Many of you dudes don’t know much about cologne. That is fine, hopefully you will learn a thing or five here. The perfect example of a person who doesn’t know much about cologne- and I don’t mean to sound racist- is an Armenian male *like %60 of them.* Have you ever been around one!? If you have, you know what I am talking about; and if you haven’t, let me explain. Imagine standing in front of the Bellagio and watching their water show. Now replace the water with pepper spray. So now imagine a pepper spray show at the Bellagio. Yes, lots of tears, no Oxygen and whole lot of “What the fuck is this!?!?”So what is cologne exactly?
Well, not what you think. You and every other American male have been programmed by marketers to think cologne is for men and perfume is for women. Completely wrong. Don’t freak out (seriously, don’t freak out) but in the original French, the word for “fragrance” – for both sexes, is parfum; cologne is a very specific parfum, a light version that comes from the city of Koln (thus the name), based on citrus (lemon, grapefruit, bergamot).
But obviously I should wear “men’s” fragrances, right?
Wrong again. Anyone who knows anything about scent (that’s you now) knows that dividing fragrances in “masculines” and “feminines”, as the industry does, is just a marketing device to give straight American guys psychological permission to wear them (which European and gay guys don’t need). As Hermes perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena puts it “Scent is art. Is there a painting only for women? A symphony for men?” Authentic houses don’t gender their highest-end scents: Tom Ford’s Private Blend, the Hermessence collection, Chanel’s Les Exclusifs, Armani PrivÃ.
Where and How to Apply
1. The tops of your forearms – and skip your wrists.
2. On either side of your neck.
3. A shot inside your T-shirt and down your back.
4. For God’s sake, watch the volume. Hopefully, you’re not playing your iPod so loudly passersby can hear it – you shouldn’t be blasting your scent, either.
Where to Store It
Best: In the refrigerator. Constant and cool temperature, no light to damage the juice, as little oxygen exposure as possible.
Worst: On a sunny windowsill or your bathroom, where the climate fluctuates with each shower. Or the glove compartment of your car.
What to Look For
If you haven’t done a thorough recon of what’s out there since high school – and you’ve never heard of perfume makers like Le Labo, Serge Lutens, Andy Tauer (he’s Swiss) and Frederic Malle – you’re starting at zero. They produce things with the three technical aspects you want: (1) persistence (it lasts more than thirty minutes on your skin) (2) performance (how well it diffuses when sprayed) and (3) structure (the raw materials fit well together). The fourth quality is your own: Do you love it? Do other people? The only way to know is to try several. Keep one on your right arm, one on your left, and pay attention to who notices.
What to Avoid
Steer clear of anything that reads “Dad,” stamps an invisible date on you (1986, say), or suggest you want to start a harem. And don’t worry about whether it smells like it’s for a guy, or be seduced by “masculine” classifications like “woods,” “citrus,” and “spice.” Focus on whether it smells good. Dior Homme is an iris for men and one of the best scents you can buy. The Different Company has an amazing, smoky, spicy rose, Rose Poivrée (unisex!), and applying Comme des Garcons 2 for women is like putting on a $2,000 pair of shoes.
The Well-Groomed Man’s Scent Wardrobe
Your closet holds a mix of basics and standouts; your olfactory inventory should be equally diverse
-Vetiver Babylon Giorgio Armani
Vetiver (and Indian grass) is green and lemony. It makes this unisex from Armani’s Prive collection less ferocious than the 1959 men’s-only version; subtle, clean, it’s the navy suit of the group.
-Happy for Men Clinique
This is like a basic blue oxford that turns out to be a cool twist on the traditional business shirt. it smells like citrus mixed with nitrous oxide – or mandarin oranges grown on Mars.
-Light Blue for Women Dolce & Gabbana
That’s right – in the “feminine” Light Blue, perfumer Olivier Cresp has created for D&G a perfect scent for guys (sorry, ladies). The combination: Sicilian lemon peel, green apple, and cedar.
-Tom Ford Extreme Tom Ford
Here’s a “men’s” fragrance that’s awesome on every level. It’s recognizably male without being a cliche – no “soap” or “deodorant” smells – and perfectly spiced and as sleek as a Maserati.
-Un Jardin Sur le Nil Hermes
A unisex, this stuff is as far evolved from Drakkar Noir as a Lexus hybrid is from a ’63 Beetle: It smells of unripe mango-peel in a cool breeze under a tropical sky. Fragrance doesn’t get better.
-Fresh colognes have a nice greenery and citrus smell to them and favor guys who are intensely goal-oriented while being quite easy going.
· Lacoste Essential, Calvin Klein Escape, Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme
-Aromatic colognes contain fruity and spicy scents that help excentuate guys with sophisticated styles and the ability to make everything around them seem cool.
· Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme, Calvin Klein Eternity For Men, Davidoff Cool Water
-Woody colognes work great for strong leaders with the tendency to nurture and listen to those around them.
· Cartier Must Pour Homme, John Varvatos Vintage, Valentino Valentino V Pour Homme
When To Apply
The best time to apply your cologne is after a shower before you’ve put on your shirt. Spray the cologne into the air and walk into it. If you’re already dressed, the back of your neck and wrist areas are your next best bet since they naturally diffuse more scent then the rest of your body. Never spray cologne on your clothes.
Remember that hotter it gets the more intense the scents from your cologne will be, especially when combined with your sweat. Go lighter in the summer, and heavier in the winter. Oilier skins tend to amplify the scents a bit, so take it easy.
Trying Cologne
Upscale fragrance counters like the ones at Neiman Marcus love to hand you samples of their latest cologne on strips of paper. Although this is a great sales technique, keep in mind though that scents smell very different on paper, than they do after they’ve dried on your skin. The best way to test a cologne is to spray a small amount on the inside of your wrist, wait a few minutes, and take a quick whiff. This dry down is what the lovely lady you’re trying to attract will actually smell.
Did you learn anything? I really hope you did. Do it the right way and you will have this happen all the time.
0 comments:
Post a Comment