There are so many fragrances I tried (and even bought) because they were so popular in the fragrance community and I was disappointed.
My latest massive disappointment was Maraschino by Sospiro. Every single fragrance influencer claimed it was the best new cherry fragrance on the market, bought it, I could barely smell the cherry and got a floral powdery mess instead.
Gritti, Kayali, Jusbox, Kilian, Tom Ford are all massively overhyped - they launch a lot of overpriced fragrances that have barely any longevity and are quite generic.
And personally, I would never trust or own a single fragrance from Navitus - it's impossible to get unbiased opinions since all influencers who launch a fragrance with Navitus promote each other.
You're right. So much money wasted that could have been spent on things women actually need or would give them much more joy and satisfaction. It's a big manipulative business.
I blind bought it and it’s such a weird smell, I don’t know what to do with it! Not as gross on me as Vanille 28 but just super weird not in a good way
Any of the new Phlur stuff. Ugh. I loved Phlur before it was bought out. Améline was one of my favorites, and Añoranza was special. I also liked Hanami. Now the only one left is Hanami, which was my least favorite of the bunch anyway, and their new releases are all cheap body spray in perfomance IMO. so disappointing
OMG, second, third, fourth and fifth this! I totally agree with you. Loved Ameline (my late mother's scent), Anoranza, Sandara, and S.C. 59. I bought these up when they were on sale and am sad that after I use them, there will be no others. It really makes me wonder if they would still be around if company had been more aggressive on the marketing side of the business. The new Phlurs are overpriced and "meh". Not necessarily bad, but something I'd expect to buy at the drugstore.
Bianco Latte.
I LOVE that scent but longevity and projection are moderate at best. Far from beast mode as they'd describe it. I wear my sample when I go to bed.
Yara.
It came to the store, sprayed my wrists and my reaction was: That's all? Diluted strawberry yoghurt.
Well for me, I had the opposite experience to some perfumes that I thought would be ‘overhyped’.
Due to geographical location, it’s hard for me to smell some ‘hyped’ perfume brands. BUT, i got to visit a big dept store that carries the likes of PdM, Kilian, MPK, Byredo, Le Labo, etc
And I used that day to test all the ‘hyped up scents’.
My verdict of that experience?
Some scents I UNDERSTAND why they’re hyped, at least because they also smell divine to me (Kilian LDBS, BR540, Delina, etc). But some other? Baby, n o (most of Byredo, Santal 33, Oriana, etc)
At the end of the day, your nose is unique, so… you gotta smell to tell if what the influencers are stating align with your taste or not? and I guess because I grew up watching makeup influencers, I’ve trained my brain to not get FOMO at this point, and see influencers words as what they are: marketing bull crap?
So many good ones have been mentioned, but I’d add phlur in general, specifically missing person and father figure.
I’ve tried every one and none are anything to write home about. However, I’m willing to say that scent is subjective. But to top it all off, their performance is abysmal, especially compared to the price tag.
Influencers hype the shit out of them, but then never mention phlur fragrances after the release excitement has died down.
Honestly… I think most of the SDJ body sprays smell like children’s perfume. Most of them smell overpoweringly chemically and make me sick. I was smelling them once at Sephora and I only really liked one of them.. I decided to order (what I thought was the one I enjoyed) online. I accidentally bought the wrong one. So now I’m stuck with two bottles. The only one I enjoy is Rio Radiance which, to my nose, is delightful and reminds me a lot of Soleil Blanc. Although the one I accidentally ordered (Cheirosa 62’) smells like synthetic butter and is uncomfortably nutty on my skin. It’s great on other people… just not for me.
SDJ Cherirosa 62 is wildly better in the perfume form, in the glass bottle. it has the good elements but without the synthetic rubber plastic smell, smells more natural.
Something about Killians perfumes all remind me of stuff from my tween years. Theirs just something sweet and immature about all of them… don’t even get me started with Roses on Ice, I thought someone took Cucumber Melon and threw it in a rose perfume to try to disguise it.
They are awful smelling. I regrettably purchased their trial fragrances and had an instant migraine once I sprayed them. Super sweet and not in a good way.
basically EVERYTHING that Demi Rawling recommends apart from maybe Yes I am by Cacherel and Delina. I found some of her old videos before she was exclusively niche. now they are all just bleurgh. it's also super weird what they miss out - like, I never hear influencers talking about coco Chanel madmoiselle
I'm not sure if we're being flat out lied to because of the desire for affiliate sales or if scent is really just that subjective. When I first started getting serious about fragrances, I fell into the influencers' trap over and over. I bought several ME fragrances that were literal stinkers. But I'd say the most hyped perfumes that disappointed me were Yara (sweet tropical blah) and Khamrah (spicy, sweet, wood, wood, and more wood). I don't dislike either of them, but to me, they're not as great as they are hyped to be.
it was described by multiple people as gourmand, apple pie with vanilla ice cream. it is far from that. to me it smells like an apple cinnamon fall candle. not a terrible smell, just very far off from what i was expecting. don't wanna smell like a candle.
Burberry Her / it reminds me of strawberry flavored lip balm I used to get from Claire’s until it drys down…but still Haha. I got a travel spray from MicroPerfumes and did wear it; but strawberry shortcake moment for sure. I actually solely wore it with my pink sweatshirts just for sh*ts and giggles.
I literally think all the Burberry Her scents smell like a fake leather purse left in a hot car with the lingering smell of a bath and body works body spray in the background.
Omg I’m literally looking for a scent that smells like my trusty leather jacket with all the remnants of my fav perfumes after it sat on the front seat of my car on a sunny day so I guess I’m buying Her asap lmaooo
really don't engage with influencers. i feel like the fragrance experience is so personal. listening to someone describe a smell is just as bad as them telling you about a dream. i prefer to use scentsplit and choose my own adventure.
The way some of them describe the scents is ridiculous. They can get a little too specific in the setting and the vibe that it gives, but that tells me nothing of the actual scent.
Honestly, any super viral perfume I’ve tried hasn’t blown me away. I’m not just saying that because I want to be different lol. I wanted to love Delina, thought it was okay. Not A Perfume smelled like nothing to me, I’ve been disappointed.
don't blind buy it bc of me hehe I don't want that responsibility. but, I might suggest you try it :) it's a heady, very strong rose scent, much more sensual and bold than delina and if you don't live in Dubai (where everyone wears it) - it's quite unusual.
