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6 Reasons Why Fragrance Clones Are Great...And Terrible.
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- čas přidán 14. 08. 2024
- In this video, I am attempting to take a balanced approach to the very controversial topic of fragrance clones.
Rather than simply present my opinions from one POV, I'm giving a platform to both sides of the argument by outlining 3 pros, 3 cons, and a counter-argument for each pro and con.
I do have my personal stance on clones, which is that I don't prefer them...but it is my duty as a fragrance reviewer to leave space for all perspectives, as long as they are respectful.
Keyword is 'respectful'. Let's keep it that way in the comment section. I look forward to discussing this with you down below.
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Scentual Obsessions:
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Here's my position.. directed manly towards Creed.. stop reformulating, decreasing quality and performance whilst price increasing... and I'll stop buying clones that preform much better, at a fraction of the cost, while only slightly compromising quality
Zara Vibrant Leather edp is a good example of it. This fragrance might perform even better than Creed Aventus after the last reformulation
@@JohnWayne-po9ij Yeah I'm not a brand loyalty guy... I just wanna smell good and enjoy what I'm wearing... there are niche fragrances out rhere that are worth the price tag... but I don't think Creed is one of those houses anymore
Well said!
Creed started to go downhill after they sold the company..
Totally agree. I try to be brand loyal and I try to believe in quality, but if the luxury brands don't care then I need to be wallet loyal. Give me quality and something that lasts even just 6 hours and I'm good. Barely two hours seems to be the benchmark for the top brands these days. I haven't bought any clones yet, but headed in that direction.
When I was new to fragrances, I used clones as a stepping stone to the actual fragrance. But I quickly discovered that I always enjoy the actual fragrance more and I was better off saving for the real thing.
This is happening to me as well and I am always wondering if that's just my own bias or the the fact that the original is objectively better than the clone.
@gazzapin Yeah totally get that.
This
100% agree!!!
In my opinion, owning the clones has led to me wanting the originals more. Often, if I like the profile at all, I will start to put thought into how to acquire the original.
That said, I am not paying 300 dollars for Ralph Lauren Romance when I can get a clone of it for 50. Discontinued perfumes are the use of clones.
I understand the discussion on both sides and can see it clearly. For me, I buy clones of the fragrances that I want but are not in a store or I can’t sample right away. I see it as a chance to discover a scent blindly and not waste a ton of money until I may be in an area where I can smell the original and May purchase it then. Good topic and video.
Yes. You spoke my mind.
Bro. I really appreciate this video and as a musician. I definitely understand the artistry aspect and that alone has me rethinking ever buying clones again. Thank you for being unapologetically transparent and teaching on this topic. I really enjoyed this video very well done and it's the reason why I watch your channel. Your elegant stance on fragrance and music is what I'm striving for myself. Again thank you
Thank you brother.
One more argument against clones that has always been decisive for me is a psychological one. Even if people around me couldn't tell, I would still know inside my mind that I'd be wearing a fake. Somehow it makes me feel not like a clever one, but rather a fake myself...
Totally agree, same for me
“You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your fucking khakis. You’re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.”
Tyler Durden
@@simious oh, that's for sure 😂
😂 you might need to look into self because you are not comfortable with self because you’re rather be over paid for something people don’t notice and all them copy off one another it’s not shoes or clothes or jewelry smh 🤦🏿♂️ silly thinking
I don’t look at clones as clones. I have never tried, intentionally smelled something that is more expensive than 50 usd. I don’t know, how these fragrances, that clones are based on smell. I just want to blindly buy something cheap, strong, long lasting and something that I may like according to the notes. I have 16 fragrances now, they all costed me 300 together, I assume like 5 or 6 of them are clones and I like all of them.
Mr. Copeland back with another one.
I have every intention of continuing this conversation in the near future, In fact I've considered this thought for a time now.
You laid the foundation my man. Will gladly add to it
Such a Capitalist thing to say Justin about instant gratification in this case! 😂.
Yes, of course there’s a real problem with that - But I don’t think it translates to this instance. The fact is, the majority of even designer fragrances are grossly over priced for what they are. These companies profit margins are insane. For the average joe, that makes these purchases not ‘something to save for’, but compared to a car payment, unobtainable.
I disagree that fragrance is any more an art than food - and in that instance, recombinations or copies of any of the ingredients is fair game. Will it match the Michelin star original? Unlikely. But the public will dictate what version they value or prefer or can afford anyway.
Saving for something massively over-valued is in most cases, a fools errand. Cheaper alternatives that match are better.
(I do appreciate there’s nuance here outside the confines of a youtube comment though hah)
Great info video and I enjoyed it and have a blessed day
I always value a reasoned discussion. I have some clones of my niche counterparts to allow me to prolong the lifespan of the niche fragrance ie I can choose when to use either given the situation. Some niche fragrances are also extremely expensive so I have sought out the clone instead and although not of the same quality they are often close enough to an untrained nose, particularlyin the air. Also if the niche fragrance suffers from poor performance you may find that the clone projects well and is longer lasting. I think its up to the niche sector to produce high quality and well performing fragrances to justify the price tag. Lastly, there will always be clone houses simply due to them being much more affordable.
I agree with you completely!
Ok so.. I can appreciate and respect your perspective! Heres my take: Most people out there want some thing that’s $50-$100 max and is just going to be an absolute gem. People want the luxury experience but, many people aren’t as fortunate. Personally, I believe that regardless of financial status everyone deserves to experience what you or I might experience but cant because of their economic status! Whether or not we agree, to be honest, doesn’t matter. People want what they want and it makes sense!! God has blessed me enough to be able to purchase some niche but unfortunately there are SOOO many people that aren’t able to do the same! There are people watching these videos that could never experience the utter joy you share with your viewers when sniffing the gold juice inside a 300$-800$ bottle! Their love for fragrances might be just as great too!! As much as I love and respect the niche and the artistic aspects. In my opinion, financially speaking, for MAJORITY of the people it’s a no-brainer! You are absolutely right it is absolutely not the same magic! It doesn’t give you the artistic experience intended for the original fragrance, but rather portrays a 2D image instead of the intended 3D. Despite the facts… I have to be honest, personally speaking, I would buy only my top absolute favorite niche bottles. There are so many amazing clones out.. and yes I totally get the plagiarism comment, however, my only reasoning for purchasing niche again would be my appreciation for it artistically, wanting to support it as a house, inspiring motivation for new creations and perhaps if im being totally honest something about the status of owning a bottle! One way or another I’d be lying if I said that the status aspect doesn’t make an impact! A portion of what makes niche brands is the luxury status! Just not a big factor for me. Thats the same causing factor that results in less fortunate people to never get the experience… the status factor!! So.. YES as much as i agree with you about all the cons… Thinking of it from another perspective the same could be said by those who can’t afford it and never will be able to afford it! Who knows maybe that cheaper clone might inspire them to dabble into niche territory!! Much love from your brother in the fragrance community and new in the youtube scene -Neeb (aromatixrrt)
Hi Neeb. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I totally agree with you--not everyone is in a position to afford luxuries like this. However, I believe that anyone can change their situation if they want to. We don't have to be locked into anything in life. Anyone has the capacity to get on their grind and pave a new path for themself. You've probably heard the saying: "Whether you believe you can, or you can't, you're right". I'm only saying this because I worked my way from having a 0 balance in my bank account not that long ago to being relatively comfortable today, of course by the grace of God. And I'm not special. Because of that, I believe anyone can do what I did.
