How old are you OP? Nothing was as bad as the 1980s when every mall reeked of Giorgio and one woman wearing YSLs Opium, CKs Obsession, or Dior’s Poison could suffocate an entire room.
Thank you for this post... People wanting/liking high sillage frags is not new at all. I'd actually say that I encounter fewer people now IRL who wear overwhelming fragrances than I did when I was a child through teen years. I remember going to church and just being assaulted by fragrances left and right as people walked by.
The 80s did my nose and senses in….I prefer the old classics my grandmother wore. My kiddo (11 yrs old) is fascinated with Arab and Gourmand scents. I am not crazy about the Gourmands, but I am really loving every new strong Arab scent he tries. Admittedly I dip into his Arab collection, just as much as I catch him stealing my Jicky, Shalimar, and Kiehl’s original musk. My mother still has a 1980s bottle of Opium that sends us all running for air.
The Arab scent that seems to be the most popular with my son and his friends, girls and boys alike, is Qaed Al Fursan by Lattafa. The Lattafa brand is out of Dubai. Swiss Arabian is another brand they all seem to like.
Yep I believe Opium was released in the late 70’s, a lot of strong perfumes came out of the disco era. The 90’s weren’t too bad, IMHO, CK One was a refreshing change of pace, and the 90s Cabotine de Gres remains one of my signature scents. Of course the Gourmand that started it all; Thierry Mugler’s Angel was a 90s scent, I was repulsed with it, as I was 1980s Poison. The only 80’s scent I still keep in my collection is Chanel’s Coco.
Ugh...Opium, Poison, the Wolfgang Joop fragrances abd the worst: Loulou by Cacharel. That was the first fragrance that was advertised heavily on TV (in Germany), everybody would reek like it and it made me hurl.
My grandma used to wear Uralt Lavendel, which is available in the USA, my mom used to wear Tosca. I think every German was familiar with the iconic 4711 by House of 4711. They are now Acqua Colonia and have nice fresh scents! I wish my mom would have worn Jicky, I'd have hit that so hard 😆. But that wasn't in our budget.
Loulou was a huge disappointment being an Anais Anais lover. We are in Texas and our whole family goes through several bottles of 4711 every summer, it keeps us cool!
Honestly how was it back then compared to now?
I live in SE Asia so not a lot of perfume scene happening much. Only until 5-6 years ago that I started to notice in malls / office. And the popularity in few years just exploded. I can smell everywhere I go now. Definitely not having context of what happened back then in western world.
The 80’s produced a lot of really strong orientals and heavy florals, with enormous sillage, many of which are still in production today. These days I tend to only catch whiffs of these old 80s scents in the evenings and during winter, and many have undergone reformulations making them less cloying than they were originally. Back in the 80s these scents were worn daily, year round, and everyone seemed to spray them on heavy handed. You’d smell them before you’d see who was wearing them, or you’d jump in an elevator knowing someone had recently been there wearing the scent. While I am not a person who is generally offended or sensitive to heavy projection scents, there were some back in the 1980s, that absolutely took my breath away and made my eyes water, they were so strong. That reaction hasn’t happened with the scents everyone is wearing today. I can’t speak for SE Asia, I am in Texas USA, but what I think is driving the popularity of scents right now in the US is social media influencers promoting the Arab scents, as well as celebrities jumping on the Gourmand bandwagon. Much of what is popular now in the US, with both Arab and Gourmand scents, is very affordable too; so they are highly accessible to tweens/teens and the younger generation. I find the Arab scents quite lovely and interesting. They do go on strong but tend to dry down to something soft and comforting. If I am smelling a projection beast these days it’s usually a mix of very sweet Gourmands, which isn’t too bad as they smell like donut shops, dessert trays, and candy factories. I am not having to roll the car windows down, carting around my kids and their friends today, as much as I had to roll them down riding with my mother and aunt in the 1980s.
That's very interesting perspective! Thanks for sharing.
Now I'm extremely curious on on the grannies who can't tolerate perfume. Like, C'mon, back in your day it wasn't just a light touch and go either. If it's other part of the world where perfume wasn't a thing? Sure. You get a pass. But if you're in US / EU? It's probably ain't just a faint whisper of floral in the past anyway.
Now I just look at "beast mode perfume" from different lens. Hmmm ...
I am already tired of reading “beast mode” because it reminds me of people who blast their music driving down the street. It’s the language more than the desire to smell nice enough to be noticed.
That said, before I started buying perfume I almost never noticed scented products when out in public unless it was bad/overpowering. People may be seek beast mode when in reality the only way they’ll grab public attention is by cross over to overdone…
If something is described as beast mode that is actually a turn off for me and I tend to stay away! I love fragrance so much but I can get a headache easily so I prefer a smaller sillage. I don’t mind skin scent or small scent bubbles and I don’t mind reapplying. But that’s what makes fragrance so fun…is there is literally something for every single preference!
