Bottom line: you don’t have to love your performance experience with a fragrance…but remember that you can’t always blame it solely on the fragrance. This subtle shift in perspective will hopefully save you some headache and save others from being unnecessarily discouraged from trying the fragrances they are interested in. 🙏🏾
You run by far the best perfume channel on UA-cam. A calm voice, no annoying hot takes, no constant advertising for your own perfume creations, and you don't block every hint of criticism. Thank you for your work, Justin!
Spot on! I'm following a few reviewers (I used to follow a lot) about perfumes and I always watch Justin as the last one. He's just a one of a kind. He gives us the tools for us to enjoy this hobby, in stead of letting this hobby become a compulsive collecting disorder.
Love your channel. The reason why you aren't growing is you aren't an echo chamber, like most fragrance reviewers. At the start of my fragrance journey (51, been wearing frags since the early 80s, but only recently getting into niche), I was watching the more popular YT frag reviewers. And like you, Justin, I ended up with 50+ frags that didn't move me, that I ended up selling. Started watching your content. I love it. So....keep up the good/hard work. You're a bit of a visionary in this world. Keep pursuing excellence, and the audience will come. Great content. And as a former jazz musician (never pursued it after college), you've got chops, young man!
Thank you so much, I’m so happy that my content has been helpful you, and I appreciate the kind words about my music. 🙏🏾 I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’m in the biggest period of growth for my channel than I’ve ever had, but I understand what you meant. Thanks again.
@Justin Copeland my wording may have been off. You aren't getting the following like Chaos or GentScents, but you're producing much better content. I feel like most channels are just going over top 10s all the time. Meanwhile, I'm looking for something that doesn't smell like Axe body spray, or the blue du jour. Because of you, I tried Killian and Nishane, and they moved me. I also love your positivity and how you state fact. I'm hoping we are toasting 1M subs in a year or two. But it may take time. But keep going! Your channel is the reason I love frags again. One other thing - you have wicked style. Maybe you should do some content on pairing scents with looks. Also, I'd love to see some content based on age ranges. I'm 51, and shower gel scents don't appeal to me. Meanwhile, Cerruti 1881 and TF Beau De Jour are right up my alley. Loved your vids on the bro vs mature scents.
Using the term echo chamber to describe other reviewers is an echo chamber in itself 😅😅😅 and your literally using lingo every single “frag” reviewer uses do state your argument.😂🤣😝😅😅😅😅
@irob rf not even close. Most people watch reviews to confirm their choices, or help them decide. Justin doesn't really present good or bad frags according to the community. He recommends choices that are off the beaten path. Nice try on the gotcha. Big miss.
I'm in the group where I just want a fragrance to last 6-8 hours and be detectable to me (I don't really care if someone else smells it especially if its towards the end of it wear.) What I can't accept, or at least have trouble accepting is when an expensive fragrance can't be detected by me (or anyone) only an hour after the opening has worn off, and I don't mean because I went noseblind. I won't hold it against the perfumer, but it will bother me. Life is fickle and a short lived fragrance might be good for some occasions, but I shouldn't have to carry a decant with me to reapply if my train is late and it doesn't make it to to its intended occasion.
You nailed it with perception. I have had comments sometimes 8 hours after application when I was certain it was gone. Olfactory fatigue is very real. It took me a while to realize that. good way to "increase performance" for me is the double up sprays in the same area. Not always hit the trigger twice as hard.
If anyone says Dior Sauvage Elixir is weak, they did what I first did and killed my nose. 2 sprays lasts 24 hours, easy. When I first got it, I think I did 4 sprays, then couldn't smell it, so when I go back home a couple hours later, I sprayed a couple more before I left again. I'm so sorry to all those people that had to be around me for more than 20 seconds. I must have stunk!
😂😅 I used 4 sprays of Sauvage Elixer and while I was at GameStop with my son a employee came and yelled at me and said she was literally choking and berated me till I left 🤣😝!!!
Immediately I thought of "Hermann" from ELDO. My BF absolutely adores it on me but it's a very skin-tight scent and was designed this way. It's very "airy". A friend of mine said "what's the point if only those up your neck can smell it?"... and there you have it. All he wants is projection and performance. No, Hermann is not Interlude, Elixir or any Fort Manlé fragrance. It wasn't designed to project or fill a room. Is it worthless? Not to me, I think it smells great, it makes me feel sexy and it drives my BF crazy. And that's all I need. As you put it, there's a time and place for every fragrance. And footnote, I do appreciate like everyone else how respectful and composed you are. So very refreshing!
My most important parameter is whether or not I like the scent. After that, I can work around issues like longevity, silage etc. So, your assessment works for me completely.
0:30 yeah that's me. Because FDB Sahraa Oud for $600, that would need to last until I scrub it off. Surviving a morning jog, followed by snorkeling lesson, then yard work. $600 need to last from 6am - 6pm✌🏾
I really love throwing on a high quality natural citrus type frag during the warm day and then being able to throw on a night time fragrance later. The natural citrus frags are higher quality and fade faster, perfect for being able to enjoy something different at night.
I agree with most of the comments here. I like that these videos address more than just superficial descriptions. As people have different tastes, they also have different needs from and intentions with fragrances, and let's face it...many people are poor at critiquing.
I agree. I started out being highly influenced by the fragrance UA-cam community and probably missed out on some fragrances that I would have enjoyed were it not for the influence I got. Not so any more. I really appreciate the part about wearing fragrances you love regardless of performance and totally agree with it. Thank you
Yes, 8 hours is a decent amount. I want my work scent to be a reassuring presence all day, I'd want my night out scent to be a bit more attention grabbing (and because I dance swing I need something heavy enough that it doesn't boil off my skin in half an hour, but this heat also activates heavier concentrations). But I don't want the heavy rich creamy notes, which a lot of fragcomm tends to gravitate towards.
Very well said, this topic is very vital to the community. Another very underrated reason is that when people wear fragrances that are deemed beast mode and they enter a room and no one says anything or reacts, the number one thing that comes to their mind is that they've bought a fake fragrance or the reviewers lied. Secondly, when they end up asking someone about it and they are like they do not smell anything, they also believe the fragrance batch has been reformulated. That's why even if a fragrance generally performs for 4-5 hours and the individual "showers" with the fragrance, people with sensitive noses complain it's overpowering and then boom, dude heads over to Fragrantica to tell the world his batch is beast mode. It's a funny world we are in for real. Thank you J.C.
I think by far this is the best frgrance video of the year👏 let me stand up and applaud. This is what we need to hear. Thank you Justin. Love from South Africa bro!!
I like that you always refer to the function of a fragrance. I have found Naxos for winter celebrations Accento overdose for summer celebrations. Pomélo Paradis just for me when I wake up on weekend. 30 minutes of bliss. I thought that I found my work fragrance Bottega veneta illusione, which projects 8h on me, but my order half doesn't like it. I am still searching for my signature work scent. Light clean that lasts 8h.
I love my Acqua di Parma Colognes regardless of the eaux the cologne concentration, sometimes I'm surprised to smell them after a full day of working in the outdoors
Another great video Justin! I used to let everyone else's "opinion" sway me from purchasing beautiful fragrances. Now I'm more about experiencing the true beauty and art of fragrance opposed to it being "Beast Mode". I feel fragrance is situational as you said I don't need a fragrance to last me 15 hours when I'm only going out for 5. I've missed out on so many great fragrances that way. I will bring along a decant with me if I feel I need it to last beyond the time I'm out. Great content Justin!
Justin bro your wisdom on the topic of fragrances and just perfumery in general on here is truly unmatched. I pray you continue to grow in knowledge and wisdom !!! Best content and it’s not a debate.
I love your fragrances reviews as an avid collector myself I often come to your reviews though we have different tastes when it comes to scents I picked up or sampled a few based off your recommendations but what I love most is you’re always challenging the fragrance community and the way everyone thinks when it comes to fragrances and my thoughts on fragrances has evolved watching you.
Understanding these concepts were very important during my fragrance journey. I used to think sedley only lasted a few hours on my skin until a coworker asked my how do I get my fragrances to last so long 7.5 hours into my shift. It blew my mind because I thought it wore off around hour 4. My trick is to spray my inner elbows, and if I can smell the fragrance after bringing it close to my nose, it’s still active. You can tell how much it’s projecting by how close you have to put it to your nose. Pairing that with sprays behind each ear and one on the neck allows me to get slight whiffs so I can enjoy the scent without drowning my senses in it. Now I rarely go nose blind.
I love lime. But citrus' disapear in minutes. Now the science houses have been making generic citrus' that last longer, but we expect citrus' to normally dwindle early. But with all that said, i buy the fragrance for me. And when its gone, i still value the experience.