,@@stayfreshproductions I can't argue with anything you've said all are valid points 100% & I absolutely respect the grind! I just know that there are and always will be SOO many out there, if not the majority of people, that don't really care to appreciate the niche of fragrances as much as say you or I and are okay with getting that Ariana cloud vs the real BR540 as long as they can get close enough! God is good may gold bless us all with health, wealth, and happiness!
I agree with both you and Justin .... Thank you both for sharing your thoughts on this
I can understand your point of view. I represent a hip hop artist. I understand when you create we have to be paid for it. When you don’t pay for it stifles new content and creations. We have to pay artists in every area of creations to maintain fairness and fostering additional new creations.
Very interesting video once more. You know, so called "intellectual property" is my favourite topic in economics because it deals with the exact same issues mentioned in this video. I just have to mention that the whole world is build upon "stolen" ideas, works, concepts etc. It is, as you said, a part of our world. Clothes, cars, food, medicines, computers are all someones "stolen" idea. Great video once again.
As a history major and a business major history is replete with companies and countries (China is obvious now but before them it was Japan and South Korea from the U.S. and Europe and before them the U.S. from Europe) copying, doing it cheaper and then improving the product; cars, steel, textiles, trains, watches, plumbing (i.e. the toilet), electronics etc.
Awesome and interesting bro. Good review.
Thank you bro.
Loving the direction of the channel bro. Definitely inspired me to start!
Appreciate ya
Thank you! Do it!
The issue with clones that I personally experienced is that when someone asks me what I’m wearing, I’ll tell them I’m wearing the authentic version of the clone I’m wearing and that sat very uncomfortable with me. I’d rather not lie and deceive my colleagues, friends, family etc. So morally for me it’s just better to stick with the original rather than to succumb to the pressure and almost temptation of lying to others..
Wonderful video bro !!! God bless 🙏🏽🤎
I can totally relate to this.
Thank you!
Just...tell them you're wearing a clone lol!
@@Itsunclegabby Hence lies the issue I mentioned with clones. A lot including myself in the past may not want to admit they’re wearing a dupe or something that’s not authentic. Which lies the temptation to be dishonest as I mentioned earlier
The quality of ingredients point. When I was a kid in Glasgow I bought a bottle of Jop from a famous Scottish market. That's right. One 'o'. They got the cough syrup colour spot on but man you could have peeled paint with the juice. Binned after one spray and had the rash checked by the doctor.
A clone of Joop?? The original is $14 for a tester. How cheap is THAT clone? 😂 Cheers!
@@earldeanturner😂 early 90s Earl. Joop Homme was essentially a pink aventus! 😂
@gazzapin Ha! They were so bad. Well my skin has appreciated the advance in cloning science. Although it still took me a while to trust Armaf!
I like like clones for saving money and for discontinued frags. Some clones have better performance, the manufacturer might not follow the ISPP or whatever it's called and use more potent ingrediants. Anyway, all of your arguments are definitely valid, but most people vote their pocketbooks unless they're REALLY passionate about an issue. Just sayin.
I can buy 10 clones for under $500. I can’t buy 10 of the originals for that. Sometimes one is near $500. Hence the clones for me.
I believe in quality over quantity.
@@stayfreshproductions I can appreciate that. I sampled two 1 mls of creed Aventus and wasn’t impressed to be honest. It was weak and lasted less then 2 hours if that. I can get more mileage out of Explorer and CDNIM and they are close.
Hello Justin, how are you? I'm digging the video! Great job on really putting it out there! I love the Artist in you and the common sense. Thank you for what you do. Stay safe brother
It's a bit different if I was to make this video as a person in finance vs. you as an actual artist, because there's more meat to the bone here. Love all the unique stuff I've been seeing from you, Justin - stirring the pot helps you stand out a ton from the rest of these... oompa loompas.
Objectively speaking, I find myself on an absolute extreme - not only do I not buy clones, but I also refuse to buy from unofficial resellers. I either buy directly from the brand or authorized resellers, basically parties who charge me the full amount that the scent goes for. And I find myself on a harsh extreme on the clones too. For example, I don't even have anything from a niche house like Ormonde Jayne because when they released Xandria, it was such a blatant knockoff of Xerjoff's Alexandria II (which I wear as a signature) that it ticked me off the wrong way.
As it relates to the positives, I think the price discrepancy between dupes/clones and discount sellers isn't significant enough for people to skip the original in some cases. If you want a clone, you're genuinely better off buying Mancera or Montale which from discounters go for $70-100 a pop. You can also get into premium tier niche like Amouage for "just" $160 from some of these places. The only point where the price argument makes sense (to me) is if it's a very specific scent with few similar alternatives and it's not being offered by discounters.
A potential 4th pro is that a clone could improve on the original formulation, I guess using the word clone very loosely here. A lot of clones aim to replicate, but some aim to improve as well. Think Aventus vs. Hacivat vs. Cedrat Boise vs. Morning Chess vs. Musc Imperial etc. Objectively speaking, Hacivat went a different way and so did Cedrat Boise. Morning Chess more-so went at CDNIM than it did Aventus, and Musc Imperial just offers the same profile on a watered down take.
Really appreciate your thoughts.
As usual, informative, intelligent and thought provoking topic my friend.
For me, it is "whatever" at this point. Clones do not interest me and they are not something that I feel like pursuing.
I tried a couple and was never super impressed. As I stopped collecting more and more I felt even less impulse to buy any of them.
I did find the Parfums Vintage PV intense decent enough on its own but not a replacement for Aventus. Even my 2020 batch is such a pale version of my 2017 which is so rich, deep and almost 3 dimensional in smell.
More so than the sheer copying of the fragrance, some of these companies deserve the rebuke for how they conduct and advertise themselves.
