 3 times, i never will.

[Sparky]

I dont know if I would call it bias. Of course i want to try something that everyone says is great. If I dont like it I may try to actually figure out why I dont like it so I can be part of a conversation and have an actual informed opinion. I always try things again even if the arent hyped because my taste changes frequently.

Nicely put

[dougczar]

If its hyped I would likely give it a try. But I only use other people's opinions as a starting point to try something or not. Once I try it, I just go with my own nose.

I was almost starting to think the exact opposite of your initial premise - it almost seems to me that some people like to be contrarian and thumb their nose at the hyped ones to avoid being part of the dreaded "mainstream" of thought.

And now that I think about it, I still can't figure out why everyone doesn't agree with me about everything...

[silentrich]

You can nit pick anything to death and eventually you'll find something you don't like about it. If anything they're judged more harshly because of unreal expectations. There's also those that want to hate because it's their nature.

[lovingthealien]

Not at all for me! I use my own judgement.

Terre d'Hermes was reformulated badly and La Nuit de L'Homme sucks, by the way.

- - - Updated - - -

Errrr, it depends on which BN social circle hypes it.

And this.

[alfarom]

errrr, it depends on which bn social circle hypes it.

lol

[Candide]

Terre d'Hermes was reformulated badly [...]

Really? Reformulated because of "the IFRA-restriction of citrus oils", as someone on youtube commented?

[dreamer81]

Yes. Also I am biased towards fragrances that are bashed here badly and I rarely sample them (all sporty,aquatics flankers).

[jasonx]

I always get underwhelm by the over hyped fragrances

[Rüssel]

No, and personally I can find it rather off putting in some cases.

[Diamondflame]

I seldom subscribe to popular opinions when it comes to personal tastes but I'll give the fragrance a fair shake. But I reckon a significant number of people would have some inherent bias from the psychosocial need to belong. It's natural. As long as you're aware of this phenomenon, you can be just as objective.

[Ken_Russell]

On Basenotes, I'd say: with below average frequency, even up to a clear, radical NO. In fact, here on Basenotes, most hyped fragrances, even the ones hyped on BN, are usually given constructive criticism, witty yet inoffensive banter, a more knowledgeable, informed and carefully detailed look, at least, more so than almost anywhere else.

[barclaydetolly]

I do tend to try the most hyped fragrances. I would not have thought to try Invasion Barbare without all the recent positive hype.

But after that, my nose decides. The list is long of "hyped" fragrances I don't like (Aventus, TDH pure parfum, etc.).

[starshipvelcro]

In the end I will always decide for myself, it just might take longer on a hyped fragrance. Trying to find what others have in it, trying to figure out what I don't get about it...all just puts a hold on the final decision.

I think I might be more susceptible to the opposite, if a fragrance gets a lot of hate and I do enjoy it, it might put a negative mark on it in my mind...

[mr. reasonable]

if an overwhelming majority of people on here say they love a fragrance and think it is a masterpeice, then

. . . it really means nothing at all.

TV

I rest my case

[fragranceman88]

Im not like this

[Renato]

I might test a fragrance twice rather than just once, if it's hyped here - just to make sure I haven't missed something. Occasionally I might change my mind, but I don't think I'm subsequently lenient if my view remains unaltered.

The scents I've most tested and only ever changed my mind on once, were those by Chanel. I changed my mind on Egoiste, but I'm still mystified as to why the rest are so highly rated.
Regards,
Renato

[noirdrakkar]

It must mean SOMETHING. I bet you are all more likely to try Terre d'Hermes than Voyage.

- - - Updated - - -

The scents I've most tested and only ever changed my mind on once, were those by Chanel. I changed my mind on Egoiste, but I'm still mystified as to why the rest are so highly rated.

This, to the exact word.

[Bigsly]

I think it's more that people have positive feelings going into a sampling of LIDGE, MKK, MR, GIT, TdH, and the rest of the hyped ones, so unless they really dislike it they are more likely to say it's very good or great. Conversely, if it's considered aquatic, fresh, or "sport," there are negative thoughts going into the sampling.

[Erok32]

I love A*men and recently purchased Pure Malt based upon all of the hype and was so disappointed. Does it smell good? ABSOLUTELY? Does it deserve the hype? UHH, NOOOOO. So, I'm guessing that the leniency thing may hold true in some cases.