You're always asking the interesting questions that no other reviewer out there seems to be asking Justin. I'm definitely here for it, and open to hearing what other collectors (with knowledge), such as myself, have to say on one of my favorite things in life. We humans, do NOT like change, and like to cling on to what's familiar, and this I know very well lol. And point number 3 is definitely SPOT ON. I feel like this is an issue I myself face consistently in my fragrance journey LOL. Moreso, the idea of olfactory fatigue with my fragrance that is. There comes a point where I no longer smell my fragrance sometimes, and will feel the need to re-spray or 're-up' on a few more sprays throughout the day. Unironically, my spray routine (depending on the fragrance ofcourse) consists of a spray on both crooks of my elbows, and one on the back of the neck. But honestly though, do you also experience olfactory fatigue at all? Or is your nose/spray routine so 'S-Tier' that you're able to smell yourself most of the day? Lol. I'd like to see what your take is on this Justin. Am I doing something wrong?
I think this was very well said. And yeah, for me, I PREFER when a fragrance is detectable for a work day, or even just a little less, so that when I get home, I can switch it up, or try some more of my bajillion samples. Freshies will almost always have a shorter lifespan, just by nature, and I'm okay with that. Especially when you would typically wear one: in the summer/high heat. Makes sense. Thanks Justin!
I understand where you’re coming from, and I mostly agree with you. I think the whole performance thing is about value for money. There are some fragrances where it just doesn’t seem worth the money because of how little you can get out of it (whether you’re spraying for yourself or for others). For example, I absolutely love the smell of Millesime Imperial, but it’s a tough sell to ask me to pay $400 for a bottle when it completely disappears after just an hour. It’s the same with other consumer goods too; I would be hesitant to buy a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes (for example) if I only expected them to last a few months.
Detect vs Last. Ill take this into account because even if i value the scent itself more than the performance, i still make the mistake of using longevity based on how well it lasts rather than my ability or effort to detect it. Thanks JC. I hope this video does great
Great video sir, I do agree that Olfactory fatigue does play a role in the performance of a fragrance. For example, I was wearing John Varvatos Vintage for most of my work day and I totally forgot I had it on until a lady gave me a compliment at the end of my day. It is so true other variables play a role in the performance of a fragrance, thank you for the insight, Professor Copeland.
Great points there Justin. Perhaps two more things to add to the widely varied experiences that people have with their fragrances are: 1. where they store their fragrances. When you shelve your fragrance for longer than every 'normal' person should, especially in a place that is not decently cool and free of direct light/heat, then the smell would tend to drift downward slightly. I've noticed this. 2. where people source their fragrances. Fakes are all over the place and when you get your hands on a complete 'fart' of a fragrance which has been mirepresented as legit, then your experience won't be as everyone else's. I know this is probably an extreme situation in context of what this video is trying to pass across, but sometimes fragrances are not bad because they are but because people are bagging fragrances that are not legit! So always mind where you source your fragrances from guys! IF I can throw an extra point in regarding the disparity of experiences that people get with fragrances, it would be on the matter of reformulations. Reformulations are killing fragrances and the community as a whole man. It's okay to reformulate but do those perfumers lose their ingredient journals, so much so they end up destroying newer formulations? Creed Aventus as a good example, used to be AWE-SOME!!!! But the newer formulations leave me bewildered, and trust me it is not olfactory fatigue of the fragrance over the years - the quality just seems to have gone down. Hope this won't be seen as me bashing Creed, because I do love that house. Just got to give people their money's worth imho! BE safe everyone !
Loved this video! I totally agree with everything you talked about! As a person who reviews fragrances, I try to explain to people that longevity/performance is not king for me when it comes to a fragrance. I also understand that most people aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on fragrances that don’t get them “noticed”.
Hey Ayesha! I’ve been subbed to you for years. 👌🏾 I understand why people are concerned about that too. I’m only trying to encourage folks to shift their thinking a bit, and consider themselves in the equation. I believe that there are certain products that were created to serve us…but when we literally fuse the product with our body, we become the product, and must consider that we play a part in its function. 😊
Mancera Red Tobacco is way too overwhelming. The leaky cap I have on it doesn’t help because every time I want to get a whiff, I get the fragrance all over my hands and it doesn’t wash away easily.
There are many fragrance reviewers I watch simply for fun, but you always have the voice of reason. Please don't take that to mean I don't find your videos fun to watch! I actually learn from you so you add an extra level of value, beyond the entertainment. Your channel will always remain on my sub list... Pinky promise! One request - can you give us one soon with you, Grace and Gabri? I miss those. 😊
This is brilliant. Olfactory fatigue is hugely overlooked. I know I’ve sold fragrances I’ve had in the past because I though it didn’t last. Ombré leather is a great example. After a couple weeks of wearing it almost everyday, I realized I could hardly smell it. Sold it because I thought it was a longevity issue. Tried it again months later from a decant I made myself before selling. Boy was I wrong. It lasts. I think another piece of the puzzle is how frequently we wear fragrances. I think it’s easier to become nose blind if we wear certain scents more frequently and don’t give our nose a break from said scent. I wonder, does anyone else share this opinion?
Justin is one of the consistent top tier reviewers on the internet. Bar none his knowledge of so many brands can be a deciding factor on whether to consider a fragrance viable
If you want a strong Vetiver which is masterfully crafted and is not cloying - try Lorenzo Villoresi Vetiver. I love to wear multiple scents in one day. So I dont shy away from short lived scents, no matter the price. I love to respray diffetent scents (layering) during the day (TF OW and NP are a good combination done properly). Only the scent counts.
I enjoy having a wide range of performers. As you said it just changes its utility, not my enthusiasm for it. I use some of them as frequent weekend refreshers for wearing on errands or around the house so I don't have to carry a decant with me. Alternately scents with lower performance allow me to wear more fragrances that day if I don't want to layer them.
If the performance is so bad you can't smell it after an hour, and other's tell you they can't smell anything, there are cases where I have a right to complain. But 90% of the time I agree with you. And yes you should never choke up a room, but if someone comes into my space I want them to think I smell nice, especially on a date.
i’m not particularly interested in blasting my scent to everyone surrounding me, i only care if a few people that get near me notice. subtlety is a virtue often overlooked
One of the aspects that I enjoy about your channel is your offerings on how to think about about fragrances. While you do reviews, you do not do daily "top ten lists, " which often consist of the same designer fragrances, or their flankers, with an occasional alternative thrown in. Following up on your point, I find it amusing when I see on Fragrantica someone complaining about the longevity of an eau de cologne or eau de toilette You can see this in some reviews for Acqua di Parma Colonia. Yes, it would be nice to see some of these fragrances last longer, but that is not how they were designed. Pieces like this one help explain to viewers what can be expected from their fragrances.
I think I agree with you here. There are some amaziiiing fragrances with poor performance or that are not considered strong. Personally, I tend prefer more "subtle" fragrances. I wear parfum for myself and my experience and I'm often selfconscious about the fragrances I wear. I don't want to fill an entire room with my fragrance or to suffocate everyone close to me when I wear something like bois mysterieux by guerlain (have you tried it? Great spicy leather with cumin and other stuff going on). Even "strong fragrances" I own tend to be more subtle and less loud. Ganymede for example has incredible performance and projection with an amazing sillage. I still wouldn't call it "loud" and say it's subtle compared to some of the "beast mode" fragrances that everyone in the same building as you will notice. That being said, I usually don't buy fragrances with poor performance for a few reasons. The weakest fragrances I own are probably un jardin sur le nil and concentre d'orange verte, both by hermes and even those last a few hours on my skin. One of the reasons is that I love to experience my fragrance throughout the day and smell it around me. Another one is that I usually can't reapply or don't want to carry it with me. Usually I'm at University all day and get back home in the late evening so I appreciate a fragrance with good performance that will keep me company all day. Even if it sits close to the skin.
All solid points as always, Justin. While I do desire more longevity on average with certain scents I can understand your perspective where depending on the utility of the scent of the day it can mean different things and what you'd choose. I'd agree 8 hours is a good range to shoot for with a reasonable projection is worth the purchase, but there's several out there who believe they need every fragrance in their collection, whether it's a $20 clone or a $1,000 luxury niche fragrance to have the best composition and be concentration Eau de Forever. Those people and those who go anosmic will happily go to Fragrantica and write scathing reviews and telling people it's a waste of time, but everyone should take those reviews with a thick grain of salt. Looking forward to another thought provoking video from you, J
I don’t have a problem with fragrances which don’t perform well initially… upon release. My problem is with fragrances that once performed well, but due to some reason or another, no longer do. Especially when the prices continue to increase as performance and/or quality decreases.
This is the reason why I left the only frag-group on Facebook I was in, Justin. It was becomming all about performance, longest lasting and beastmode perfumes, beside the endless clone houses. I got one perfume in my collection I truly love, but after a few hours I personaly can't detect it anymore; Chanel Pour Monsieur. But do I get rid of it? Nope, I just re-apply or put on another perfume if I wear it in daytime. I mosly wear it in the evening, so it doesn't have to last that long either. Somehow this perfume calms me down and that's what I need the most at the end of a day.
Thank you Justin! Well…thank you for everything you do and have done for years. But this topic needed to be discussed and you hit the nail on the head with so many points.