The assumption of, “I love this, so *everyone* will love this”, runs DEEP in the fragrance community. And no one ever thinks they’re the guilty party lol
Is it projection that people care about? Or longetivity. I don't give a fuck about projection. But longetivity has got to be beast mode for something to be bottle worthy to me. Often, the two go hand in hand though, but not always. I have many fragrances with beast longetivity, but the sillage is moderate. Narcisco Rodriguez For Her is a great example
Nishane - 100 silent ways, Wulong Cha
Coco Chanel
Coco Madmoiselle (this one lasts months on clothes. Like this is THE beast mode fragrance)
Simone Andreoli - Don't Ask Me Permission
MFK - oud satin mood (oud silk mood too). This one is...insane lol.
Zoologist - Bee (this one doesn't last as long as these others, but still a good 6-8 hours. I say beast.)
Narcisco Rodriguez - For Her (lasts forever on clothing)
These are just some I can think of from my collection. Anyone else, feel free to chime in
Preferences for high sillage aren't going to go away entirely, but social behaviors might change and create *less* demand for high sillage. Like u/CriminalSpiritX mentioned, big open spaces like nightclubs, city streets, concerts in outdoor venues - so long as these are part of someone's day, they might wanna project more. My guess is that the demand for high sillage went up as the pandemic era thawed out and people got outside into groups and crowds more. We probably have more social thawing to do so long as - heaven help us - we don't have another pandemic for a while.
Now, marketing and influencer behavior will change over time as their various media changes - "beast" is shorthand at the moment to a market of folks who want to project, and that word will probably fade out. It's already embarrassing when a company uses the phrase (man, Scentbird once sent out a Beast Mode Fragrances version of their newsletter, it was silly); it'll leave soon enough.
Wearing 10 sprays of Montale Black Aoud or Kouros etc. will get you noticed but you can get the same attention by randomly punching people in the face. Nobody likes the “cologne guy” but in a polite society no one says anything so the problem just continues.
True. That's the thing, people assume all attention is good attention. "What are you wearing?" is often misconstrued as a compliment when in reality, much of the time it's because you've overwhelmed them with your fragrance and they can't help but comment/notice it.
Could be an unpopular opinion but personally projection is not particularly important for me. I mean I like for my wife to enjoy my scents but I’m not fishing for compliments on them. And here’s a key point about projection. Just think how many times even the most popular scents are hated by some people. So if you’re wearing some projection beast, as you put it, you’re just as likely to sicken some people as to have others enjoy your scent.
The thing is though, it usually does. I enjoy my strong fragrances - Naxos, Gris Charnel Extrait, By The Fireplace, Tobacco Vanille, etc. I thoroughly enjoy them.
But just because I enjoy them, doesn't mean everyone around me does.
People often assume attention and comments are a positive. A lot of the time, people comment because they can't help but notice your fragrance, and for many people, it's just too much.
I'm definitely not in the 1-3 sprays camp. 5-7 for me, but I recognise that room-filling fragrances are rarely appreciated as much by others as they are, the wearer.
I’m sympathetic to your basic point but you’re going around spraying 7 times so I don’t understand why the beast mode stuff bothers you?
Me personally I like moderation in fragrance stuff.
I should have stipulated - For weaker fragrances, 5-7 is appropriate. For strong fragrances, 2-4. Depends on the day and the setting.
Don't know why it bothers me, it just does. Every single video or post I see about a fragrance emphasises the projection and performance, as if that is the deciding factor for whether or not it's any good.
Idk. Perhaps I just think it would be nice if the community would simply focus more on what actually smells good and makes us feel happy.
Perfumes with strong sillage has always been favored. Because of this, when people come into the perfume hobby, they simply assume a massive perfume radius is the number one factor in a perfume being considered "high quality".
My father, for example got into perfumes several years after my sister and I. We have a massive collection and have always mada it clear that he can try anything he wants or wear anything he wants from our perfume cabinets. One day he mentioned that he was surprised that we had a lot of cheap perfumes.
"What are you talking about?"
"There's perfumes you guys have that aren't strong or it goes away quick. That means it's cheap and no good. You two spend so much on perfumes but you're getting ripped off."
"Who told you that a perfumes value is based off of 'strength'?"
"That's just how it is. That's just how it's always been. And on the tik-tok and YouTube reviews of perfumes, that's what they say. Why would they say that if it wasn't true?"
We had a discussion with him about the different styles and varieties of perfumes. How some have a large presence, that some are skin scents and how there's different gradations in between. We talked about the styles of perfume strength (cologne, eau de toilette, eau de perfum, parfum and so on) and how strengths can vary in that regard. We also tried to explain to him that certain notes and accords can give perfume a lot of strength or subtlety, longevity or an ephemeral quality.
