There are a number of men who are genuinely into fragrance, and by this I mean beyond deodorant or aftershave. I happen to be married to one of these men (thank the Lord or we’d really be in trouble). He doesn’t wear fragrance often on himself (a shame) but  he enjoys smelling it on others, namely me. He has strong opinions about why he does or doesn’t like a particular scent and is quick to voice an opinion. He’s even enthusiastically attended perfume events with me and really enjoyed himself, although he’d be the first to admit he has less stamina than I do. There are plenty of men like my husband and this isn’t directed at them.

There are some men who are genuinely clueless about fragrance and others who think they know but are sadly misinformed. These are a few things that I wish all men understood about fragrance:

1. Being a fragrance aficionado doesn’t put your masculinity into question. Although this isn’t the case in Europe and most other parts of the world, many American men have a silly belief that a guy who loves fragrance might be seen a sissy, a closeted gay or suffering from low testosterone. Very untrue; in fact some of the biggest man-whores I’ve ever met wear fragrance religiously.
2. Unless you are actually wearing an Eau de Cologne, please don’t call it “cologne”. All fragrances are unisex and perfume isn’t only for the ladies. Fragrances come in four general categories: Perfume, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne. The name refers to the concentration of fragrance oils in the scent, with perfume having the highest concentration and cologne the lowest. Plenty of women wear cologne, by the way, and even prefer it.
3. Wearing a scent containing “pheromones” will not make you a chick magnet, despite what you may have heard. Most of these products contain three different compounds – Androstenone, Androstenol and Androstadienone – which have been isolated from pigs and proven to be effective on pigs but not humans. We all know sex sells which is why so many these products exist. Don’t get sucked into all the hype and do your own research if you don’t believe me. A fragrance that makes you smell incredibly sexy and amazing, however, is definitely an aphrodisiac.
4. When it comes to applying fragrance, start sparingly. Too many guys seem to think that everything they put on their body should be applied the same way they splash on their aftershave. Remember that less is more here. Unless you’re wearing an extremely light fragrance there’s no need to get heavy handed with the juice. It’s OK to apply more later in the day or before going out for the evening, as women have been doing for centuries. There’s no once a day rule.
5. If someone compliments you on your fragrance, thank them. If they ask you the name you should be able to tell them. I’m shocked at how many men – and some women – can’t tell you what it is that they’re wearing. Mindfulness applies to fragrance as well.
6. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Even if you’ve found what you consider your holy grail, it’s fun to try new scents and you might come across something you like even better. Having a signature scent is fine but just be open is all I’m saying. You never know when that signature scent may be discontinued and snagging one on eBay isn’t always so easy.

I think I’ve summed up the first that come to mind. I’d love to hear of any others to add to the list, so please feel free to chime in below if there’s anything you want to add:)

Until the next time,

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