Choosing the Right Men’s Cologne
The right cologne can act as an invisible cloak of confidence. It can enhance your suiting attire, make you stand taller and project charm and suavity with a subtle touch of scent.
There are two main types of scents traditionally associated with men; Woody and Chypre. These typically have earthy notes like sandalwood or cedar.
1. The Scent
A good cologne will make you smell great, and having a signature scent can add to the impression that you are a well-groomed and put-together gentleman. Choosing the right scent can be tricky, however. There are a lot of different options out there, and some fragrances can be overwhelming, or just not right for your body chemistry. The best way to find the right one is to test it out first. Apply a small amount of the cologne to your wrist or neck and then let it fade on your skin as you go about your day. This will give you an idea of how long the fragrance lasts, as well as how it interacts with your body chemistry.
When you’re testing out a scent, it’s also important to consider what type of mood you’re looking for. Some men prefer more masculine fragrances, while others like a lighter, more fresh scent. There are also different fragrance families, which are based on single notes or groups of notes. Woody fragrances typically have base notes such as sandalwood or cedar, while chypre fragrances have scents such as tobacco or bergamot. There are also unisex scents that can be worn by either gender, such as yuzu and lemon, or white musk and violet.
Some of the most popular men’s colognes are fresh, light scents that are perfect for daytime wear. Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani
Other popular colognes for men include Dolce & Gabbana The One
Other types of scents that are ideal for men include Silver Mountain Water
2. The Size
When it comes to perfume bottles, size really matters. The right bottle size can save you a lot of money. Moreover, you don’t want to buy a huge bottle and waste all the perfume in it. Huge perfume bottles are not just expensive, but they also tend to go bad much faster than small bottles.
If you are a beginner, a small bottle is your best bet. This will allow you to experiment with the fragrance and see if it suits you. Also, it will be easy to carry around with you and reapply when needed. Depending on the purpose, you can also buy a medium-sized bottle of perfume. This will be ideal if you’re buying a gift for someone else.
If you’re a seasoned user, you can opt for a larger bottle of perfume. This will be more economical in the long run and will allow you to use it as your signature scent for a particular season. Generally, perfume bottles are advertised in either millilitres (ml) or fluid ounces (fl. oz). This information can usually be found on the product’s label or package. If you’re not sure what size to choose, ask yourself what role the perfume will play and how often you’ll wear it.
3. The Place
Men’s cologne is often a secondary consideration when choosing personal fragrance, but when it’s used correctly, a good men’s cologne can boost your confidence and make you feel more attractive. Most men put cologne on their clothes just before leaving the house because they don’t think of it as an important part of their style, but with a little planning and some know-how, a well-chosen cologne can be a key to your unique personal style.
The first step in selecting a cologne for men is to decide what kind of image you want to project. Many colognes will smell slightly different on each person, and some will smell better than others, so it’s important to experiment with a few options. You can usually find a sample card for each scent in the department store, or you can try it on your skin at home using the bottle’s nozzle to create a fine mist. This will help you get a realistic idea of how the scent will evolve and change throughout the day.
When applying cologne, be sure to focus on the warmest parts of your body for maximum effect and longevity. Applying cologne to your chest, pulse points, forearms and inner elbows will allow the scent to blend with your natural body chemistry and become your signature fragrance. You should also remember to spray your cologne from at least 3 inches away to avoid over- or under-applying.
Finally, be sure to keep your cologne in a cool, dark place with consistent temperature to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Exposure to sunlight can cause the cologne to break down more quickly, so storing it in a cool, dark closet or drawer is ideal.
Many department stores and fragrance retailers have samples of cologne for men available for you to try before you commit to buying the full-size product. When you visit the store, be courteous and respectful to the salespeople — they work on commission and are probably trying to earn their paycheck.
You can also find free or inexpensive cologne samples online from retailers that specialize in fragrances. Jomashop, for instance, is best known as a grey market watch seller but the site also stocks thousands of men’s colognes and frequently runs sales that can save you big money.
4. The Application
Fragrance is a complex science. Not just in terms of the ingredients that make up a scent, but also how they interact with your natural and unique body odors, as well as the temperature and oils of your skin. If you are not careful, your fragrances will quickly become overwhelming or appear flat and monotonous. In this way, choosing the right cologne is an art that requires the same level of attention to detail as a tailored suit or a perfectly broken-in pair of jeans.
Despite the complexity of perfume, most men don’t understand how to apply it properly. The result is they end up spraying themselves with $250 bottles of cologne and walking through the mist cloud they have created, or dabbing it on their wrists and not getting any lasting payoff from it. Instead, men should be aiming to get as much of the fragrance onto their skin as possible for long-lasting results.
The best time to do this is straight out of the shower, when your pores are open. You should be spraying yourself about three to six inches away from your skin, and focusing on your main heat areas. These are typically the neck and wrists, but could include your shoulders, elbows, and armpits as well. Depending on the fragrance, it should last around 5 to 10 hours once applied properly.
Finally, you should be careful not to over-spray or go overboard with your spritzes. You will want to be able to smell your cologne throughout the day, but not overpower anyone else with it. A good rule of thumb is to use one spritz per area, or approximately two spritzes total.
Once you’ve figured out how to choose the right cologne and how to apply it, you’re ready to start wearing it like a pro. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at it, and the more your friends will marvel at how great you smell. You may even inspire them to start trying out their own signature scents, too! Just be sure to avoid hitting up the department store fragrance counters during high traffic times, as you may find yourself surrounded by an over-zealous sales team trying to push their latest designer creations.
Purchase men’s cologne from your local Avon Representative, Cascia Talbert here.