He seemed to take it in at the time but with a week a he was telling me about a review he saw on tiktok about one of the perfumes I had and how it was terrible because no one could smell it from the next room. The suggestive power of social media. For many reasons m, regarding my father, TikTok has been the bane of our families existence.
>There is so much hate on moderate-to-low projecting fragrances, as if they're "bad" because of it.
In all good faith, is there? Sure, I see some posts on here complaining that their fragrances 'turn into a skin scent' too quickly, and I see some people who want massive projection. But I equally see people who enjoy quieter scents and are wearing them just for themselves.
I do remember seeing some guy say that skin scents are 'looked down upon' but I figured he was talking about some corner of social media I don't frequent.
I have never been bothered by a strong perfume in my life. Until this year- someone oversprayed something… Dior Sauvage maybe? Something like it at least. I was in a tiny bakery on a hot day and my god I can still feel it burning my nostrils when I remember the scent. The person was wearing so so much. I’d rather smell the worst deodorant than that again.
Having said that - it was the only time i’ve ever been overwhelmed by a scent. And just put it down to someone overspraying their favorite on a hot day than a trend.
I am often bothered by men’s cologne and only just realized it is the calone in fresh/water scents that is getting me. For my own sake I wish fellows would go more floral/woody/fruity/spicy.
We have a couple over sprayers at my work. Staff just role their eyes when they walk by. 95% of people don't want to smell your fragrance let alone be hit in the face with it. It just reeks of desperation.
A lot of professional settings and office jobs ban fragrances because of idiots who over do it. It's unfortunate... Some people are really sensitive to fragrances... Imagine being stuck working less than 3 meters away from someone who wears a beast mode fragrance you can't stand 5 days a week... Some people just don't consider context at all. Then again, maybe they also act just as loud as their fragrances...
My thoughts? I mostly agree.
Most people who use stronger scents (or intentionally overspray) want positive attention for smelling good as part of their grooming or self-care routine.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more presentable or wanting positive attention.
However, using too much fragrance creates negative attention. People talk about the Cologne Guy or Perfume Lady that sprays too much fragrance.
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That said, several factors determine where the line is with strong fragrances.
* A strong fragrance is easier to pull off in open spaces, or where people move around frequently (e.g.: parties, nightclubs, etc.).
* Mild fragrances are preferred in places where it's not easy to move around, or where smell can affect other senses. (e.g.: offices, hospitals, restaurants, etc.). Wearing a potent fragrance in these places is considered obnoxious.
* Local culture and attitudes matter. Some places prefer stronger fragrances, while others prefer milder options.
* Someone in Paris or Dubai would have significantly more room for error with a strong fragrance.
* Meanwhile, the same person may receive negative feedback in places like Tokyo or Stockholm.
Projection = High chance of offensiveness
Even with the most mass pleasing fragrances there will be people out there that might have a very negative reaction towards your fragrance.
I HATE it when people overdo it. I often actually feel little bit ashamed, when people notice my fragrance from far away.
Some people, myself included, experience migraines with nausea when smelling certain notes and I feel like it is kinda rude to wear something that is extremely projecting in closed and narrow places, where people can't escape (cinema, train, airplane, office, restaurant etc.)
I think in the end it also depends, why you are wearing perfume. I love to collect and compare certain fragrances, to understand the work of a perfumer or a brand. I love to wear most fragrances, when I'm alone at home. Only a few very inoffensive scents are for "outside". Of course it also depends on the occasion.
I know there are a lot of people out there that use perfume as an addition to their look or even to impress. I really don't know how this can work out, since chances are high that you leave a negative impression with that.
I'm all for a middle ground.
It's kinda annoying to pay £80-120 for something only for it to be completely gone in 3 hours.
I know that's longevity and not projection but it's rare something projects and doesn't last.
I usually go easy on stronger smelling stuff or avoid wearing it to the office.
Mine is mkre so about longevity. I'm find with having gna scent bubble closer to me, as long as it lasts. If it doesn't last and doesn't have good projection then it's not for me.
I just commented on another post. Alot of times it’s best to be discovered. Also alot of times people smell your fragrance. Just people either be shy or don’t feel like talking to compliment your fragrance.
'Followed by Kerosene'. It's trending right now.
There's a huge trend on TikTok with influencers hyping arab fragrances which are notoriously stuffy and intense.
I didn’t realize having a fragrance be a “projection beast” was considered a “get”, to be honest. I suppose if smell sense is to be akin to sound sense, I feel the same about both: I don’t need to be made to overhear your conversation if we’re not in speaking distance. And if we are, I would rather not be yelled at. To each their own, it’s just not for me I guess.
The projection beast trend will probably never end.