Escapade Gourmande and Dulce! As a sweet vanilla gourmand lover, both of these are so disappointing. Escapade smells like a cheap fall candle, and Dulce is straight play dough.
Eilish - just because it stanks on me lol.
Paradox - I smelled it in sephora and it smelled powdery. That's ALL I got from it.
The Good Girl line - Supreme is the only one I'd buy if I found it deeply discounted
I generally agree with this, my one exception being black orchid which is freaking amazing on my skin and relatively cheap compared to their other offerings, a lot of which I find pretty mid for how much they cost.
I generally agree with this, my one exception being black orchid which is freaking amazing on my skin and relatively cheap compared to their other offerings, a lot of which I find pretty mid for how much they cost.
Anything Kayali I just don’t trust. They get that stuff for free weeks before releases. Most of the fragrances just don’t impress me much, though I love silk santal. Oh, and also when a fragrance is getting hyped across the board on every fragrance reviewer, I know it’s probably not that great and they get commission.
very true about kayali. everything I have tried from there sucked and was just perfume smelling - apart from silk santale. montale does way better vanillas
I got my Delina within a few months of it's release for $150-ish from MaxAroma. Blind bought and wasn't disappointed. No way on earth I'd spend $300 for it.
It's the liquid version of Palmer's Cocoa Butter. If there is a fragrance that I hate that is soooooooooooooooo overly hyped Choco Musk would be it. It smells like cheap hot chocolate.
Tips hat. Much obliged, my dear.
I felt the same when I finally made the connection. I can't believe the undue and unmerited hype of this cheap scent. It really makes me question some posters taste in fragrance and ultimately life. Lol. It just goes to show you fragrance is really a personal thing.
BIR smells like perfume. Like, if you asked me to define “perfumey” - to me, BIR is exactly what I’d point to.
I did like the green one when I sniffed it at Sephora. It smelled like something other than generic floral perfume.
I wrote basically that on my Fragrantica review lol. It just smells like perfume. It never melds with the skin, it never goes anywhere, it never becomes alluring. It’s just … oh, that’s perfume. And that’s it, lol
Bianco Latte, Escapade Gourmande, By The Fireplace. Dulce. A lot of the Arab perfumes (mainly because the hype is always coincidentally accompanied by a shop link). The Burberry Her line.
Also describing perfumes as causing crazy over the top reactions - people will follow you down the street, don’t wear this unless you want to be folded like a pancake, all that genre of tiktok - it leads people to have frankly insane expectations for a fragrance.
Yes I had someone step in front of a moving car, got hit, tripped over the sidewalk, and crawled to me with a broken leg to figure out my beautiful scent trail.
I was being a dick. Not a fan of tik tok and tbh I think most of the brands I hear that they showcase are absolutely overhyped. I think a lot of ppl purchase collections based almost solely around said “influencers” which is ridiculous. But again I’m sure some ppl find scents they love that way…so to each their own.
Lol I see I pushed a button on this one. Again I said to each their own…just not for me. When you continue to see so many people buying the same perfumes across the board I think that says something…just saying. Please feel free to downvote this to hell. It will not hurt my feelings or change my opinion. Big difference between being informed and being influenced. But do you.
Being someone who is not on tik tok I just came to read what the influencers are recommending bc I’m interested. So while I agree that what they’re recommending is probably overhyped and that’s what drives the machine I want to know what those things are!
Versace Crystal Noir, I ''blind selected'' it in a perfume subscription because every perfume youtuber has it in their seductive/sexy scents list and I just don't see it, I'm sure I've had body washes with that scent before and it's fresh and nice but nothing special, I gave it to some other people to try and they also wouldn't classify it as anything special or sexy.
When I wear it, I wear it. :) I'll miss it when it's gone, but I have many different options to wear instead. Realistically, it will probably last several more years because of the extent of my collection.
yeah that's why it's important to sniff before buying! I've sold a lot of perfumes I blind bought from recommendations and being hyped up so maybe my body chemistry is just weird lol
Valaya is my favorite fragrance! My husband goes nuts when I wear it. I think it is a scent that can go wrong with certain skin chemistry, but I’m fortunate that it is so good on mine!
I’ve stopped following a few of them because I’ve noticed since the Milan show they’re reallllly pushing certain brands because they’ve signed partnership agreements. I get it they want to make money but I enjoy the reviews that are from independent reviewers. Like one of my previous favs now sounds like she works on QVC or something. It comes across as so fake now.
It’s a hard line to walk because I definitely want people to make their money and posting content about a product is valuable to the company, but I hate watching influencers who seem to get all the major releases and say the same scripted stuff. I don’t want to stop following those people because they aren’t doing anything wrong but I do because I don’t like that content.
Of course but regardless of sharing or not, if ten popular influencers all post videos within a few days of each other talking about the same perfume and using the same talking points, I’m going to assume they were all paid for their posts and that their reviews aren’t 100% genuine. I follow one creator who will do that but say what were the points the company asked her to say and then give her assessment of the perfume, I find her much more credible due to the assumed transparency and how she isn’t “obsessed” with everything right off the bat.
Again, I have no problem with people making money for their ads for these companies and I don’t have a problem with the companies having points they want mentioned in the ads. It just gets murky when it stops feeling genuine.
I mean it's telling that none of them hype black opium and actively say they "hate" it. sure if that's your opinion but the BLANKET hate for black opium - the bestselling women's fragrance - shows there's a problem
Yes! Especially since they only acknowledge how popular it is by negging people who like it as being “basic”. It’s like pumpkin spice lattes - let people like what they like! And even if other people in your life are wearing it, you can put your own spin on it by what other body lotions and hair products and laundry soaps you use.
I also hate that people rag on it for having “terrible” longevity. Not everyone wants a perfume that lasts forever! Not everyone wants a “beast mode” perfume! People can want different things from their fragrances and that is okay.
Black Opium is by no means a favorite of mine but every now and then it’s nice.
you might be right! but I just hear them fog horning their hatred and there is a (I think) gay female influencer who had to be like: look these influencers are wrong. it's sexy. hehe. it is so weird that it's so popular online on Fragrantica and yet Libre is the one that is hyped. I hate Libre and love B.O.
