Last month I had one fragrance, this is my collection now.
Warning: Long post ahead.
A Bit About Me:
I’m 35 and have always been the kind of guy who sticks to one fragrance at a time. Usually, I'd get one as a Christmas gift, use it until it ran out, and then grab something inexpensive—think Hugo Boss, Gucci, Armani, D&G, that kind of thing.
Last month, everything changed. I developed a full-blown fragrance obsession, and a few things led to this whirlwind.
First off, my daughter accidentally smashed my only perfume. Ouch! Second, I kept seeing ads for Parfum.ae, a Dubai-based company that makes fragrance copies. I had noticed their products at a friend’s place recently, and my interest was definitely piqued. Third, TikTok kept suggesting fragrance influencers, and I couldn’t resist diving into their world. Lastly, my dad passed away last month, and I found myself needing a distraction, so a new hobby was perfect for keeping my mind occupied. I’ve had my fair share of hobbies over the years, becoming obsessed for a while before moving on, so who knows where this will go!
The Obsession:
I quickly fell down the rabbit hole of niche fragrances and dupes, especially Middle Eastern brands, which caught my eye since I’m trying to keep costs down with this new hobby.
Most of my current collection consists of blind buys. I’ve spent countless hours on TikTok and Instagram, watching videos and trusting the advice of influencers I liked. The Middle Eastern fragrances were particularly appealing due to their affordability. I found some great deals on Rayhaans and Armaf Odyssey right here in Dubai. In the beginning I just sort of bought a ton of stuff without really looking into scent profile or my own preferences.
I’ve also ordered a ton from Parfum.ae. They have this awesome deal where you can get 10 testers (5ml each) of their copies for just 99 AED (about $27/€26/£22). I’m on my fifth order, which means I have 50 copies stacked up in addition to the full bottles you see here! I’m really drawn to the pricier brands like Penhaligons, Xerjoff, Louis Vuitton, Parfums de Marly, and Creed. So far, those are my favorites, alongside Tom Ford, Dior, and YSL. I was also lucky enough to get some fragrances gifted for Christmas and my birthday (hence some more expensive fragrances in the collection), including a tester set from Creed and Penhaligon’s.
Now that I have built my initial collection and got the blind buying out of my system, I am focusing more on learning what I like and purchasing fragrance copies or dupes of, and finding good deals on fragrances I actually like. I’ll probably end up giving some of these away to friends and family as they were bought before I really knew what I liked and some of them also smell very similar.
What’s the Point of This Post?
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure! I just felt the urge to share my newfound passion with others who might relate, especially given how much time I’ve spent obsessing over fragrances lately. I’m more than happy to answer any questions about the scents in my collection, though I should mention that I haven’t worn a lot of them yet, and I’m very much still learning!
Thanks for tuning in to my little fragrance journey!
TL;DR: After some personal loss and a few unexpected events, a guy with zero fragrance knowledge suddenly becomes obsessed at 35.
Warning: Long post ahead.
A Bit About Me:
I’m 35 and have always been the kind of guy who sticks to one fragrance at a time. Usually, I'd get one as a Christmas gift, use it until it ran out, and then grab something inexpensive—think Hugo Boss, Gucci, Armani, D&G, that kind of thing.
Last month, everything changed. I developed a full-blown fragrance obsession, and a few things led to this whirlwind.
First off, my daughter accidentally smashed my only perfume. Ouch! Second, I kept seeing ads for Parfum.ae, a Dubai-based company that makes fragrance copies. I had noticed their products at a friend’s place recently, and my interest was definitely piqued. Third, TikTok kept suggesting fragrance influencers, and I couldn’t resist diving into their world. Lastly, my dad passed away last month, and I found myself needing a distraction, so a new hobby was perfect for keeping my mind occupied. I’ve had my fair share of hobbies over the years, becoming obsessed for a while before moving on, so who knows where this will go!
The Obsession:
I quickly fell down the rabbit hole of niche fragrances and dupes, especially Middle Eastern brands, which caught my eye since I’m trying to keep costs down with this new hobby.
Most of my current collection consists of blind buys. I’ve spent countless hours on TikTok and Instagram, watching videos and trusting the advice of influencers I liked. The Middle Eastern fragrances were particularly appealing due to their affordability. I found some great deals on Rayhaans and Armaf Odyssey right here in Dubai. In the beginning I just sort of bought a ton of stuff without really looking into scent profile or my own preferences.
I’ve also ordered a ton from Parfum.ae. They have this awesome deal where you can get 10 testers (5ml each) of their copies for just 99 AED (about $27/€26/£22). I’m on my fifth order, which means I have 50 copies stacked up in addition to the full bottles you see here! I’m really drawn to the pricier brands like Penhaligons, Xerjoff, Louis Vuitton, Parfums de Marly, and Creed. So far, those are my favorites, alongside Tom Ford, Dior, and YSL. I was also lucky enough to get some fragrances gifted for Christmas and my birthday (hence some more expensive fragrances in the collection), including a tester set from Creed and Penhaligon’s.
Now that I have built my initial collection and got the blind buying out of my system, I am focusing more on learning what I like and purchasing fragrance copies or dupes of, and finding good deals on fragrances I actually like. I’ll probably end up giving some of these away to friends and family as they were bought before I really knew what I liked and some of them also smell very similar.
What’s the Point of This Post?
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure! I just felt the urge to share my newfound passion with others who might relate, especially given how much time I’ve spent obsessing over fragrances lately. I’m more than happy to answer any questions about the scents in my collection, though I should mention that I haven’t worn a lot of them yet, and I’m very much still learning!
Thanks for tuning in to my little fragrance journey!
TL;DR: After some personal loss and a few unexpected events, a guy with zero fragrance knowledge suddenly becomes obsessed at 35.