Grooming – KnownMan.com

6 Expert Tips for Buying Cologne

Jack Prenter — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 04:09:31 +0000

Picking out a cologne isn’t easy. It can often seem like a pretentious industry, the majority of us can’t pick one note from another and this can leave you feeling disheartened and confused. But it really shouldn’t be this way, smelling good should be a privilege that we can all enjoy.

While there are some expert tips that can help you to make better choices, it often comes down to trial and error.

Follow Your Nose

You’re probably not a scent connoisseur, but you know a good smell when you give it a sniff. Likewise, you’ve almost certainly decided to wash a pair of jeans because they didn’t smell as good as they should have. Maybe you’ve got quite the nose after all!

When it comes to picking a scent, remember that you’re the one who is going to be wearing it everyday. That means that you better like it.

Head down to your local mall and check out each of the fragrances in person. Follow your nose, don't be afraid to look at new brands or colognes that you’ve never heard of before, that’s the best way to find something that you’ll love.

Like with wine or good whiskey, the more you try, the better your pallet. The same is true of fragrances, you need to smell a vast range before you can have an insightful opinion about which you prefer.

Bring a Friend with You

We would highly recommend tricking one of your friends into coming shopping with you. Entice them with free pizza and snatch it away at the last second, replaced with the newest Burberry and Armani fragrance from them to sniff.

You might like a fragrance, but you want other people to love it too.

Two noses are better than one and having a friend to give their opinion is invaluable. If both of you like a fragrance it’s significantly more likely that others will agree too, but that doesn’t mean that you have to follow their whimsy.

Feel free to purchase a fragrance that your friend doesn’t like, but do so in the knowledge that it’s unlikely to have the universal adoration of a Dior Sauvage or an Armani Code.

Explore Smaller Brands

While those two perfumes are delicate, beautiful and powerful in their own way, they certainly aren’t unique. If you need proof, open up your apartment door and you’re sure to catch a smell of one of the millions of other men who are walking around your city wearing those scents.

Why not explore some smaller brands?

Although a small selection of major brands attract the overwhelming amount of attention, there are thousands of cologne brands, many of which only sell a few hundred bottles each year.

Often this is because their scents suck, but that certainly doesn’t mean that there aren’t some mind blowing fragrances that are created by small companies.

The beauty of buying a scent from one of these boutique creators is that you are likely to be the only person in your area wearing that fragrance. In our culture of ubiquity standing out should be the goal, not something to be feared.

A unique scent that people identify you with can be powerful.

Let It Mix with Your Skin

Fragrances are created using a mixture of oils, these oils react with the oils on your skin and alter the scent of the perfume. Therefore, although every bottle of a perfume will smell the same, that fragrance is distorted the moment it hits your skin.

For many of us the difference will be negligible, but that’s certainly not always the case and it’s difficult to predict. It can often seem like certain people are more prone to distorted scents, presumably because of the quantity of oil on their skin and the scent of their sweat.

If In Doubt, Choose a Basic Scent

If after all of this advice you still can’t find a fragrance that you like, pick something extremely basic. The more complex a scent is the lower the chance of it being liked by the majority. Generic scents are usually relatively basic, they often have fresh, citrus notes and not a lot else.

These fragrances certainly aren’t going to win any awards, but they are solid, universal colognes that are going to make you smell better without a lot of thought.

How to Shave with Sensitive Skin to Prevent Irritation

Jack Prenter — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 20:05:30 +0000

Although beards seem to have been all the rage over the past few years, the majority of men still opt for a freshly shaven face each morning. But if you suffer from sensitive skin then the idea of running a blade across your face is enough to make you wince.

Shaving is something that the majority of us don’t put much thought into, but if you have sensitive skin then you need to take extra care when you’re shaving. If you don’t then you’re likely to cause irritation that can hurt surprisingly badly for many hours.

What Causes Sensitive Skin?

Sensitive skin can be caused by many different conditions like eczema, acne or rosacea. But you can also get sensitive skin from have dry skin, sunburn and even as a side-effect from some medications.

If your skin is extremely sensitive then you might be unable to shave without unrealistic pain, but for most of us with some extra care and preparation you can make shaving a breeze.

Why is Shaving Painful for Sensitive Skin?

In general, the pain from shaving is caused by the friction of the blade against your delicate skin, which causes irritation. The second most common cause of pain is when the blade pulls the hair, rather than cutting directly through it.

