Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette and part two of our series on colognes and fragrances.
Today, we discuss how to choose the right cologne as well as how to apply it.
If you haven't already checked out part 1 about the history, you can do so here, and
stay tuned for do's and don'ts in part 3 here.
So how should you pick the right Cologne?
Honestly, reading reviews online or elsewhere are really not the best way simply because
everyone's nose is different and the exact same cologne can smell different based on
your natural body odor.
So before you go out to a store or before you acquire samples, here are few things that
I think you have to understand.
First of all, understand ingredients.
Most colognes consist of multiple different fragrances, water and alcohol, to create something
that is harmonious and flattering.
Traditionally, essential oils would be used to add the scents to the Cologne.
Well-known essential oils include lavender, rose, bergamot, and sandalwood, for example.
Personally, I'm also a big fan of lemongrass, unfortunately, most manufacturers will not
list the essential oils on the ingredients list because they want to keep the secret
recipe.
As you can imagine, squeezing hundreds and hundreds of pounds for just a few ounces of
pure rose oil is not just very costly but the final result of the fragrance and the
scent also depends on the season, on the weather, and everything that goes into growing this
natural plant, herb, or spice.
So when manufacturers use natural essential oils, they may run into issues with consistency.
In one year, the lemongrass will be much more fragrant than in other years and so it's very
difficult to create a consistent experience for the consumer.
Because of that, most essential oils used in Cologne today are derived synthetically;
that way, you can guarantee a certain level of consistency and at the same time, it's
a lot less expensive.
If you read the term fragrance on the ingredients list, you can safely assume it is 100% synthetic
because most manufacturers would highlight the fact that they used natural essential
oils.
That being said, the best fragrances are still derived naturally but they also come at a
higher price point.
Two, I suggest you understand the fragrance wheel.
There are many different variations.
Scents are categorized into floral, oriental, fresh, and woody, sometimes also in aromatic.
Ultimately, this is just a graphic and if you haven't smelled any of this before, it
won't be of any help, however, once you've found colognes that you like and you've analyzed
what is in them, this can help you find related colognes that you might also like.
Ultimately, you want to narrow down the selection of potential favorites for you by using the
wheel.
For a more detailed look at the fragrance wheel, please head over to our website here.
Three, before you buy cologne, it's essential to sample it in person.
Why?
You might ask.
Well again, it's your nose and everyone's perception of smell is different, on top of
that, it's essential that you smell a cologne for at least 30 minutes, ideally up to an
hour individually, before you decide on buying it.
So why do I have to wait 30 minutes to one hour if I can smell the Cologne right away,
you might wonder?
Well actually, it all comes down to understanding the fragrance pyramid.
Basically, a cologne consists of base notes, heart notes, and top notes.
The top note is the most volatile of the three, meaning it evaporates most quickly and it's
what you can typically smell when you spray the Cologne onto your arm or onto a tester
strip.
Oftentimes, it's described as fresh or assertive or sharp and it's never on its own because
you also have elements of the heart note and the base note that go into it's perception.
That being said, I always suggest to test the Cologne on your skin and never just on
a tester strip because your natural odor impacts the way you and others perceive that scent.
The heart notes or the middle notes are about to appear strongly when the top note disappears
which is generally about 20 minutes in.
Typically, the notes are more round or mellowed compared to the top notes and it can last
all the way up to an hour.
Base notes, on the other hand, are the least volatile component and are often perceived
as rich or heavier.
It typically takes at least 30 minutes to release those base notes.
In the beginning, they're overlaid by the heart notes and so that's why you want enough
time with a cologne so you can truly experience what it smells like and how the sense develops
over time.
Even if you might enjoy a scent right out of a bottle, you may actually not end up liking
it at all 30 minutes in.
So let's say you're at a store and you don't just want to bring home one sample, I suggest
to spray different scents onto a tester strip or onto your skin.
Once you put the first scent on, you should have some coffee grounds or coffee beans that
you smell in between because that helps to neutralize your taste and your smell buds,
you must do it because otherwise, your nose gets overloaded by the senses and so if you
smell something and you think you like it, it may smell entirely different than if you
spent the next day just on its own.
