• About
  • Login to comment
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Perfumers
  • Perfume Houses
  • Shop for perfume
  • Resources

Spiced rum vs. Perfume

Posted by Robin on 15 December 2007 19 Comments

I don't wear perfume, but if I did, the most I'd spend is $120. I'd haggle the price of perfume to $15 in Chinatown. This smells kind of flowery. I'd spend that money on booze. Spiced rum? Beer?

— 16 year old "Brad" reacts to an on-the-street smell test of Clive Christian No. 1, recently awarded a Guinness World Record for the most expensive perfume. Read more at Intel Road Tests World's Most Expensive Perfume: How Do We Smell? Thanks to Ruth for the link!

Filed Under: perfume in the news

Advertisement


19 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Anonymous says:
    15 December 2007 at 1:44 pm

    This article made me giggle. I love all the things people would rather spend the money on–my favorite being a “trip to Vietnam.” :) I agree. I find Clive Christian's attitude about being the most expensive perfume in the world rather grating.

    Log in to Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    15 December 2007 at 1:56 pm

    I liked the one about buying dogs — lots of dogs :-)

    Log in to Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    15 December 2007 at 10:39 pm

    I really liked this article as well, and I have to agree that I found Clive Christian's comment rather annoying as well.
    I hate to break it to him, but there are better smelling perfumes out there that won't put as big of dent into other's pocket books.
    As for comments…
    I have to say that I find Pierre's comment rather amusing: “Ew. It smells like something you would buy at CVS, like cheap deodorant. This costs $800? Perfume this expensive should adapt to your skin. It should recognize the kind of skin you have. I'd rather buy two pairs of shoes at Prada. They're having a 50-percent-off sale.”

    Log in to Reply
  4. Anonymous says:
    15 December 2007 at 10:51 pm

    It is funny, but on the other hand, you know, taking ANY perfume on the street is likely to elicit funny comments. In other words, it makes me laugh, but I don't find it meaningful in terms of evaluating No. 1. BUT, have to agree that you can buy something easily as nice for way less money.

    Log in to Reply
  5. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 3:25 am

    I think the going price is what got to me.

    Don't get me wrong, I do splurge when purchasing a perfume, but with $865 I can probably get a couple of backups of some favorites and still have some money left over for other things I want/need. If I were to spend that much, I the perfume in question would not only have to smell pretty, but it would also have to be made of solid gold, lol!

    Hitting the asphalt with any perfume will, in fact, elicit the comments, as you said.

    I agree that the comments made are in no way meaningful in evaluating the perfume in question, but personally I thought it was interesting to read the reactions of other people who got a chance to take a whiff.

    Log in to Reply
  6. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 10:16 am

    I'd hate to hit the asphalt with any of my favorites, LOL — and nothing on earth would induce me to spend even $300 on a single bottle of perfume. I think the highest I've gone to date is $180, and even that was for a bottle I meant to share with others.

    Log in to Reply
  7. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 12:24 pm

    I had tried this one a few months back this past summer at shop in La Jolla which was really trying to hardsell this one to me because it was the scent that “Tom Cruise picked out for Katie Holmes”. I was really being veered towards the men's scents since I'm a guy. But I have to say, even though they do smell very nice. I'd rather buy a few bottles (which I DID) of Wild Woods Coty since it smells so similiar to X Clive Christian. And isn't really Clive Christian from what I heard an interior designer/bathroom designer originally? Not a true perfumer of some sort? I could've heard this wrong but I remember a Brit acquaintance had made a point of saying that is what CC originally was and/or is. I would spend the amount of this money to get multi bottles of Serge Lutens scents personally speaking. I think they are more exotic and gorgeous than CC's scent.

    I liked the days when they used to say “Joy, the most costliest perfume in the world”. Even though Joy Jean Patou has been tampered. I still think of it smelling very rich and gorgeous still. To me, that's what the costliest perfume in the world should smell like. JUST MY OPINION, okay!

    Log in to Reply
  8. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 4:40 pm

    Why is luxury only about cost? Isn't it more of a lifestyle? The most compliments I ever get from men, including hubby, is when I wear Fracas. It seems to blend in with my skin and I never find it too strong. So, why would I buy something like Clive Christian?

