Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette and part three of our mini-series on colognes
and fragrances.
If you haven't already done so check out part 1 about the History of Cologne and part 2
about How to Choose the Right Cologne for You and How to Apply It.
First of all let's talk about the do's of wearing cologne.
One, do test the intensity of your cologne before wearing it in public.
You can do so at home because some colognes are very overpowering while others are very
light and you want something that is balanced.
Two, before you make a purchase do check with your spouse or your significant other and
see if they like it.
Even if you love the scent if your partner doesn't want to be around you it's not good
for your relationship and there's simply so many other scents out there and chances that
there's one that both of you will like is very high.
Do one or two sprays max for a regular intensity cologne.
Four, do wear cologne that works with other scents harmoniously.
Maybe your jacket has a certain smell.
Maybe your hair product has a certain sort of smell.
You don't want colliding scents in one ensemble because it may be off.
Five, do spray and moisturize before putting on cologne.
That being said I suggest you go with fragrance free lotion because it won't impact the scent
of the cologne.
Stay clear of unscented body lotion because despite its implication it actually has different
scents that's supposed to emulate not a smell at all and it can interfere with your cologne.
Six, do buy cologne from a reputable store because colognes can be easily faked today.
Buying them on eBay or Amazon may be a great way to get something that is faked.
And even though the top note may be the same or similar they can be watered down.
There can be more alcohol and while you think you saved a buck you actually ended up with
a lot of crap.
So always buy from a trusted source.
Now let's talk about the don'ts of wearing cologne.
One, don't rub in cologne on your skin but just let it settle naturally onto your skin.
Two, don't wear alone in the presence of people which have allergies or an aversion to cologne.
You might think people are really sensitive but there are truly some people who collapse
when they smell cologne.
For the same reason don't use colognes in hospitals or medical facilities.
If you want to maybe go with something very light definitely not with something that's
overpowering because it can have negative impacts on the people there.
Three, don't put on more cologne just because you can't smell it anymore.
Over time your nose and your sense of smell and gets desensitized for your cologne so
it's the best to ask someone else that you know such as your partner whether they can
still smell it, otherwise you're just overpowering the people around you.
Don't put cologne in open sores, your ears, your mouth or your private parts.
It's just not meant to be there.
Don't use aftershave as a body cologne.
It has a very specific purpose and alcohol or ethanol based aftershaves are not up to
date anymore so I'd go with something else.
With that being said, the after shaves usually don't last for a very long time and they're
not well suited as a body cologne.
Likewise don't spray cologne in the air and walk through it.
It's simply a waste of it so rather apply it directly on your skin.
Also don't apply cologne in public because it's just gaudy.
It's like clipping your fingernails in public.
Just do it at home.
Don't buy or use bargain colognes from the drugstore.
It's something that's reserved for teenage boys.
And no, the Axe or Gillette won't make women follow you around the block or fall from the
sky because they find you so attractive.
Also don't buy cologne for the great-looking bottle.
Most of the times designers put a lot of effort in the marketing as well as the bottle because
they want to associate things with positive things in your life so you like the scent
but ultimately always go for what's in the bottle and try to disregard the rest.
In the same vein don't fall for these box packages which are on sale because the body
lotions are usually not of a very high quality and your skin can react to it differently
because it lingers longer on it.
Honestly at the end of the day it's gonna be less expensive than buying the whole set.
Last but not least, don't save cologne for a special occasion because usually the essences
inside can only be stabilized for about three years.
After that they start to change.
The aromatics change and it's just not pleasant anymore.
I know the 100ml bottle may be tempting but maybe you'll just use 50ml over three years
so go for that one.
If you enjoyed this video make sure to watch part 1 about the History of Cologne and part
2 about How to Choose One and How To Apply It.
Also subscribe to our channel so videos like this come right to your inbox.
In today's video I'm wearing L'Dandy from D'Orsay which I don't just like because of
the bottle or the name.
So for my jacket I'm using a very light tone of brown which is oatmeal with a herringbone
pattern and three brown cuff buttons which indicate that it's a little more sporty.
I'm combining it with a shirt that has white, yellow, blue and brown stripes and as such
it's rather bold.
Because of that, I combined it with a mottled dark knit tie with tones of blue and brown
which is made out of silk and from Fort Belvedere just like the pocket square which is made
out of linen with hand-stitched x stitches and they're hand rolled.
It's very hard to do that but they pick up the same colors of blue and yellow to create
a harmonious look.
My pants are navy with a faint windowpane over check and my shoes have the same brown
color as the buttons on my jacket.
Because of that everything is tied well together.
The socks I'm wearing are navy and yellow shadow stripe socks from Fort Belvedere and
for selection of all the Fort Belvedere accessories mentioned here please head over to our shop.