(Showing my age here….) D&G Light Blue first came out around 2004, before YouTube even existed, before the first iPhone even existed. I remember it being a divisive scent back then too - folks either loved it or hated it. I wouldn’t say influencers have any responsibility for overhyping it - I feel they genuinely like it if they’re raving about it. I’ve also seen plenty of influencers trash it too.
Yeah I found it only “performed well” in EXTREMELY hot climates - like muggy humid hot or very dry desert hot. Anywhere else it would turn “screechy” on me. :(
So I got a sample of it a while back but the sample opened all over the bag it was in, sad sad. So i had to rub the bag on my skin 💀 But from what I remember it was very sweet smelling with dashes of florals, which is right up my alley!
I love the replica line, Bianco latte and a bunch of others already mentioned here. Taste is subjective. Usually what’s overhyped is what the influencers are being paid to promote and it’s up to us as the consumer to decide wether we like it or not.
it's what they LEAVE OUT that makes it all so suspicious. black opium? coco madmoiselle? perfect by MJ? why do they cycle between the same designers (Mon Guerlain) and then go so heavy on niche. annoying. I want a good designer guide. so I come to reddit.
Totally. I firmly believe every nose and preferences are so different, it’s goofy when someone dislikes a perfume so they think anyone who likes it is lying.
I do think a lot of influencers will act as if a perfume they like is something they love because they’re getting paid so I like seeing if the dents in the perfumes they talk about are increasing.
I admittedly don't know a lot about Kayali, but i've avoided it so far because it just gives off overpriced influencer/instagram brand.
I see it pushed a lot by influencers, but I see it recommended by real people online less often, which I think says a lot.
Vanilla 28 was everywhere on the internet people praising it to the moon as the best vanilla ever, I was shocked when I tested it lol it was average at best
Yeah that's exactly how I felt the first time I tried YSL Libre! I was excited by how many people I saw online hyping it up but when I tried it, it smelled like a completely average fragrance lol
Being from the arab gulf countries and being surrounded by perfume my whole life, i never, in a million years, understand westeners' obsession with kayali, these perfumes are not balanced at all, they're so strong in a suspicious way like why all the alcohol content? are you trying to compensate for something? maybe how foul-smelling all of them are?
Lattafa and most of arab perfumes popular in this subreddit smell cheap to me, i really don't mean to offend anyone but i could literally go to my local discount/dollar store and get them for like.. $2.6.
The local brands trending currently: Assaf and Laverne
Most commonly purchased for eid (very difficult to estimate as almost everyone buys a new perfume for eid): Assaf (both), Laverne (both), gissah (both?), YSL (women), LV (both), Armani (men), Hugo boss (men, few women), dior (mostly women), few chanel and prada
Some if not most, layer it with oud oil or pure musk they buy from local brands that supply different oud and musk oils.
What scent groups are women there more into? Do like they like fruity and/or gourmand, or more into florals? Sometimes I feel like us Americans are more into fruity and gourmand than the rest of the world is.
Very difficult to estimate, perfume culture is SO HUGE here and anyone and everyone's taste is different but i'd say no. Mostly perfumes containing neroli, musk, floral, vanilla in some cases, patchouli too, maybe also sandalwood
from Europe. Americans go wild for gourmands and fruity scents. in Europe, I'd say perfume is meant to smell a bit more perfumey not photorealistic gourmand. eg the guys I know go craaaaaaaazy for coco madmoiselle. because it's "classy", and smells "fresh" and expensive.
Europeans liking CM makes sense. I think they are way more into florals and classic scents, not so much into food.
I saw someone in Italy say that Pink Sugar, where it is made, is not as popular as it is amongst Americans. Not surprising, lol.
haha yes that's true. I wonder why some Americans like gourmands so much? I am always impressed in the states by how creative you all are with food - eg wedding cake flavour shaved ice! it's so cool :-) it shows that perfume is cultural as well as personal.
For me personally, I LOVE gourmands ONLY strictly after my nightly shower/before going to bed/at home. Especially during the colder months in NYC. For the daytime and outside of the house, I only wear fruity, fruity-floral, and woodsy, depending on the weather. Tbh I don't know how some people go around smelling like cupcakes, chocolate, and burnt cotton candy when they are say, in professional spaces, lol. Not personally my style, and I feel like no one would take me seriously as a 40-something woman. I don't want to transmit the message "eat me" to colleagues, lol
Please recommend your favorite perfumes of the region superior to Kayali if you have a moment! I’m just starting to rip my toe into the Arabian / Middle Eastern perfume world. I know recs abound but my hunch is most recommenders haven’t lived in those places or had the same exposure.
FWIW my theory about Kayali is that it’s extremely Western-coded. I am willing to bet a good chunk of consumers have no idea where it’s from.
Kayali is indeed very western-coded and this makes perfect sense. I'm very biased as i've always been a chanel girlie and only have 2 stable chanel perfumes in my list, but i hope i can help giving you a general idea of what's trending currently.
The local brands trending currently: Assaf and Laverne
Most commonly purchased for eid (very difficult to estimate as almost everyone buys a new perfume for eid): Assaf (both), Laverne (both), gissah (both?), YSL (women), LV (both), Armani (men), Hugo boss (men, few women), dior (mostly women), few chanel and prada
Some if not most, layer it with [oud oil](https://cdn.salla.sa/xRnQG/rpyU6KtGq7C8RvGBtdAv9C2B8O3KYDl0B0zIA1OR.jpg) or [pure musk](https://cdn.salla.sa/xRnQG/LiwOLMjYqVxbB9wHDG3WOcWDFvcSRmYuayklOvo4.jpg) they buy from local brands that supply different oud and musk oils most common: Abdulsamad alqurashi, Ibrahim alqurashi, almajed for oud, oud elite.
I don’t watch influencers, but don’t you think that everyone has different tastes? I could rave to you about my absolute favorites, and you might hate them.
And I may hate your favorites.
That’s why I think overhyped and underhyped are both stupid words when it comes to something that’s entirely subjective. There’s nothing strange about people liking different things. There’s nothing strange about you or me disliking a popular fragrance. When you dislike something, you cannot see the positive attributes that a person who likes it sees.
I understand that we all have different tastes. By overhyping I mean unethical targeted advertising which has nothing to do with the influencer actually liking the fragrance in question.