The key to a painless shave is therefore to reduce the friction of the blade against your skin and to allow your blades to glide effortlessly through the hair.

Preparing Your Skin

Before you begin shaving you need to take a few moments to properly prepare your blades, the hair on your face and also the skin itself.

Even those with delicate skin need to exfoliate once in a while to remove the buildup of dead skin cells on their face, but it’s best to do this in the evening, rather than before shaving.

Instead, gently wash your face with a facial cleanser, making sure not to press to hard and only using a warm water rather than anything too hot. Once you’ve finished you can delicately dab your face with a towel, don’t rub as this will cause irritation.

Choose the Right Blade

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different razors out there for you to pick from and choosing the right one is critical to achieving a painless shave with sensitive skin. There are three main categories of blades; straight, safety and cartridge razors.

Straight razors are what you see in old movies, a single long blade with a handle, that looks more like a hunting knife than something that you would shave with.

Safety razors look much closer to the razors you find in stores, they use a single, double-sided blade, that is extremely sharp and has no guard.

Finally, cartridge razors are made by the likes of Gillette and other multi-nationals. These have a a handle that attaches to replaceable cartridge blade heads, which often have three or more blades to them, as well as a gel guard to reduce irritation.

Although purists will argue that cartridge razors are terrible, we completely disagree. Cartridge razors will struggle to give you the same close shave that you can get with a safety or straight razor, but they can deliver an easy and effective shave with little irritation.

If you’re willing to sacrifice some of your time to learn how to use a safety razor, it’s arguably going to give you the smoothest and least painful shave. That is, once you’ve learned how to use it and stopped cutting yourself.

However, for most people with sensitive skin a cartridge razor can be perfectly fine, presuming that you use it effectively, buy a good product and replace them regularly.

If you’re looking for a great safety razor then you should consider the Merkur 23C with Feather Double-Edge Blades. But if you’re going to stick to cartridge razors then we would recommend the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 5.

Shaving to Reduce Irritation

Once you’ve decided on your razor you need to make sure that it’s useable, don’t try and stretch out the lifespan of your blades if you’ve got sensitive skin, it will only cause irritation.

Instead, pick a nice sharp blade that is going to slice through the hair without any effort.

The first step of shaving is to use a cream, soap or butter that is going to coat the hair on your face and allow the blade to glide along your skin and through the hair. Use plenty of lather the get a thick layer and re-apply if you need to go back over an area.

Once your face is well covered you can begin to shave. It’s best to shave with the grain of the hair, this means that you shave in the direction that the hair is growing. You can tell this in each area of your face by looking closely at the hair follicle and where it is directed.

Don’t press overly hard, especially with a safety razor, just glide the blades along that surface of the skin and through the hair. After a couple strokes you should rinse the blades under the faucet or in a sink of water to remove the lather and hair.

Continue shaving until you’ve gone across all areas of your face.

At this point you should rinse your face with warm water to remove the lather and then finish with a few splashes of colder water.

Finishing Up

Now that you’re done shaving it’s time to finish up. Firstly, you need to ensure that you’re caring for your blades. This will prevent them from dulling which will cause irritation by forcing the blades to tug at the hair rather than cutting through it.

To care for your blades you should rinse them thoroughly to remove all debris and then dry them with a towel, before storing them in a dry area like a medicine cabinet. Leaving water on the metal blades will cause them to rust, making them useless for shaving.

Finally, it’s time to care for your face. Even shaving with great precision can cause irritation, after all, you’re dragging a piece of metal across your face. To counteract this you should use some moisturizer with aloe vera which will hydrate your face and prevent the burning sensation.

Fragrance 101: How to Pick a Scent, Why to Bother and The Types Available

Jack Prenter — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 14:26:45 +0000

Fragrances (often called cologne) are one of the most important parts of a persons style, but it’s also frequently overlooked. You might spend hours picking out a new shirt at the store, but then you don’t even bother to wear a fragrance. It’s complete madness.

Why Bother Wearing a Fragrance?

We know from science that smell is one of our strongest senses and it’s one of the factors that we use to decide if we like someone or not when we first meet them. Wearing a fragrance is proven to increase your attractiveness, make you appear more trustworthy and it will even boost your confidence.

Despite all of these benefits, an estimated 80% of men don’t regularly use a fragrance.

Why not? We’re not quite sure.

