Why and How To Wear Fragrances

Fragrance.
An invisible part of your personal style.
The one that has a significant effect on how people perceive you.

Perfumes can:

· Increase your level of attractiveness.
· Increase your perceived confidence level.
· Reduce stress levels.
· Increase confidence levels.
· Increase your vigilance.
· Double your chances of getting a woman's phone number.

Despite all these benefits (links at the end of the article) - 80% of men do not use perfume regularly!

Why are men reluctant to wear perfume?

Due to lack of basic information, ignorance of different terminologies and fear of wearing it badly or just smelling bad.

This article is an introduction to the different types of perfumes - why and… especially how you should select and regularly use a cologne that complements your natural body odor.

What Are Fragrances?

Perfumes are complex mixtures of what people in the industry call raw materials. These raw materials can be extracts from natural sources or synthetic raw materials.

The oils are dissolved in a solvent (usually alcohol), to keep a pleasant concoction of perfumes. The higher the concentration of oils, the greater the strength of the fragrance. The strength determines the duration of an application of the perfume on your skin.

What Is The Difference Between Fragrance, Perfume, Toilette And Cologne?

Perfume is a unisex umbrella term used for perfume. Perfumes come in many forms and are called different names, but generally fall into these categories:

Eau Fraiche - The more diluted version of perfume, usually with 1% - 3% perfume oil in alcohol and water. Usually lasts less than an hour.
Cologne (Eau de Cologne) - The oldest term for perfume, used in North America for men's fragrances. Light, fresh and fruity, typically made from 2% to 4% fragrance oils in alcohol and water. Tend to be used in perfumes for young people. Usually lasts about 2 hours.
Toilette (Eau de Toilette) - A lightweight spray composition with 5% - 15% pure perfume essence dissolved in alcohol. Usually lasts about 3 hours.
Perfume (Eau de Parfum) - Historically genderless, used to describe male and female perfumes. The best term used to describe a perfume. Contains 15% to 20% pure perfume essence and lasts approximately 5 to 8 hours.
Perfume - A corruption of the Latin phrase per fumum (by smoke). The most concentrated and expensive perfumes. Slightly fatter, the perfume or fragrance is composed of 20% to 30% pure perfume essence. A single application of perfume can last up to 24 hours.

The Life Cycle Of Fragrances

Perfumes have three timed sections - a dot life cycle - think of an evaporating pyramid.

Each of the three sections contains individual scents or "notes," which are belted together in what you end up smelling.

These are the individual building blocks of perfume. There are three different types of notes that make up a scent: top, middle and base notes.

Top Note - The top or base note is the initial, lighter scent of the fragrance that hits the nose first. The top note lasts about 15 minutes - 2 hours.

Typical top and middle notes are various floral scents, fruity scents, marine / aquatic notes and spices such as cinnamon. Examples of these notes include citrus, powdery scents, and light florals.

Middle note - also called heart or heart notes - highlights the main elements of the perfume. These notes develop after the top note wears off - around 30 minutes and can last 3 to 5 hours after being sprayed.

The middle notes most often include heavier floral scents. The middle and base notes are the additional layers of scents that give the scent its distinctive scent.

Base Note - The last to develop and helps set the scent on the skin. This is where you will feel the bolder notes of the scent, which become more noticeable when the scent has been on the skin for a while. The base notes lay the foundation for the scent and will determine how long the scent lasts on your skin. Base notes tend to last 5-10 hours. Typical base notes are sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla, tar, leather, smoke, tobacco and musk

As the notes dry, the scent will change, allowing the scents to evolve and be more interesting. As a rule, the mark of a poor quality perfume is that it remains monotonous throughout its life.

Linear vs Non Linear Fragrances

Not all scents change and pass through all three layers of notes over time. These linear scents tend to smell the same on you from the initial spray until you wash it off. Nonlinear scents change their scent after interacting with your skin.

Both have their goals.

You may want a clean head scent all day at work instead of a scent that turns musky after a few hours of application. On a first date, you might want the opposite effect - a pleasant citrus scent that turns into a velvety vanilla lavender.

The Two Types Of Fragrances – Designer Or Niche

Designer perfumes are what you will see in most stores. These fragrances, made by companies like Armani, Chanel, Burberry, and other designer brands, cost between $ 50 and $ 100 for a 50ml or 100ml bottle. Because designer fragrances are designed for a large audience, they are generally safer than niche fragrances. They also tend to be made from cheaper materials for the same reason.

A niche perfume is made from more expensive / higher quality ingredients. These are the fragrances created by artists in the industry, designed for a more selective customer who wants to wear something distinctly bold or unique. Niche perfumes do not have the universal appeal of a designer perfume. They appeal most to fragrance lovers who want to push the boundaries of acceptable scents. These scents typically cost over $ 250.

Pricing - The Perfume Economy

More money doesn't necessarily mean better colognes or better scents. Some of the most popular perfumes of the past were relatively inexpensive formulas. It is possible to mix up expensive raw materials and end up with an expensive mess.

Usually, the amount of concentrate a perfume contains will affect its price.