The PV people are truly some of the worst human beings I have ever encountered in this industry. Rude, arrogant and downright nasty. I would never spend a red cent with them again. Even Daver despises them and for good reason. There use to be entire Reddit groups dedicated to how awful they treat customers. Plus they are grossly overprice (my opinion as cost is subjective) and continue to try and create hysteria over the nonsense Aventus batch phenomena. Huge huge thumbs down to them.
The DUA owner gave a candid interview to MrSmelly and actually had the audacity to say they use the same exact high quality ingredients as the major houses. WHAT? Some of the vats of things like Iris absolute at Guerlain can cost thousands of dollars a kilograms but DUA uses the same thing? Ambergris costs more than gold (something like 70-100K per Kg) but they all use the same thing? This disingenuous false assertions can also contribute to their lack of believability.
Lastly, when it comes to the discontinued and reformulated fragrance replication. I have one questions. How are they recreating, in identical form, fragrances which have had to be reformulated or shelved due to IRFA labeling certain ingredients unusable and no longer compliant? Things like the Oak Moss in the 80's powerhouses etc cannot be used like before to pass compliance but they are somehow replicating them to a t?
Fairly, some companies simply water stuff now and it is understandable to give them the same rebuke. I would relish the opportunity to go back in time and buy bottles of Tommy from 1995 and the OG Platinum Egoiste. Even old spice from the 80's! But those days are gone and unless I come across some warlock bespoke fragrance maker, I have to settle for what is.
Thanks for reading my tome 😆
Thank you so much for watching and sharing your thoughts.
In regards to the IFRA thing, I don't believe it is as all-encompassing as many make it to be. From my understanding, their regulations only truly apply to brands who sell their products in retail stores. So indie perfumers who create their fragrances in their garage and sell them on Etsy don't have to abide by them. I know several very small brands that are still using these outlawed materials.
I appreciate and consume many clones, mainly Montagne and Alexandria. If they can reproduce a fragrance at such a discount, that tells us how much the niche houses are gouging the consumer.And oftentimes, the clones are longer lasting!
This is a great topic. As a fellow artist myself (visual artist), I actually don't mind clones at least in certain instances. Some fragrances I only want the original, some instances I own both the original and a clone (Aventus, Beach Hut Man), and some instances I prefer the clones. In the instances where I chose the clone over the original, I usually at least own/owned a sample or decant of the original and went with the clone, sometimes due to price but most times due to performance. I've worn and love Kilian Black Phantom but Alexandria's clone of it performs better on my skin. Same with Aventus Cologne which has horrible performance on my skin (was gone after literally 30 minutes) but my Dua clone performs better. Then there's those instances where I purchased a clone because the original was discontinued (Creed Green Valley and Tom Ford Plum Japonais are 2 good examples). So in my opinion, clones definitely have their place in the community for many.
I hear what you're sayin.
Great points, man. I don't really have much to say on this topic that you already didn't cover. But my main thing, over my time of being in this industry and trying fragrances from all over with originals, clones, inspirations, etc., one thing that I've noticed is that for clones, the strength and accuracy of them can wildly vary based on who (or what) is making the fragrances...and if there is one thing that some clones simply cannot beat, mostly, is time. I had a few Alexandria fragrances, for example, and they went very strong for about a good 2-3 years, I'd say, but over time (especially near the end), they got weaker in performance and lost a lot of the fresher top notes or major profiles that they were once kings of and in the end, I mostly had to get rid of a lot of my Alexandria frags. I stored them properly in dresser drawers, away from light and major temperature fluctuations, and they still turned out like that. Meanwhile, I had (and still have) a 3-year-bottle of Halloween Man -- the inspiration frag that is like Paco Rabanne's One Million / Carolina Herrera's 212 VIP Men -- and that sucker is STILL going strong just like it was the first day I sprayed it. So quickly manufactured processes with ingredients, reverse engineering, and machines can potentially cut the length of performance of certain fragrances, based on how they are processed and stored. Nothing can really beat time, unless the base fragrance has been engineered in an effective way -- which is why some people own fragrances that are like 20+ years old and they still smell great with a few beginning issues on the opening perhaps.
Some really great points bro--I agree!
Love clones of discontinued fragrances. Never smelled Rive Gauche but River Fougre is fantastic! I Wear it mostly to church. As an artist yourself I can see how the plagiarism thing might feel personal. It’s damn hard to express something from the soul only to cast your pearls. Thanks for the perspective.
I wear what I want, like and pay for. I have both clones and designer. I don’t feel having one or the other makes me morally right or wrong. I don’t care if someone is mad because they paid more than I did to have the same thing. Which IMO is the only thing people are mad about because they value exclusivity.
Exactly.
Flankers are also in that grey area.
More power to you J. I can only speak for myself, but my lack of preference for clones is not rooted in people buying them while I'm buying the originals. Maybe there are some folks out there who live that way. Personally, as I said in the video, it's the artistry for me. I always respect the original art first. I'm sure there are many folks who feel that way too.
@@stayfreshproductions
Absolutely. No disrespect at all. To each their own.
You're one of the more honest reviewers out there
Thank you Stefan
Oohh, I need to get my nose on L'ombre Des Merveilles. I've seen it countless times on various websites and am always intrigued by its gorgeous bottle, but have never heard anyone talk about it. Sounds right up my alley.
Man, I feel u on all points made in this video. I can't say I agree with u on everything (and that's okay), but u were on the mark on all of ur counterpoints
As reported in Forbes, 7 out of 10 Americans are living paycheck to paycheck in 2022. So, when I see a Roja, Creed, or PDM review...I know that it is fundamentally status signaling (and I only look for the best clone). To compare that to copyright argumentation around musicians is getting it twisted. I was an agent for a large roster of DJs during the peak of music file sharing. The musicians would make the point you're making around regarding IP. I would counter with, "you're not Michael Jackson...if your 25,000 album sales EP is downloaded 500,000 times...you should be grateful for the exposure". Especially with niche, the exposure from being cloned is a gift. 1000x more bottles of CDNIM have been sold than 10 years of Aventus sales combined. Maybe, a few of those frag heads went on to join the privileged class and invested in an original product. It's win-win, as the poors smell good AND the privileged class gets to chuckle that they would never stoop to a clone while smelling 5%-10% better. Obviously me preaching class solidarity and also owning a ST Dupont lighter, Omega automatic watch, and WPI 32-42 Panama Hat is hypocritical...but everyone is a hypocrite. And that's ok. My 30 bottle collection is currently 2/3 clones...a perfect balance IMO.
I don't totally agree with you...but I appreciate you sharing respectfully.
I wear the F out of Aromatic Ginger. I have L’Immensite…gives me that frickin’ dead fish smell. So, $280 vs $39 and the clone smells AMAZING on me…no brainer.
