What does a gentleman need to look the part? They need sharp clothes, a nice smile and they also need an aura of self-confidence. That is the answer that you would expect to hear when if you ever asked the question above. And, to a certain extent, the answer is correct. But, it misses out one vital element: smell. Yes, a gentleman, if they want to be called a gentleman, needs to smell the part. No one wants to smell of sweat and body odour after a hard day’s work, which is why you need to invest in cologne.
However, buying cologne is not an easy task because there is a lot to take into consideration. And, if you get it wrong, it could be worse than not wearing cologne in the first place. Here’s what every gent needs to do before they invest in a bottle of the good stuff.
The Budget
First and foremost, you need to decide what you can and cannot afford. Of course, everyone would love to buy the best cologne of the market. But, that might not be realistic as the price may be exclusive. There is no point buying a bottle of aftershave for men that you cannot afford because you want something that lasts and that won’t break the bank. Yes, the smell is very important, but the price is just as important as you should never have to take out a loan to afford aftershave! To figure out your budget, examine your expenses and figure out how much ‘extra’ you have to spend each month. Your cologne should fall well within that figure.
The Price
You may think that the price and the budget are two and the same, but they are quite different. Your budget is what you can afford to spend, whereas the price is the money that you will have to pay. What’s the difference? The difference is that you use the price to tell whether a bottle of cologne is worth the investment. For starters, there is a certain amount that you should never go over. If the cost is extortionate, there is always an alternative that is just as good for a lower price. Plus, the price may indicate whether the product is legitimate. If the price is low and the brand is very reputable, it is a bad sign.
Strength
The strength is important because you want people to be able to smell the odour, but not to overwhelm them. The last thing you want to do is smell like a tart in a cathouse! One tip to keep in mind is that any smell that is perceptible from one step away is too much. And, it is always important to remember that strong smells are not automatically better than mild ones. At the end of the day, it all boils down to your personal preference. Still, make sure you don’t go over the top.
Oil Content
The strength and projection are one thing, but staying power is another thing altogether. Quality cologne is a cologne that won’t dissipate in a matter of hours. Quality cologne is a cologne that will last all day, and then some, which is why you need to check the oil content. The higher the oil content, the longer the smell will last, so check the bottle for all the details. If you don’t want the smell to last that long, try perfumes and Eau de Toilettes as alternatives. They have less oil and a much more subtle fragrance all of which means they only last for 4-6 hours on average.
Composition (Ingredients)
On the whole, you are looking for a cologne that uses rare and expensive ingredients to create unique notes. Obviously, this bumps the price up, but that doesn’t mean they are unattainable. When it comes to colognes and aftershaves, it is easy to go with the tried and tested. For the most part, there is nothing wrong with that except that it is generic. Almost every man in the past couple of years has used Diesel: Only The Brave and that makes it hard to stand out from the crowd. If you are looking to create a personal scent, you need a unique one. The best way to find a unique scent is to ask the manufacturers what they use in the colognes. Marketers write the ingredients on the back of the bottle, so they are not very trustworthy.
The Year
Think of colognes like fine wines – they go through trends. One year, certain colognes may be the bee’s’ knees, yet, the next they may go out of fashion. And, colognes often go out of fashion long before they go bad. As a result, you could end up with a fragrance that is well behind the times depending on the year. Alternatively, you could end up with a fragrance that is not to your tastes if the ingredients were off that year. It is important to note that the reserve applies, so you could end up with a great fragrance that is back in fashion. The moral of the story is to understand what makes the cologne good or bad and to do that you need to research its release year.
Your Own Scent
The same cologne can smell different on different people. Why? It can happen because of the way that the ingredients mix with your natural smell. On one hand, that could be brilliant. But, on the other, it could be terrible. So, before you make an investment, always try out the cologne first. The testers should give you an example of the fragrance will ‘hang’ when you wear it on a regular basis. If you don’t try it before you buy it, you could end up with a cologne that doesn’t suit your needs.
Personal Preference
Just as importantly, don’t forget to buy what you like. Okay, not everyone may like your choice, but you are the one wearing the cologne. You should never buy cologne for someone else unless it is for a wife, a girlfriend or a lady friend you are trying to impress.