It might be that most men don’t understand the benefits of a fragrance or the branding could be intimidating or they might just not enjoy any of the scents they’ve tried.

What Are Fragrances?

Fragrances are developed from a mixture of raw materials which are either sourced from nature or from synthetic materials. These materials are mixed together with oils and solvents to extract the scents and to preserve them.

This leaves the creator with an extremely concentrated oil that is then diluted with alcohol and water to make it more palatable, shorter lasting and more commercially viable.

Forms of Fragrance

Fragrance is a generalized term that we use to describe what people would think of as either perfume or cologne. However, both perfume and cologne have very specific meanings and dictate a level of concentration of perfume oil within the bottle.

Image source: https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/introduction-to-fragrance/

Eau Fraiche - This is the most diluted version of a fragrance that you can find and it usually consists of 1-3% perfume oil, lasting for less than an hour.

Eau de Cologne (i.e. Cologne) - This is used in North America primarily to describe a masculine fragrance and is usually around 2-4% perfume oil, lasting for a couple hours.

Eau de Toilette - This is normally found between 5-15% (often on the lower end) and might last from between three to five hours.

Eau de Parfum - This type of fragrance is a little bit stronger at 15-20% and can last for five to eight hours. Eau de Parfum is generally the strongest concentration that most brands will produce and is also the best choice for most men.

Perfume - Finally, perfume is the most concentrated version at over 20%, with some being significantly higher. The strongest perfumes can last for over twenty-four hours and usually are extremely expensive.

The Life Cycle Of a Fragrance

If you’ve ever smelt somebodies fragrance throughout the day then you may have noticed that it can change and develop, having a different smell at different times. Quality fragrances are designed in this way, they develop and change as times passes.

This happens because certain scents evaporate quicker than others. These scents are roughly organized into three separate groups known as notes; top notes, middle notes and base notes.

Image source: https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/introduction-to-fragrance/

The top notes evaporate the quickest, becoming noticeable almost instantly upon being sprayed. These top notes form the initial impression of the fragrance and are usually described as fresh, sharp and assertive.

Secondly, the middle notes (sometimes called heart notes) will make themselves known. They may emerge after anywhere between a couple minutes and an hour, and are primarily there to mask the initially strong and unpleasant base notes that will come next.

Generally, the base notes will begin to appear just as the middle notes are disappearing, allowing for a smooth transition into the deeper base notes. These are typically the richest scents in the fragrance, appearing after around 30-minutes and ‘grounding’ the upper notes.

Choosing a Fragrance

There are thousands of different fragrances available and this can make picking one extremely difficult, especially when many of them are expensive which can make the decision burdensome.

In general, we would recommend that most men stick to a maximum of two fragrances. Although having more is almost certainly better, the extra utility per bottle declines heavily after the first two.

Instead, picking out one or two solid bottles that are well liked can bring you almost all of the benefit possible at a fraction of the cost that aficionados end up spending.

Cost

When you’re looking at any product the first thing that you should consider is cost, if you don’t then you’ll be more likely to overspend on a product that you don’t care much for.

Set yourself a strict budget based on how much you can justify right now for a bottle that will last you six months and then be determined to stick to that budget. The great news is that there are wonderful fragrances available at all different prices ranges.

Saying that, as with anything, if you spend more then you’re more likely to find a product that you like.

You’ll find that the economics of the fragrance market are roughly similar to the fashion world, the better fragrances cost more, but you also end up paying for the brand and marketing costs.

Usage

When you’re looking at different fragrances it’s important to keep in mind how you plan to use it. If you’re going to be wearing it primarily to work then it’s likely that the ideal choice would be different than if you were only going to wear it to a nightclub.

It's important to decide where you're going to use your fragrance before you buy it based on the longevity and projection of the scent.

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Not only with the setting of your usage impact the ideal smell of your fragrance, it will also dictate the perfect longevity and projection. Longevity refers to the amount of time that you can smell it, while the projection is the distance at which is becomes noticeable.

In an office environment the projection is likely less of an issue because you may not work closely together, but on a date you need to be careful that it’s not overpowering.

Testing and Buying the Right Fragrance

In most cases it’s best to go to a store and test the fragrance before you buy it, although with online reviews and note profiles it’s much easier to buy blind.

If you do decide to test the fragrance first then ignore the pieces of paper and spray it once directly onto your skin. As the fragrance mixes with the oils on the surface of your skin is will alter the scent, allowing you to smell what it’s really going to be like.