So, yes.. This is a controversial subject.. And I can honestly say I agree with your points, both for and against clones. One thing is for sure, clones are here to stay, for better or for worse.. The two or three the clones I own have either made me buy the originals or have put the originals on my buy list.
I do have some clones and Imbue is one that I really enjoy. However, decants are the way to go for me because I always tend to enjoy original fragrance more. Only exception i can think of is I actually prefer Rasasi LaYuqawam over Tuscan Leather.
Hi Justin, I usually avoid clones and any perfume that is not made by a well known house. I think perfumery is 80% art if not more, any attempt to undermine that is a form of plagiarism which I really disrespect, especially when they claim it to be theirs. However, there are a number of discontinued fragrances that are just a shame to see go. So if there is a cloner who can offer them at reasonable prices, I say why not? My personal list is (Gucci: Nobile, Envy, Pour Homme I & II, Guilty Absolute. Van Cleef & Arpel: Pour Homme. Claude Montana: Parfum d' Homme. Tom Ford: Bois Marocain. Nina Ricci: Ricci Club EDT, Ricci Club Concentre, Memoire D'Homme). Others are still there but have been altered or watered down ( Givenchy's Xeryus Rouge for one). Another reason is the price. Rojas and Clive Christian perfumes for example are extremely high quality but just too expensive. So again, if there is a good cloner who can offer a close experience for a fraction of the price then I'm willing to try it. Its like buying a good print or even a good hand painted imitation of a Renoir or a Dali. The buyer and he seller both know what they are doing. There is a fairly new clone perfumer here in Dubai called Parfum AE that I think worth checking. The first thing I'm smelling there is their clone of SCANDAL and FF to see how good they claim to be.
I personally love both. I find that some clones work better for me than some of the originals. I prefer some originals and some clones. Great topic Justin.
I agree 💯💯 %% you are right and I have a sample of the L' envol de Cartier 👍🏾 and I also purchased a bottle of the Pasha de Cartier Parfum 👍🏾 I seen your video on that fragrance and you were right again 😂 both are very nice fragrances and not overly pricey 💰💰 if you want the good stuff your going to pay💰💰💰 and there is no other way around it. Just save your coins and buy the real stuff if you can because the quality in some cases is unmatched.
Also it's worth noting that Imbue is what brought me here to your channel for the exact reason you listed. Who is paying $450 for something that was selling for under $100 for the BIG bottle before it was discontinued. Not I lol. So it led me to your channel and I've been here ever since :-)
At the end of the day, people should buy what they enjoy. “Clone” or not, sometimes fragrances just smell similar. And each individual must weigh the cost/benefit of the purchase with their competing financial priorities. This is the case with all purchases-watches, cars, or even simple bread options (store brand vs Gucci bread 😂). However, all of your points are absolutely valid. I enjoy your videos! Preach on, Mr Copeland! 👍😎👍
Thanks Earl!
I love to hear your thoughts. You are a very smart man and I am happy to be part of your community.
The problem with fragrances is that you can't get a patent on a scent profile. So basically everyone could copy it and sell it with cheaper ingredients, which is very problematic for the person who invented the profile.
Edit: I also have to mention that some fragrances are way too overpriced.
You're right--you can't trademark a scent profile. And for that reason, I will always support the original first.
Thank you Michael!
One thing I didn’t hear you mention was how a clone will ramp up the performance of y he original
I mentioned that the one thing I value about clones is that they can remedy reformulation and discontinuation. Performance can be implied by reformulation.
@@stayfreshproductions ok, for sure for sure
Great take on the controversial topic - you handled it like a beast. I think you can make more videos like this, more focused on different aspects of this hobby, because you're trying to be objective which helps in working out your own opinion. For me it's simple - smell/performance/price ratio is most important.
I'm a sucker for fancy stuff and in any other conditions (f.e. clothing, or any other gear) I'm always into originals, because I believe in quality.
In terms of fragrances - I owned some niches but unfortunately sold most of them due to performance issues, but I'm still willing to safe up for different ones. Nevertheless when I will find something that really got me I probably won't hesitate to get it if it's fraction of the price of the OG.
My only "clone" in collection is Afnan Supremacy Not Only Intense which I liked and didn't know it's similar to Hacivat - now I will get the decant to compare them both.
I absolutely get the point where you talk about "magic" you can find only in OGs and also I agree with you on many levels.
Great tips and valuable points of view I can relate to - thank you!
I truly appreciate and celebrate how you handle your channel. You are doing your own thing and it is wonderful to see 💚🙌🏿
Thank you so much!
Justin, thank you for your perspective and willingness to discuss two different opinions. I personally take a middle ground on clones. I wish to support artistry, but that support ends when respect for the consumer is damaged by corporate greed. Some brands maintain consistent quality, and I feel they are worth supporting. Others, not so much. That is probably why I find myself attracted more to indie perfume houses. It usually supports smaller artists who generally take pride in their product.
Also I hope clones will bring back DKNY Unleaded as I have yet to find anything close that frag. My favorite old school scent.
Long Lost Perfumes used to carry that one!
I think Rush of Unicorns Intense smells better than Millesime Imperial and it lasts much much longer.
Milestone is nice but not nearly as good as the Creed or ROUI.
I've been enjoying fragrances since I was about 7yos (33 now). unfortunately, at that age all I could afford was roll on dupes of designer frags. So for me, I don't chase clones but I do own them. Mostly Alexandria, dua and PV. I respect ppl from every angle in this discussion. Most can't or don't want to cough up the dough for an expensive Niche frag. However I don't believe u should buy dupes of accessible frags unless reformulated or discontinued. I'm fortunate enough to have some discontinued frags you Justin name. Gucci II, TF extreme man ect... I don't resale that's my take on respect the artistry of frags.
Hey Justin..... Absolutely loving Your Fresh takes..... This video was excellent 👏 !!!! Tying it into music was Genius !!!! As a Lifelong KISS fan .... in 82' Their guitarist quit.... and all the other guitarist copied Ace ( there original guitarist ...they've had 6 including Ace )...... Great Music.... Yet not Ace.... So I see what You mean about plagiarism..... yet, I've Seen them live 3 times.... not once with Ace.... what I'm trying to say is sometimes A Person just Likes what a person likes..... whether it's a copy or it's " damn close"..... But .... For the Record.... Your My "Ace" when it comes to thought provoking Videos..... Please keep this rolling Justin 👍👍👍
Thank you Jerry!
My take on a clone and the reason I buy them from a certain house. Is to find out whether I want to spend money on the more expensive fragrance houses. Kind of like a tester bottle.
I have a moral objection to clones and to the people who buy them. The only time I think clones are acceptable is when something has been discontinued or reformulated.