Yeah bro I agree with you , I wouldn't tell anyone not to try a fragrance just because it doesn't perform well or last on me . Different body chemistry and what not.And I also can say from experience just because you don't smell the fragrance on yourself doesn't mean it doesn't last or can be detected. For an example, I wore my doir sauvage to work and after work we were clocking out .Well one of my coworkers said I smelt good, she could smell it on me but I didn't smell it anymore.
Tricky subject, good hygiene is the prerequisite, I agree it's about quality of fragrance first and yes I have Oud Wood also and love it. However, I don't really agree that a fragrance can't be too strong, I could be wrong here but you would simply apply less. The problem is fragrance prices rocketing and formulations being diluted meaning consumers are paying more for poorer performance! In general stronger is better in my opinion, however, there are instances when you want to be subtle and or a fragrance DNA doesn't or shouldn't be too strong to ensure balance befitting of a particular situation (work, date, enclosed spaces, outdoor parties etc). To summarise, stronger is better but not always and not for every situation or fragrance DNA so don't rule out frags with 4-6 hour lives which smell amazing 😊 Try half a spray of that Kuwaiti frag under your shirt in an outdoor only event and tell me if it works 😅
I don't believe most frag heads expect ultra performance from expensive brands, just quality & decent performance. I also think most connoisseurs of perfumery don't watch UA-cam, as it's mainly for newcomers & hobbyists, which is fine. Personally, I enjoy the interaction between newcomers & old timers like me (I just mistakenly looked in the mirror & my god, I'm an old timer). Anyway, it's always interesting to know what younger noses are looking for, too.
In the second yr of my fragrance journey, as time goes by for me this video becomes more relevant in my life. It was smell that got me into the game and smell that is going to keep me in the game, so long-lasting beast mode isn't always on my mind.
Another amazing contribution to UA-cam fragrance content.Your insights are actually.... INSIGHTFUL! And you actually exercise CRITICAL THINKING. You are a standout thinker in a space swarmed with herd mentality, hype, and shilling. Thank you for giving me something to watch that actually makes me feel a bit smarter and more informed upon completion.
Great video. I would like to echo what others have said. On more than a few occasions I will feel my fragrance has worn off only to get a compliment several hours after I thought the scent was gone
Great vid. I read on frgrantica once that someone sprays 14-18 sprays of red tobacco because they cant smell it after an hour. 😯. For me one spray is pa-lenty. So I agree with you, everybody is different, all our senses are different. Also rest in peace to the people that were in the room that dude walked into. 😬.
I'm in the "work day" group. If you can get me through the workday, I consider that great. I don't really care about massive projection. Give me 8 hours in my personal bubble and we're good. And if it's a night out, 4-5 hours is good enough. I don't need to nor want to command a room. Scents like Polo Double Black and Luna Rossa Ocean are my favorites who's performance does frustrate me. Both smell way too good for them to not last as long as they do.
I ignored the performance complainers about elysium. I'm glad I did. I got over 10 hours of performance that I myself could still detect when I stopped counting. I enjoyed ever minute of it. I love elysium now.
I would disagree to a degree. You have good points, but others value different things. I value the scent first as well, but the longevity is a very close second. Silage is much farther down that list, but I appreciate it. I want to smell it even as a skin scent, way down the road. I like others to smell it as well, and most love the free smells. I love beastmode scents. I go to work and am normally there from 10-12hrs a day, six days a week. I like to put on a frag that lasts the whole, or almost the whole time on me. I could bring along more with me, but it is easier to get a heavy hitter that will do the job, just as you put it. When I get home I might put another one on that lasts 6-8hrs as it fits that role. I also feel you get your money’s worth with one you don’t have to reapply multiple times. As such if there is a frag that smells incredible and lasts forever, I’m buying it!
I hear what you’re saying. This video was not intended to demean the value of performance in general. The focal point of this video is to be careful with using performance as an evaluative factor. We often place all of the responsibility of a fragrance doing what it does on the fragrance itself. But a fragrance is not a product like a sofa, or a pizza. We literally meld it with our own body, which means we become the product, and therefore are the variable (that’s why people can report wildly differing experiences with the same fragrance). Our perception of a fragrance is as much on us as it is the fragrance. See the pinned comment I wrote at the top of the section, which I believe explains this all more succinctly. 🙏🏾
@@stayfreshproductions I use the range on fragrantica as a good judge. I would never take one opinion, but a few thousand is a good sampling. Even after that I want to test the fragrance because sometimes the fragrance likes your body type, sometimes it doesn’t. But when it smells great and performs great, there’s no stopping me. If it smells great and has horrible performance, I don’t want to waste my money. There’s to many other frags I can buy that will fit the bill.
These videos have definitely made me take a step back and think a bit. I’ve been wearing fragrances since high school. I’ve had a few mini collections, nothing niche. However, recently as I got back into collecting, I’ve been falling into the habit of collecting clones for variety of scents and an affordable price. Because, they are affordable I have blind bought a lot of them and they all have not been a hit for me. So I have wasted money on fragrances that aren’t all that great to me, where that money could have been spent experiencing the real thing it’s cloning or a niche fragrance. Like u said in another video, maybe part 1, it’s probably better to just get a decant. Equality Fragrances has been touching on this as well.
I think that showing off your scent for people to notice mixed with the insecurity as you say could be misconstrued. I’d like to show off my fragrance because they smell amazing. I wouldn’t choose too much of a strong or too annoying fragrance and I’m very picky. But to make a scent known for people to notice is to me confidence. Everyone has a different opinion on this. Great video 🙌! Thanks for diving into this.
I am one of those who can't detect Elysium, tried several times on different occasions. But I can't smell it. That's why I never bought a full bottle. Just like you Justin I like fragrances for myself but I try to be aware not to overspray. Also like others have said, I too am putting the "how long does it last" lower on my list of requirements before buying a bottle. Still remains there because I think for example The One edp last on me like 5-10 min. Did ask others if they could notices it and they couldn't. Don't think it's worth it for me to have to respray the entire evening.
I am a person who like 12-14 hour scents because I work 12-14 hour days some times and like to have my fragrance last all day. But any thing after that is just to much.
I experienced this today =D I wore Stronger with you intensely today. After 6 hours i thought the scent was "dead" and didnt think about it that much more. 2 hours later a colleague wanted my help so went infront of him to show him. He was like "ah you wear stronger with you intensely today". When i leave for work and when i put on my scent of the day i have my normal cloths. I then change cloths at work, so alot of my scent are stuck in my other cloths, but still this could preform - So i learned even if i cant smell it, other can, and if i can smell it very well, others must be choking :P
Thank you for your insightful ness & authenticity Justin. I appreciate your honesty, integrity, creativity, & expertise regarding the fragrances you choose to speak about ✨🙌🏾✨
I remember when ck2 first came out it was immediately dismissed by the fragrance community because the performance wasn’t great. But I personally loved how it smelled so I bought 100 mill and it is still one of my favorite fragrances to this day. It’s always been scent over everything for me. I have a friend that will not buy a fragrance unless it last 12+ hours and I’m like man I don’t need all that performance I’m fine with the fragrance lasting five hours and either reapply or wear another fragrance for that evening.
I can't agree with you more on this. This reminds me of a fragrance that I got a little while back. I bought a bottle of Abercrombie and Fitch "The Woods" because I used to wear it back in the day back in the late 90's and I was nostalgic for the scent. I bought a bottle of the re-release which came out, I think, in the late 2000's because I want going to spend $400 for a vintage bottle of the original. I got it in the mail, sprayed it and loved it. That being said, it only lasted about 1-2 hours. But you know what? I kinda like that it only lasts a couple hours. I can spray it to go to a store or run an errand. Then, when I'm going to do something else and might require a different scent, I'll spray that on. Everyone should have weak longevity fragrances in their collection, in my opinion. As far as beast mode fragrances, once again, I totally agree. I just recently bought Tonka Cola by Mancera. I really like it but it simply lasts too long. It stays on my skin for like 14 hours. Which sucks because it would be perfect as an 8 hour fragrance. If they could find a way to make that fragrance lighter by taking it some of the heavier, and in my opinion unnecessary notes like patchouli, it would literally be a 10/10. Perhaps a Tonka Cola Cologne or Eau Fraiche. Cuz that cherry cola note is absolute 🔥. It just lasts too long right now as it stands and can get annoying. 8 hours is enough!
I agree! Having a varied collection is like having a variety of shirts for different occasions. Conspicuous consumption seems to get the best of people-if folks spend money on it, they want to be noticed for it. Ironically, that is always an empty pursuit with false fulfillment. Nothing can substitute being joyful with who you are and what you have, even if no one will see.
I recently wore Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco by Amouage. 4 sprays and it just kept going. It was the first time i was choked out by a fragrance. Next time I wear it I might just do one spray on each shoulder.
You produce fantastic content. I’m a new subscriber and I find it very easy to listen to your voice (my attention span isn’t the best, so take this as a big compliment). I like your personality aswell, keep it up
Excellent video, I fully agree with what you say. What I say may be controversial due to it's mass hype but Black orchid made me feel ill, it felt so claustrophobic and heaven knows what those around me thought. (even with two small sprays) I do prefer a fragrance that settles close to me and only those stood close enough to me will get a gentle sense of it.