Once you’ve sprayed it you should smell it periodically, every half-hour to every hour, to see how you enjoy the scent as it develops. If you still love it at the end of the day then go ahead and make the purchase in store or online.

Applying Your Fragrance

When you’re applying your fragrance you should first decide where to use it. The hottest parts of your body will produce more projection, while the coldest parts will have the least. This is why we usually apply to the hottest parts, because you can use less of the bottle each day.

The hottest areas on your body are your neck, shoulders, underarms and crotch. But since most of these are covered, we know the ideal locations is your upper neck, which is relatively hot and close the other peoples noses.

One mistake that you should avoid is rubbing the fragrance. Although there is some debate over this, the consensus is that rubbing the fragrance will cause faster evaporation on lower notes which can ruin the scent of the fragrance.

Instead of rubbing it on your wrists and then onto other parts of your body, spraying once or twice onto your neck will give you the ideal application.

Knowing the right amount to use is somewhat of a guessing game because it will depend on your body temperature, the fragrance itself and the place that you spray. However, it’s generally smart to use one or two sprays, anymore and you risk it becoming too strong.

On a similar note, don’t bother spraying a cloud and then walking into it. Not only will this end up with oil on your clothes, which is hard to wash out, it’s also a huge waste and isn’t as effective as spraying onto your neck.

Storing Your Bottles

Most fragrances don’t come with a ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the bottle, but that doesn’t mean that they will last forever. In most cases you’ll notice a degradation of the scent after a few years and by a decade in the scent can be quite different.

One of the ways to increase the life of your bottles is to store them correctly. Remember, you’re storing an oil and that means that you need to avoid directly light, changes in temperature and the heat.

In most cases you can store your bottles in a medicine cabinet in your bathroom, or in a drawer in your bedroom, but don’t leave them in the sunlight. Also, ensure that you keep the air out by putting the cap on when you’re not using it.

We Review the 7 Best Pomades in 2017: Sauvecito, Imperial and American Crew

Jack Prenter — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 20:02:35 +0000

Finding the right hair product can be a pain and with the variety of hairstyles, let alone the millions of unique hair types, it’s often a case of trial and error. With men’s hair products getting more expensive each year, most of us can’t afford to keep trying products, only to throw them away after a single use.

That’s why we decided to create this series of buyers guides, dedicated to educating you on the products and recommending the ones that we think are likely the best for most people. At the end of this article you should be ready to purchase the best pomade, and hopefully you’ll be happy with your choice.

In a Rush? Check Out Our Top Pick:

Suavecito Firm Hold

Our favorite pomade

The best pomade, designed to give you incredible hold, a classic shine and a pliable feel. All of that is available at a reasonable price.

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In a Rush? Check Out Our Top Pick:

What is Pomade?

Pomade vs Wax

What Should You Look For in a Pomade?

What is Pomade?

Pomade is a type of hair product that is usually either water or petroleum based. Pomades with a petroleum base are the original and most common type. These have an extremely greasy look and feel to them, perfect for hairstyles like a classic side part of slick back.

The second kind is water based and these are usually a little less shiny and greasy. They are also far easier to wash out of your hair because they don’t include petroleum.

Pomades are designed to give you the slick, old school look, but unlike gel they won’t dry hard or stiff. Instead, it will hold tight but still be very malleable and touchable.

Pomade vs Wax

The primary difference between (most) pomades and waxes is that wax is based upon a beeswax or a derivative, whereas pomade is based upon petroleum. This makes wax stickier, with better hold and less shine.

On the other hand, pomade is far slicker, with more shine and a ‘heavier’ hold that is ideal for side parts, but not the best pick for styles that need volume.

What Should You Look For in a Pomade?

When you’re looking for a pomade you should first and foremost be comparing the advantages of the product to your ideal hairstyle. The product might be amazing, but if you’re going for a very specific style it might not be the best choice.

The primary differences between most pomades will be in the level of hold, the shine, its washability and the price tag. In this article we’ll be comparing some of the most popular products, explaining why one might be better than the others and helping you to make a more educated decision.

Suavecito Firm Hold

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If you’ve looked for the best pomade before then you’ve almost certainly heard of Suavecito, they are almost certainly the largest and most popular brand that specializes in pomade. They’ve been an integral part of the rock and motorcycle scene for years and have created a pomade that can deal with a whole weekend of head banging.