Big brands create both scientific and marketing scents. They have a familiar feel to all of their scents. Ralph Lauren perfumes, for example, are made to have a family of familiar scents. If you've been wearing one for years, the brand new Polo fragrance should feel right at home, even if it's not the same scent you're used to.

Often what you end up paying is the marketing cost and image associated with a brand and not necessarily the cost of the raw materials that make up the perfume.

When you decide to buy a new perfume, let your nose decide!

The strength of a Cologne

The strength of the cologne determines how far the perfume travels. A stronger cologne is projected further and can be smelled several steps away, while a softer one is only noticeable to someone in a close embrace.

In the case of perfumes - strong is not necessarily better than sweet. Everything that is noticeable a few steps away is overdone. Use discretion when applying a strong scent. With strong blends, only a little touch is enough.

High quality vs. Low quality cologne

What are the key factors in determining if a perfume is of good quality?

Longevity, uniqueness of smell and projection are important for obvious reasons - if people are unable to smell and appreciate your scent, what's the point in wearing one?

Winter scents generally last longer than summer scents. The lighter aquatic / citrus notes of a summer scent tend to evaporate within 4-5 hours of application. A good summer scent should last 5-7 hours.

Winter scents have more intense base notes which tend to last much longer. Expect a good winter scent to last at least 10 hours.

When looking to buy a perfume, spray it on your wrist and wear it for a day to observe the transitional nature and longevity of the scent. Avoid spraying on paper as this will only reveal the top notes and is a bad indicator of how the notes of the perfume will blend with the oils in your body.

How To Select And Buy The Right Perfume

Scientific studies suggest that an individual can choose the scent that works best with their natural body odor. Don't let others choose for you, instead let them reinforce your judgment.

Don't try a blind buy - buy a perfume on someone else's recommendation.

You need to test whether the scent complements your natural body odor. Department stores are a handy place to test out different samples, just make sure you don't buy until you're ready. You shouldn't try more than four scents at a time (two is ideal).

How to test fragrances:

Spray one on each wrist and inner elbow.

In between scent of cologne, refresh your palate with something strong, like coffee beans (usually provided).

Smell all the notes. Avoid using the paper strips provided to test the scent. The initial smell of the top note is not necessarily the one that lasts the rest of the day.

After spraying the perfume on your wrists, walk around the department store and smell the colognes at various intervals up to an hour.

What are the different sizes available?

Perfumes are available in different bottle sizes, typically ranging from 1 oz. at 3.4 ounces.

I recommend smaller bottles for men who are trying perfumes for the first time - simply because it's cheaper. You don't know how often you will wear it yet. It is likely that your tastes will change after experimenting with other colognes.

The uniqueness of a scent is often overlooked by most men.

Different scents convey different vibrations, and knowing these vibrations and choosing accordingly matters. Additionally, people associate perfumes with souvenirs and other people (especially women). If you wear mundane or common scents, you'll smell like everyone else.

Your clothes are an outward expression of how you see yourself. The same goes for perfumes.

Rules For Perfume Application

Spray perfume on dry skin, preferably right after showering. Hold the spray nozzle 3 to 6 inches from your skin and focus on these rules for applying the scent:

Pulse Points - Your body heat will propel the scent throughout the day, creating a beautiful trail of scent commonly known as a wake. Start with the warm parts of your body - chest, neck, lower jaw, wrist, forearm, inner elbow, shoulder.
Re-spray only when needed - You can add more sprays to your wrists or remove sprays depending on how long the scent lasts.
Don't kill the note - Rubbing perfume on your skin seems like a smart thing to do. It actually breaks the molecular bond, making the scent weaker.
Don't Spray and Walk - Spraying a perfume in the air and walking in the mist is worthless. Most perfumes fall directly on the floor.
Do not spray perfume on your clothes - Perfume is not allowed to mix with your oils and therefore cannot go through the note stages naturally as it should. The oils in a perfume will stain many fabrics.
Don't Splash Too Much - If you are applying cologne from a regular bottle, take a finger and press it against the opening of your bottle, then gently rock it.
Less Is More - "The perfume must be discovered, not announced". People need to be close to smell the scent, but not be overwhelmed by it.

The average lifespan of the perfume

The average shelf life of a perfume bottle is 3 to 5 years from the date of manufacture.

It is virtually impossible to specify the exact number of applications from a perfume bottle. You can roughly expect the following shelf life from your perfume bottle:

One 100ml dispenses 1000-1500 sprays and should last 14-16 months.

The average number of sprays in a 50ml bottle is 735, which should last 7-8 months.

Extend the life of your perfume by storing it in cool, dark and dry environments, such as your bedroom. Rapid heat fluctuations (like in a bathroom) will cause the molecules of a scent to break down. Sunlight also does the same. Make sure the bottle cap is securely attached to prevent the fragrance from evaporating.

Smell is our strongest sense. It is linked to our memory - we make a deep connection with emotion. Our reaction to fragrances is quick and strong although our understanding is in its infancy at this time.

Women love to be with guys who smell good.

Wearing perfume is a distinctive way of expressing yourself. Depending on the scent you choose, wearing a scent can make you more attractive and accessible.

Once you've found scents that you feel comfortable with and enjoy scents that complement your natural scent, you'll take the next level of perfume buying - choosing them just because you like the smell they smell.