I notice that most perfume reviewers spray the neck line; back of the neck; behind the ears; the chest area. What about under the arms? I use an underarm deodorant. What is your recommendation for underarm deodorants.
I would not spray my perfume under the arms for several reasons: 1. It has some of the most sensitive skin on your body, and I don't believe that alcohol is a great substance to spray there 2. If you do happen to sweat, because it is typically one of the smelliest areas on the body, it will cause you perfume to smell off 3. It will mix with the scent of your deordorant, which will defeat its presence
We have different body genes and so scents would not perform the same on everyone alike. Some perfumes smell nice but don't last long. If I like the scent , I'll buy for me not for compliments. Kudos for the sentiments.
Great video, Justin. I agree, the quest for beast mode gets tiring. I had Oud Al Layl once and had to scrub - it was nuclear. I own mostly clones and am happy with the 4-6 hours I get out of them. On a side note, have you considered voice work? I think you'd be first class as an audiobook narrator 👍
I need to be able to smell my perfume on me at least 8 hours if I spray once on my hand. If not, it's garbage for me, not worth my time and money. Sometimes it depends on the perfume ingredients, unfortunately floral and aromatic scents last a long time on me and I smell it constantly (ex: La nuit de l'homme, ambergris showers). They are projecting like a beast on me and also they have a lot of sillage. They are not powerhouses by themselves, but I smell them on me for 8 hours which I like. Basically I love perfumes that don.t activate my nose fatigue like Aventus. You smell Aventus for 20 minutes, then you go numb. I wear a fragrance for me, not for everyone else.
Agreed. D&G The One Edp lasts really well on my skin, my wife often complains that it’s “too strong” even though she is used to very strong scents... 🤔
Great video. Like I always say, not every fragrance is ment to be beast mode. Citrus fragrances are not ment to last long so have to wear it for the situation
I personally wear perfume for myself, I tend to overspray a bit sometimes not to get better projection, but so I can smell it my self for longer. i'm the type of person that sprays once on my chest after showering before bed.
For me it comes down to the scent type. I wouldn’t hold a dark, sweet, spicy fragrance to the same standard as something bright and citrusy. It’s stuff like Herod and Oud Wood that I don’t want to shell out my money for.
I rock oud for greatness whole year round. High heat and ice cold. No performance issues and no longtevity issues. In summer i choke people out but I don't care I love the smell.
This is a good one JC!!! I have learned to never give to much Credence on anyone's experience on how long a fragrance last. I enjoy powerful fragrances and I enjoy soft close to the skin fragrances. Great information as always 👍🏾🙏🏽 God bless you and yours.
Also, my skin is so dry that no matter why I wear it doesn't last long. Maybe its because I don't drink enough water etc. I moisturize like a mofo and still my fragrances don't last long at least to my nose. I just gave up on performance and focus on how it smells. If I have to refresh which is always the case so be it
Great video! And I absolutely agree with everything you said. I bought Dior Sauvage EDT when it was released and never in my life I had more compliments from people, though I think it’s not a mind blowing perfume. Many years passed and I am now on a more niche and expensive side, which me brings me pleasure, but I rarely get a compliment. It’s just that sauvage had a good chemistry with my body i suppose.
Thanks Bitov! I understand. Sauvage is a very likable DNA. Although I’m sure some of your niche scents are also likable, I understand that fewer people would find them as understandable as Sauvage.
Thinking all aspects of a fragrance should be considered, smell , silage , and yes performance. Just because performance isn’t important to you doesn’t mean it’s not for the next guy,like it or not performance is an attribute that people care about , that’s why when fragrances are reviewed that topic is usually touched upon , just my 2 cents 👍🏻
I hear what you’re saying. But the point of this video is not whether or not performance matters. The point is that the performance of a fragrance is often affected by our imperfect perception, as well as our skin. We are the variable. So it can be fickle to use it as a strong evaluative factor. If you read through the comments, you’ll see several folks saying that they’ve learned that certain fragrances start to disappear to them throughout the day, but then they’ll get compliments late in the day after they can no longer smell it.
Good stuff. Serious and funny. Back to some of the most intense debates in the frag comm. Here is a deep philosophical ques: Why didn't olfactory fatigue happen when you sprayed Royal Vetiver on? Why is it specific to the fast disappearing Tom Fords or Calvin Kleins or some recent Amouage reformulations? The claim that fatigue is a factor is fair but the nose recalibrates after 30-60 mins and becomes sensitive again to whatever scent you got fatigued from so you can tell if its lasting. Fatigue may be a factor in intensity. It doesn't satisfyingly explain the mystery of the disappearing frag where there is almost no trace. Or why there is a trace on clothes but not on skin. If you are not smelling the frag at all after 3 hours on your skin, and those around you are not smelling it (who were not glued to your side for the last 3 hours), its because its gone. Lets ease off the olfactory fatigue go to for a bit bec most people are not finding fatigue at issue with their beast mode frags. (Never had olfactory fatigue from Interlude. How come? Always smelled it after 8 hours.) Seems like you are blessed with skin that has many weaker frags performing well. 🖖A superpower. Perhaps calibrate that special gift to the reviews for those of us not so blessed. Dig the ethics advice. Deepest of the deep. 👌
Thank you for watching and I'm glad you dug it. I don't have all the answers, because the matters of the human senses are extremely variable. In regards to Royal Vetiver, I never gave it a full wearing. I only sprayed it on a blotter that I left in a room which I did not spend the whole day in, and on my hand, which I spent only a few seconds smelling up close before I realized it was too much. I didn't need to bring it up close again because I was getting wafts all day. Nothing will ever satisfyingly explain the variability. 😆 There were many other cases in the comments of folks saying they wore a certain fragrance and couldn't smell it by the end of the day, yet still received compliments. So olfactory fatigue definitely plays a role.
Middle-Eastern perfumes are definitely for a different audience and environment. Take a desert perfume made to scream over a dozen other perfumes and then throw it into the tropics and you can get something horrifying. The longest lasting two fragrances I've smelled are also the most thoroughly obnoxious and it's hard to even scrub them off. We also all make the mistake of assuming that other people can smell what we do in a fragrance but most people in this country are sensitive to any smells; we might smell lavender and tonka after wearing these things for years but it can smell like cleaning chemicals to someone that has never worn any fragrances. I've enjoyed going back to fragrances that I grew up smelling to find out how different they are as an adult. Hugo Boss used to be a formless chemical bomb that made me sick to my stomach but I try it now and think "hmm, mint and cedar."
For me 4/5 hours is perfectly OK but I want to have some sillage and I want to be able to smell it myself for that time and I'd like it if I can be smelled gently when someone enters my space say 1 or 2 feet projection I definitely don't want to fill a room but I do like a fragrance to be on the stronger side
Bottom line: you don’t have to love your performance experience with a fragrance…but remember that you can’t always blame it solely on the fragrance. This subtle shift in perspective will hopefully save you some headache and save others from being unnecessarily discouraged from trying the fragrances they are interested in. 🙏🏾
I took your advice and stopped wearing my scents on the front of my neck.
Now, I can smell my scents.
You run by far the best perfume channel on UA-cam. A calm voice, no annoying hot takes, no constant advertising for your own perfume creations, and you don't block every hint of criticism. Thank you for your work, Justin!
Man he should advertise his frag more... It's so freah
Spot on! I'm following a few reviewers (I used to follow a lot) about perfumes and I always watch Justin as the last one. He's just a one of a kind.
He gives us the tools for us to enjoy this hobby, in stead of letting this hobby become a compulsive collecting disorder.
@@dubo321 what's his frag called?
@@PANCAKEPAP1 Brass & Soul was the first, then came 2nd Soul. He worked with Zaharoff.
@@RichardOliver thank you
Love your channel. The reason why you aren't growing is you aren't an echo chamber, like most fragrance reviewers. At the start of my fragrance journey (51, been wearing frags since the early 80s, but only recently getting into niche), I was watching the more popular YT frag reviewers. And like you, Justin, I ended up with 50+ frags that didn't move me, that I ended up selling. Started watching your content. I love it. So....keep up the good/hard work. You're a bit of a visionary in this world. Keep pursuing excellence, and the audience will come. Great content. And as a former jazz musician (never pursued it after college), you've got chops, young man!
Thank you so much, I’m so happy that my content has been helpful you, and I appreciate the kind words about my music. 🙏🏾 I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’m in the biggest period of growth for my channel than I’ve ever had, but I understand what you meant. Thanks again.
@Justin Copeland my wording may have been off. You aren't getting the following like Chaos or GentScents, but you're producing much better content. I feel like most channels are just going over top 10s all the time. Meanwhile, I'm looking for something that doesn't smell like Axe body spray, or the blue du jour. Because of you, I tried Killian and Nishane, and they moved me. I also love your positivity and how you state fact. I'm hoping we are toasting 1M subs in a year or two. But it may take time. But keep going! Your channel is the reason I love frags again.
