Choosing A Cologne: A Guide For Men

Choosing a cologne is about more than just smelling nice—it's an opportunity to express your personality and create a unique signature scent that leaves a lasting impression. The right cologne can turn heads, define your style, and even trigger powerful memories. With so many options available, selecting a cologne can be a daunting task. But by taking the time to understand the different types of fragrances, considering your personality and preferences, and sampling a variety of scents, you can find a cologne that truly reflects who you are.

Know your skin's natural chemistry

The skin is a complex organ composed of water, fat, salts, sugars, proteins, fibres, and hairs. However, not everyone's skin is the same, and each person's skin has a unique composition. This is why perfumes perform differently from person to person.

Pheromones and Perfume

Pheromones are secreted in the body's erogenous areas, and they often determine how a perfume interacts with body chemistry. The natural, unique scent of a person can be attributed to their pheromones. Therefore, applying a new perfume can be thought of as layering a scent over the body's natural scent. These layers can either be highly compatible or clash horribly.

Sweat and Perfume

All bodily fluids, including sweat, can affect skin chemistry. As sweat mixes with perfume, a reaction occurs, highlighting and suppressing certain notes and accords, thus creating a unique scent that is personal to each person's body chemistry. Citrus and green notes tend to become amplified when combined with sweat as they gain greater depth.

Diet and Lifestyle

One's diet and lifestyle can alter the core chemical makeup of the body, which will then determine how a particular scent performs. For example, a person who eats a lot of garlic will have a different body odour to someone who does not. Similarly, a heavy drinker will have an odour of alcohol about them.

Skin Texture and Type

The texture or type of skin cannot change how a perfume smells on a person, but it can determine the performance or longevity of a scent. Perfumes cling better to well-moisturised or oily skin. It is difficult for fragrance molecules to adhere to dry skin because of the lack of oil or moisture, and as a result, they are not absorbed and evaporate quickly.

Tips for Application

• It is recommended to apply perfume directly to dry skin, preferably right after a shower.
• Hold the spray nozzle 3-6 inches from your skin while applying.
• Apply perfume to heat areas of your body, such as the neck, chest, pulse points, forearms, or inner elbows.
• Start with a light application. Choose one area, such as the neck or forearms, and apply one spray.
• Re-apply if needed. Depending on the type of cologne, you may need to re-apply, especially if you are going out in the evening.
• Do not spray perfume on your clothes. This prevents it from mixing with your natural oils and can harm certain fabrics.
• Do not splash the cologne on your skin. Instead, place one finger over the opening of the bottle and gently tip it upside down before dabbing the scent on your body.
• Do not spray a mist cloud and walk through it, as most of the cologne will end up on the floor.
• Do not rub the perfume into the skin, as this can make the scent fade faster by breaking the molecular bond in the fragrance.
• Less is more. Fragrance should be discovered, not announced.

Understand fragrance families and seasonality

When choosing a cologne, it's important to understand fragrance families and seasonality. There are five categories of fragrances, each defined by their strength:

• Eau Fraiche: The weakest dilution, with 1-3% perfume concentration, lasting less than an hour.
• Eau de Cologne: Commercial masculine fragrances, with 2-4% dilution, lasting up to two hours.
• Eau de Toilette: Recommended option, with 5-15% dilution, lasting three to six hours.
• Perfume: Historically genderless, more potent than Eau de Toilette, lasting five to eight hours.
• Parfum: The strongest, with 20-30% concentration, lasting up to 24 hours.

Different fragrances are suited to different seasons. In winter, fragrances with warming notes of tobacco, leather, or spice are preferred. For summer, green and aquatic notes are ideal. Fall fragrances lean towards patchouli, musk, and vanilla, while spring is associated with floral and citrus scents.

Michael Edwards' Fragrance Wheel is a great resource for understanding seasonality and how different notes interact with moods and occasions. His Fragrances of the World website offers a finder that suggests fragrances based on families, helping you explore the vast array of options available.

Choose a scent that reflects your personality

Choosing a cologne that reflects your personality is an important part of your personal style and image. It can evoke emotions and memories, and shape how others perceive you. Here are some tips to help you select a cologne that suits your personality:

Understand your preferences

Consider your style, fashion choices, and the scents you are naturally drawn to. Do you prefer classic and elegant styles, or bold and edgy fashion statements? Are you more inclined towards floral, woody, oriental, sweet, fruity, or fresh fragrances? Understanding your preferences will help you choose a cologne that aligns with your taste.

Reflect your lifestyle and interests

Think about your lifestyle, hobbies, and the environments you frequent. Are you drawn to nature, adventure, or elegance? For example, if you enjoy spending time outdoors, you may prefer fresh and woody fragrances. On the other hand, if you lean towards elegance, you might opt for more sophisticated and refined scents.

Evoke memories and emotions

Scents are powerful triggers for memories and emotions. Choose a cologne that holds significant meaning for you or brings back fond memories. For instance, if you have happy memories associated with a particular place, you could select a cologne with similar scent notes to transport you back to that time.

Consider the strength of the cologne

Determine whether you prefer a light and discreet fragrance or a stronger, more bold scent identity. The strength of the cologne will impact how you and others perceive it. Lighter fragrances are often preferred for daytime wear, while richer and more intense scents are suitable for the evening or special events.

Experiment with different scents

Don't be afraid to try out different colognes to find the perfect match for your personality. Visit a physical store and test out various fragrances to see how they interact with your natural skin chemistry. Remember that the same cologne can smell different on two people due to individual biochemistry.

Choose the right type of cologne

There are different types of colognes, such as Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, and Eau de Parfum, which vary in terms of strength and longevity. Eau de Toilette is a good option as it is more pungent than Eau de Cologne and has a longer-lasting scent, typically lasting between three to six hours.

Know the classics

Knowing the classics is an important step in choosing a cologne. If you know the best classic scents, you have a framework to pick your own scent, as well as a killer roster of scents to choose from.

One classic masculine fragrance is Yves Saint Laurent Jazz, a classic aromatic fougère fragrance. Fougère, which is French for "fern-like", is a scent family characterised by its use of a "fern accord" of lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss. Aromatic fougères are fougère fragrances with a significant herbal facet, often from the addition of aromatic herbs such as rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Another classic is Tom Ford's Fougère d'Argent, a modern interpretation of the aromatic fougère. This scent is one of GQ's 10 favourite Tom Ford scents.

Classic masculine fragrances also include those with notes of warming tobacco, leather, or spice. These are more suitable for winter, whereas summer scents tend to be green and aquatic. For fall, look for fragrances with patchouli, musk, and vanilla, and for spring, opt for floral or citrus.

Consider mass appeal vs. niche

When choosing a cologne, it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of selecting a mass-market fragrance over a niche fragrance.

If you opt for a mass-appeal scent, you may find yourself smelling like your colleagues. However, these fragrances are usually more affordable, and they are generally liked by most people. They are also less likely to be overpowering.

On the other hand, a niche fragrance is unique and can be your signature scent. However, they are usually more expensive, and the cheaper options may not last as long.

When it comes to price, you generally get what you pay for. Mass-market fragrances are cheaper because they are produced with a smaller ingredients budget. Niche fragrances, on the other hand, tend to contain more costly natural ingredients, such as rose absolute or sandalwood oil.

Ultimately, the choice between mass appeal and niche fragrance depends on your preferences and budget. If you want to stand out and are willing to pay more, a niche fragrance may be the way to go. However, if you prefer something more affordable and widely liked, a mass-market fragrance could be the better option.

Frequently asked questions