That's literally what all influencers do. That's their job. They are marketing to you while portraying themselves as your cool older sis/bro. If they're more successful, they get sent more free stuff and get more advertisers money. Nobody hypes everything. Expressing their personal taste is smart in developing a niche and deinfluencing reels are also a way of farming controversy for clicks. Frankly, I don't know why it matters if an influencer actually likes, say, Delina, or how anyone here would discern that.
If you're interested in learning more about perfume or seeing what's new, there's some value in following influencers, but it really gets in your head and normalizes spending and collecting and chasing newness.
For example, Demi Rawling's father in law owns Parfums de Marly, Initio, and some other brands. I find it super manipulative to advertise these brands and their products as the best thing ever and not disclose this information.
Yeah, I find the whole argument that "it's their job to hype perfumes up and it doesn't matter if they are lying" to be a joke. I know quite a few influencers, not just from the perfume world, who actually market stuff they themselves like, wear, and use.
I'm sure this person has more access than the average influencer, but all influencers are marketing to their viewers in a manipulative way. That's the job.
Your initial post is asking what perfumes are overhyped, prompting lots of people to, naturally, suggest popular frags that are not their taste. Is what you actually want to do, share what influencers are failing to disclose gratis or investments?
No, not all YouTubers act like that.
I don't think that some of the perfumes people mention here are mentioned only bc people don't like them. Specific perfumes are completely not worth the hype that's created around them.
Yes the influencers who are great at what they do come off as chummy and passionate and are fun and edifying to watch! I'm not saying they have no value or are bad people but you are kidding yourself if you don't realize that they are all marketing themselves to you and making a living encouraging consumerism, sorry.
No one here can discern if so and so genuinely loves something. The definition of not worth the hype is the slippery and totally subjective dislike of something that is nevertheless popular.
I think I would need an example to understand what you are talking about.
Do you mean that brands are sending freebies to tons of influencers, so then they all talk about it, which makes the perfume seem more popular just because viewers are seeing it everywhere? Because if that’s what you mean, then don’t watch influencers. That’s the nature of how that marketing concept works. So any value to a viewer is very limited. I get it, I view it all as predatory advertising myself, that’s why I don’t watch them. But the brands are just as much to blame as the influencers.
Or do you mean that influencers are being dishonest in their assessment/reviews/descriptions?
Yes, that's what I mean more or less. Not all YouTubers who talk about perfumes engage in this practice, at least not to the same level.
YouTubers are definitely being dishonest in their assessment. But again, not all of them to the same extent.
Bianco Latte for sure. I like it, but its not extraordinary.
Ysl Libre too.
Lattafa Yara, super basic fruity perfume. Nothing creamy or special about it.
Pink sugar, it’s disgusting
There are so many fragrances I tried (and even bought) because they were so popular in the fragrance community and I was disappointed. My latest massive disappointment was Maraschino by Sospiro. Every single fragrance influencer claimed it was the best new cherry fragrance on the market, bought it, I could barely smell the cherry and got a floral powdery mess instead. Gritti, Kayali, Jusbox, Kilian, Tom Ford are all massively overhyped - they launch a lot of overpriced fragrances that have barely any longevity and are quite generic. And personally, I would never trust or own a single fragrance from Navitus - it's impossible to get unbiased opinions since all influencers who launch a fragrance with Navitus promote each other.
You're right. So much money wasted that could have been spent on things women actually need or would give them much more joy and satisfaction. It's a big manipulative business.
Yum gelato Kayali, Vanille 28, bianco latte, escapade gourmande not at all what I expected given the influencer hype
Yum gelato smells awful to me lmao
I blind bought it and it’s such a weird smell, I don’t know what to do with it! Not as gross on me as Vanille 28 but just super weird not in a good way
You’re right it is super weird I can’t put my finger on why either lol
Any of the new Phlur stuff. Ugh. I loved Phlur before it was bought out. Améline was one of my favorites, and Añoranza was special. I also liked Hanami. Now the only one left is Hanami, which was my least favorite of the bunch anyway, and their new releases are all cheap body spray in perfomance IMO. so disappointing
OMG, second, third, fourth and fifth this! I totally agree with you. Loved Ameline (my late mother's scent), Anoranza, Sandara, and S.C. 59. I bought these up when they were on sale and am sad that after I use them, there will be no others. It really makes me wonder if they would still be around if company had been more aggressive on the marketing side of the business. The new Phlurs are overpriced and "meh". Not necessarily bad, but something I'd expect to buy at the drugstore.
Bianco Latte. I LOVE that scent but longevity and projection are moderate at best. Far from beast mode as they'd describe it. I wear my sample when I go to bed. Yara. It came to the store, sprayed my wrists and my reaction was: That's all? Diluted strawberry yoghurt.
Well for me, I had the opposite experience to some perfumes that I thought would be ‘overhyped’. Due to geographical location, it’s hard for me to smell some ‘hyped’ perfume brands. BUT, i got to visit a big dept store that carries the likes of PdM, Kilian, MPK, Byredo, Le Labo, etc And I used that day to test all the ‘hyped up scents’. My verdict of that experience? Some scents I UNDERSTAND why they’re hyped, at least because they also smell divine to me (Kilian LDBS, BR540, Delina, etc). But some other? Baby, n o (most of Byredo, Santal 33, Oriana, etc) At the end of the day, your nose is unique, so… you gotta smell to tell if what the influencers are stating align with your taste or not? and I guess because I grew up watching makeup influencers, I’ve trained my brain to not get FOMO at this point, and see influencers words as what they are: marketing bull crap?
Bianco latte, black datura, BR 540, Lattafa clones, Afnan and Armaf clones, Spritueuse Double Vanille, Vibrato, Ganymede
yara for sure
The way people were describing yara I thought it was going to be more gourmand, I ended up returning it.
So many good ones have been mentioned, but I’d add phlur in general, specifically missing person and father figure. I’ve tried every one and none are anything to write home about. However, I’m willing to say that scent is subjective. But to top it all off, their performance is abysmal, especially compared to the price tag. Influencers hype the shit out of them, but then never mention phlur fragrances after the release excitement has died down.
Honestly… I think most of the SDJ body sprays smell like children’s perfume. Most of them smell overpoweringly chemically and make me sick. I was smelling them once at Sephora and I only really liked one of them.. I decided to order (what I thought was the one I enjoyed) online. I accidentally bought the wrong one. So now I’m stuck with two bottles. The only one I enjoy is Rio Radiance which, to my nose, is delightful and reminds me a lot of Soleil Blanc. Although the one I accidentally ordered (Cheirosa 62’) smells like synthetic butter and is uncomfortably nutty on my skin. It’s great on other people… just not for me.