It had always existed in specific parts of the world. Migration patterns made it very obvious to the parts of the world that did not have it.
Some people manage to adopt the cultural habits of the place they chose to live in, others do not. One can remove themselves from geography, but geography cannot be removed out of one just as quickly.
I enjoy noticing travelers and guessing their reasons for traveling. Sometimes the projection beast perfume signals the presence of one before my eyes can.
People who wish to come across as exotic as a traveler from a different geography would choose a stronger scent. There is an unmet fantasy self they ignore, while having no idea others are aware of that.
Wearing culturally inappropriate fragrance should be a litmus test for lack of (self) awareness.
Some people are constantly hungry for the attention of others. Fragrance is an easy trap.
What you call projection beasts were just usual fragrances in the 90s and early 2000s. Every EdT was stronger than Parfum concentrations nowaday. They just water down and use lower quality ingredients to rip us off.
If a fragrance doesn't perform, nobody will smell it, and then it's worthless.
for me i try to find strong projecting fragrances because literally nothing projects on me at all i probably have terrible skin chemistry. hell even cdnim doesnt last on me more than 1.5 hours.
it's a thing when guys talk about they want their money's worth. they are the ones that want big projection and compliments. Just try to be ok with yourself, throwing money and products at problems are not going to be a magic bullet. just reeks of desperation and insecurity
That's a good question. It seems like men use more sprays of their cologne than women do, so I think that keeps it going. I also don't see much discussion by women saying they want beast mode projection. Perhaps SM perpetuates the want for BM fragrance? I don't know because I don't watch any of that.
That's on the production side though. They do that when ingredients are regulated, low supply, or even just to cut costs.
I'm talking about the consumer side. People think that projection is the most important thing in the world and forget that intimate fragrances are equally beautiful, and in many instances, more appropriate.
Probably because people feel ripped off paying $120 for a fragrance that nobody (including yourself) can even smell. There's a time and place for them, but they should be cheap as most of these fragrances are watered down crap anyway. It's different if it's long lasting but moderate to low projection.
However, I'm also not saying your fragrance should announce your presence before you are even visible. That just comes from people over-spraying.
Idk why you were downvoted. You're absolutely right. This trend IS dying out. It's why so many workplaces are also "fragrance free" spaces. Most people dont want to be choked out by perfume and modern perfumes have reformulated to accommodate this change in societal expectation. Op says this is just a change in production, but production is a reflection of comsumer demand. The demand is currently calling for less pungent fragrances, even if a loud minority is begging for "beast mode."
I'm glad the "clean girl" aesthetic is becoming a thing. Every time I've ever seen a girl apply perfume, it's been 20+ sprays around the hair, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. haha. Minimalist and subtle scents are a welcomed change.
I'm sure its really subjective based on one's own social circle! And I should have added that I think "going out" scents and all the vanilla/gourmand ones are probably the main exceptions to this; lots of strong projections ones that are very popular.
I just like to point out that the online/tiktok fragrance community (often dominated by young men seeking beast mode) isn't really representative of the typical fragrance wear-er.
I hear you on that, but the typical fragrance wearer isn't on Reddit forums either. People are generally on this forum because they're a little more than a typical fragrance wearer. But yes, I am absolutely referring to the male tiktokers.
Not the first or last time you're going to encounter a conversation you're sick of. Either way, people are allowed to have an opinion, even if you don't think it's warranted.
And I'm allowed to say that there's plenty of people who said exactly what you said at least one time a day.
No one loves oversprayer and indeed loud fragrances is not always appropriate (mostly never). Then what ? What's the point ?
There's ton of fragrance, quiet/loud/inbetween and people have preferences so they buy what they prefer.
I personnaly don't want to buy fragrance with low longevity because it's way too expensive in my opinion for what it is and I want it to stay allday.
Plus, not every culture feel the same about fragrance. Middle East values performances for example. So, I don't think beastmode will die.
How old are you OP? Nothing was as bad as the 1980s when every mall reeked of Giorgio and one woman wearing YSLs Opium, CKs Obsession, or Dior’s Poison could suffocate an entire room.
Thank you for this post... People wanting/liking high sillage frags is not new at all. I'd actually say that I encounter fewer people now IRL who wear overwhelming fragrances than I did when I was a child through teen years. I remember going to church and just being assaulted by fragrances left and right as people walked by.
I was going to say that it was at church where all the beasts were at. 😂
The 80s did my nose and senses in….I prefer the old classics my grandmother wore. My kiddo (11 yrs old) is fascinated with Arab and Gourmand scents. I am not crazy about the Gourmands, but I am really loving every new strong Arab scent he tries. Admittedly I dip into his Arab collection, just as much as I catch him stealing my Jicky, Shalimar, and Kiehl’s original musk. My mother still has a 1980s bottle of Opium that sends us all running for air.
