Things I Don't Understand About the FragComm

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Hey, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day. I am doing just fine. It's another hot and humid day here in South Carolina. I am waiting on a few packages to come in though, So I will have some new stuff to review when I get around to testing them. I have a lot of stuff to review as it is. It's just hard to find time to properly test all of them, especially with social distancing. Oh well, I will get to them eventually.

Anyways, I just felt inspired to write this. Hardly any of these articles besides my reviews are planned out. I just get inspired and I write them. That is just how a writer's mind works, I guess. Inspiration is the main catalyst for many of my articles.

My inspiration for today was basically my own thoughts on so many things I don't understand in the fragrance community. I have been around here for 4 years, which might not be a long time to the OGs, but it's a decent amount of time.  Don't quote me on 4 years, that is just my best guess.

This article isn't about trashing any of these opinions or actions. Even though I do disagree with some of them, which I will state which ones I do disagree with. Your way is different than my way and that is okay. I will tell you my reasoning for all of them, of course.

I will stop blabbering now, you get the point. Let's get into it!


The Compliment Culture

Those of you who know me or read this blog knew this one would be here. I just don't understand why people go after compliments so aggressively. Forced compliments are weightless. When you spray a ton to try and force them, it just doesn't seem meaningful to me.

I am not saying compliments are bad, only that I don't see why people seek them out above everything else. Compliments do make you feel good, but are you addicted to that feeling? I am not saying that people who seek compliments have self-esteem issues, but I am just wondering if anyone has an explanation as to why they want them so vehemently other than, "They make me feel good". What is the point in being a fragrance enthusiast or collector if the fragrance themselves don't make you feel good? Why do you need someone else's justification to tell you it's good? Like what you like and enjoy life, ladies and gents. I learned a long time ago that the only person who can make me happy is myself.

I totally get that compliments are cool and it's nice to have someone say something nice to you. I am just saying not to rely on a fragrance as your sole source of happiness. Compliments are hyped up in these groups and they don't happen nearly as often as people claim, so don't beat yourself up about it and think there is something wrong with you if you don't get one. Compliments are much better when they are rare, in my opinion. That is all.

Again, I am not saying everyone isn't happy and that is why they seek compliments. I am just asking questions to make you think or at least to understand my thought process.


Beast Mode Culture

One of my pet peeves is when I post my SOTD and people reply "What is the performance?". It's very hard to judge performance now with social distancing being around. I get that some people want strong fragrances and that's fine. I just don't get this obsession with people wanting others to smell them. I don't know. It's strange to me. No one has ever walked up to me like Jeremy does in his videos and has asked me to smell them.

Value and quality are different things. You aren't going to find many natural fragrances that last as long as people want them to. There aren't many natural fragrances at all. If you cherish performance, then that is value, not quality. Quality to me is in the blend and the closer the notes are to natural. Value is getting my money's worth for a scent.

Not every fragrance is built to be a beast. A lot of fragrances are made to be soft and draw someone in. If you wear a beast mode fragrance like Ultra Male on a date, then sh doesn't need to get close to smell you. If you wear a softer scent like La Nuit de L'Homme then it draws her in closer to get a whiff.  Every fragrance has a use. Plus, sometimes I like being able to wear multiple fragrance per day depending on my mood.

Again, I am not trying to put anyone down or dismiss their personal views. I am only trying to state my thought process. What you wear and how strong your fragrance is doesn't concern me at all. I wear Happyland and Montale/Mancera too.


Panty Droppers

I truly do hate this word and I don't know why people use it, even as a figure of speech. It's borderline misogynistic, if not totally. You are basically telling the world that you don't respect women and your only goal with fragrances is to try to get "lucky". I know I will catch some heat for this, especially in particular groups, but I don't care.

It's akin to some primal mating call in the animal kingdom when a female is in heat and gives off a scent for males to come. That is what I imagine when guys say that. It's like one of those horrible college sex comedies that men took seriously and think is actual reality.

I know, you guys will call me a "white knight" or any other name you can think of to justify this, but in my mind, it's still wrong. I just don't understand the sexualization of fragrances. I get that the industry is built around that, but that doesn't mean we have to play into it. We are fragheads and we should know better.


Posting Videos of Jeremy Fragrance

I get it. Jeremy is a polarizing figure. He is like Kouros in his white suits. Some people love him, some hate him. I don't care for him, so I just don't watch his stuff or worry about what he does. It literally doesn't concern me at all.

I just don't see why people have to post videos of him every day doing something they disagree with. Just let the man live his life. He isn't doing anything to you. His path will lead him to where it leads. It's up to him to do the right thing and not us posting videos about him.


Bashing SOTDs

I see this all of the time. Someone posts a SOTD and people chime in that performance sucks or the fragrance is trash. If they enjoy the scent, let them enjoy it. Sometimes I politely disagree with what people post, but I never trash their tastes. Everyone has their own.

If you don't like it, then just scroll on by if you can't at least offer constructive criticism about it. There is no need to try and make someone feel bad for something they enjoy. It's not hurting you.


Elitism

People often trash people for cheapies. I then turn around see them post cheapies themselves. I get that fragrance is a luxury item, but I don't get why people think they are better than others because they can buy a Roja and the other guy can only afford a Guerlain. Both are great brands. I never dismiss a fragrance for its price alone. There are god fragrances at every price point.


Clout

This one is about the guys who take pictures with Rolexes and showing off their cars, but yet they are rocking Bleu de Chanel. I don't get it. It doesn't impact me and I just scroll on past 99% of these posts, but I still brought it up because I have never understood the concept of online clout and what it does to help you.

I have seen people buy fragrances just because they were expensive and they don't even know if they like them and they don't wear them. They just want to look like they have expensive tastes and can afford it. Maybe I am just old-fashioned.


How does this Smell?

This is for the people who post their collection and ask what the performance is on them or what people think of it. You have them there, why don't you tell us? Don't rely on others to tell you how something smells. Smell them yourself and make up your own mind. You spent money for it and it's up to you to decide if it was worth it, not us.


Which Bleu de Chanel is Better?

I see this almost every day. I don't want to be rude, but there is a search function on Facebook. You can use it to search for reviews of the fragrances that you are seeking advice on.

I never understood why people want to tell them what to think anyway. What is the point in having a fragrance collection based on someone else's tastes? That is like a businessman in a Zegna suit wearing some Jordans at the same time. Someone told you to wear the suit or the Jordans because they are good, but they might go against what you personally like. Both are great in their own rights, but they might not go together.

BdC EDP is my favorite of the three and I don't like the Parfum, so if I got the Parfum and wore it, then I would be wearing something else according to their tastes and not my own. It wouldn't be my style, just like Jordans aren't. I still realize Jordans are good though. They are just not for me.


He Said, She Said

Sometimes I wonder if people have actually smelled the fragrances they speak of or just a clone of it. People often follow the same things others say almost verbatim. For instance, someone said Naxos is a honeyed tobacco fragrance and people have went with that. However, Naxos is a honeyed tonka fragrance. The tonka comes off similar to tobacco, but the actual tobacco is earthy and is in the dry down. It's things like this that just make me wonder and I don't understand why things like this keep getting passed around. It goes back to trusting your own nose and not someone else's.


Conclusion

I can probably think of many more things, but I will stop it here to keep it from running too long. Again, for those of you who skim read, I am not saying all of these are totally wrong. I just don't understand them. This is my perspective and it's okay to have a different one. Diversity is great.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Stay safe and say kind words to people. You never know how much it will help them. Until next time, keep smelling great and being great people.

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