Perfumista Snobs...Stop the Bullying

Reading reviews on another site this morning, another writer had posted about a particular perfume and I quote: "just Awful do people even wear perfumes like these anymore Dana and Revlon makes no good perfumes enough said why not save your money and buy a good bottle of perfume... YUCK the name just an odd ball!".

After seeing this comment, I really became irate. I thought to myself, why are people such snobs in our world of perfumes?

Those of us who belong to the perfume sites, of course, enjoy the niche perfumes, the high-end perfumes, the diversity of fragrances that are out in our world. However, there are many of us that also enjoy drugstore classics. And there are some of us that review them. Maybe we review them for a reason.

Not everyone understands the difference between a $400 perfume and $10 bottle. Nor does everyone even know what a nose is, or where Grasse is, or frankly, they don't even care. For some people in this world, they're just happy to have a bottle of perfume to wear.

We spend our money on our hobby and don't think twice. Look at your hobby and what it's worth. It's an investment. But that doesn't mean you can turn your nose up at those that don't understand the hobby. There are people that simply want to know what a perfume is about. They have $10 to spend and that's it for the next six months. Don't tell them to not waste their money on drugstore classics when that's all they can afford. How demeaning can a reviewer be? Are you really that special?

And if a person really feels that drugstore classics are crap, then explain why. Back up your statements with reasonable ideas that will paint a picture for the reader so they'll get a better picture of the perfume. But words that say nothing do just that. And they demean not only the reader, but the original writer, also.

Maybe I should tell you where I'm coming from and this post will hit home a little better. Have you ever held the hand of a woman in a shelter who is escaping a marriage of cruelty, has no idea where she is going, has two black eyes, an indeterminable amount of mental abuse by the person she thought she once loved? She'd love a bottle of perfume. Now are you going to tell her that she shouldn't waste her money on drugstore fragrances because that's her option right now and Chanel No. 5 isn't.

Or the middle-class woman with three children in school, saving for an education for her children, trying to pay her bills in today's world. Think she can afford Cuir de Russie?

How about the senior citizen living on social security? She has a small income, but wants to look and feel good about herself.

My point is, there are plenty of people that love perfumes. But everyone can't afford the high-end ones. Nor will everyone pay for the little samples from the companies. They can't be bothered. But, people do want to know what perfumes smell like, regardless of the price. And there's plenty of good drugstore classics out there. Or discount shopping stores like TJ Maxx/Marshall's have great buys too.

It's like eating a fish sandwich at McDonald's versus eating lobster tails at your favorite very nice restaurant. We all eat the fish sandwiches without complaining, don't we? And we eat a lot more of them than we eat lobster tails. How often does someone look down their nose at you because you've eaten at a cheaper restaurant? Do they tell you to save your money for a better meal instead? Do your friends use words like "Yuck, Ewww, when you tell them you went to that fast-food joint for a burger?" I doubt it. Instant gratification and you were hungry. The means equals the end. That's our world.

Well, for some folks in our world, it's the same thing. Their means equals their end. Only their means isn't ours. And that's ok. But there's no reason to be a snob or demeaning about it.

There's a whole world of perfumes out there. Over 36,000. Obviously you won't like them all. Review them with a sense of humor, patience and dedication. That's why the word perfumista is in existence. Wear it proudly.

Peace.

Sorceress.

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