One other thing - you have wicked style. Maybe you should do some content on pairing scents with looks. Also, I'd love to see some content based on age ranges. I'm 51, and shower gel scents don't appeal to me. Meanwhile, Cerruti 1881 and TF Beau De Jour are right up my alley. Loved your vids on the bro vs mature scents.
Using the term echo chamber to describe other reviewers is an echo chamber in itself 😅😅😅 and your literally using lingo every single “frag” reviewer uses do state your argument.😂🤣😝😅😅😅😅
@irob rf not even close. Most people watch reviews to confirm their choices, or help them decide. Justin doesn't really present good or bad frags according to the community. He recommends choices that are off the beaten path. Nice try on the gotcha. Big miss.
I'm in the group where I just want a fragrance to last 6-8 hours and be detectable to me (I don't really care if someone else smells it especially if its towards the end of it wear.) What I can't accept, or at least have trouble accepting is when an expensive fragrance can't be detected by me (or anyone) only an hour after the opening has worn off, and I don't mean because I went noseblind. I won't hold it against the perfumer, but it will bother me. Life is fickle and a short lived fragrance might be good for some occasions, but I shouldn't have to carry a decant with me to reapply if my train is late and it doesn't make it to to its intended occasion.
Agreed, man.
You nailed it with perception. I have had comments sometimes 8 hours after application when I was certain it was gone. Olfactory fatigue is very real. It took me a while to realize that.
good way to "increase performance" for me is the double up sprays in the same area. Not always hit the trigger twice as hard.
Took me some time too!
If anyone says Dior Sauvage Elixir is weak, they did what I first did and killed my nose. 2 sprays lasts 24 hours, easy. When I first got it, I think I did 4 sprays, then couldn't smell it, so when I go back home a couple hours later, I sprayed a couple more before I left again. I'm so sorry to all those people that had to be around me for more than 20 seconds. I must have stunk!
😂😅 I used 4 sprays of Sauvage Elixer and while I was at GameStop with my son a employee came and yelled at me and said she was literally choking and berated me till I left 🤣😝!!!
@@TeXasDadBod 😂😂😂
@@TeXasDadBod 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@TeXasDadBod bruu 😂
2:56 facts 💯
Immediately I thought of "Hermann" from ELDO. My BF absolutely adores it on me but it's a very skin-tight scent and was designed this way. It's very "airy". A friend of mine said "what's the point if only those up your neck can smell it?"... and there you have it. All he wants is projection and performance. No, Hermann is not Interlude, Elixir or any Fort Manlé fragrance. It wasn't designed to project or fill a room. Is it worthless? Not to me, I think it smells great, it makes me feel sexy and it drives my BF crazy. And that's all I need. As you put it, there's a time and place for every fragrance. And footnote, I do appreciate like everyone else how respectful and composed you are. So very refreshing!
Thank you so much! This is exactly my point! I appreciate you. 🙏🏾
My most important parameter is whether or not I like the scent. After that, I can work around issues like longevity, silage etc. So, your assessment works for me completely.
0:30 yeah that's me. Because FDB Sahraa Oud for $600, that would need to last until I scrub it off. Surviving a morning jog, followed by snorkeling lesson, then yard work. $600 need to last from 6am - 6pm✌🏾
I really love throwing on a high quality natural citrus type frag during the warm day and then being able to throw on a night time fragrance later. The natural citrus frags are higher quality and fade faster, perfect for being able to enjoy something different at night.
I agree with most of the comments here. I like that these videos address more than just superficial descriptions. As people have different tastes, they also have different needs from and intentions with fragrances, and let's face it...many people are poor at critiquing.
Well-said 👌🏾
I agree. I started out being highly influenced by the fragrance UA-cam community and probably missed out on some fragrances that I would have enjoyed were it not for the influence I got. Not so any more. I really appreciate the part about wearing fragrances you love regardless of performance and totally agree with it. Thank you
Well said! Thank you.
Yes, 8 hours is a decent amount. I want my work scent to be a reassuring presence all day, I'd want my night out scent to be a bit more attention grabbing (and because I dance swing I need something heavy enough that it doesn't boil off my skin in half an hour, but this heat also activates heavier concentrations). But I don't want the heavy rich creamy notes, which a lot of fragcomm tends to gravitate towards.
Very well said, this topic is very vital to the community. Another very underrated reason is that when people wear fragrances that are deemed beast mode and they enter a room and no one says anything or reacts, the number one thing that comes to their mind is that they've bought a fake fragrance or the reviewers lied. Secondly, when they end up asking someone about it and they are like they do not smell anything, they also believe the fragrance batch has been reformulated. That's why even if a fragrance generally performs for 4-5 hours and the individual "showers" with the fragrance, people with sensitive noses complain it's overpowering and then boom, dude heads over to Fragrantica to tell the world his batch is beast mode. It's a funny world we are in for real. Thank you J.C.
You’re right, it’s definitely a funny world. 😆 thanks!
I think by far this is the best frgrance video of the year👏 let me stand up and applaud. This is what we need to hear. Thank you Justin. Love from South Africa bro!!
Thank you!
I like that you always refer to the function of a fragrance. I have found Naxos for winter celebrations Accento overdose for summer celebrations. Pomélo Paradis just for me when I wake up on weekend. 30 minutes of bliss. I thought that I found my work fragrance Bottega veneta illusione, which projects 8h on me, but my order half doesn't like it.
I am still searching for my signature work scent. Light clean that lasts 8h.
Thank you Igor. My wife also dislikes Illusione 😆
I love my Acqua di Parma Colognes regardless of the eaux the cologne concentration, sometimes I'm surprised to smell them after a full day of working in the outdoors
I 100% agree scent is the most important aspect . I appreciate your videos on different notes because I’m tired of the same scent profiles.
Another great video Justin! I used to let everyone else's "opinion" sway me from purchasing beautiful fragrances. Now I'm more about experiencing the true beauty and art of fragrance opposed to it being "Beast Mode". I feel fragrance is situational as you said I don't need a fragrance to last me 15 hours when I'm only going out for 5. I've missed out on so many great fragrances that way. I will bring along a decant with me if I feel I need it to last beyond the time I'm out. Great content Justin!
Thanks for sharing, Jason!
Justin bro your wisdom on the topic of fragrances and just perfumery in general on here is truly unmatched. I pray you continue to grow in knowledge and wisdom !!! Best content and it’s not a debate.
🙏🏾🙏🏾
I love your fragrances reviews as an avid collector myself I often come to your reviews though we have different tastes when it comes to scents I picked up or sampled a few based off your recommendations but what I love most is you’re always challenging the fragrance community and the way everyone thinks when it comes to fragrances and my thoughts on fragrances has evolved watching you.
Thank you so much 🙏🏾
I remember I asked you this exact question few days ago and now I got my answer. Great video.
😁
Understanding these concepts were very important during my fragrance journey.
I used to think sedley only lasted a few hours on my skin until a coworker asked my how do I get my fragrances to last so long 7.5 hours into my shift. It blew my mind because I thought it wore off around hour 4. My trick is to spray my inner elbows, and if I can smell the fragrance after bringing it close to my nose, it’s still active. You can tell how much it’s projecting by how close you have to put it to your nose. Pairing that with sprays behind each ear and one on the neck allows me to get slight whiffs so I can enjoy the scent without drowning my senses in it. Now I rarely go nose blind.
You got it!
I love lime. But citrus' disapear in minutes. Now the science houses have been making generic citrus' that last longer, but we expect citrus' to normally dwindle early. But with all that said, i buy the fragrance for me. And when its gone, i still value the experience.
You're always asking the interesting questions that no other reviewer out there seems to be asking Justin. I'm definitely here for it, and open to hearing what other collectors (with knowledge), such as myself, have to say on one of my favorite things in life. We humans, do NOT like change, and like to cling on to what's familiar, and this I know very well lol. And point number 3 is definitely SPOT ON. I feel like this is an issue I myself face consistently in my fragrance journey LOL. Moreso, the idea of olfactory fatigue with my fragrance that is. There comes a point where I no longer smell my fragrance sometimes, and will feel the need to re-spray or 're-up' on a few more sprays throughout the day. Unironically, my spray routine (depending on the fragrance ofcourse) consists of a spray on both crooks of my elbows, and one on the back of the neck. But honestly though, do you also experience olfactory fatigue at all? Or is your nose/spray routine so 'S-Tier' that you're able to smell yourself most of the day? Lol. I'd like to see what your take is on this Justin. Am I doing something wrong?
Haha! Thanks for sharing. I also experience it from time to time-I’m human like you! 😁
I think this was very well said. And yeah, for me, I PREFER when a fragrance is detectable for a work day, or even just a little less, so that when I get home, I can switch it up, or try some more of my bajillion samples. Freshies will almost always have a shorter lifespan, just by nature, and I'm okay with that. Especially when you would typically wear one: in the summer/high heat. Makes sense. Thanks Justin!
Thanks Sarah!