Compared to most other pomades this one has a strong hold that doesn’t solidify or crust like many other products, but stays incredibly stiff. If you do wish to adjust your style you can run your damp fingers through your hair.

The most common complaint that we hear about Suavecito is that the fragrance is quite strong. Although we wouldn’t disagree, the fragrance is relatively nice and unoffensive. Plus, it will fade within 30-minutes to the point that it’s almost undetectable.

If you’re looking for a classic pomade then Suavecito is, in our opinion, one of the best choices that you have. A classic pomade should have great hold, with a nice shine and superior longevity. Suavecito Firm ticks all of those boxes.

Not only that, but it manages to achieve all of this while being water based instead of petroleum based. The main reason that many barbers suggest a petroleum pomade is because it tends to have the longevity and hold that a water based pomade can’t compete with.

Some how Suavecito has achieved this with a water based product. The great thing about this is that you get fantastic washability, meaning the product can be removed without shampoo.

Similarly, the lack of petroleum makes this product much healthier for your hair. Water based pomades are usually made with beeswax which is body safe and is far preferable to petroleum.

Overall, this is one of the best options on the market, for all different hairstyles. With a medium-strong hold and a medium-high shine it’s ideal for the large majority of men, and at such a low price point it’s within reach of most customers.

You can often find this pomade available for less than $15, making it one of the cheapest products, especially given the amount of product that you get in a single container.

Imperial Barber Classic Pomade

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Imperial Barber primarily sell directly to barbers and industry related stores, but you can also buy some of their products from online retailers like Amazon. The Imperial Classic Pomade is one of the top rated products on Amazon and for good reason, it has incredible hold, low shine and rinses very quickly.

Most pomades have a high shine but in recent years it’s been considered more fashionable to wear a matte or low shine style. This product allows you to get this semi-sheen but low shine finish, with the hold and pliability of a pomade.

The only complaint that we’ve read about this product is that it feels more like a gel than a traditional pomade. This is likely because of the color and consistency of the product itself.

Regardless, it’s not going to dry stiff and crusty like a gel, it will still be slick and soft as a pomade should be. If you’re trying to go for a more modern style, this is likely a better choice than Sauvecito.

The large majority of the reviews that we read when compiling this article agreed that it washes out extremely easy, which is surprising for a product with such strong hold. It’s also water re-activatable, which means you can dampen your hands to restyle your hair.

However, the biggest plus is the price. You can find this available for less than $19 on most online retailers, and for that price you will receive a 6oz container, more than double most of the competitors, for less than double the price.

This makes it one of the cheapest on the market and also one of the most effective. Then, why haven’t we ranked it number one? Well, the main reason is that the majority of men want the traditional pomade feel and look; high shine, high hold, pliable and soft. Imperial Classic Pomade is amazing, but it’s not high shine.

That means that it’s an amazing choice for some men, but the majority of guys are probably going to be more satisfied with Sauvecito, despite its higher price tag.

Uppercut Pomade

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Uppercut Pomade is another extremely popular option that will suit a large variety of hairstyles. Compared the Suavecito’s standard or firm product, the Uppercut Pomade has far less hold, making it better for those going for a casual style rather than something defined.

This makes it ideal for modern, looser styles, but not the best choice if you want a tight and defined classic look.

While most traditional pomades will dry to a wet or shiny look, Uppercut has a relatively low matte finish, at least for a pomade, which will always have some shine.

If you’re sensitive to scent and have been turned off by Suavecito in the past then you might want to give Uppercut a chance. Rather than having a strong cologne smell, Uppercut comes with a light coconut and vanilla scent that is lighter and likely more agreeable for many men.

Just like the Suavecito pomade, this one is extremely water soluble and that makes it easy to wash out of your hair, perfect for those men with thicker hair. Some petroleum based pomades can be tough to remove and might take multiple layers of shampoo. With Uppercut you can shampoo once and everything will be out.

The difference in price between Suavecito and Uppercut is generally very small, especially in North America. Likewise, the containers are both usually around 3oz, making them essentially the same price.

This can make it difficult to decide which to buy, let’s try and make that a little clearer. If you want a more defined style with more shine and higher hold, Suavecito the the best choice. For a modern and looser style with less shine, Uppercut is probably the right pick.

Neither is better than the other, both are excellent choices, they are designed for different styles and each is the best choice for their own desired styles.

American Crew

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American Crew is arguably the most well known men’s hair product company. They are the quintessential Western men’s beauty company and have tens of products in all sections of the male beauty market.

