Not Like it used To Be!

SAINT12661

SAINT12661

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Was just about to order a number of items from Cheapsmells.com having read positive feedback of them on this forum, only to then stumble on reviews of a couple of the items on Amazon to the tune of "Beware this does not smell like the original" or "Why have they messed around with what always used to be a lovely fragrance" etc.

Two of the items in question are Aramis original EDT and Aramis Havanna EDT but I don't doubt this will also apply to others.

What I would say is that these do seem to be one off comments in most cases so do you think I should ignore or do any of you concur with the statements being made?

Pete
 
It's a game some geezers play - a variant of "The Good Old Days" - banging on about how good stuff used to be instead of reviewing what is available today. On this forum, it's mainly fragrances and shaving soaps but DE blades get a mention every now and then.

I bought Havanna a couple of months ago - so presumably my bottle is new juice - and I love it. Havanna may or may not have smellled a whole lot better in the past but that is utterly irrelevant to tonight.

Back when we lived in a soggy, brown-paper bag we couldn't afford perfume, no matter how good it was! Mind, Capstan Full Strength - now there was a cigarette!
 
Formulae can and do change over the years, but by how much depends on the brand and it's also open to some debate and some interpretation. I think there is also some misty eyed nostalgia going on which clouds the issue, that's what Carl alludes to I think.
People say Penhaligons have changed formula on some of their original (100 year old) smells but who would know? I wouldn't, and so I don't worry about it and I enjoy them for what they are.

Main question is, are you actively looking to replicate a smell from your youth? Or is this a purchase based on something you just fancy? If it's the latter, don't worry about formula and just go for it.
If it's the former, you'll never get that smell back as it was probably as much about the era that created that memory, the fag smoke, the leather seats, the ladies, you know, it all mixed to make a memory.
 
Aramis and Aramis Havana haven't changed to my nose.

But I don't buy all this 'reformulation' 'old juice / new juice' pony anyway.

For two reasons ...

1. When people smell an old bottle of perfume ... they are smelling old perfume, so it won't smell like the new stuff, obviously. Leave it 30 years and it might smell the same ... by which time the other stuff will be 60 ... and so on.

2. People are comparing something new to what they 'think' something used to smell like 30 years ago when they last smelled it. Nostalgia isn't all it's cracked up to be.
 
Well, i love the original Ralph Lauren "Polo" Green Bottle, i have a bottle here that i have had for about 4 years, it smells great, same as the last two bottles i had, it smells exactly the same.

as the bottle is running low, when i went to see off a flight airside at LHR yesterday, i crept inside the terminal to the world duty free shop, they had a bottle of green polo, 237ml for £51.00 as i get a further 10% off as airport staff.

just before i bought it i had a quick sniff and it smelled disgusting !!!, i then smelled all the ones they had on display and all smelled horrible, it had lost its deep woody spicy smell, and just smelled synthetic and chemical !! just offensive really...

great shame
 
Well Pete, I can give you my take on things. Something to consider anyway.

Now when I see those warnings about reformulations I pay attention. From past experience I know that sometimes old frags don't smell like the new juice.

Keep in mind that some of these creations have been around 40 years or more and there's bound to be tinkering along the way in many cases. Sometimes ingredients may be changed because of cost or maybe because its 'not safe' anymore. Who knows.

Now if you search places like Basenotes, you will find tons of info on how vintage things smell. If you can believe these people know what they're talking about, they say the same thing as me. Oh.....Havana hasn't changed that I could tell.

Time after time I hear about some current juice being a changed formula from years ago. There's gotta be something to it. Heh, Carl, I liked your geezer comment.

Martin
 
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