Best Cologne for Men
What is the best cologne for men?
If you want an extra boost for your dress code or even to be able to give your confidence an extra boost, let's not forget one important detail: the smell. You may be the best dressed person in the room, but if you smell like crap, no one will want to come near you.
The absolute first step to smelling great? Take a shower. You should also do your laundry once in a while. However, who really wants to live on just the bare minimum? The next step to smelling really good: perfume. Our guide to men's fragrances will clear up all the confusion about the different types.
Types of perfumes for men
It may surprise you to know that there are five different types of perfumes.
- Whipped Cream
- Cologne
- Eau de Toilette
- Eau de Parfum
- Perfume
Whipped Cream
This type of fragrance is the lowest on the concentration spectrum, as it usually contains between 1% and 3% aromatic oils. This means that the scent will usually disappear within an hour. Because Eau Fraiche perfumes are so short-lived, your body chemicals don't have a chance to interact with them - meaning that the scent you smell in the bottle is almost exactly the same as the scent you smell on your skin.
Cologne
Often referred to as cologne, it has become a generic term for men's fragrances that contain 2% to 4% aromatic oils. This type of scent will last for about 2 hours. Colognes will also have more of a light and refreshing scent and are recommended for hot weather.
For fragrances that last longer than an hour, your body chemistry will affect the scent throughout the duration of the fragrance. The perfume will have different "flavor notes", but more later on.
Eau de Toilette
For this type of perfume, the fragrance oil concentration is 5% to 15% and generally lasts about 3 hours. This is the middle ground of balance between potency and duration and is recommended for novices. As mentioned earlier, the scent notes will change within the second hour of wear.
Eau de Parfum
The perfume will contain 15% to 20% fragrance oil, which means it will last about 5 to 8 hours. After a few hours of wear, your body chemistry will continue to mix with the scent of the perfume, creating a new fragrance over time.
Perfume (Parfum)
This type of fragrance has the highest concentration of fragrance oils, usually about 20% to 30%. You can find perfumes with higher concentrations there, but usually this is where it falls in between the two ranges. This perfume can last for at least 6 hours, but some types can last up to 24 hours.
It should be noted that these times are a rough estimate. Everyone is different, so their chemical levels in your body will affect how long these perfumes last.
Usage Scenarios
- Have a job interview?It is highly recommended to pair it with a less intense perfume so that you smell good but don't necessarily attack the nostrils of the interviewer.
- Date night?Try something that will last a few hours, but be careful not to put too much on. If they can smell you from across the room, they may not want to spend too much time Next to you.
The Three Scents of Perfume
- Top
- Medium
- Base
The top note is the initial scent of the perfume, the scent that will either draw you in or immediately turn you away from the perfume when sampled. Common top notes include citrus, light fruit and ginger.
The middle notes will follow the top notes and appear between 2 and 30 minutes after application, depending on the perfume used. These will last for 3 to 5 hours as the fragrance enters its final phase: the base notes. Common middle notes include amber, vanilla, lavender and lemongrass.
The base notes will be the boldest of the three and create the body of the perfume due to their large and heavy molecules. These flavor notes emerge when the top notes have fully evaporated. Common base notes include more intense "deep" scents such as tobacco, different types of woods, leather and pine.
Buying perfume
When buying perfume, it is best to try small amounts at a time so that your nose does not get scent fatigue. Most stores that sell perfume will usually offer coffee beans to refresh your nose.
Spray the perfume on your wrist and take some time to let it penetrate your skin. If you are really committed to finding those deeper notes, smell the scent every hour.
Buying perfume blindly is not recommended
To get the best results, you need to go to a store and test the one you are interested in. Department stores are a good choice because they come with Many perfume brands for men.
Scent is an important part of every man's style. Take the time to find the fragrance that best suits you and your preferences so you can feel more confident. You may discover a new scent that you will wear for years or even decades.