I understand where you’re coming from, and I mostly agree with you. I think the whole performance thing is about value for money. There are some fragrances where it just doesn’t seem worth the money because of how little you can get out of it (whether you’re spraying for yourself or for others). For example, I absolutely love the smell of Millesime Imperial, but it’s a tough sell to ask me to pay $400 for a bottle when it completely disappears after just an hour. It’s the same with other consumer goods too; I would be hesitant to buy a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes (for example) if I only expected them to last a few months.
lol thank you for this. I was looking at VIW but was afraid of what everyone said about it performance.
Get a sample!
Yep, 5mL otw!
Detect vs Last. Ill take this into account because even if i value the scent itself more than the performance, i still make the mistake of using longevity based on how well it lasts rather than my ability or effort to detect it. Thanks JC. I hope this video does great
Great video sir, I do agree that Olfactory fatigue does play a role in the performance of a fragrance. For example, I was wearing John Varvatos Vintage for most of my work day and I totally forgot I had it on until a lady gave me a compliment at the end of my day. It is so true other variables play a role in the performance of a fragrance, thank you for the insight, Professor Copeland.
Funny how it can happen that way. Thanks Rodney!
Great perspective! A wise man once said we are variables.
Great points there Justin. Perhaps two more things to add to the widely varied experiences that people have with their fragrances are:
1. where they store their fragrances. When you shelve your fragrance for longer than every 'normal' person should, especially in a place that is not decently cool and free of direct light/heat, then the smell would tend to drift downward slightly. I've noticed this.
2. where people source their fragrances. Fakes are all over the place and when you get your hands on a complete 'fart' of a fragrance which has been mirepresented as legit, then your experience won't be as everyone else's. I know this is probably an extreme situation in context of what this video is trying to pass across, but sometimes fragrances are not bad because they are but because people are bagging fragrances that are not legit! So always mind where you source your fragrances from guys!
IF I can throw an extra point in regarding the disparity of experiences that people get with fragrances, it would be on the matter of reformulations. Reformulations are killing fragrances and the community as a whole man. It's okay to reformulate but do those perfumers lose their ingredient journals, so much so they end up destroying newer formulations?
Creed Aventus as a good example, used to be AWE-SOME!!!! But the newer formulations leave me bewildered, and trust me it is not olfactory fatigue of the fragrance over the years - the quality just seems to have gone down. Hope this won't be seen as me bashing Creed, because I do love that house. Just got to give people their money's worth imho!
BE safe everyone !
Some good points 👌🏾
Huh??
I just want my fragrances to last for two weeks and project 24/7! BEASTMODE!!!!!
Lol great video Justin! This was great!
Loved this video! I totally agree with everything you talked about! As a person who reviews fragrances, I try to explain to people that longevity/performance is not king for me when it comes to a fragrance. I also understand that most people aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on fragrances that don’t get them “noticed”.
Hey Ayesha! I’ve been subbed to you for years. 👌🏾
I understand why people are concerned about that too. I’m only trying to encourage folks to shift their thinking a bit, and consider themselves in the equation.
I believe that there are certain products that were created to serve us…but when we literally fuse the product with our body, we become the product, and must consider that we play a part in its function. 😊
Mancera Red Tobacco is way too overwhelming. The leaky cap I have on it doesn’t help because every time I want to get a whiff, I get the fragrance all over my hands and it doesn’t wash away easily.
There are many fragrance reviewers I watch simply for fun, but you always have the voice of reason. Please don't take that to mean I don't find your videos fun to watch! I actually learn from you so you add an extra level of value, beyond the entertainment. Your channel will always remain on my sub list... Pinky promise! One request - can you give us one soon with you, Grace and Gabri? I miss those. 😊
Thank you Holly, that means a lot!
Grace will be retuning in tomorrow’s video! 😊
@@stayfreshproductions Yay!
This is brilliant. Olfactory fatigue is hugely overlooked. I know I’ve sold fragrances I’ve had in the past because I though it didn’t last. Ombré leather is a great example. After a couple weeks of wearing it almost everyday, I realized I could hardly smell it. Sold it because I thought it was a longevity issue. Tried it again months later from a decant I made myself before selling. Boy was I wrong. It lasts.
I think another piece of the puzzle is how frequently we wear fragrances. I think it’s easier to become nose blind if we wear certain scents more frequently and don’t give our nose a break from said scent. I wonder, does anyone else share this opinion?
You’re totally right-frequent exposure to the same stimulus can definitely result in a numbing of sorts!
Justin is one of the consistent top tier reviewers on the internet. Bar none his knowledge of so many brands can be a deciding factor on whether to consider a fragrance viable
Very well said. I knew people were tripping when they said Carlisle’s weak. The point about the TF fragrances was very good too.
If you want a strong Vetiver which is masterfully crafted and is not cloying - try Lorenzo Villoresi Vetiver.
I love to wear multiple scents in one day. So I dont shy away from short lived scents, no matter the price.
I love to respray diffetent scents (layering) during the day (TF OW and NP are a good combination done properly).
Only the scent counts.
I’ll have to try it. Thanks 🙏🏾
I enjoy having a wide range of performers. As you said it just changes its utility, not my enthusiasm for it. I use some of them as frequent weekend refreshers for wearing on errands or around the house so I don't have to carry a decant with me. Alternately scents with lower performance allow me to wear more fragrances that day if I don't want to layer them.
If the performance is so bad you can't smell it after an hour, and other's tell you they can't smell anything, there are cases where I have a right to complain. But 90% of the time I agree with you. And yes you should never choke up a room, but if someone comes into my space I want them to think I smell nice, especially on a date.
i’m not particularly interested in blasting my scent to everyone surrounding me, i only care if a few people that get near me notice. subtlety is a virtue often overlooked
You are so well spoken, it is a great joy to listen to you!
Oh thank you!
One of the aspects that I enjoy about your channel is your offerings on how to think about about fragrances. While you do reviews, you do not do daily "top ten lists, " which often consist of the same designer fragrances, or their flankers, with an occasional alternative thrown in. Following up on your point, I find it amusing when I see on Fragrantica someone complaining about the longevity of an eau de cologne or eau de toilette You can see this in some reviews for Acqua di Parma Colonia. Yes, it would be nice to see some of these fragrances last longer, but that is not how they were designed. Pieces like this one help explain to viewers what can be expected from their fragrances.
Thank you very much. 🙏🏾
I think I agree with you here. There are some amaziiiing fragrances with poor performance or that are not considered strong. Personally, I tend prefer more "subtle" fragrances. I wear parfum for myself and my experience and I'm often selfconscious about the fragrances I wear. I don't want to fill an entire room with my fragrance or to suffocate everyone close to me when I wear something like bois mysterieux by guerlain (have you tried it? Great spicy leather with cumin and other stuff going on). Even "strong fragrances" I own tend to be more subtle and less loud. Ganymede for example has incredible performance and projection with an amazing sillage. I still wouldn't call it "loud" and say it's subtle compared to some of the "beast mode" fragrances that everyone in the same building as you will notice.
That being said, I usually don't buy fragrances with poor performance for a few reasons. The weakest fragrances I own are probably un jardin sur le nil and concentre d'orange verte, both by hermes and even those last a few hours on my skin. One of the reasons is that I love to experience my fragrance throughout the day and smell it around me. Another one is that I usually can't reapply or don't want to carry it with me. Usually I'm at University all day and get back home in the late evening so I appreciate a fragrance with good performance that will keep me company all day. Even if it sits close to the skin.
All solid points as always, Justin. While I do desire more longevity on average with certain scents I can understand your perspective where depending on the utility of the scent of the day it can mean different things and what you'd choose. I'd agree 8 hours is a good range to shoot for with a reasonable projection is worth the purchase, but there's several out there who believe they need every fragrance in their collection, whether it's a $20 clone or a $1,000 luxury niche fragrance to have the best composition and be concentration Eau de Forever. Those people and those who go anosmic will happily go to Fragrantica and write scathing reviews and telling people it's a waste of time, but everyone should take those reviews with a thick grain of salt. Looking forward to another thought provoking video from you, J
Hahaha Eau de forever. Love that. I used that in a satire video a couple years ago. Thanks for your thoughts, I agree.
I don’t have a problem with fragrances which don’t perform well initially… upon release. My problem is with fragrances that once performed well, but due to some reason or another, no longer do. Especially when the prices continue to increase as performance and/or quality decreases.
This is the reason why I left the only frag-group on Facebook I was in, Justin. It was becomming all about performance, longest lasting and beastmode perfumes, beside the endless clone houses. I got one perfume in my collection I truly love, but after a few hours I personaly can't detect it anymore; Chanel Pour Monsieur. But do I get rid of it? Nope, I just re-apply or put on another perfume if I wear it in daytime. I mosly wear it in the evening, so it doesn't have to last that long either. Somehow this perfume calms me down and that's what I need the most at the end of a day.
I understand! There is always function for all types of strength.
Thank you Justin! Well…thank you for everything you do and have done for years. But this topic needed to be discussed and you hit the nail on the head with so many points.