    Log in to Reply
  9. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 7:28 pm

    Yes, CC did custom kitchens or some such. Of course, Czech & Speake does bathroom fixtures, so won't hold that against them. I just don't think CC No. 1 smells like that price. Joy, in parfum especially, smells much closer to “true luxury”, I agree.

    Log in to Reply
  10. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 7:30 pm

    I guess the idea is that you buy into the lifestyle. But so true, you can't beat Fracas!

    Log in to Reply
  11. Anonymous says:
    19 December 2007 at 6:32 am

    I don't think I would go as high as $300.00, because even that's pushing it for me!

    The most I've spent on any scent is $120.00, and that's about as high as I'll go.

    Log in to Reply
  12. Anonymous says:
    19 December 2007 at 8:30 am

    LOL, I think you understand what I'm getting at *grins* =0]

    Although, if my perfume did literally hit the asphalt, I'd lose it right then and there.

    Log in to Reply
  13. Anonymous says:
    27 January 2008 at 3:02 pm

    No interior designer worth his salt could ever think fragrance is useless and even repugnant. It's airspace design—it's a way of defining a space with an olfactory impression. I'd have to question his creative capabilities.

    Log in to Reply
  14. Anonymous says:
    27 January 2008 at 4:20 pm

    Sorry, I missed the reference — who said home fragrance is useless & repugnant?

    Log in to Reply
  15. Anonymous says:
    27 January 2008 at 7:00 pm

    “Chris”, a 49 year-old interior designer gave this comment:

    “I hate perfume. You should outlaw it. Have you ever walked on or off an elevator and someone has sprayed on too much? You would never catch me wearing cologne. It's all about subtlety. Your taste is determined by your olfactory senses. You can't get to know a person who wears perfume; it masks what your true person is. With $865, I might buy a new coat from Saks on sale, like a Loro Piana cashmere coat.”

    Log in to Reply
  16. Anonymous says:
    27 January 2008 at 8:30 pm

    Oh, sorry! I had long forgotten what I'd read in the article itself, LOL…but I do have to agree w/ him that I could find way better things to do with $865 :-)

    Log in to Reply
  17. Anonymous says:
    28 January 2008 at 7:33 am

    Same here. We don't live in the 1400's where it could take years, through trecherous seas and by camel across deserts, to attain essences—I don't care how rare he'd like to believe his ingedients to be, that pricing is absurd. I'd expect to get an original sample from Cleopatra's chambers for that price.

    Log in to Reply
  18. Anonymous says:
    28 January 2008 at 7:37 am

    Treacherous…

    Log in to Reply
  19. Anonymous says:
    28 January 2008 at 10:34 am

    LOL at “original sample from Cleopatra's chambers for that price”!

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

From NST at Twitter

  • "How scientists are decoding what the past smelled like" (cnn) https://t.co/jdiy07ZXfh, 3 hours ago
  • "ArtSEA: A seaweed-scented dip into the abyss at the National Nordic Museum" (crosscut) https://t.co/qdhw2os2jV,
  • "Why All the Cool Kids Smell Like Pistachios Right Now" (harpers bazaar) https://t.co/LbGd9vvrdE,
  • "Lush jumps into action with new Super Mario bath collection" (cosmeticsbusiness) https://t.co/Zz5kXx64DN,
  • "W Editors Share Their All-Time Favorite Fragrances" https://t.co/ynkWuxNwE2,

Browse by...

Topic

Perfume talk New fragrances
Shopping Books :: News
Body products Home fragrance
Polls Another subject

Date

February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022

Prior months

Author

Robin Jessica
Angela Kevin
Erin Guest Author

Tag

Celebrity perfumes
Cheap thrills
Collector bottles
Perfumista tip series
Video
The complete tag index

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

3 April ~ damage poll
15 April ~ swap meet

6 May ~ spring reading poll
20 May ~ splitmeet

Back to Top

Home
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy

Shop for Perfume Online
Perfume Shopping in New York
Perfume Shopping in London
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Links
Perfume Books
Fragrance Awards

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2023 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.