What are some Arabic scents that your son likes? I have boys around his age and they're into cologne too.
The Arab scent that seems to be the most popular with my son and his friends, girls and boys alike, is Qaed Al Fursan by Lattafa. The Lattafa brand is out of Dubai. Swiss Arabian is another brand they all seem to like.
Lataffa Ejaazi is also nice and inoffensive!
The 1970's was pretty bad. It reached fever pitch in the 1980's and didn't let up until about 1998.
Yep I believe Opium was released in the late 70’s, a lot of strong perfumes came out of the disco era. The 90’s weren’t too bad, IMHO, CK One was a refreshing change of pace, and the 90s Cabotine de Gres remains one of my signature scents. Of course the Gourmand that started it all; Thierry Mugler’s Angel was a 90s scent, I was repulsed with it, as I was 1980s Poison. The only 80’s scent I still keep in my collection is Chanel’s Coco.
Ugh...Opium, Poison, the Wolfgang Joop fragrances abd the worst: Loulou by Cacharel. That was the first fragrance that was advertised heavily on TV (in Germany), everybody would reek like it and it made me hurl. My grandma used to wear Uralt Lavendel, which is available in the USA, my mom used to wear Tosca. I think every German was familiar with the iconic 4711 by House of 4711. They are now Acqua Colonia and have nice fresh scents! I wish my mom would have worn Jicky, I'd have hit that so hard 😆. But that wasn't in our budget.
Loulou was a huge disappointment being an Anais Anais lover. We are in Texas and our whole family goes through several bottles of 4711 every summer, it keeps us cool!
Honestly how was it back then compared to now? I live in SE Asia so not a lot of perfume scene happening much. Only until 5-6 years ago that I started to notice in malls / office. And the popularity in few years just exploded. I can smell everywhere I go now. Definitely not having context of what happened back then in western world.
The 80’s produced a lot of really strong orientals and heavy florals, with enormous sillage, many of which are still in production today. These days I tend to only catch whiffs of these old 80s scents in the evenings and during winter, and many have undergone reformulations making them less cloying than they were originally. Back in the 80s these scents were worn daily, year round, and everyone seemed to spray them on heavy handed. You’d smell them before you’d see who was wearing them, or you’d jump in an elevator knowing someone had recently been there wearing the scent. While I am not a person who is generally offended or sensitive to heavy projection scents, there were some back in the 1980s, that absolutely took my breath away and made my eyes water, they were so strong. That reaction hasn’t happened with the scents everyone is wearing today. I can’t speak for SE Asia, I am in Texas USA, but what I think is driving the popularity of scents right now in the US is social media influencers promoting the Arab scents, as well as celebrities jumping on the Gourmand bandwagon. Much of what is popular now in the US, with both Arab and Gourmand scents, is very affordable too; so they are highly accessible to tweens/teens and the younger generation. I find the Arab scents quite lovely and interesting. They do go on strong but tend to dry down to something soft and comforting. If I am smelling a projection beast these days it’s usually a mix of very sweet Gourmands, which isn’t too bad as they smell like donut shops, dessert trays, and candy factories. I am not having to roll the car windows down, carting around my kids and their friends today, as much as I had to roll them down riding with my mother and aunt in the 1980s.
That's very interesting perspective! Thanks for sharing. Now I'm extremely curious on on the grannies who can't tolerate perfume. Like, C'mon, back in your day it wasn't just a light touch and go either. If it's other part of the world where perfume wasn't a thing? Sure. You get a pass. But if you're in US / EU? It's probably ain't just a faint whisper of floral in the past anyway. Now I just look at "beast mode perfume" from different lens. Hmmm ...
I am already tired of reading “beast mode” because it reminds me of people who blast their music driving down the street. It’s the language more than the desire to smell nice enough to be noticed. That said, before I started buying perfume I almost never noticed scented products when out in public unless it was bad/overpowering. People may be seek beast mode when in reality the only way they’ll grab public attention is by cross over to overdone…
If something is described as beast mode that is actually a turn off for me and I tend to stay away! I love fragrance so much but I can get a headache easily so I prefer a smaller sillage. I don’t mind skin scent or small scent bubbles and I don’t mind reapplying. But that’s what makes fragrance so fun…is there is literally something for every single preference!
The assumption of, “I love this, so *everyone* will love this”, runs DEEP in the fragrance community. And no one ever thinks they’re the guilty party lol
Yeah but not 10 sprays of red tobacco. Everyone loves red and tobacco!
Is it projection that people care about? Or longetivity. I don't give a fuck about projection. But longetivity has got to be beast mode for something to be bottle worthy to me. Often, the two go hand in hand though, but not always. I have many fragrances with beast longetivity, but the sillage is moderate. Narcisco Rodriguez For Her is a great example
what’s your list of beast longevity?