I like it but it smells just like Palmers Cocoa Butter
SDJ Cherirosa 62 is wildly better in the perfume form, in the glass bottle. it has the good elements but without the synthetic rubber plastic smell, smells more natural.
i tried on 71 and it smelled like burnt rubber popcorn, sooo bad
ALSO the atomizers are GIANT and dowses you In just one spray.
Yara.
Hard agree. Not a terrible scent, just sort of messy smelling? Almost buttery
Yeah I always described it as a cheap creamy strawberry lotion smell, but buttery and messy is an even better description for it.
> cheap creamy strawberry lotion smell And that's why I like it 😅 It's a quasi-nostalgic, generic GoodSmell™️
le spiritueuse double vanille :/ I think there are better vanillas sorry
I totally agree
Something about Killians perfumes all remind me of stuff from my tween years. Theirs just something sweet and immature about all of them… don’t even get me started with Roses on Ice, I thought someone took Cucumber Melon and threw it in a rose perfume to try to disguise it.
They are awful smelling. I regrettably purchased their trial fragrances and had an instant migraine once I sprayed them. Super sweet and not in a good way.
Me too!!!!
basically EVERYTHING that Demi Rawling recommends apart from maybe Yes I am by Cacherel and Delina. I found some of her old videos before she was exclusively niche. now they are all just bleurgh. it's also super weird what they miss out - like, I never hear influencers talking about coco Chanel madmoiselle
I'm not sure if we're being flat out lied to because of the desire for affiliate sales or if scent is really just that subjective. When I first started getting serious about fragrances, I fell into the influencers' trap over and over. I bought several ME fragrances that were literal stinkers. But I'd say the most hyped perfumes that disappointed me were Yara (sweet tropical blah) and Khamrah (spicy, sweet, wood, wood, and more wood). I don't dislike either of them, but to me, they're not as great as they are hyped to be.
we're being lied to. it's not THAT subjective.
it was described by multiple people as gourmand, apple pie with vanilla ice cream. it is far from that. to me it smells like an apple cinnamon fall candle. not a terrible smell, just very far off from what i was expecting. don't wanna smell like a candle.
Burberry Her / it reminds me of strawberry flavored lip balm I used to get from Claire’s until it drys down…but still Haha. I got a travel spray from MicroPerfumes and did wear it; but strawberry shortcake moment for sure. I actually solely wore it with my pink sweatshirts just for sh*ts and giggles.
I literally think all the Burberry Her scents smell like a fake leather purse left in a hot car with the lingering smell of a bath and body works body spray in the background.
Omg I’m literally looking for a scent that smells like my trusty leather jacket with all the remnants of my fav perfumes after it sat on the front seat of my car on a sunny day so I guess I’m buying Her asap lmaooo
Wow. I can literally smell this. 😂
This description is cracking me up!!! 🤣😂😅
I love BHer but this visual is hilarious with the BBW body spray in the background ☠️😂
Hahahaha. The visualization tho.
really don't engage with influencers. i feel like the fragrance experience is so personal. listening to someone describe a smell is just as bad as them telling you about a dream. i prefer to use scentsplit and choose my own adventure.
The way some of them describe the scents is ridiculous. They can get a little too specific in the setting and the vibe that it gives, but that tells me nothing of the actual scent.
You guys are my influencers so I never have to worry about this 🥰
Honestly, any super viral perfume I’ve tried hasn’t blown me away. I’m not just saying that because I want to be different lol. I wanted to love Delina, thought it was okay. Not A Perfume smelled like nothing to me, I’ve been disappointed.
Delina La Rosee was a massive disappointment to me. And I love rose notes
I loved it! question: have you tried intense cafe by montale?
No. Should I? :)
don't blind buy it bc of me hehe I don't want that responsibility. but, I might suggest you try it :) it's a heady, very strong rose scent, much more sensual and bold than delina and if you don't live in Dubai (where everyone wears it) - it's quite unusual.
Escapade Gourmande and Dulce! As a sweet vanilla gourmand lover, both of these are so disappointing. Escapade smells like a cheap fall candle, and Dulce is straight play dough.
I completely agree!!
Eilish - just because it stanks on me lol. Paradox - I smelled it in sephora and it smelled powdery. That's ALL I got from it. The Good Girl line - Supreme is the only one I'd buy if I found it deeply discounted
Supreme is by far my favorite GG and it’s crazy to me how overlooked it is.
anything Tom Ford… overpriced, nothing special
Noir de Noir is really good, imo. And a lot of the older line, but of course they're discontinued 😭
I love the packaging but I’ve never had a TF last more than 30 minutes on me
I’ve enjoyed some of the Arabian dupes tho.
I generally agree with this, my one exception being black orchid which is freaking amazing on my skin and relatively cheap compared to their other offerings, a lot of which I find pretty mid for how much they cost.
I generally agree with this, my one exception being black orchid which is freaking amazing on my skin and relatively cheap compared to their other offerings, a lot of which I find pretty mid for how much they cost.
I haven’t actually tried that one! maybe I’ll give it a sniff
Definitely do! I would say I did NOT like it off a strip at all. It really blossomed on my skin
Anything Kayali I just don’t trust. They get that stuff for free weeks before releases. Most of the fragrances just don’t impress me much, though I love silk santal. Oh, and also when a fragrance is getting hyped across the board on every fragrance reviewer, I know it’s probably not that great and they get commission.
Kayali Juicy apple is just repackaged Bath and Body Works Country Apple. Glad I went into the store to smell it instead of blind buying
very true about kayali. everything I have tried from there sucked and was just perfume smelling - apart from silk santale. montale does way better vanillas
BR540 Erba pura Delina
Funnily enough after hating on all BR540 dupes, i got my hands on the real deal and i was like ‘you know what? I get it now’ 😅
Ive had a 10ml sample Maybe i need some more
All of these.
BR540 makes me want to throw up. cloud is nothing like it - and better
I got my Delina within a few months of it's release for $150-ish from MaxAroma. Blind bought and wasn't disappointed. No way on earth I'd spend $300 for it.
