Fragrance is the unseen accessory of your personal style. It could be your best bet for a lasting good impression. The first step to getting it right with colognes is to know what fragrance is good for you, the benefits of a type of fragrance and how to use the fragrance.
It is only natural to want to be the guy who carries the best scents at work or school. Moreover, scents are an integral part of every man’s personal style that can be used to his advantage, if it is rightly done. Wearing a very good scent tops your confidence.
To totally maximize the purpose and benefits of colognes, you will need to know the essentials and how to use them correctly.
Where to Apply Cologne
For proper emphasis on your fragrance, you need to know where to apply your cologne. In the fragrance world, some parts of the body are labeled as spray zones. These are pulse points or the warmest areas in your body.
How does this work? These points in the body have veins and arteries very close to the surface that produces heat. So, when you apply cologne to one of these areas, it slowly goes off the skin giving a better projection.
These spray zones or pulse points include the neck, chest, shoulders, wrists, and inner elbows. However, one or two areas should be focused on. The wrist and neck, for instance, make a good pair.
In addition, you should note that the crotch, armpits, and behind the knees are also warm areas but they are not ideal for cologne application.
SEE: Cologne On Skin Or Clothes?
How to Apply Cologne
Cologne has found many applications and uses, from being an aftershave to a well-rated fragrance. How you apply your cologne speaks volumes of the effectiveness you will get. Mind you, you should not spray cologne into the air and walking in it.
Follow these steps for better sillage:
- Get your skin dry after a shower. This is when your skin pores are most opened and can therefore trap the most cologne possible.
- Target pulse points like your inner wrist and neck or your preferable spray zones.
- Hold the bottle of cologne and spray from a distance of 2-6 inches away from the skin.
- After application, do not rub in the cologne.
- You should however note that 2-4 squirts are enough.
Types of Cologne
Not every cologne will meet your needs. So, before you go cologne shopping, you should understand that there are different fragrances.
When you get familiar with the options and their peculiarities, it will become easier to select a cologne that suits your needs. You will also understand why one cologne is more pricey than the other.
The different types of cologne do not suggest or necessarily affect the scent or quality; they are just pointers to help you make a choice according to your preferences.
The general difference between the different fragrances of cologne is the aromatic essence percentage that influences the lasting effect.
Parfum
Parfum, a French word for perfume, is also known as pure perfume. This fragrance has the highest aromatic essence concentration of 20-40%. Parfum, among all others, has the highest price and perfume strength because of its high essence concentration.
This high oil concentration makes it oily, stronger, and heavier in scent. So, just a few dabs on your pulse points is enough to identify you in a crowd.
That is to say, it lasts the longest on the skin for about 8 hours and beyond.
Eau de parfum (EDP)
Eau de Parfum, water in perfume, has a perfume concentration of about 15%. It is less expensive compared to parfum and lasts for about 6 hours. As the name implies, it holds more alcohol and water concentration compared to parfum.
Eau de toilette (EDT)
This lighter fragrance perfume is packaged in a spray bottle because of its relatively lower fragrance oil concentration and high alcohol content. Eau de toilette has an aromantic essence concentration of about 4-15% and lasts up to two to four hours.
Because it doesn’t last very long, you might have a need to refresh at some point during the day. But, if your day extends into the night, you might want to replace it with an Eau de parfum.
Because of its relatively light nature, it is very suitable for office or corporate wear. it is also a good option for the summer and spring seasons.
Eau de cologne (EDC)
Eau de Cologne has a fragrance formulated for people who want a lighter variation of a certain fragrance scent. However, over time, it evolved into a male fragrance. But, you can still find some female fragrances.
This diluted perfume holds a 2- 5% fragrance oil concentration and lasts for two to four hours.
In addition, eau de cologne is a very light fragrance and offers the fragrance scent you love at a less pricey rate.
Eau de fraiche (EDF)
Eau de Fraiche is also known as fragrance water. It is the least expensive and concentrated perfume. It contains a 3% fragrance oil concentration and will dissipate within one hour or two. This simple perfume is a great summer product for beach time or the gym.
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How to Choose a Good Cologne
To wear the best scents, you should know how to choose a good cologne. When you want to make a cologne choice, especially when you want to pick a signature scent, you should bear in mind that it’s not all easy.
Also, a lot of considerations need to be done.
Fragrances are broken down into four scents. So, you’ll like to identify what scents you’re drawn to. It could be floral with fruit scents; oriental defined by spices; woody with the smell of nature; or fresh which focuses on citrus, green, and water smells.
You should also understand how your desired fragrance breaks down into notes. Colognes are made of top notes, mid notes, and base notes.
At different intervals, these notes dry up and cause the fragrance to change. Top notes last 15-120 minutes, mid-notes last 30 minutes to five hours, and base notes which tell how long the fragrance will last, can stay up to 2-8 hours or more.
Some department stores offer testers as samples for you to make a choice. So, you can spray colognes on your inner wrist to get scents. Fresh and light scents work best for summer while scents of wood or spice are winter scents.
Ensure to leave the sample on your wrist all day, regularly smelling it to see how it interacts with your natural oils, and breaks down into notes.
Most importantly, do not buy a cologne because a friend wore it. Colognes interact differently with different people. Also, do not allow someone else select for you. You should test your fragrance before making a purchase.
How to Store Away Cologne
Where cologne is kept is usually overlooked. Where you keep your cologne can affect the scent and lasting effects. If cologne is exposed to areas of rapid temperature changes like the top of the bathroom drawers, the fragrance will break down faster.
Exposure to sunlight will also have the same effect on your cologne.
Therefore, if you want your scent to last, you should store your cologne in a cool, dark, and dry area like your bedroom closet.
How Much Cologne Is Too Much
Moderation is very important if you will make a good lasting impression with your scent. Moreover, with fragrance, less is often more.
For clarity, the number of squirts you need depends on the fragrance you use. While strong scents may require two to three squirts, lighter scents on the other hand may need over four squirts to have the same effect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I apply cologne on my clothes or skin?
The best place to apply cologne is on the skin where your pulse points are. Doing this allows interactions between your natural oils and the cologne. However, if you are allergic to cologne ingredients, a better option for you is to spray on your clothes.
How often should I use a cologne?
To get into the habit of using colognes, it should be applied every day. This will make smell good no matter where you go and what you’re doing. But, if you’re just hanging around home, you may choose to not wear cologne.
Can I apply cologne to wet skin?
Colognes are to be applied to dry skin, after a shower. If you apply cologne on wet skin, it won’t mix properly with your body oils and this will make the scents fade quickly.
How do I make cologne last longer?
To get cologne to last, spritz it on your pulse points, which tend to be warm areas of your body, and project the scent better. The wrists, neck, chest, and inner elbows are all excellent choices. However, pick one or two spots, so the smell isn’t overwhelming.
A fragrance with a higher concentration of essence will also last longer. You can go for Eau De Parfum or Parfums instead of Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne.
Conclusion
You should know that the different fragrance of colognes does not suggest that one is of superior quality to the other. These types are simply guides to help you make the right choice according to your preferences.
Since fragrances have been identified as a very important part of personal style, it has to be done rightly. If you apply too little, no one will be able to smell your expensive cologne. Yet, too much will have everyone gagging as soon as you enter a room and have a seat.
So, You need just the right amount, with the nature of the scent in mind.
In addition, you should get into the habit of applying your cologne every day if you must get that signature scent.
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