For men, your fragrance forms an integral part of your daily grooming process. Thus, it is only fair to consider it part of your style, even though it invisible. Thus, when you are choosing the fright fragrance to invest in, you must know how to make the right selection.
However, this is not always easy for everyone. Unbeknownst to you, there are many factors to consider when you are choosing the right fragrance including choosing the right notes and even scents that go with the occasion.
But you needn’t worry anymore as this process has been made easier for you. Below you will find useful tips on how to select the best fragrance for me. So the next time you are sporting your fragrance, you are sure to leave your mark and your statement whilst turning heads behind.
Table of Contents
Identify Your Ultimate Goal
Before you embark on a quest to finding the ideal fragrance, you must first answer the question of how and when you intend to use it. Are you looking for your signature all-round day, evening and night fragrance? Or is it for a special occasion?
Furthermore, think about yourself personally – are you serious? Are you a goofball? Are you looking for something more masculine? Or light and fresh? Set a budget for how much you are willing to pay for the fragrance to allow you to narrow down the search.
Fragrance Type And Longevity
There are several fragrance classifications. Thus, before you begin shopping, you must first understand how each class works.
Parfum
Parfum will last you the longest. This is because this fragrance type holds the highest fragrance concertation of up to 30%. A small dab of Parfum will last you up to 24 hours. Because of its increased concentration, intensity and longevity, Parfum is the most expensive amongst the fragrance types.
Eau De Parfum
Eau de parfum fragrances are individually designed for both men and women. They also hold a high percentage of up to 20%. Goo d quality Eau de parfum can last anywhere from 5 to 8 hours.
Eau De Toilette
This fragrance variant olds up to 15% fragrance concentration. Eau de toilette is a lighter fragrance option and less expensive, lasting you a few hours.
Eau De Cologne
Eau de cologne on the other end contains anywhere from 2 to 5% fragrance concentration. They normally, a less concentrated variation of existing Eau de parfum. They are cheaper than their Eau de parfums or toilettes, and lighter thus, favored by men.
Eau De Fraiche
Eau de Fraiche boasts the lowest fragrance concentration. Eau de Fraiche contains only 1 to 3% fragrance with the rest being water and alcohol. Some people even refer to it as fragrance water. Typically, Eau de Fraiche will last for less than an hour.
Identify Your Scent
The next step is to identify your ideal scent. The notes are what are combined to give you the overall cent. The notes include a top, middle and base layer. Both three layers are combined in unison to give you the overall scent.
Top Notes
Top notes are the lightest. These are the notes you smell when you first spray the fragrance. Typically, the top notes are the scent that would last for the first 15 to 2 hours of spraying. They normally consist of floral scents.
Middle Notes
The middle notes are the heart of the fragrance as they offer the main character and signature of the fragrance. Thus, it’s a good idea to pay attention to these notes the most. The heart notes will last anywhere from 3 to 5 hours after being sprayed. By this time, they will be synergized with the top notes. They normally combine heavier floral bouquets, fruity scents, aromatics, and spices.
Base Notes
Base notes are the bottom and background notes. The base notes are like an after taste, occurring around 5 to 10 hours after typically spraying your parfum or Eau de parfum. They make up the scent that remains lingering on your skin longer. Because the lay lingering remnants of your fragrance, base notes are also important for determining how long your fragrance will last.
From combining the different notes on each of the layers above, you will get the final scent type. The most common scent types are citrus, fern, floral, Cyprus, oriental and leather. Typically, these notes come from sources such as;
- Citrus
- Lemon, mandarin orange, blossom orange, bergamot
- Floral
- Iris, Lavender, Lemongrass, Rose, Jason Lilac
- Green
- Grass, leaf
- Fruity
- Raspberry, plum, peach, pear
- Spicy
- Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon
- Woody
- Cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, moss
- Leather
- Honey, tobacco, wood tars
- Oriental
- Amber, vanilla, Tonka bean
Citrus is the lightest whilst leather and oriental are amongst the boldest scents. The bold ad rich scent types such as leather and oriental tend to last longer. And you may never discover their true potential until you smell them all.
In general, a light, fresh and citrus scent goes well during the summertime and during day time. The darker and bold scents that are spicy, musky or woody, typical characters of oriental scent types, are more ideal for the evening and during winter times.
Test The Fragrance
No matter how much you research and read about the fragrance, you will never really know its qualities until you test it. Thus, as a beginner still looking for your signature scent, you will probably have to go through countless of fragrance types. Remember, it is not only how the fragrance smells but also how it interacts with your body and skin.
Some people have sensitive skin thus, not all fragrances work for them. Others simply have imbalanced hormones and bodies that require stronger scents. And whilst a certain fragrance lasts for 6 hours on your body, it may last for 8 hours for someone else. This allows you to do proper testing until you find the right choice. So don’t be alarmed or frustrated, simply enjoy this ride on finding the best men’s fragrance!