Twenties Life

Why wear cologne? What’s the point?

Wearing cologne is comparable to placing a period or an exclamation point at the end of a well structured sentence. Without these small marks, a sentence becomes incomplete. A sentence, like an individual’s appearance and style, can have all the right components such as a subject, predicate, adjectives, nouns, verbs, and other modifiers. Unfortunately, regardless of how good the components are individually, if there isn’t something to unify them, the message is lost. Periods and exclamation points are used to end a thought and add emphasis to an idea.

One of the most overlooked practices by men, when getting ready in the morning is applying a scent that personifies their “swagger.” Why?

Three reasons:

· Relying/looking at popular trends

· Being un-knowledgeable about the different subsets and applications of cologne use in terms of scents

· Laziness

Well today is the day to break this horrendouss cycle.  Leave the body sprays for the kids, time to step up the game.  It’s sad to see a man wear cologne that doesn’t personify the person style or attitude. For example, a guy with a bigger frame that wears a very soft scent, or a smaller person that applies something heavy and overbearing.

Types of Cologne

Cologne can be broken down into three categories: Fresh, Aromatic, and Spicy. Each has their specific purpose in a man’s day-to-day life and should be worn at appropriate times to get its full effect.

A fresh cologne is supposed to be worn during the day, and is characterized as light, airy, and subtle. (Mental image #1: Think of the ocean or a cool breeze in liquid form.) These scents can be worn everyday and its purpose is to add life your everyday attire. (Mental Image #2: A person that best symbolizes fresh cologne would be Josh Hartnett.) A good example of fresh cologne is Cool Water.

The aromatic cologne is the “head turner.” It is typically the most popular of the most three but, should only be used once in awhile to break out of the typical 9-5 scent.  (Mental Image #3: A night out with the guys, going to the club, a 1^st date.) The purpose of this cologne is to show a little pizzazz, that there is more than one dimension to you.  (Mental Image #4: Think Brad Pitt in any Ocean’s movie.) A good example of aromatic cologne is Armani Code.

A spicy cologne is the formal evening cologne. This fragrant odor fits appropriately with any event that involves wearing a suit or a tuxedo such as an elegant evening with a date.  It is a mature aroma that suggests cinnamon or amber. (Mental Image #5: Picture Sean Connery as James Bond.) Spicy cologne is described as such because of its hearty and woody scent that have often been described as rough or jagged. (Mental Image #5: Picture a guy smoking a cigar or drinking coffee.) A good example of spicy cologne is Gucci Envy.

Cologne Do’s and Don’ts:

Do have at least 3 (one of each type) in your closet at all times, so that regardless of the event the right side of you exemplifies itself. Pick colognes that match your appearance and style.

Do understand that good cologne will have 3 notes (top, middle, and base) that will each give off a different tone. A top note is the aroma that you first smell after an initial spray, and a middle note is usually felt 30 minutes after applying. A base note is what is smelled an hour or two after a person has applied cologne. This is the most important scent since it is the longest lasting. Before buying cologne, spray a bit on your skin and give yourself some time to smell all three aromas.

Do get as many samples of cologne from the store after purchasing your cologne, that way you have time to try each cologne and see how it reacts with your body. This ensures that next time you buy cologne, you will have an idea of what you’re looking for.

Don’t overspray; only a 3 spray MAX.

Don’t apply to clothes, only on the insides of the wrist and neck. The heat from your skin will cause the scent to have lasting power, and the heat from your skin will bring out the richest notes from the cologne.

So what are you signature scents.  Name your 3 signatures in the comments section below!