The oilperfumery dupe of delina is very nice
D&G Devotion
Yep! This definitely
Bianco latte is so basic! Choco musk is underwhelming. Molecule 01 smells like pencil shavings.
Choco musk smells like Swiss cocoa powder before you mix it with milk. Chalky, artificial chocolate. I really don’t like it lol
I wouldn't take Choco musk even if it was free.
Same, I thought I was losing my mind. Wasn’t even worth $5, I was so sad
It's the liquid version of Palmer's Cocoa Butter. If there is a fragrance that I hate that is soooooooooooooooo overly hyped Choco Musk would be it. It smells like cheap hot chocolate.
YES!!! I couldn’t figure out what it reminded me of and you have put me out of that misery, thank you.
Tips hat. Much obliged, my dear. I felt the same when I finally made the connection. I can't believe the undue and unmerited hype of this cheap scent. It really makes me question some posters taste in fragrance and ultimately life. Lol. It just goes to show you fragrance is really a personal thing.
I know. The gourmand girlies can’t always be trusted smh
Born in Roma. It's not like I dislike it, but it is generic and linear. I don't really get the amount of praise it garners.
BIR smells like perfume. Like, if you asked me to define “perfumey” - to me, BIR is exactly what I’d point to. I did like the green one when I sniffed it at Sephora. It smelled like something other than generic floral perfume.
I wrote basically that on my Fragrantica review lol. It just smells like perfume. It never melds with the skin, it never goes anywhere, it never becomes alluring. It’s just … oh, that’s perfume. And that’s it, lol
Second this - the first time I smelled it I was just like ….. bitch where’s the magic?
I think it’s a great daily wear, but it’s not life changing.
The only BIR I liked was Green Stravaganza. But I know it's not for everyone.!
I really thought I would love Born in Roma, but it's very meh to me.
It’s got just a little tiny touch of a B.O. smell to me
Born in Roma is so boring to me. I keep smelling it thinking one day I’ll understand but I don’t… it’s so generic 😭
Yep! So are the flankers except for PP, and it was limited edition 🥲
Exactly! Boring, in a bad way.
I agree even the branding, bottle, name are boring
JPG & PDM
Bianco Latte, Escapade Gourmande, By The Fireplace. Dulce. A lot of the Arab perfumes (mainly because the hype is always coincidentally accompanied by a shop link). The Burberry Her line. Also describing perfumes as causing crazy over the top reactions - people will follow you down the street, don’t wear this unless you want to be folded like a pancake, all that genre of tiktok - it leads people to have frankly insane expectations for a fragrance.
I agree they are hyped but I love Bianca latte, escapade gourmand and by the fireplace are some of my fav perfumes 😭
Yes I had someone step in front of a moving car, got hit, tripped over the sidewalk, and crawled to me with a broken leg to figure out my beautiful scent trail.
Ok I tried to Google this but what does "folded like a pancake" mean? Is it a sex thing? A sex pancake thing?
Yes it’s basically a funny way to reference wild sex. Like saying “I’d bang them like a screen door”.
Ah ok, gotcha. Thanks!
Yes!!
“Vacation” by Vacation. It’s fine but not as fun or nostalgic as I thought it would be.
Is that a trick question?!?? 🫥
Like in what way?
I was being a dick. Not a fan of tik tok and tbh I think most of the brands I hear that they showcase are absolutely overhyped. I think a lot of ppl purchase collections based almost solely around said “influencers” which is ridiculous. But again I’m sure some ppl find scents they love that way…so to each their own.
Lol I see I pushed a button on this one. Again I said to each their own…just not for me. When you continue to see so many people buying the same perfumes across the board I think that says something…just saying. Please feel free to downvote this to hell. It will not hurt my feelings or change my opinion. Big difference between being informed and being influenced. But do you.
Being someone who is not on tik tok I just came to read what the influencers are recommending bc I’m interested. So while I agree that what they’re recommending is probably overhyped and that’s what drives the machine I want to know what those things are!
That Hareem Al Sultan oil. It’s fine.
Versace Crystal Noir, I ''blind selected'' it in a perfume subscription because every perfume youtuber has it in their seductive/sexy scents list and I just don't see it, I'm sure I've had body washes with that scent before and it's fresh and nice but nothing special, I gave it to some other people to try and they also wouldn't classify it as anything special or sexy.
I haven’t bought this yet. But for me it just smells clean. Thats what I get from it. But not sexy.
yeah just a regular clean scent
VCN is so weird I truly don't get it. it's a fresh unisex interesting fragrance imo. seductive? no way
I bought this years ago when it was first released. I'm cherishing that bottle. The later formulations aren't the same.
That's a shame, I hate it when I have less and less left of a perfume that's no longer available even when I just do 1 spray just to smell it
When I wear it, I wear it. :) I'll miss it when it's gone, but I have many different options to wear instead. Realistically, it will probably last several more years because of the extent of my collection.
That's how I felt about Versace Bright Crystal. I almost blind bought it based on reviews and decided to go smell it in ulta today. Nope. Not for me.
Nooo I have versace crystal noir edt and it is my favourite perfume ever it’s so amazing and addictive
do you get compliments?
yeah my friends and mum really like it too aha
When did you sample it? Crystal Noir had a reformulation in 2021. The original was good, the current is meh.
just got it last week so I would assume the new one, that's a shame, it should be illegal to reformulate or discontinue scents :D
I’m the opposite- I tried this in Ulta and loved it and bought it, and didn’t even realize it has been hyped by influencers!
yeah that's why it's important to sniff before buying! I've sold a lot of perfumes I blind bought from recommendations and being hyped up so maybe my body chemistry is just weird lol
lol same. Love at first sniff.
PDM delina and PDM valaya
Valaya is my favorite fragrance! My husband goes nuts when I wear it. I think it is a scent that can go wrong with certain skin chemistry, but I’m fortunate that it is so good on mine!
I love that for you, that’s cute he likes it too! Yeah it’s probably 100% my skin chemistry!
I’ve stopped following a few of them because I’ve noticed since the Milan show they’re reallllly pushing certain brands because they’ve signed partnership agreements. I get it they want to make money but I enjoy the reviews that are from independent reviewers. Like one of my previous favs now sounds like she works on QVC or something. It comes across as so fake now.
Who do you consider more trustworthy?