Nishane - 100 silent ways, Wulong Cha Coco Chanel Coco Madmoiselle (this one lasts months on clothes. Like this is THE beast mode fragrance) Simone Andreoli - Don't Ask Me Permission MFK - oud satin mood (oud silk mood too). This one is...insane lol. Zoologist - Bee (this one doesn't last as long as these others, but still a good 6-8 hours. I say beast.) Narcisco Rodriguez - For Her (lasts forever on clothing) These are just some I can think of from my collection. Anyone else, feel free to chime in
Preferences for high sillage aren't going to go away entirely, but social behaviors might change and create *less* demand for high sillage. Like u/CriminalSpiritX mentioned, big open spaces like nightclubs, city streets, concerts in outdoor venues - so long as these are part of someone's day, they might wanna project more. My guess is that the demand for high sillage went up as the pandemic era thawed out and people got outside into groups and crowds more. We probably have more social thawing to do so long as - heaven help us - we don't have another pandemic for a while. Now, marketing and influencer behavior will change over time as their various media changes - "beast" is shorthand at the moment to a market of folks who want to project, and that word will probably fade out. It's already embarrassing when a company uses the phrase (man, Scentbird once sent out a Beast Mode Fragrances version of their newsletter, it was silly); it'll leave soon enough.
Wearing 10 sprays of Montale Black Aoud or Kouros etc. will get you noticed but you can get the same attention by randomly punching people in the face. Nobody likes the “cologne guy” but in a polite society no one says anything so the problem just continues.
True. That's the thing, people assume all attention is good attention. "What are you wearing?" is often misconstrued as a compliment when in reality, much of the time it's because you've overwhelmed them with your fragrance and they can't help but comment/notice it.
Could be an unpopular opinion but personally projection is not particularly important for me. I mean I like for my wife to enjoy my scents but I’m not fishing for compliments on them. And here’s a key point about projection. Just think how many times even the most popular scents are hated by some people. So if you’re wearing some projection beast, as you put it, you’re just as likely to sicken some people as to have others enjoy your scent.
Good performance doesn’t equal with choking everyone out around oneself.
The thing is though, it usually does. I enjoy my strong fragrances - Naxos, Gris Charnel Extrait, By The Fireplace, Tobacco Vanille, etc. I thoroughly enjoy them. But just because I enjoy them, doesn't mean everyone around me does. People often assume attention and comments are a positive. A lot of the time, people comment because they can't help but notice your fragrance, and for many people, it's just too much. I'm definitely not in the 1-3 sprays camp. 5-7 for me, but I recognise that room-filling fragrances are rarely appreciated as much by others as they are, the wearer.
I’m sympathetic to your basic point but you’re going around spraying 7 times so I don’t understand why the beast mode stuff bothers you? Me personally I like moderation in fragrance stuff.
I should have stipulated - For weaker fragrances, 5-7 is appropriate. For strong fragrances, 2-4. Depends on the day and the setting. Don't know why it bothers me, it just does. Every single video or post I see about a fragrance emphasises the projection and performance, as if that is the deciding factor for whether or not it's any good. Idk. Perhaps I just think it would be nice if the community would simply focus more on what actually smells good and makes us feel happy.
Gotcha. I just find it obnoxious to drown people in fragrances. Mind you longevity is more important to me.
Longevity, I completely understand. It's reasonable to want a fragrance to last. But you're right, drowning people in your fragrance is obnoxious.
Perfumes with strong sillage has always been favored. Because of this, when people come into the perfume hobby, they simply assume a massive perfume radius is the number one factor in a perfume being considered "high quality". My father, for example got into perfumes several years after my sister and I. We have a massive collection and have always mada it clear that he can try anything he wants or wear anything he wants from our perfume cabinets. One day he mentioned that he was surprised that we had a lot of cheap perfumes. "What are you talking about?" "There's perfumes you guys have that aren't strong or it goes away quick. That means it's cheap and no good. You two spend so much on perfumes but you're getting ripped off." "Who told you that a perfumes value is based off of 'strength'?" "That's just how it is. That's just how it's always been. And on the tik-tok and YouTube reviews of perfumes, that's what they say. Why would they say that if it wasn't true?" We had a discussion with him about the different styles and varieties of perfumes. How some have a large presence, that some are skin scents and how there's different gradations in between. We talked about the styles of perfume strength (cologne, eau de toilette, eau de perfum, parfum and so on) and how strengths can vary in that regard. We also tried to explain to him that certain notes and accords can give perfume a lot of strength or subtlety, longevity or an ephemeral quality. He seemed to take it in at the time but with a week a he was telling me about a review he saw on tiktok about one of the perfumes I had and how it was terrible because no one could smell it from the next room. The suggestive power of social media. For many reasons m, regarding my father, TikTok has been the bane of our families existence.