I also like when a difficult note gets smoothed out. I can appreciate the artistry in many fragrances but I don’t want a heavy coffee or chocolate note. I’d rather have the clone!
i dont mind clones, or clone houses personally, sometimes the main house might have a price point i dont agree and the clone house has a similar frag profile, or an even enjoyable one... i.e. i like some of Parfum Vintage's clones better than Creeds, one of their pineapple extreme i think the X-Batch specifically is my preference...
Flip side of it for me, is some of the Clone Houses can get a bit too experimental and oversaturated, Dua, i had no issues with in regards to purchase or performance, but the different aventus (Dua's Poseidon Series) variants can be overkill...
I agree with you about the hybrids.
It seems fair that the development of a scent merits an artistic license. In very much the same manner as a song writer has the rights to his creations, a novel writer has a copyright, I think a scent developer should have this privilege as well. So, even for a discontinued fragrance, a license fee to use the creation is appropriate. Maybe scent creation rights should have an expiry date, just like music and medicine, but why would a 99.8% correct clone be okay for a perfume, and not for sneakers?
Because scent/ perfumes is derived from nature you cannot take a scent as an intellectual property for yourself. Sneakers are entirely human creation and idea. Perfume houses have intellectual property right to the formulations of their scent but as we know you can pretty much replicate a scent without the same formulation.
@@osazeecorner9154 I never encountered a Tulip with a Terre d'Hermes scent... Why is a perfume not an entirely human creation and idea?And regarding replicating without the same formulation: sure, some sort of a body needs to oversee this, and you can draw up a vast body of problems, yet I like to think in reasonable possibilities when talking about a reproduction right for a scent profile.
@@gerardzonjee a perfume is totally a human creation a scent is not. trying to copyright a smell is like trying to copyright a sound. its nigh on impossible to copyright a scent profile as you said there will be lots of murkiness. we've not even delved into how we as humans can perceive the same scent differently, so how do you account for that? to try to copyright scent is believing we can also copyright taste (ask coca cola why they havent sued dr pepper and all its other derivatives). the brand the formulation and to a degree the ingredients in a perfume can be copyright protected but the scent which is the main discussion here is no more the total creation of human mind as is the sound of a grand piano
It's a tough one for sure 🤔. I used to think if all fragrance was free, there would be no market for clones/inspirations but that's not strictly true. Longevity, projection and sillage would also come into play thereby creating a market for clones again with better performance.
The other thing is that each individual nose is different. Some people develop a skill of identifying notes to a certain degree, some people always had that skill and some people never will. My nose hasn't picked up on a ton of notes that fragrance reviewers have and my nose functions perfectly fine. Many times I've applied the fragrance while watching a review or two and I think to myself "I can't pick up half of these notes being described 😂" My circumstances mean that I have to budget so I use trusted reviewers like yourself to make reviews so I can purchase the the original fragrances where I can afford to and I use trusted reviewers that review clones too. So when they say its 95% similar and their "skilled" nose cannot tell the difference, I am overjoyed.
Just bought L'immensite and Ombre Nomad yesterday. Great fragrances.
Buy what gives u the biggest smile. If that entails spending $200 on a pdm or amouage frag, so be it. If that comes with $40 put down on an Alexandria clone , so be it too.
Either one will last forever. The immediate $200 lost on a niche frag might seem like it sucks, but it'll all wash out in the end. And if a clone is as good as the one it's cloning, all the better on your wallet .
As someone about 2 months in to my fragrance journey, I'm at the point where I try to understand my nose break down notes and the personality that it creates when I smell the fragrance. So I thought clones especially the ones that are really close could be an affordable way to do that.
Well you can buy the clone to do that or simply buy a decanted sample. I had Dua matrix a decent clone of Xerjoff Nio and when I ran out I got the real deal. Now my collection is so large that if I buy a 10 ml sample of something that I actually have it for at least a season or two
I think you are better training your nose with samples of great fragrances. You might get yourself a little fragrance library of essential oils too.
@@catherinelynnfraser2001 I love my 10 ml decants. I get to try new things and I also and have enough to keep in rotation through a season plus if I have a bottle i can refill the decant.
Honestly I do agree with you guys I actually ordered a decant of Amouge reflection man which I received yesterday and it blew my mind and nose I was able to really detect the quality better with it being the actually fragrance. I retract alot of my thought process with my first comment hehe!!
Clones are not on my radar and I have nothing congratulatory or positive to say about them, nor the people who manufacture and buy them. This is the shortest comment I've ever left online. :D
haha! I read you loud and clear.
I started my collection purely with clones. One of them was CDNIM and I was finally able to save up for a bottle of Aventus. I tell you man the real deal smells so much better. You can get close, but thats it. You lack the craftsmanship and the ingredients that the real thing was made upon. CDNIM lacked the nuances that Aventus has. Justin explained it pretty well. From that point on I made the effort to save for the real bottles. Another point is also self-satisfaction. I feel some type of way wearing clones rather than the real ones. It just does not feel right to me. That is my take on clones.
Note: Creed Aventus is a beast on me. 5hrs and it still radiates off my skin at least 1 meter. It lasts 8-10hrs minimum. I go nose blind on it but I have receive so many people telling me it is strong.
Well said. for most of the time, clone dont have the depth, complexity, and all of the stage from the original. It is like watching Godfather movie wannabe that have shitty actor, bad plot and bad writing. Maybe can remind you to the original yes, but not giving you the same satisfaction.
I know a guy who works for Givaudan ( they make a lot of fragrances, several niche included). Once a year, they can place an order for 10 100ml fragrances and they can buy anything from Tom Ford to Guerlain exclusives or Marc Antoine Barrois. Each 100ml bottle COSTS 3 DOLLARS. Yes, 3 dollars. That's how overpriced expensive fragrances are. Whole industry is a joke, cheap arabian houses make excellent fragrances with nuclear performance and beautiful presentation for a price of a meal, and houses like Creed charge 400 dollars for their diluted fragrances in cheap bottles. Whole thing is a mind game, the exclusivity of expensive niche fragrances is just an illusion. They are mostly cheap and synthetic mass marketed products, just as the cheap ones.
This comment has truly blown me away. 3 dollar for those high end brands? Wow!
@@WSF176 Last time he brought home 10 fragrances, including 3 bottles of ganymede, 2 ombré leathers, 1 Guerlain Angelique noire, and some designers. Only difference is that they come in a simple bottle right from the factory.
@@bkorodi1797 what a great friend to have!
Very interesting. It is no secret that mark-ups in perfumery are...laughable.
