A great dress, lovely shoes, matching accessories, hairstyle, or makeup – while all of these things make you make a great first impression, there is actually something else that makes people notice you even after you are not in front of them! The way you smell gets imprinted in the subconscious level of other people, so they remember and perceive you in a certain way. For you, it becomes a favor that determines what kind of day you are going to have or what type of mood you want to set.
But choosing the right perfume is not easy. It is not like you read a couple of reviews online and can settle on something. Neither you can simply copy someone and use what they use. Choosing your scent is a very personal journey for everyone. It reflects you, and your preferences. It eventually becomes part of your identity. Hence, you need to give it some thought, ask yourself some important questions, and most importantly understand the fragrance notes.
In this blog, we will help you navigate your way around Perfumes for Men by giving you some key information about the nomenclature. Read on as we also give some quick tips that you can keep in mind while buying perfume next time.
Let’s first understand the different types of perfumes available in the market. You must have noticed the following written somewhere, here’s what they mean:Parfum: This means that the perfume contains the highest concentration of fragrance. (between 20% to 30% to be more specific.) It can easily last for 6 to 8 hours which is the longest as compared to the other categories.
Eau de Parfum (EDP): These perfumes can last up to 5 hours. The fragrance concentration varies between 15% to 20%. If you have sensitive skin, choose EDP over Parfums.
Eau de Toilette (EDT): These contain 5% to 15% of fragrance concentration. They can last for 2 to 3 hours.
Eau de Cologne (EDT): These contain 2% to 4% of fragrance concentration. Eau Fraiche has 1% to 3% of fragrance. Both can last up to 2 hours.
Now that you understand the basics, let’s get to something a little more complicated – understanding the perfume family and notes.
Perfumes fall under certain family categorization and you might be inclined towards one or more, without even realizing it. For example – if you are drawn to the smell of fresh flowers, then you like floral scents. If sweet fragrances like fruity smells make your heart melt, then you are someone who is into citrus scents. If you are someone who likes masculine woody smells then musk or sandalwood notes are your thing. Another thing that you need to know about fragrance notes is that they are not obsolete, they can overlap into different families. But having the basic knowledge of these families will help you identify them.
Another thing that you need to know is fragrance notes. There are basically three notes – top, middle and base. Every perfume has a unique combination of notes that makes them what they are. While the top notes last for about 5 to 15 mins, the middle notes take about 30 mins to 60 mins to last. The base notes are the ones that last during the duration of the wear. This means that some scents might smell very strong or different at the first sniff but they eventually settle into something soothing.
Now that you have a fair knowledge of fragrance types, notes and families, let’s look at some key pointers that you need to keep in mind while buying the best perfume for men:
- Do not try too many scents in one go – especially if you are someone who is just getting initiated into the realm of perfumes and fragrances and don’t really have an idea of what you like – you might want to smell everything. But this is not recommended. Try limiting your explorations by sniffing at max only 3 scents per visit. You need to give your senses some time to get accustomed to the scent.
- Start with lighter scents – do not go for scents that have heavy notes. Start with milder scents as they will get your olfactory senses awakened up.
- Let it settle down – Additionally, you need to give the fragrance some time to settle on your skin. See how it develops on your skin. For example, the smell of rose is a popular scent but that does not mean it will work for your skin. The key message is to take your time in choosing.
- Don’t follow trends blindly – while it is important to be on top of trends and be aware of everything. Do not blindly follow them. If there is one thing that is true for all trends is that they change. Additionally, what works for someone might not work for you. You need to see for yourself (more like smell for yourself) and then only make any decision.
- Consider layers your perfumes to find the perfect scent – Yes, you can actually do that. Infact many people do that. You can start with the lightest scent and then go up to the strongest scent. This way you can make your own ‘signature perfume’. You can even mix perfumes that belong to different families or notes together and make something beautiful for yourself.
At last, remember that buying a perfume is not supposed to be a complicated experience. You simply have to like something, but at the same time be aware of what you like. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you.Think about the event you’re buying for: Is it for your self-care routine, for your date, for bedtime, an occasion such as your birthday or a wedding? Scents are connected to emotion and memory, and often when you smell that scent again it transports you back to the time you wore that. Perfumes are connected to our emotions and memory, so ask yourself, what do I need this perfume for?