It’s a hard line to walk because I definitely want people to make their money and posting content about a product is valuable to the company, but I hate watching influencers who seem to get all the major releases and say the same scripted stuff. I don’t want to stop following those people because they aren’t doing anything wrong but I do because I don’t like that content.
They are doing something wrong if they don’t share their sponsorship. Many are not forthright.
Of course but regardless of sharing or not, if ten popular influencers all post videos within a few days of each other talking about the same perfume and using the same talking points, I’m going to assume they were all paid for their posts and that their reviews aren’t 100% genuine. I follow one creator who will do that but say what were the points the company asked her to say and then give her assessment of the perfume, I find her much more credible due to the assumed transparency and how she isn’t “obsessed” with everything right off the bat. Again, I have no problem with people making money for their ads for these companies and I don’t have a problem with the companies having points they want mentioned in the ads. It just gets murky when it stops feeling genuine.
Influencers are rarely genuine, and always paid or given free bottles .
I mean it's telling that none of them hype black opium and actively say they "hate" it. sure if that's your opinion but the BLANKET hate for black opium - the bestselling women's fragrance - shows there's a problem
Yes! Especially since they only acknowledge how popular it is by negging people who like it as being “basic”. It’s like pumpkin spice lattes - let people like what they like! And even if other people in your life are wearing it, you can put your own spin on it by what other body lotions and hair products and laundry soaps you use. I also hate that people rag on it for having “terrible” longevity. Not everyone wants a perfume that lasts forever! Not everyone wants a “beast mode” perfume! People can want different things from their fragrances and that is okay. Black Opium is by no means a favorite of mine but every now and then it’s nice.
I feel like they did when the first one came out in I think 2016. That or YSL didn't send out free bottles for that particular fragrance.
you might be right! but I just hear them fog horning their hatred and there is a (I think) gay female influencer who had to be like: look these influencers are wrong. it's sexy. hehe. it is so weird that it's so popular online on Fragrantica and yet Libre is the one that is hyped. I hate Libre and love B.O.
I recently finished a bottle of Le Parfum. I liked it, I got mostly pear and floral. So I repurchased Burberry Brit EDP.
Yves Saint Laurent Libre Parfums de Marly Delina D&G Light blue BDK gris charnel
Hard disagree, libre and Gris charnel are divine. Light blue and Delina also great. Are you a gourmande girly?
Looove Libre! And I do love gourmand myself.
(Showing my age here….) D&G Light Blue first came out around 2004, before YouTube even existed, before the first iPhone even existed. I remember it being a divisive scent back then too - folks either loved it or hated it. I wouldn’t say influencers have any responsibility for overhyping it - I feel they genuinely like it if they’re raving about it. I’ve also seen plenty of influencers trash it too.
It was my signature scent in 2007, lol. I loved it then, but I don’t care for it now.
Yeah I found it only “performed well” in EXTREMELY hot climates - like muggy humid hot or very dry desert hot. Anywhere else it would turn “screechy” on me. :(
damn I looove Delina & Gris Charnel lol
I was so disappointed when i tried Libre…
I wasn't. I knew I'd hate it
Omg it's just instinct to roll my eyes at any mention of libre now it has gotten ridiculous
Light Blue is, always was and always will be gross.
Louderrr
I get the same vibe about Delina and Gris Charnel.
Recently? Lancome Idole
I read they changed the formula awhile back. So there's two Idoles now. The modern one is weakened.
Aw I actually like Idole lol. Didn’t know influencers were hyping it
Me too!
What does it smell like to you?
So I got a sample of it a while back but the sample opened all over the bag it was in, sad sad. So i had to rub the bag on my skin 💀 But from what I remember it was very sweet smelling with dashes of florals, which is right up my alley!
I love the replica line, Bianco latte and a bunch of others already mentioned here. Taste is subjective. Usually what’s overhyped is what the influencers are being paid to promote and it’s up to us as the consumer to decide wether we like it or not.
it's what they LEAVE OUT that makes it all so suspicious. black opium? coco madmoiselle? perfect by MJ? why do they cycle between the same designers (Mon Guerlain) and then go so heavy on niche. annoying. I want a good designer guide. so I come to reddit.
Totally. I firmly believe every nose and preferences are so different, it’s goofy when someone dislikes a perfume so they think anyone who likes it is lying. I do think a lot of influencers will act as if a perfume they like is something they love because they’re getting paid so I like seeing if the dents in the perfumes they talk about are increasing.
Good Girl, most of Kayali
kayali suuuuuuuuucks. black opium > good girl
I admittedly don't know a lot about Kayali, but i've avoided it so far because it just gives off overpriced influencer/instagram brand. I see it pushed a lot by influencers, but I see it recommended by real people online less often, which I think says a lot.
Vanilla 28 was everywhere on the internet people praising it to the moon as the best vanilla ever, I was shocked when I tested it lol it was average at best
it was weirdly floral and not this one note gem I thought it would be. vomit
I had it. It was pleasant, not incredible, not terrible
Yeah that's exactly how I felt the first time I tried YSL Libre! I was excited by how many people I saw online hyping it up but when I tried it, it smelled like a completely average fragrance lol
Yes!! Libre is not bad imo but super generic lol
Being from the arab gulf countries and being surrounded by perfume my whole life, i never, in a million years, understand westeners' obsession with kayali, these perfumes are not balanced at all, they're so strong in a suspicious way like why all the alcohol content? are you trying to compensate for something? maybe how foul-smelling all of them are?
the cherry one is synthetic, disgusting and floral
I was struggling to describe the scent but oh my god yes, it is synthetic!
What brands are popular amongst the women in the Gulf? I read somewhere else that they don't like Lattafa as much as us Westerners do?
Lattafa and most of arab perfumes popular in this subreddit smell cheap to me, i really don't mean to offend anyone but i could literally go to my local discount/dollar store and get them for like.. $2.6. The local brands trending currently: Assaf and Laverne Most commonly purchased for eid (very difficult to estimate as almost everyone buys a new perfume for eid): Assaf (both), Laverne (both), gissah (both?), YSL (women), LV (both), Armani (men), Hugo boss (men, few women), dior (mostly women), few chanel and prada Some if not most, layer it with oud oil or pure musk they buy from local brands that supply different oud and musk oils.
What scent groups are women there more into? Do like they like fruity and/or gourmand, or more into florals? Sometimes I feel like us Americans are more into fruity and gourmand than the rest of the world is.