Great video brother. Clones are not for everyone and also not everyone can afford a Lamborghini. Point is, a lot of people will only wear the original BUT don’t mind buying an off brand cereal, headache medicine or any off brand. There are clones of everything out there that people don’t realize they are buying. In the end, to each their own, buy a clone or buy an original, whatever fits your demand and budget. 👍
Well-said bro. Thank you.
My first Creed, I purchased a couple weeks ago. It was Milliseme Imperial.. it projects for about 40 minutes and turns into a skin scent for 2 hours. Creed should be ashamed of themselves for selling stuff like this, I am glad they are being cloned personally. They just made me feel like I wasted hundreds of dollars, so I’m not too sympathetic towards them. 😂
I always learn something new about the fragrance world from you, great analysis.
Thank you.
I think you've raised valid points. At the end of the day designer brands cost as much as they do because of the research, branding and positioning that goes into the product. It's either you can afford it or you can't. Very few clones are almost as good as the real thing.
You can't help but sound like what you grew up listening to.
For drummers, how couldn't you help but be influenced by the Bo Didley or the Purdie Shuffle.
Jeff Porcaro, the drummer for Toto, even said he used both in his work on Rossana.
Jimi Hendrix had a major impact on Stevie Ray Vaughn, and the list goes on.
That said though, these artists may have been shaped, but they molded it into something new.
There are only so many notes, but who they are creates something and inspires future players to hopefully do the same.
I believe when you are on stage and performing, or have your work in an art exhibit,
you are exposing yourself, you're letting people see inside who you are, and thus you are taking that risk.
For clones in the perfume world, what chance have they taken
If you do this in music, you can be sued.
The flip side is, as you and many others have stated, is the price of many of the designer's private or higher-end
lines are ridiculous, so they themselves have opened the door for the clones to profit,
especially with some of the reformulations. You can't blame people for looking to another source.
As for the discontinued, well except for the unicorns, I've found a good number of the originals for better
deals than what the clones are offering.
Great topic and well discussed Justin.
Actually for the Gucci pour homme II, just get "Anae Mori for him" for even a lot cheaper. It resembles a lot to that discontinued Gucci.
I love the clones I have. I have Herod, Layton Profumo, Sauvage, Bad Boy, Gucci Guilty, Tobacco Vanille, L’Homme Ideal, etc.. clones and most of them have been good enough to convince me to save and buy the real thing. Some of these companies must understand that some of their fragrances cannot be afforded by many. If the clone is impressive, I will consider the real thing. If I happen to read on multiple unrelated outlets that the real thing doesn’t perform as well, sorry, but you’re not getting my money. The other side is that many are discontinued. A really good example is YSL’s Bleu Electrique, which Dua Brand makes an excellent clone of. I have 2 bottles of it bc I know YSL more than likely with never make that again. This is just how I feel about it all. It is what it is.
Good afternoon, thanks for the video. IMHO in this date and age we are living with so much media and so many different opinions and so much hate many of us tend to get confused.
If clones works for you then be happy and buy them, enjoy them. Also, some of these clones houses are doing a great job and they deserve applause 👏.
Completely agreeing with clones bringing back discontinued fragrances. Yet, imho hard pass to pay more than let´s say $60 / €60 for 100 ml of any clone.
I live in the middle of nowhere it's extremely hard for me to get my nose on something. Most the time decants don't give me enough time with a fragrance or are easily forgotten with all my full sized bottles staring me in the face lol. I tend to give something 4 or more wearings 1. To work 2. Going out 3. Around the house 4. Running errands. Availability can also be an issue most of us still go to discounters to find our fragrances so if we don't buy leading up to the season we might miss out till next year. Buying clones has lead to several full bottle purchases such as jazz club, Layton, ysl y (edp, eua fraiche, le parfum) and several from the dior homme line
I understand!
My view on it... and I own about 5 or 6 clones, is that many of the real frags don't last that long. I can't see myself paying 200 + for a Creed scent that last maybe 4 hours when I can spend 30 and have it last almost 12.
Yes to clones! Competition is good for the consumer. Many bottles I want are 500+$ ( thinking bodicea the victorious) but the actual cost of the product is a few dollars...
If youre purely into fragrances for the scents then the source wouldnt matter, the truth of the matter and the real reason you will discard clones is either a conscious or subconscious bias people have towards branding. People want the brand, it makes them feel good about themselves even if you arent consciously aware. If you swapped the juice in a clone bottle with the juice its original bottle and you weren't told, you will still go for the original cause of that innate bias.
Branding can be a real reason...but that can't be blindly blanketed across everyone's experience. As I mentioned, the original creation is important to me because I respect the artist who made it. Doesn't matter what brand they made it for.
@@stayfreshproductions @Justin Copeland That is true, its a multi faceted subject and many variables come into play. big ups for broaching the subject its one ive in my head debated
Everybody has the right to smell expensive, even if it's from a very good, and cheap, clone.
In art school, would-be painters, musician (composers), are taught to copy the work of the masters. Few would become masters themselves, but, for most, they'll spend their whole live providing products that's affordable for the masses.
Everybody has the right to be able to smell however they like. A great example, and one that seals the deal IMO for clone's case is price point. As Justin here have pointed out on that particular Gucci discontinued perfume. Some are just way too expensive. If you have the money, then, it's your money. Spend it however you like. But even among the "maharajas", I'm sure some won't pay crazy money just for liquids that would evaporate just like that.. whose beauty would quite literally be perceived differently from one olfactory ability to the other. Heck, even our own skin chemistry is different in various points of our body. How can we even tell how it should smell like?
It's an art. Yes. But if you really dig the Monalisa, and you'd like to have it hanged in your room, or even your kitchen(!), and you don't want to break the law and make interpol go looking for you, then pay a great artist and have them copy it for you.
Why not? Seriously, why not?
So, Justin. I'm waiting for a DUA review from you. I really enjoy your review and it would be nice to see you review one of theirs. Cheers from 🇮🇩 !
I agree with all of your points. Personally I like clones because it allows me to get 95 percent close to the original and allows me to easily afford it. That being said I also want to add another pro you did not point out and that is that some clone houses make hybrids of their clones which I love personally. One of my favorite hybrids and my scent of the day today was Dua fragrances carabean supernova which is a hybrid of Elysium and Virgin Island water both of which I can't easily afford and being a hybrid it's unique ! I would love your thoughts on hybrids like this.if you haven't checked out Dua fragrances by the way they are my favorite clone house so far.
The hybrid thing is something I haven't really gotten into. Ive smelled several from Parfums Vintage, and while they were pleasant, I'd rather just wear each scent on its own. But that's because I don't like layering! So do your thing.