Thank you 🙏🏾
Yeah bro I agree with you , I wouldn't tell anyone not to try a fragrance just because it doesn't perform well or last on me . Different body chemistry and what not.And I also can say from experience just because you don't smell the fragrance on yourself doesn't mean it doesn't last or can be detected. For an example, I wore my doir sauvage to work and after work we were clocking out .Well one of my coworkers said I smelt good, she could smell it on me but I didn't smell it anymore.
Tricky subject, good hygiene is the prerequisite, I agree it's about quality of fragrance first and yes I have Oud Wood also and love it. However, I don't really agree that a fragrance can't be too strong, I could be wrong here but you would simply apply less. The problem is fragrance prices rocketing and formulations being diluted meaning consumers are paying more for poorer performance! In general stronger is better in my opinion, however, there are instances when you want to be subtle and or a fragrance DNA doesn't or shouldn't be too strong to ensure balance befitting of a particular situation (work, date, enclosed spaces, outdoor parties etc). To summarise, stronger is better but not always and not for every situation or fragrance DNA so don't rule out frags with 4-6 hour lives which smell amazing 😊 Try half a spray of that Kuwaiti frag under your shirt in an outdoor only event and tell me if it works 😅
I don't believe most frag heads expect ultra performance from expensive brands, just quality & decent performance. I also think most connoisseurs of perfumery don't watch UA-cam, as it's mainly for newcomers & hobbyists, which is fine. Personally, I enjoy the interaction between newcomers & old timers like me (I just mistakenly looked in the mirror & my god, I'm an old timer). Anyway, it's always interesting to know what younger noses are looking for, too.
In the second yr of my fragrance journey, as time goes by for me this video becomes more relevant in my life. It was smell that got me into the game and smell that is going to keep me in the game, so long-lasting beast mode isn't always on my mind.
🙏🏾🙏🏾
Another amazing contribution to UA-cam fragrance content.Your insights are actually.... INSIGHTFUL! And you actually exercise CRITICAL THINKING. You are a standout thinker in a space swarmed with herd mentality, hype, and shilling. Thank you for giving me something to watch that actually makes me feel a bit smarter and more informed upon completion.
Wow, thank you!
Great video. I would like to echo what others have said. On more than a few occasions I will feel my fragrance has worn off only to get a compliment several hours after I thought the scent was gone
Great vid. I read on frgrantica once that someone sprays 14-18 sprays of red tobacco because they cant smell it after an hour. 😯. For me one spray is pa-lenty. So I agree with you, everybody is different, all our senses are different.
Also rest in peace to the people that were in the room that dude walked into. 😬.
14-18 sprays?! Blimey, it’s a surprise no one was killed... 😂
@@SirSillageSniffington seriously 😵🤢
🤢
Thank you!
I'm in the "work day" group. If you can get me through the workday, I consider that great. I don't really care about massive projection. Give me 8 hours in my personal bubble and we're good. And if it's a night out, 4-5 hours is good enough. I don't need to nor want to command a room. Scents like Polo Double Black and Luna Rossa Ocean are my favorites who's performance does frustrate me. Both smell way too good for them to not last as long as they do.
So true. I wore Explorer to work and after a few hours I couldn't smell anything. Then this lady said that I smelled nice.
I ignored the performance complainers about elysium. I'm glad I did. I got over 10 hours of performance that I myself could still detect when I stopped counting. I enjoyed ever minute of it. I love elysium now.
I would disagree to a degree. You have good points, but others value different things.
I value the scent first as well, but the longevity is a very close second. Silage is much farther down that list, but I appreciate it. I want to smell it even as a skin scent, way down the road. I like others to smell it as well, and most love the free smells.
I love beastmode scents. I go to work and am normally there from 10-12hrs a day, six days a week. I like to put on a frag that lasts the whole, or almost the whole time on me.
I could bring along more with me, but it is easier to get a heavy hitter that will do the job, just as you put it. When I get home I might put another one on that lasts 6-8hrs as it fits that role. I also feel you get your money’s worth with one you don’t have to reapply multiple times.
As such if there is a frag that smells incredible and lasts forever, I’m buying it!
I hear what you’re saying. This video was not intended to demean the value of performance in general. The focal point of this video is to be careful with using performance as an evaluative factor.
We often place all of the responsibility of a fragrance doing what it does on the fragrance itself. But a fragrance is not a product like a sofa, or a pizza. We literally meld it with our own body, which means we become the product, and therefore are the variable (that’s why people can report wildly differing experiences with the same fragrance). Our perception of a fragrance is as much on us as it is the fragrance.
See the pinned comment I wrote at the top of the section, which I believe explains this all more succinctly. 🙏🏾
@@stayfreshproductions I use the range on fragrantica as a good judge. I would never take one opinion, but a few thousand is a good sampling.
Even after that I want to test the fragrance because sometimes the fragrance likes your body type, sometimes it doesn’t.
But when it smells great and performs great, there’s no stopping me. If it smells great and has horrible performance, I don’t want to waste my money. There’s to many other frags I can buy that will fit the bill.
These videos have definitely made me take a step back and think a bit. I’ve been wearing fragrances since high school. I’ve had a few mini collections, nothing niche. However, recently as I got back into collecting, I’ve been falling into the habit of collecting clones for variety of scents and an affordable price. Because, they are affordable I have blind bought a lot of them and they all have not been a hit for me. So I have wasted money on fragrances that aren’t all that great to me, where that money could have been spent experiencing the real thing it’s cloning or a niche fragrance. Like u said in another video, maybe part 1, it’s probably better to just get a decant. Equality Fragrances has been touching on this as well.
Best fragrance reviewer hands down. Unbiased and your recommendations always work. Keep it up
Thank you
Nobody, I repeat Nobody does a show like yours, I have never been more informed by another show. Great Job 👍 always. Way to Stand Out in a Crowd
Thank you Kevin!
I think that showing off your scent for people to notice mixed with the insecurity as you say could be misconstrued. I’d like to show off my fragrance because they smell amazing. I wouldn’t choose too much of a strong or too annoying fragrance and I’m very picky. But to make a scent known for people to notice is to me confidence. Everyone has a different opinion on this. Great video 🙌! Thanks for diving into this.
Thank you 🙏🏾
Your take on reviewing fragrances is refreshing. Your voice is calming, your words are well considered. You have a new sub 😊.
Thank you Arne!
I am one of those who can't detect Elysium, tried several times on different occasions. But I can't smell it. That's why I never bought a full bottle. Just like you Justin I like fragrances for myself but I try to be aware not to overspray. Also like others have said, I too am putting the "how long does it last" lower on my list of requirements before buying a bottle. Still remains there because I think for example The One edp last on me like 5-10 min. Did ask others if they could notices it and they couldn't. Don't think it's worth it for me to have to respray the entire evening.
I totally understand. Skin chemistry also plays such a large role.
I am a person who like 12-14 hour scents because I work 12-14 hour days some times and like to have my fragrance last all day. But any thing after that is just to much.
TF Oud wood lasts 3-4h on me and I love it...similar with Roja Elysium.
You say is best...I wear frangances that I like and mostly in a occasion I will use it for....
I experienced this today =D I wore Stronger with you intensely today. After 6 hours i thought the scent was "dead" and didnt think about it that much more. 2 hours later a colleague wanted my help so went infront of him to show him. He was like "ah you wear stronger with you intensely today". When i leave for work and when i put on my scent of the day i have my normal cloths. I then change cloths at work, so alot of my scent are stuck in my other cloths, but still this could preform - So i learned even if i cant smell it, other can, and if i can smell it very well, others must be choking :P
Haha!
Thank you for your insightful ness & authenticity Justin. I appreciate your honesty, integrity, creativity, & expertise regarding the fragrances you choose to speak about ✨🙌🏾✨
I appreciate that!
I remember when ck2 first came out it was immediately dismissed by the fragrance community because the performance wasn’t great. But I personally loved how it smelled so I bought 100 mill and it is still one of my favorite fragrances to this day. It’s always been scent over everything for me.
I have a friend that will not buy a fragrance unless it last 12+ hours and I’m like man I don’t need all that performance I’m fine with the fragrance lasting five hours and either reapply or wear another fragrance for that evening.
I used to have CK2, a nice and fairly unique scent!
I can't agree with you more on this. This reminds me of a fragrance that I got a little while back. I bought a bottle of Abercrombie and Fitch "The Woods" because I used to wear it back in the day back in the late 90's and I was nostalgic for the scent. I bought a bottle of the re-release which came out, I think, in the late 2000's because I want going to spend $400 for a vintage bottle of the original. I got it in the mail, sprayed it and loved it. That being said, it only lasted about 1-2 hours. But you know what? I kinda like that it only lasts a couple hours. I can spray it to go to a store or run an errand. Then, when I'm going to do something else and might require a different scent, I'll spray that on. Everyone should have weak longevity fragrances in their collection, in my opinion.
