How to Wear Cologne Cologne Chemistry & the Guide to Do It Right

Cologne is not applied like your deodorant spray. Knowing how to wear cologne is an art which requires careful selection, timing, and precision.

In the art of male grooming, using the right fragrance is a real game changer. Even if you wear the best form-fitting suit with matching Oxfords in your wardrobe and have groomed your hair to perfection, omitting fragrance or wearing it wrong diminishes the impact of all your efforts. It is essential to learn how to wear cologne.

Wearing fragrance properly is the cherry on top of the cake. It serves as an invisible herald that announces your presence in a room. Wearing it right complements your overall image by accentuating your chosen attire and boosting your charm and confidence.

Understanding fragrance - cologne chemistry

Perfume is simply a carefully selected mix of essential fragrant oils diluted in a base of alcohol and water. Essential oils are pretty expensive on their own and the amount of its concentration usually determines the perfume's cost. Another aspect that makes a bottle cost more is the rarity of the essential oils used. Perfumes are usually categorized by the concentration of fragrance per volume:

#1 Eau Fraiche. One to three percent concentration. This is the most diluted form with a fragrance that lasts for less than an hour.

#2 Eau de Cologne. Commonly used type of fragrance characterized by fresh, light, and fruity scents. This mixture is concentrated at two to four percent and lasts about two hours.

#3 Eau de Toilette. This is more concentrated at 5-15% fragrant oils over alcohol which gives it a longer stay on human skin. It usually lasts for three hours.

#4 Eau de Parfum. Or perfume as we know it, this formulation is commonly used for feminine scents. Eau de Parfum contains more essential fragrances at about 15-20% concentration making it last between five to eight hours.

#5 Parfum. The most concentrated and expensive of all categories, this formulation contains 20-30% fragrant oils which make it oilier and less viscous than the others. This allows it to stick on human skin longer. One application can last for 24 hours.

Types of scents and choosing your match

Most believe that choosing the scent of your cologne all depends on personal whim and preference. As a result, people stick to one or two scents alone and use them for a long time. However, different scents have varying properties and react to different conditions. That's why it is recommended for men to choose more than one scent to match the occasion as well as the environment.

Like color, fragrances have their version of the “color wheel” that categorizes and complements them with other scents. After all, perfumes are carefully selected by each individual perfumer to complement each other like a musical symphony.

#1 Fresh and light scents for work, bold scents for social events. When it comes to understanding how to wear cologne, remember that mild fresh scents are recommended for everyday wear, especially if your work is not physical in nature. It is not overpowering and lingers for a limited amount of time. Wearing heavier and bolder scents is considered inappropriate and may distract a client or co-workers you interact with.

If you intend to go partying where the game is to outdo the other males around, feel free to wear a signature bold scent that announces your personality.

#2 Have one fragrance for every season. Seasonal changes in temperature affect the way people perceive fragrance. For example, floral and citrus scents won't do much good in cold weather. These scents are best worn during summer and spring. Base fragrances such as spicy, woody, and musky scents are more appropriate in cold weather. But they become overpowering if worn in warmer months.

How to wear cologne

As mentioned, spraying your precious cologne in random places diminishes its potential and just waste precious fragrances. To truly understand how to wear cologne, keep in mind that there are key spots and rules when applying cologne in different parts of the body.

#1 Less is more. Cologne bottles are built with aspirators that maximize the dispersal of the fragrance. Two to three sprays in key areas is enough. People go crazy with the spray because they feel they cannot smell themselves well enough. In fact, applying more only kills the symphony of notes contained in the bottle.

#2 Spray one fist away from the key area. If you spray too close, the scent will not be dispersed in a wide area to maximize the fragrance. Spraying too far wastes some cologne as the air only drifts them away from your body.

#3 Wrists. The pulse area of your wrist is the most ideal part of the body to anoint with cologne as it is extended far enough by movement that it allows the dispersal of the fragrance in the air. To do this, one spray on one wrist and pat *do not rub* it on the other wrist. Rubbing is believed to kill the opening notes in your cologne, so avoid doing it.

#4 The head and neck. These parts are usually free of clothing making them ideal areas to apply cologne. When people talk to you or get close enough for a conversation, these parts do a great job of dispersing the fragrance in the immediate vicinity.

The key points to apply are the lower jaw, neck below each ear, and the throat area.

#5 The chest. Since this is the center of your body mass that has a lot of skin area, the cologne's dispersal is wider, and the fragrance remains longer compared to any other body areas.

#6 Other parts. You can also apply cologne into different parts of the arm such as the shoulders, inner elbows, and forearms. As mentioned, these are extended parts of the body that will help disperse the fragrance as you move around.

#7 Wear cologne only after you've showered. Showering clears your pores and skin from dirt and other oils allowing the cologne to seep fully into your skin. On the other hand, applying cologne on unwashed skin results in a nasty chemical reaction with your skin's own oils producing bad odor.

#8 Do not apply on clothes. Some essential oils are harmful to delicate fabrics. Applying cologne on your clothes results in damage and discoloration. In addition, cologne applied on clothing will not last long compared when applied on skin.

While colognes appeal to a different sensory spectrum, they still make or break your whole look. Understanding how to wear cologne has the potential to bolster your choice of dress and style and complementing your overall appearance.