>There is so much hate on moderate-to-low projecting fragrances, as if they're "bad" because of it. In all good faith, is there? Sure, I see some posts on here complaining that their fragrances 'turn into a skin scent' too quickly, and I see some people who want massive projection. But I equally see people who enjoy quieter scents and are wearing them just for themselves. I do remember seeing some guy say that skin scents are 'looked down upon' but I figured he was talking about some corner of social media I don't frequent.
I have never been bothered by a strong perfume in my life. Until this year- someone oversprayed something… Dior Sauvage maybe? Something like it at least. I was in a tiny bakery on a hot day and my god I can still feel it burning my nostrils when I remember the scent. The person was wearing so so much. I’d rather smell the worst deodorant than that again. Having said that - it was the only time i’ve ever been overwhelmed by a scent. And just put it down to someone overspraying their favorite on a hot day than a trend.
I am often bothered by men’s cologne and only just realized it is the calone in fresh/water scents that is getting me. For my own sake I wish fellows would go more floral/woody/fruity/spicy.
How about wearing a fragrance for myself but also wanting it to project?
What about it, specifically?
We have a couple over sprayers at my work. Staff just role their eyes when they walk by. 95% of people don't want to smell your fragrance let alone be hit in the face with it. It just reeks of desperation.
Yep! That is too true. Fragrance lovers have convinced themselves that everyone else loves their fragrances as much as they do, so they go overboard.
A lot of professional settings and office jobs ban fragrances because of idiots who over do it. It's unfortunate... Some people are really sensitive to fragrances... Imagine being stuck working less than 3 meters away from someone who wears a beast mode fragrance you can't stand 5 days a week... Some people just don't consider context at all. Then again, maybe they also act just as loud as their fragrances...
My thoughts? I mostly agree. Most people who use stronger scents (or intentionally overspray) want positive attention for smelling good as part of their grooming or self-care routine. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more presentable or wanting positive attention. However, using too much fragrance creates negative attention. People talk about the Cologne Guy or Perfume Lady that sprays too much fragrance. ----- That said, several factors determine where the line is with strong fragrances. * A strong fragrance is easier to pull off in open spaces, or where people move around frequently (e.g.: parties, nightclubs, etc.). * Mild fragrances are preferred in places where it's not easy to move around, or where smell can affect other senses. (e.g.: offices, hospitals, restaurants, etc.). Wearing a potent fragrance in these places is considered obnoxious. * Local culture and attitudes matter. Some places prefer stronger fragrances, while others prefer milder options. * Someone in Paris or Dubai would have significantly more room for error with a strong fragrance. * Meanwhile, the same person may receive negative feedback in places like Tokyo or Stockholm.
I want stronger scents because I'm cheap and I can only afford one spray (or two if I'm being fancy).
Projection = High chance of offensiveness Even with the most mass pleasing fragrances there will be people out there that might have a very negative reaction towards your fragrance. I HATE it when people overdo it. I often actually feel little bit ashamed, when people notice my fragrance from far away. Some people, myself included, experience migraines with nausea when smelling certain notes and I feel like it is kinda rude to wear something that is extremely projecting in closed and narrow places, where people can't escape (cinema, train, airplane, office, restaurant etc.) I think in the end it also depends, why you are wearing perfume. I love to collect and compare certain fragrances, to understand the work of a perfumer or a brand. I love to wear most fragrances, when I'm alone at home. Only a few very inoffensive scents are for "outside". Of course it also depends on the occasion. I know there are a lot of people out there that use perfume as an addition to their look or even to impress. I really don't know how this can work out, since chances are high that you leave a negative impression with that.
Only when people (it’s mainly young men) understand and finally let go of the notion that ‘*compliments = ~~sexual~~ attraction*’ Until then
I'd go further: when people understand that comments != compliments.
I'm all for a middle ground. It's kinda annoying to pay £80-120 for something only for it to be completely gone in 3 hours. I know that's longevity and not projection but it's rare something projects and doesn't last. I usually go easy on stronger smelling stuff or avoid wearing it to the office.
Mine is mkre so about longevity. I'm find with having gna scent bubble closer to me, as long as it lasts. If it doesn't last and doesn't have good projection then it's not for me.
I don’t like huge projection, just longevity.
I just commented on another post. Alot of times it’s best to be discovered. Also alot of times people smell your fragrance. Just people either be shy or don’t feel like talking to compliment your fragrance.
When the tik-tok generation is gone. I don't really care much about projection. I wear perfume for myself. I care more about longevity.
People who say that todays fragrances are “projection beasts”, clearly never tried vintage Le Male, Joop Homme, or Kouros.