As far as beast mode fragrances, once again, I totally agree. I just recently bought Tonka Cola by Mancera. I really like it but it simply lasts too long. It stays on my skin for like 14 hours. Which sucks because it would be perfect as an 8 hour fragrance. If they could find a way to make that fragrance lighter by taking it some of the heavier, and in my opinion unnecessary notes like patchouli, it would literally be a 10/10. Perhaps a Tonka Cola Cologne or Eau Fraiche. Cuz that cherry cola note is absolute 🔥. It just lasts too long right now as it stands and can get annoying. 8 hours is enough!
I agree! Having a varied collection is like having a variety of shirts for different occasions. Conspicuous consumption seems to get the best of people-if folks spend money on it, they want to be noticed for it. Ironically, that is always an empty pursuit with false fulfillment. Nothing can substitute being joyful with who you are and what you have, even if no one will see.
Love your content Justin! I appreciate the change from all the other stuff.
I appreciate that!
"INGREDIENTS BE VOLATILING, BRO" 😂🤣 Too funny, Mr Justin. Love how you inject some levity into your videos. Good stuff!
😁
I recently wore Opus XIV - Royal Tobacco by Amouage. 4 sprays and it just kept going. It was the first time i was choked out by a fragrance. Next time I wear it I might just do one spray on each shoulder.
You produce fantastic content. I’m a new subscriber and I find it very easy to listen to your voice (my attention span isn’t the best, so take this as a big compliment). I like your personality aswell, keep it up
Thank you!
Excellent video, I fully agree with what you say. What I say may be controversial due to it's mass hype but Black orchid made me feel ill, it felt so claustrophobic and heaven knows what those around me thought. (even with two small sprays) I do prefer a fragrance that settles close to me and only those stood close enough to me will get a gentle sense of it.
I notice that most perfume reviewers spray the neck line; back of the neck;
behind the ears; the chest area. What about under the arms? I use an underarm deodorant. What is your recommendation for underarm deodorants.
I would not spray my perfume under the arms for several reasons:
1. It has some of the most sensitive skin on your body, and I don't believe that alcohol is a great substance to spray there
2. If you do happen to sweat, because it is typically one of the smelliest areas on the body, it will cause you perfume to smell off
3. It will mix with the scent of your deordorant, which will defeat its presence
We have different body genes and so scents would not perform the same on everyone alike. Some perfumes smell nice but don't last long. If I like the scent , I'll buy for me not for compliments. Kudos for the sentiments.
Great video, Justin. I agree, the quest for beast mode gets tiring. I had Oud Al Layl once and had to scrub - it was nuclear. I own mostly clones and am happy with the 4-6 hours I get out of them.
On a side note, have you considered voice work? I think you'd be first class as an audiobook narrator 👍
Thank you Rhaeadr! I hear you.
And I’ve considered it!
I need to be able to smell my perfume on me at least 8 hours if I spray once on my hand. If not, it's garbage for me, not worth my time and money. Sometimes it depends on the perfume ingredients, unfortunately floral and aromatic scents last a long time on me and I smell it constantly (ex: La nuit de l'homme, ambergris showers). They are projecting like a beast on me and also they have a lot of sillage. They are not powerhouses by themselves, but I smell them on me for 8 hours which I like. Basically I love perfumes that don.t activate my nose fatigue like Aventus. You smell Aventus for 20 minutes, then you go numb. I wear a fragrance for me, not for everyone else.
Skin matters. I see lots of people saying creed fragrances don’t last long and on my skin it lasts at least 10 hours!
Yeah, on skin. Projection is horrible.
Agreed. D&G The One Edp lasts really well on my skin, my wife often complains that it’s “too strong” even though she is used to very strong scents... 🤔
Great video. Like I always say, not every fragrance is ment to be beast mode. Citrus fragrances are not ment to last long so have to wear it for the situation
Well said!
I personally wear perfume for myself, I tend to overspray a bit sometimes not to get better projection, but so I can smell it my self for longer. i'm the type of person that sprays once on my chest after showering before bed.
I've never tried any Tom Ford because I think the pricetag is ridiculous...
For me it comes down to the scent type. I wouldn’t hold a dark, sweet, spicy fragrance to the same standard as something bright and citrusy. It’s stuff like Herod and Oud Wood that I don’t want to shell out my money for.
I rock oud for greatness whole year round. High heat and ice cold. No performance issues and no longtevity issues. In summer i choke people out but I don't care I love the smell.
This is a good one JC!!! I have learned to never give to much Credence on anyone's experience on how long a fragrance last. I enjoy powerful fragrances and I enjoy soft close to the skin fragrances. Great information as always 👍🏾🙏🏽 God bless you and yours.
Thanks for watching! I hear you.
Also, my skin is so dry that no matter why I wear it doesn't last long. Maybe its because I don't drink enough water etc. I moisturize like a mofo and still my fragrances don't last long at least to my nose. I just gave up on performance and focus on how it smells. If I have to refresh which is always the case so be it
Great video! And I absolutely agree with everything you said. I bought Dior Sauvage EDT when it was released and never in my life I had more compliments from people, though I think it’s not a mind blowing perfume. Many years passed and I am now on a more niche and expensive side, which me brings me pleasure, but I rarely get a compliment. It’s just that sauvage had a good chemistry with my body i suppose.
Thanks Bitov! I understand. Sauvage is a very likable DNA. Although I’m sure some of your niche scents are also likable, I understand that fewer people would find them as understandable as Sauvage.
Great thoughts Justin... I'm in with you on every word you've spoken.
Cheers bro. 🤘
I appreciate that!
Thinking all aspects of a fragrance should be considered, smell , silage , and yes performance. Just because performance isn’t important to you doesn’t mean it’s not for the next guy,like it or not performance is an attribute that people care about , that’s why when fragrances are reviewed that topic is usually touched upon , just my 2 cents 👍🏻
I hear what you’re saying. But the point of this video is not whether or not performance matters. The point is that the performance of a fragrance is often affected by our imperfect perception, as well as our skin. We are the variable. So it can be fickle to use it as a strong evaluative factor.
If you read through the comments, you’ll see several folks saying that they’ve learned that certain fragrances start to disappear to them throughout the day, but then they’ll get compliments late in the day after they can no longer smell it.
Good stuff. Serious and funny. Back to some of the most intense debates in the frag comm.
Here is a deep philosophical ques: Why didn't olfactory fatigue happen when you sprayed Royal Vetiver on? Why is it specific to the fast disappearing Tom Fords or Calvin Kleins or some recent Amouage reformulations?
The claim that fatigue is a factor is fair but the nose recalibrates after 30-60 mins and becomes sensitive again to whatever scent you got fatigued from so you can tell if its lasting. Fatigue may be a factor in intensity. It doesn't satisfyingly explain the mystery of the disappearing frag where there is almost no trace. Or why there is a trace on clothes but not on skin. If you are not smelling the frag at all after 3 hours on your skin, and those around you are not smelling it (who were not glued to your side for the last 3 hours), its because its gone. Lets ease off the olfactory fatigue go to for a bit bec most people are not finding fatigue at issue with their beast mode frags. (Never had olfactory fatigue from Interlude. How come? Always smelled it after 8 hours.)
Seems like you are blessed with skin that has many weaker frags performing well. 🖖A superpower. Perhaps calibrate that special gift to the reviews for those of us not so blessed.
Dig the ethics advice. Deepest of the deep. 👌
Thank you for watching and I'm glad you dug it.
I don't have all the answers, because the matters of the human senses are extremely variable. In regards to Royal Vetiver, I never gave it a full wearing. I only sprayed it on a blotter that I left in a room which I did not spend the whole day in, and on my hand, which I spent only a few seconds smelling up close before I realized it was too much. I didn't need to bring it up close again because I was getting wafts all day. Nothing will ever satisfyingly explain the variability. 😆
There were many other cases in the comments of folks saying they wore a certain fragrance and couldn't smell it by the end of the day, yet still received compliments. So olfactory fatigue definitely plays a role.
Middle-Eastern perfumes are definitely for a different audience and environment. Take a desert perfume made to scream over a dozen other perfumes and then throw it into the tropics and you can get something horrifying. The longest lasting two fragrances I've smelled are also the most thoroughly obnoxious and it's hard to even scrub them off.
We also all make the mistake of assuming that other people can smell what we do in a fragrance but most people in this country are sensitive to any smells; we might smell lavender and tonka after wearing these things for years but it can smell like cleaning chemicals to someone that has never worn any fragrances. I've enjoyed going back to fragrances that I grew up smelling to find out how different they are as an adult. Hugo Boss used to be a formless chemical bomb that made me sick to my stomach but I try it now and think "hmm, mint and cedar."
For me 4/5 hours is perfectly OK but I want to have some sillage and I want to be able to smell it myself for that time and I'd like it if I can be smelled gently when someone enters my space say 1 or 2 feet projection I definitely don't want to fill a room but I do like a fragrance to be on the stronger side
Very good Video Justin! Keep up the good work
Thanks! Will do!
A Tom Ford fragrance thats only gonna last 4 hours? With all that price? Honestly its a big NO! For me.