For the same reason, I suggest never to bring more than three samples home because otherwise,
your nose will be just overloaded.
If you want to use more, definitely use tester strips otherwise, you'll have too much on
your body and it interferes with a perception.
Despite what many say, you don't need a huge collection of colognes.
I even know men who just have one cologne and they made it their signature scent so
everyone recognizes them when they enter the room even though they haven't even seen them
in the first place.
Personally, I think it's nice to have a small collection of colognes so you can have a richer
perfume for the evenings or for the winter, something lighter for summer, or during the
day, and maybe something else that's a little different if you're in a different mood.
Also, keep in mind, cologne never just stands on its own.
The shampoo you use, the lotion you put on your skin, and even the food you eat paired
with your natural body odor or smell will always impact how a scent is perceived.
For example, just think of eating a lot of garlic or even spicy foods will have an impact
on how your body smells, so if you go out and eat something heavy or spicy, you probably
want to go for a lighter scent, not something rich and deep.
For example, I like to use Creed Royal Oud in the winter and for evenings because it's
a heavier richer scent that I would find quite uncomfortable during this summer.
During the day I like La Dandy by D'orsay or maybe the spice bomb from Viktor and Rolf.
In the past, I've also used Polo Ralph Lauren blue or Montblanc individuel.
I suggest you just go out and smell different things to figure out what works for you and
what doesn't.
An all time classic is the 4711 original eau de Cologne which personally I'm not a big
fan of but maybe it works for you.
If you go to a regular store, you will see many designer names of Cologne very popular
because it's a high margin product but most of the time, what you can find inside the
bottle cost less than one dollar to produce and the bottle is actually several times more
expensive than that.
so you'll want to go a step up from those designer perfumes you can look into brands
like Penhaligons or Creed which have a range of very appealing gentlemen scents, at least
in my opinion.
Another step up would be colognes for someone like Lorenzo Villoresi Firenze who uses very
good essential oils and interesting combinations.
If money is of no concern to you and you want the absolute best colognes, you should look
into brands like Xerjoff which come in with semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli
which is something that we use for cufflinks.
While the packaging and the ingredients are very nice and high-end you also pay at least
$600 for them.
So how do you apply Cologne?
First of all, I think it depends on the strength of the Cologne.
Something that is stronger has to be applied differently than something that is very light.
When in doubt, always use less.
I personally find one splash is enough for me.
Some people like two but anything more than that is likely over the top.
In general, most people spray the Cologne in the areas that are the warmest in our body
which are also known as the pulse points because it helps to spread the scent, that being said,
the neck is very warm, so are the top of your shoulders, followed by the chest, some people
also apply it behind their ears because it's warmer there too.
While some people spray cologne on their hair or their clothes, I suggest you spray it on
bare skin some people also like to rub it in the that way.
I think that's really unnecessary because the fine mist will distribute evenly and you
can let up your body and the heat do the work.
naturally.
keep in mind at that point you will mostly smell the bass notes.
Also if your skin is generally dry, you can go with a bolder scent because there are fewer
oils on your skin that help punch out that full scent.
On the flipside, if you have more oily skin I suggest to go with a lighter scent, otherwise,
it can easily be overpowering for others.
In recent years, layering of colognes has become a trend.
I personally am more of a purist, I think it's best to go with that one scent because
it already consists of many aromatic fragrances paired with your skin and what you eat it
really is enough As a man, I think there's nothing worse than coming in and smelling
you from eight yards away because it's just over the top and many people find it to be
uncomfortable and unpleasant and trust me, using too much cologne is a safe way for others
to talk about you behind your back and try not to be in your presence.
As you can see, at the end of the day, choosing a cologne is a very personal thing.
You can take into consideration the environment you're in, the season, as well as the type
of your skin, so you find something that truly works for you and that's flattering.
Stay tuned for the final video in this series about Cologne do's
and don'ts.