Who doesn’t love wearing cologne? Men, especially, are very particular about the kind of scents that they choose to wear. From floral to strong woody scents, we have come a long way and it’s very important to smell good these days. Parth Shah explores the science behind scents and how smelling great and having your own individual scent is essential
One should always wear a scent for the mood and the occasion. Men mostly prefer strong ones but going overboard with strong colognes is a cardinal sin and wearing a faint one is like wearing none in this country. It is very important to strike the “right chord”. Speaking of chords, scents can be compared to music notes in a very fascinating way.
Head note is the aroma, which is apparent. It’s like the first impression of the perfume and it’s the first scent you get when you open the perfume bottle.
Heart note, as its name reflects, is the body of the perfume. It is the scent that characterizes the perfume and the one that persists.
The base note surfaces with the submergence of the heart notes. In more common terms it can be called as the trail of the perfume; the last traces of the scent.
Eau de Cologne or colognes are low priced and nominally fragrant and the weakest form of perfumes. The cologne fades off in a few hours as the essential oils are weak in concentration. Fun Fact: This type of perfume was invented by the great Napoleon Bonaparte.
Perfume or Eau de Parfum contains the highest concentration of essential oils and flower extracts. They are expensive and obviously they are the best and persist for days.
Ever wondered what the words “Eau de toilette” meant on the perfume bottle? Every perfume contains essential oils and alcohol; their concentration makes all the difference.
Eau de Toilette is a tad cheaper than the ones mentioned before and is meant to be applied on the neck, wrist and ear lobes. Although, one can just apply them anywhere. The base notes also fade away in a day or even within a few hours when the weather’s humid.
Fragrance cocktailing
Perfume layering or fragrance cocktailing is the art of mixing two or more perfumes to create a better one and amalgamating the attributes of one scent into another. It’s almost like creating a hybrid. Custom scents reflect individuality. Blending scents are intended to create a scent that truly echoes your mood and vibe. It’s much like chemistry and with every experiment in the subject, there is a risk of going wrong with the formula and having a disastrous result.
One should make sure that floral and woody perfumes should not be mixed with those with citrus notes. Woody scents shouldn’t be mixed perfumes with strong notes. Play around with different combinations and don’t be afraid to experiment!
As a general rule of thumb, heavier scents should be sprayed first so they don’t overpower the lighter ones. There is no limit on the number of perfumes that you use in layering but don’t go overboard in this practice; you might end up smelling like someone who has been rescued from drowning in a pool of essential oils.
PERFUME BRANDS FOR MEN
- Chypre scents: DK Unleaded by Donna Karan
- Citrus scents: Armani by Giorgio Armani
- Fougere scents: Boss No.1 by Hugo Boss
- Lavender scents: Ungaro by Ungaro
- Leather scents: Pour Lui (Oscar) by Oscar De La Renta
- Spicy scents: Bijan by Bijan Fragrances
- Woody scents: Safari by Ralph Lauren
