Finding a men’s cologne, what’s the right scent for you and how do you find it?

by Tris Hussey on April 10th, 2008

Do you wear cologne/aftershave? It seems to be one of those “guy things” that we just latch onto it seems. You might get your first one as a teen (mine was “Chaps”), then start listening to what the girls like (oooh I love a man who wears… and you dash to the store to find it), after a while you get to a point where you think you have something that you like, women like, and that’s it right?

Maybe so, but what if you’re in the mood for a change? How do you find that next one?

Picking a cologne, the nose knows

A few years ago I needed something new. I didn’t really have something I liked to wear and hadn’t been wearing cologne or aftershave for a while. I could have just wandered down to the local drug store and picked up one of the standards, but I thought I needed something better than that.

At this point I could have then gone to the mall and sniffed and sniffed and picked. This, I think, would have been a mistake. I took my good friend Laura, who also writes CFS Squared and Baldiness here at b5media, with me to help pick. I wanted to find something that women liked. You don’t want a scent that makes women cringe do you? Thought not.

Of course I wasn’t dating Laura, I just trusted her nose and judgement. Taking your current squeeze is highly recommended, of course.

Wake up and smell the coffee

I didn’t know this until I had started smelling a ton, like dozens I think right Laura?, of colognes that the way to refresh your nose is to sniff coffee beans. Really I know. No idea. Good department stores will have some for you to sniff, so ask.

Okay so how do you start off? Walk up and pick one. Of course if you have your girlfriend/spouse/partner with you she will probably guide you to her favourites. Start there. (Duh).

The mechanics of it are to get the little piece of white card, no they aren’t for jotting down the name of the cologne, spray it with the tester, wave it in the air for a second or two, and sniff. Try not to get the aftershave on your hands. It’s hard, but trust me mixing a bunch of scents together is asking for a headache later.

Beyond how it smells, I do sniff a bit to see if gives me a headache right off. Lots of colognes do this, so … keep that in mind.

Once you’ve picked the cologne or aftershave you like you have another decision. What strength to buy. There are three choices, cologne (strongest and most expensive), eau de toilette (not as strong, less expensive), and aftershave (least strong and least expensive). Essentially the aftershave won’t last as long as the other two, but might be a good choice if you’re not 100% on your choice of new scent.

What did I pick? Burberry Brit, which seems to be a fav of many b5ers (men and women). In fact I’m getting more for Father’s Day (there was a sale)…can’t wait!

What’s your favourite men’s fragrance and why?

Update May 20: The guys at Be Better Guys have an article saying the same thing! If you don’t ask a woman’s opinion on cologne, you’re missing the point in the first place.

Image source: Burberry Brit image from Amazon.

Tags: aftershave, Burberry Brit, cologne, mens cologne, mens fragrance, mens grooming, shopping advice

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