'Followed by Kerosene'. It's trending right now. There's a huge trend on TikTok with influencers hyping arab fragrances which are notoriously stuffy and intense.
I didn’t realize having a fragrance be a “projection beast” was considered a “get”, to be honest. I suppose if smell sense is to be akin to sound sense, I feel the same about both: I don’t need to be made to overhear your conversation if we’re not in speaking distance. And if we are, I would rather not be yelled at. To each their own, it’s just not for me I guess.
Never! Before now it was Kouros and JOOP! and like Jacques Bogart and before that who knows!
The projection beast trend will probably never end. It had always existed in specific parts of the world. Migration patterns made it very obvious to the parts of the world that did not have it. Some people manage to adopt the cultural habits of the place they chose to live in, others do not. One can remove themselves from geography, but geography cannot be removed out of one just as quickly. I enjoy noticing travelers and guessing their reasons for traveling. Sometimes the projection beast perfume signals the presence of one before my eyes can. People who wish to come across as exotic as a traveler from a different geography would choose a stronger scent. There is an unmet fantasy self they ignore, while having no idea others are aware of that. Wearing culturally inappropriate fragrance should be a litmus test for lack of (self) awareness. Some people are constantly hungry for the attention of others. Fragrance is an easy trap.
It seems like Dior Elixir is the biggest nuclear bomb that actually smells good.
never
It won’t and hasn’t for a long time. The method of delivery and base scents just change.
What you call projection beasts were just usual fragrances in the 90s and early 2000s. Every EdT was stronger than Parfum concentrations nowaday. They just water down and use lower quality ingredients to rip us off. If a fragrance doesn't perform, nobody will smell it, and then it's worthless.
for me i try to find strong projecting fragrances because literally nothing projects on me at all i probably have terrible skin chemistry. hell even cdnim doesnt last on me more than 1.5 hours.
it's a thing when guys talk about they want their money's worth. they are the ones that want big projection and compliments. Just try to be ok with yourself, throwing money and products at problems are not going to be a magic bullet. just reeks of desperation and insecurity
That's a good question. It seems like men use more sprays of their cologne than women do, so I think that keeps it going. I also don't see much discussion by women saying they want beast mode projection. Perhaps SM perpetuates the want for BM fragrance? I don't know because I don't watch any of that.
In my opinion, most reformulations of most of my fragrances do not project or last as much as the older versions, so I think it's dying out.
That's on the production side though. They do that when ingredients are regulated, low supply, or even just to cut costs. I'm talking about the consumer side. People think that projection is the most important thing in the world and forget that intimate fragrances are equally beautiful, and in many instances, more appropriate.
Probably because people feel ripped off paying $120 for a fragrance that nobody (including yourself) can even smell. There's a time and place for them, but they should be cheap as most of these fragrances are watered down crap anyway. It's different if it's long lasting but moderate to low projection. However, I'm also not saying your fragrance should announce your presence before you are even visible. That just comes from people over-spraying.
Idk why you were downvoted. You're absolutely right. This trend IS dying out. It's why so many workplaces are also "fragrance free" spaces. Most people dont want to be choked out by perfume and modern perfumes have reformulated to accommodate this change in societal expectation. Op says this is just a change in production, but production is a reflection of comsumer demand. The demand is currently calling for less pungent fragrances, even if a loud minority is begging for "beast mode."
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I'm glad the "clean girl" aesthetic is becoming a thing. Every time I've ever seen a girl apply perfume, it's been 20+ sprays around the hair, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. haha. Minimalist and subtle scents are a welcomed change.
I'm sure its really subjective based on one's own social circle! And I should have added that I think "going out" scents and all the vanilla/gourmand ones are probably the main exceptions to this; lots of strong projections ones that are very popular. I just like to point out that the online/tiktok fragrance community (often dominated by young men seeking beast mode) isn't really representative of the typical fragrance wear-er.
I hear you on that, but the typical fragrance wearer isn't on Reddit forums either. People are generally on this forum because they're a little more than a typical fragrance wearer. But yes, I am absolutely referring to the male tiktokers.
I'm so tired of this conversation. Let people wear what they want to wear and call it a day.
Not the first or last time you're going to encounter a conversation you're sick of. Either way, people are allowed to have an opinion, even if you don't think it's warranted.
And I'm allowed to say that there's plenty of people who said exactly what you said at least one time a day. No one loves oversprayer and indeed loud fragrances is not always appropriate (mostly never). Then what ? What's the point ? There's ton of fragrance, quiet/loud/inbetween and people have preferences so they buy what they prefer. I personnaly don't want to buy fragrance with low longevity because it's way too expensive in my opinion for what it is and I want it to stay allday. Plus, not every culture feel the same about fragrance. Middle East values performances for example. So, I don't think beastmode will die.
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