After a shower and a shave, the next step in grooming is making sure you smell good throughout your day. The right scent in the right amount can make a big difference in how you are perceived in the business and social world. Over do it and you can send executives sneezing down the hall!
The Different Types Of Fragrances:
Fragrances are classified according to the proportion of oil and alcohol they contain. Perfumed Oil is dissolved in the alcohol that helps dissipate the scent onto the skin. Body heat releases the scent once it is sprayed on.
Parfum or Perfume is the strongest with 15 to 30% of fragrance oil.
Eau de Parfum has 8 to 15% of fragrance oil and is more common in women’s cosmetics.
Cologne or Eau de Cologne has 4 to 8% oil. Men’s cologne is more concentrated than women’s. It’s great for the body, but not so good for the face. On the face, you’ll get that old fashioned burning sensation because the oil irritates your skin. The smell of cologne lasts longer than other fragrance- about three hours.
Eau de Toilette or Toilet Water (not the kind your dog drinks!) has a lower proportion of oil 2 – 5 % than cologne. For men’s fragrances now, the concentration is almost the same as cologne. The name Eau de Toilette is used more often in Europe. In women’s fragrances there is a BIG difference -- Eau de Toilette has more oil than Eau de Cologne.
After-Shave has a low amount of fragrance oil (1 to 3%) and works best on your face for soothing and toning; but the alcohol can be drying. The alcohol helps to de-grease the face, kill bacteria, close the pores and prevent irritation. There may be an astringent to help heal small nicks. It still tends to sting and dry out a freshly shaved face. The smell of after-shave lasts only an hour or two.
After-Shave Balm has moisturizers in cream or lotion form with little or no alcohol; so it’s not irritating. Moisturizers are liquid or cream based emollients that provide a protective film over your skin to keep the natural moisture from evaporating. Shaving and hot showers can dry your skin of the natural oils, so you really need a moisturizer. You can also use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (sun protection factor) instead of after-shave. It soothes your face and protects it from the sun.
Talc is a scented powder that removes facial shine after shaving and also helps prevent chafing.
Fragrances fall into different scent categories depending on their ingredients and over all smell. The most popular types are:
Citrus, Green, Floral, Oriental (or spicy), Chypre (or woodsy-mossy, Fougere (or fern-like) and Lavender.
How Fragrances Work:
Each fragrance is like a three act play. There are three “notes” or scents that come through at different times.
* The top note (the lightest scent) appears immediately after application and disappears within 5 or 10 minutes.
* The middle note or heart develops after 10 to 15 minutes, and last for about an hour.
* The base or bottom note takes about 45 minutes to develop and lasts for several hours.
The length of time a fragrance lasts depends on your skin. Dry skin loses fragrance quickly, while oily skin will hold fragrance much longer.
Fragrances react with your skin’s pH level so the same brand will smell completely different on different people.
How To Shop For Your Fragrance:
Go to the men’s fragrance counter in your local Department Store or the aisle at the drug store. Spray a few samples in the air or on those little cards (called blotter cards) provided. The cards will not substitute for your skin; they’re just to narrow down the search.
* Choose one or two that appeal to you, not more.
* Spray the chosen one on your wrist (if two, choice #2 goes on the other wrist).
* Smell it – that’s the “top note”.
* Wait 8 to 10 minutes, and smell again, that’s the “middle note”.
* Walk around - go buy a shirt.
* Smell again after 30 to 45 minutes and the “base note” will be apparent. This is how you will smell for the rest of the day.
How to wear fragrance:
Your nose is still asleep when you wake up in the morning. It also becomes oblivious to a smell quickly; so resist the urge to overdo it.
Scent rises, so apply cologne to pulse points on your lower body like your chest or lower.
Heat releases the scent. Pulse points are the where the blood comes closest to the skin and warms the area, such as your wrists, neck, base of the throat and behind the ears. The heat generated by your blood flow at these points will intensify the fragrance.
Don’t mix fragrances. Try to use the same brand and fragrance for deodorant, cologne, etc or stick to odor free hair and deodorant products.
Layering different products of the same fragrance -- like body wash, aftershave and cologne, will give you better results that last longer.
Don’t overwhelm your coworkers. It may be best not to wear fragrance (except deodorant) to work. You can avoid cologne during the daytime. Saving it just for evenings also saves money.
Spray -- you’ll use less and control the application better. A spray is easier to use; it doesn’t drip down your arm and onto your clothes. With the splash-on, you have to open the cap. Over time this lets the alcohol evaporate, which lowers the shelf life.
With the splash type bottle there is a tendency to touch the open bottle to your skin. The skin has natural bacteria which backwashes into the bottle and contaminates your cologne. So a spray will last longer.
An effective method of application is to spray the scent into the air and walk into it!
If you apply fragrance by hand, try to keep your right hand (the one you shake hands with) fragrance free.
You might want to vary fragrances between seasons. Wear a different scent in the winter than you did in the summer; or use a different aroma for daytime than the night.
Tips For Caring And Storage:
Most fragrances won’t keep after six months to one year from the date of production, not when you buy it! So make sure it’s “fresh” at the store. Clearance centers may be less expensive but they may be selling 2 or 3 year old fragrances, so it’s wise to purchase yours from reputable department and drug stores. Even then, look for boxes in plastic wrap. If they aren’t packaged in shrink-wrap, make sure the box looks new and not faded.
Fragrance is a mixture of oils and alcohol. Heat releases the scent, which is why the best places to apply are where the skin is warmest. This is also why heat and light can deteriorate your fragrance and make the oils rancid. Don’t keep those showy bottles out on your bathroom counter in direct sunlight. Keep them in the cabinet where it’s dark, cool and dry. It’s also wise, to buy the smallest bottle you can. I know you got a deal, but will you really use 64 ounces in one year?