While I tend to agree with you on this topic, it really depends on what you are in this hobby for. Some people couldn't care less about the artistry and just want to smell good. Others are rather elitist about it and will make fun of you for not having all the most expensive fragrances. I'm not particularly against clones, but I've found most of them don't really compare all that favorably. I just sample a ton and save my pennies to purchase what I love. Usually waiting even longer to pick them up from a discounter. I'd rather have the real thing that caught my attention.
I have zero problems with clones. There’s snobs in every community. Perfume snobs absolutely exist. Wear what you want people.
Excellent video! We'll thought out and delivered well. Have a great day Justin! Keep doing exactly what you're doing. You have my support!
Thanks Neil!
Companies need to look at WHY clones are made.
Not just fragrances, but clothes, trainers etc
Because not every can both afford, or justify paying the prices they charge
So we turn to cheaper options, for the same results.
I have a very large nich /designer wardrobe. Too big in fact. I do own a few clones for specific purposes
I own Dua river Fougere which is a clone of rive gauche which I own but I cherish rive gauche so I use the clone when I want that feeling but don’t want to use the real thing. It works for me.
I also have a large decant of creed spice and wood that I enjoy but in my experience is very fleeting and or a skin scent as much as I love it the price does not justify the fragrance in that particular case. . I use the Dua version in combination with it and it lasts significantly longer I spray the original on my neck and chest and the clone on my arms and again for me it works.
I do find some of the Armaf Creed clones tempting. Minus CDNMI as I'm not a fan of the Aventus DNA at all but at the end of the day I'm aiming to save up for a bottle of Viking Cologne as I love Barbershop DNAs. Great stuff as always man!
I'll play devils advocate here sometimes those vociferously anti-clone are the ones who can afford the originals regardless of cost and come across to others who can't sometimes as really not caring if others can afford or attain it or not.
Some might call it fragrance snobbery (I use the term because in my other collecting hobby watches there is a subset of collectors who are generally referred to as watch snobs).
For a long time only the rich could own a car or fly ... are we seriously saying that should never have changed?
Interesting thoughts...I wouldn't call it snobbery if one has a taste for more expensive items, and can afford them...UNLESS they are talking down on those who can't at the moment. But just because I prefer to talk about higher quality scents doesn't mean I don't care if there are people listening who can't afford them. I'm simply sharing what moves me.
In spite of all of that, I believe anyone can make the changes necessary to make their life look the way they want it to (assuming they live in a country where that is made possible).
Justin if your still interested in Tom ford for men, one of the discounter I use still have it in stock. I can sent you a link if your interested in getting it.
Thanks for the heads up, Andrew!
Great video! Always good to discuss these things. I do like you repeating the hazards of the need for instant gratification again, even if I don't think this is only a clone issue. People new to collecting often also feel the need to get the greatest hits list as fast a possible, even if these are expensive and don't really fit their personality. Clones do make it more accessible however. 20 times 35 euros seems a steal while 1 bottle for 350 euros makes you think twice. And in the end, you spend more on cheap stuff if you're not careful... I totally get the artistry standpoint. Do we really want to kill originality by throwing all our money at clones? Why would a brand think of the next big thing when all we do is buy the cheapest smell alikes? Then, they're better off doing the same thing over and over. In that way, clones also stifle creativity.
But to counter with a bold statement: I don't care about the so called artistry when the main artistry is squeezing as much money as possible from us. Designers making their own interpretations of Invictus type fragrances, yearly special limited editions with minimal differences that some houses do or severely reformulating a good fragrance profile to a shadow of itself while upping the price doesn't make me feel loyal towards the original artistry. If the brand doesn't care about the artistry, why should I? I'm all for the houses getting rewarded for their work and risk taking, but not when it's an obvious cash grab.
Also, luxury fragrances that are very close or a clone to a cheaper original like PDM Pegasus vs A&F Fierce don't get my money.
But if the brand offers something solid that I like, I'd rather buy the original. For instance, I chose to save up for Amouage Interlude instead of going for the actually not too bad Afnan Clone. And no regrets. Same goes for Green Irish Tweed over the Armaf cheapy that also isn't that bad in itself. The only exception is stuff that's near to impossible to sample where I live and expensive as a full bottle. Then, I sometimes go for a clone with good reviews to get a feel for the fragrance profile, making it a sort of semi blind buy for profiles that sound appealing. It's bad to spend 50 euros on something that sounded interesting, but is not that good, but spending 300-500 euros really hurts. If I like it, I then buy the original and give away the clone to a friend that enjoys it. And of course, I do like interesting discontinued fragrances, like Gucci II for instance. If the original brand abandoned it and a clone house choses to make a good copy for a decent price, I'm all for it. Win-win to me.
I appreciate your thoughts Alex! As I said somewhere near the end of the video, Designer brands are already sacrificing the artistry for the sake of popularity and profit. And it is a shame.
I used clones as a way to gain experience, and learn what I like, especially where I live, some perfumes are not available.
I try to find good clones from recommended places - there's a really huge range of quality and prices ofl cones as well.
when I love a scent of a clone, I will usually put in on my wishlist and get it when I can if possible (wait for a holiday sale or something for example)
I wouldn't want to spend hundred of dollars on a blind buy, but If the I love the clone I can buy the original pretty safely.
What's you opinion on Designer cloning other designers, niche's and Vice versa?
I feel exactly the same about it as I do with clone brands. I don't necessarily support it. They are just as culpable.
I prefer quality. If the original is of better quality, I will get that fragrance and vice versa.
I agree.
There is an argument to be made that designer copies niche and niche copies designer. So what’s the difference if you wear a clone. Mugler cologne smells like creed original vetiver. Cool water smells like GIT. Explorer smells like Aventus. Vetiver fatal smells like Bal Dafrique. So the art is also stolen by other “ artists”. Look on fragrantica on the section that says this fragrance reminds me of. They all do it. Doesn’t Layton smell like Hugo boss. Beau du jour smells like Zino. We can actually do this all day.
Edition Blanche = Xerjoff uden
4711= neroli portofino
Dior santal noir smells like Chanel Egoiste which smells like guerlain santal royal.
So I dare say how original are our fragrances anyway a woman doesn’t have to buy a clone of BR540 when she can get Ariana grande cloud
You're right. Mainstream designer and niche brands copy all the time...and they are just as culpable as the clone brands in my eyes. Doesn't mean I hate them and won't wear them...I just always support the original first if I like it.
Imbue is exactly what I got because Gucci sales were GOUGING. It's not worth it just to say you have something that's discontinued. Especially since at this point you're supporting the crazy prices. But that's the main reason I'd get a clone vs "original". otherwise I'm all for the decants etc
Hey Justin, I truly appreciate this video...