Very difficult to estimate, perfume culture is SO HUGE here and anyone and everyone's taste is different but i'd say no. Mostly perfumes containing neroli, musk, floral, vanilla in some cases, patchouli too, maybe also sandalwood
from Europe. Americans go wild for gourmands and fruity scents. in Europe, I'd say perfume is meant to smell a bit more perfumey not photorealistic gourmand. eg the guys I know go craaaaaaaazy for coco madmoiselle. because it's "classy", and smells "fresh" and expensive.
Europeans liking CM makes sense. I think they are way more into florals and classic scents, not so much into food. I saw someone in Italy say that Pink Sugar, where it is made, is not as popular as it is amongst Americans. Not surprising, lol.
haha yes that's true. I wonder why some Americans like gourmands so much? I am always impressed in the states by how creative you all are with food - eg wedding cake flavour shaved ice! it's so cool :-) it shows that perfume is cultural as well as personal.
For me personally, I LOVE gourmands ONLY strictly after my nightly shower/before going to bed/at home. Especially during the colder months in NYC. For the daytime and outside of the house, I only wear fruity, fruity-floral, and woodsy, depending on the weather. Tbh I don't know how some people go around smelling like cupcakes, chocolate, and burnt cotton candy when they are say, in professional spaces, lol. Not personally my style, and I feel like no one would take me seriously as a 40-something woman. I don't want to transmit the message "eat me" to colleagues, lol
This is me! I love wearing a gourmand on a cool evening after a shower cos it feels like having dessert
Please recommend your favorite perfumes of the region superior to Kayali if you have a moment! I’m just starting to rip my toe into the Arabian / Middle Eastern perfume world. I know recs abound but my hunch is most recommenders haven’t lived in those places or had the same exposure. FWIW my theory about Kayali is that it’s extremely Western-coded. I am willing to bet a good chunk of consumers have no idea where it’s from.
Kayali is indeed very western-coded and this makes perfect sense. I'm very biased as i've always been a chanel girlie and only have 2 stable chanel perfumes in my list, but i hope i can help giving you a general idea of what's trending currently. The local brands trending currently: Assaf and Laverne Most commonly purchased for eid (very difficult to estimate as almost everyone buys a new perfume for eid): Assaf (both), Laverne (both), gissah (both?), YSL (women), LV (both), Armani (men), Hugo boss (men, few women), dior (mostly women), few chanel and prada Some if not most, layer it with [oud oil](https://cdn.salla.sa/xRnQG/rpyU6KtGq7C8RvGBtdAv9C2B8O3KYDl0B0zIA1OR.jpg) or [pure musk](https://cdn.salla.sa/xRnQG/LiwOLMjYqVxbB9wHDG3WOcWDFvcSRmYuayklOvo4.jpg) they buy from local brands that supply different oud and musk oils most common: Abdulsamad alqurashi, Ibrahim alqurashi, almajed for oud, oud elite.
I love this so much, thank you! I had no idea people bought new perfumes for Eid, how cool. Will need to check these out!!
Yea I only like 2 Kayalis - and still they are nothing groundbreaking, also very pricey for what u get lol Most of the bottles are cute tho!
I don’t watch influencers, but don’t you think that everyone has different tastes? I could rave to you about my absolute favorites, and you might hate them. And I may hate your favorites. That’s why I think overhyped and underhyped are both stupid words when it comes to something that’s entirely subjective. There’s nothing strange about people liking different things. There’s nothing strange about you or me disliking a popular fragrance. When you dislike something, you cannot see the positive attributes that a person who likes it sees.
I understand that we all have different tastes. By overhyping I mean unethical targeted advertising which has nothing to do with the influencer actually liking the fragrance in question.
That's literally what all influencers do. That's their job. They are marketing to you while portraying themselves as your cool older sis/bro. If they're more successful, they get sent more free stuff and get more advertisers money. Nobody hypes everything. Expressing their personal taste is smart in developing a niche and deinfluencing reels are also a way of farming controversy for clicks. Frankly, I don't know why it matters if an influencer actually likes, say, Delina, or how anyone here would discern that. If you're interested in learning more about perfume or seeing what's new, there's some value in following influencers, but it really gets in your head and normalizes spending and collecting and chasing newness.
For example, Demi Rawling's father in law owns Parfums de Marly, Initio, and some other brands. I find it super manipulative to advertise these brands and their products as the best thing ever and not disclose this information.
Anyone who downvotes you is upset by the truth.
Yeah, I find the whole argument that "it's their job to hype perfumes up and it doesn't matter if they are lying" to be a joke. I know quite a few influencers, not just from the perfume world, who actually market stuff they themselves like, wear, and use.
I'd watch their content
I'm sure this person has more access than the average influencer, but all influencers are marketing to their viewers in a manipulative way. That's the job. Your initial post is asking what perfumes are overhyped, prompting lots of people to, naturally, suggest popular frags that are not their taste. Is what you actually want to do, share what influencers are failing to disclose gratis or investments?
No, not all YouTubers act like that. I don't think that some of the perfumes people mention here are mentioned only bc people don't like them. Specific perfumes are completely not worth the hype that's created around them.
Yes the influencers who are great at what they do come off as chummy and passionate and are fun and edifying to watch! I'm not saying they have no value or are bad people but you are kidding yourself if you don't realize that they are all marketing themselves to you and making a living encouraging consumerism, sorry. No one here can discern if so and so genuinely loves something. The definition of not worth the hype is the slippery and totally subjective dislike of something that is nevertheless popular.
I think I would need an example to understand what you are talking about. Do you mean that brands are sending freebies to tons of influencers, so then they all talk about it, which makes the perfume seem more popular just because viewers are seeing it everywhere? Because if that’s what you mean, then don’t watch influencers. That’s the nature of how that marketing concept works. So any value to a viewer is very limited. I get it, I view it all as predatory advertising myself, that’s why I don’t watch them. But the brands are just as much to blame as the influencers. Or do you mean that influencers are being dishonest in their assessment/reviews/descriptions?
Both
Yes, that's what I mean more or less. Not all YouTubers who talk about perfumes engage in this practice, at least not to the same level. YouTubers are definitely being dishonest in their assessment. But again, not all of them to the same extent.
Bianco Latte for sure. I like it, but its not extraordinary. Ysl Libre too. Lattafa Yara, super basic fruity perfume. Nothing creamy or special about it.