(10-13-2017, 05:24 PM)Freddy Wrote: (10-13-2017, 03:26 PM)Wet_Shavers Wrote: So just to preface: I am making this thread out of pure curiosity. There is no malice intended at all even though my wording may suggest it.
So a year plus ago there were no wet shaving "artisan" fragrances on the market. It seems there was a big rush among them to transfer their most loved scents to fragrance form (and they all developed EdTs, which I guess people refer them as).
Since there has been a good amount of time since everything has been released, I'm wondering what people's thoughts on scent and performance quality is. To me, for upwards of $50+ (in some cases), I'd rather purchase a complimentary scent from an established company. Or if I want to support a small operation, I'd buy an interesting scent from a niche house, rather than joe blow mixing chemicals and oils in his basement. It seems to me, wet shaving vendors selling fragrances is akin to the level of an amateur Etsy seller.
To me, your last two sentences belie the second sentence in your post but here is my take. I like both big house fragrances (eau de toilettes) and those made by artisans. I also dislike some from both. We’re talking about scent, I think, rather than whether it came from the House of Dior or the House of Chatillon Lux. For example, one of my favorite EdTs is Dior’s Eau Sauvage. I have used it for several years and I still enjoy it. However, I loathe Dior’s Sauvage. Though the names are similar, they are completely different in the way they smell. I recently posted on hawns’ Chatillon Lux merchant thread how his Rose Santal EdT made a quick cartridge/gel shave better. The reason for that wasn’t that it was an artisan EdT but, rather, that the scent took me to a good place. That, for me, is the defining reason for finishing a good, bad, or indifferent shave with a scent I find pleasant.
As for cost, some of my favorite big house scents can retail for upwards of $100.00 or more. While they can sometimes be found for less than retail, they are still not inexpensive. The artisan who charges “upwards of $50+” is putting his or her time, money, and expertise (through studying and/or natural ability) into the product and is entitled to a monetary return on that. If the scent is a good one then I am willing to pay the price for it if I can afford it.
I either like the scent of an EdT or I don’t and that, ultimately, determines where my money goes. The House it came from really does not come into the equation.
Not to mention that someone like myself can not afford to purchase raw materials at the large scale that bigger houses do, so the raw materials cost me EXPONENTIALLY more per unit that that of a larger house. Plus, with the concentration of scent (the most expensive per-ounce part of a product) being exponentially more, of course the EdT/EdP/Parfum/Extrait is going to cost more.
So artisans are charging much less than established houses, but their costs are much higher. So it seems like there is a discount for the dilemma that the original poster mentioned about putting money into an unknown vs an established house. Not to mention that the large house, like any large corporation, must have countless people sign off on a release and make changes before it goes to market. An artisan answers to no person and so they do not have to have their vision watered down by corporate bureaucrats.
As one of the first artisans who made his scents in an EdT, it was scary because I wasn't sure how it would go, but I had a very positive response from people who wanted my scents to last all day (and, indeed, some people would tell me that they would reapply aftershave throughout the day). It encourages me to explore the world of perfumery more in depth and makes my customers happy. I highly doubt I make as much money per bottle as bigger companies who enjoy economies of scale in their purchasing, but I probably enjoy it more and see my vision more closely realized, so that feels great. Plus, in a higher concentration, the nuances of the scent can be examined more closely, which makes a scent more challenging because you have to tighten it up down to the smallest detail. Aftershave doesn't project it as much, and I've learned balms and soaps can mute certain notes and make it harder to represent the scent the way you truly wanted it to be presented.
Anyway, it's okay if someone would prefer to buy fragrances from larger houses. There are many people who enjoy niche perfumery, and many who don't. There are many who enjoy artisanal shaving products, and many who prefer legacy brands. It's all part of what makes this world so fun and diverse.