Ok back to the video
gucci pour homme 2 was my favorite scent back in high school, I'm really thinking about over paying rn
Lol
It all depends for me . I really don’t like straight up “ marketed Clones “ but I will buy cheaper alternatives or “reminds me of” from other houses . I prefer PE Red 360 to ADG both in price and scent . I don’t have any Dossier , Alts , Duas .
I agree get a Decant of the original before buying an alt/clone
As far as copying or stealing , that doesn’t really apply . The olfactory wheel is closed and there are so many notes and accords that smell good on skins . Two fragrances can smell Similar but that does not mean it was stolen or cloned . Some that influencers label as Clones are subtlety different by the addition or subtraction of certain ingredients and may be improvements on the original. Calling those “ clones “ could actually hurt the sale of a fragrance that is “ new “
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, you make some interesting points...but what do you say to the companies who are transparent with their attempt to clone fragrances? Where do you draw the line between stealing/cloning?
@@stayfreshproductions - what I meant is there are no actual “ clones “ as far as I know there has yet to be a lawsuit for stealing trade secrets or anything like that against what the both of us would label “ clone houses “ Alt, Dua , Dossier “ etc etc . “ - I won’t mention the Middle East based ones
As I mentioned there is finite amount of Accords that smell pleasing on human skin and make up the olfactory wheel - which is closed .
To make those accords they use individual natural or synthetic notes in combination
To make those notes they use mostly synthetic or chemical Ingredients
Unless the ingredient formula is 100% the same in volume & strength it cannot a clone . We might call it one , the “ Clone house” may market it as such , but it is not .
People say 10 to 1 on Fragnatica that Creed Original Santal is a clone of Mont Blanc Individuel , but the accords , notes and I’m sure ingredients are different not to mention Mont Blanc would have the means to sue creed .
I do agree that in creative arts like music it is wrong to straight up steal a melody , a riff or lyrics without consent to use . But I don’t think that applies to perfumery ?
I personally have not bought any Dua , Alt , Dossier . I do have a clone row ( 5 or 6 ) from middle eastern houses ( Afnan , Armaf , Al-Haramain) but I also have decants of the fragrances that people say they are “ clones “ of . To compare with and none of those “ clones “ are 100% exact . In fact to me 1 or two of those “ cheaper clones “ smell better with addition of a note or two than the original higher price fragrance they get compared with . To me that is unfair . I think Al Wassam Day smells better on my skin than Silver Mountain water by what is added and subtracted . Yet it gets labeled “ A clone “ which I think actually hurt sales of it ?
Btw - Love your channel . I have a video of reviewers who helped grow my interest & collection and you are one of them .
So Con #1 is the one I'm not so sure about. Im not presenting this as an arguable debate, just more so for further contemplation.
Main reason I'm not seeing cloning as artistic plagiarism likened to music, is that designers also copy & imitate but they have the house power of branding & perhaps a few expensive notes (like Oud) that drive the price due to scarcity, but how many colognes are we seeing these days where amber, as much as I love it, has taken over as the base note? Same ol same. Like you said few push the envelope.
My point being is if that designers follow modern trends in fragrances, are they truly more original than the clones that copy?
We are seeing the same notes, some with their own unique twist & others that smell very close to other designer, but because of branding they get more respect than a clone would, & some clones are considered by some to be an actual improvement.. making them come off more like a flanker.
Like music, we rarely see innovation, rather we hear artist that are in the shadow of their influences, a Colrane is rare, a Hendrix or Sonny Sharrock is a rarity, & in a world of marketing, businesses want to ensure a formula that works & has been proven to sale.. innovation demands that something takes a chance to establish uniqueness.. the fragrance world with money on the line will do the same, produce flankers with a DNA that has been successful.. all in all I'm agreeing with Pro 2 🤷♂️
Its like a great artist on an independent label, that doesn't get the hype or marketing that someone on a major label has but they are just as talented & sone argue maybe even better.. if I can think of a fragrance just as good or better than a designer I'll get back. I almost want to say Frank Olivier Oud Touch.
I made this video some time ago and I don’t remember all of my thoughts, but I feel the same way about designer brands who occasionally copy as I do about brands who dedicate their entire output to cloning.
Thanks for sharing!
@@stayfreshproductions I enjoy your channel & reading it now after posting last night, I realize I was kimd of long winded 😂 All apologies for a rant without editing, it may have touched a nerve because, all in all I agree with the dopamine rush of immediate gratification, however on the flip side, growing up on the south side of Chicago many of us were made to feel like poor folks don't deserve nice things & we shouldn't spend on brands at all.
It's a difference between having class & becoming classist. However before I go on another classic Vincent rant I apologize because I should have check the date on the video. lol
Keep up the good work. 💯
Yes the instant gratification is huge, paired with high expectations and you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Going for decants saved me a lot of money already, I just buy fragrances I truly love, which is what this is all about. Whenever I get hyped, I try to get a good deal on ebay, I either lose interest or end up with something I had to work for a bit.
Those tips really helped me with this journey!
Thanks for sharing this, Leeroy.
Hey fragrance brother. I have quite a few clones and inspired by fragrances. Obviously armaf lol. I do agree with the plagiarism portion of clones but some fragrances are soo expensive that with inflation many can only afford the clones. I appreciate the difference in your videos. It helps me with mine. Not cloning you lol but thank you brother.
Meanwhile DUA out here cloning Nautica Voyage and pushing out 10 fragrances a week.
Lol
I LOVED Tom Ford for Men, so I bought the Dossier clone when I could no longer find the OG. It’s really close in terms of scent, but it doesn’t have the same presence of the original.
You could argue that Mitsouko is a copy of Coty’s Chypre. I have both and I love Mitsouko more. I also really loved LONG Lost Perfumes. They recreated classics that were truly lost or so degraded that buying vintage isn’t an option. Alexandria is inspired by many newer fragrances and some hard to find scents and I often find them better and longer lasting. I think clones and copy cats have their place.
It's a shame this has become down to one thing...greed. Turning an artist's work into a profit for themselves is theft. Copyright infringement...think of the song "Blurred Lines " in cost Mr Thicke and Pharrell monetarily and a respect went out the window. I believe it's like sampling a song, no more than 8 notes or your stealing, unless given permission.
Sorry for the grammar mistakes, rushed to reply and didn't proof read the first comment.
Agreed.
I have some inspired by fragrances in my collection. For me getting a clone is like sampling the real thing but it can go both ways.
For instance I enjoyed Mancera’s Cedrat Boise that I ordered the intense one as soon as it became available. I love the quality and value it offers so I have no plans of getting Aventus anytime soon. But that’s not the case with instant crush. If was love at first sniff and I like it better than Cedrat Boise so much so that I am now saving up to get its inspiration, MFK BR540 extrait.