Although some of their hair products are significantly better than others, their pomade is relatively well regarded and it has plenty of impressive reviews from happy customers.

The American Crew Pomade isn’t designed to be a high hold pomade, it’s better for medium hold hairstyles that still require a nice shine. Unlike the Uppercut Pomade which is relatively low shine, the American Crew product still has a slick finish to it.

But don’t worry, just because it has a high slick shine, that doesn’t mean that it won’t wash out easily. In fact, most reviewers claim that it washes out very easily, which likely means that it washes out easier than the Uppercut or Suavecito.

This is understandable, because the hold is lower and that likely means that they are using less beeswax and petroleum based products. In fact, you could even choose to leave it in overnight and then just rinse your hair with water in the morning, before re-applying a little more product.

Overall, the American Crew Pomade is pretty good. It’s not the best pomade for most men, but it’s relatively cheap and that makes it a great entry level product for men who are on a budget.

Baxter of California Clay Pomade

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The Clay Pomade from BoC isn’t a traditional, pure pomade, instead, it’s a blend of a clay and a pomade. This creates an interesting product that has extremely low shine, for a pomade, excellent hold and a thickening effect.

In a way, this is so far from a pomade that it’s hard to even classify it in the same category. However, it’s by far the best product that we have ever tried and therefore we try and recommend it wherever we can.

It’s best for guys those have finer hair because the clay can help to provide more ‘thickness’ in the same way that American Crew Fiber does. This Clay Pomade is ideal for guys who are going for modern hairstyles with plenty of volume.

It shouldn’t be used by men who want a slick and professional style. This product is going to give you a playful weekend look that isn’t shiny or tightly held. In this way, it’s more ideal for hairstyles that could be achieved with a pomade, wax or clay.

The reason that you might decide to use a pomade like Baxter of California’s instead of a pure clay or a wax would be the immense hold of a pomade. If you’re accustomed to using hairspray to keep your hair in check, throw it away. You won’t need it with this.

It acts most similarly to a wax, but has the hold of a pomade and the thickness and matte finish of a clay. It’s practically the perfect men’s hair product and it can be really difficult to recommend anything else.

Saying that, it’s really not a good pick if you want a slick ‘traditional’ pomade that you going to comb back into a comb over or slick back look. This product just doesn’t have the weight, hold or shine to make that look good.

In fact, Baxter of California is actually better for shorter hair, whereas most pomades work best on longer hair over 4 inches in length.

The main drawback to this option is the price. It is expensive and that makes it a no-go for many guys, purely because it’s out of their budget. In most cases you can find it for a little over $20, making it more than double the cost of cheaper options like Imperial.

However, a single container could last you between 4-6 months, depending on how much you use each day. For most men, it’s not the best pomade, but it has a specific use case where no other product can compete.

Pete and Pedro

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If you’ve ever searched on YouTube for a men’s style related video then you’ve problem seen Alpha M. The man behind Alpha M, Aaron Marino, is also the man behind Pete and Pedro, a hair product company that promises “Bueno Hair”.

Pete and Pedro is generally very well received and the pomade is one of their more popular options. The main difference between this product and most of the others on this list is that it’s designed for short and medium hair, with only a medium hold.

Some might even argue that it has a low-medium hold. Regardless, it has a high shine and that makes it an ideal pomade for those who want a looser and less tight style. This is perfect for those going for a modern take on a classic side part or comb over.

That high, tight and shiny look isn’t as fashionable as in the past, making the Pete and Pedro a better option for these contemporary styles.

Unfortunately, the price is very high and that might put it out of your budget. $19 will get you a 2oz container, that size of container will likely last you a few months at most.

Although we are a huge fan of Aaron Marino and Pete and Pedro, this price point makes it hard to compare to cheaper and more effective products like Imperial and Suavecito. However, if you’re looking to try another product that has less hold, this might be a good fit for you.

Oddly, the one category that Pete and Pedro trashes the competition in is the smell. It has a very bright and fresh smell that is MUCH nicer than the strong cologne odor that most pomades use. If you’re sick of overly scented pomades, P&P could be a great pick up.

Overall, it’s pretty good, but it doesn’t stand out in the same way that the P&P Putty does, which is a category leader for sure.

Axe Clean Cut Pomade

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Do Axe produce the highest quality men’s hair products? No. But they are available absolutely everywhere and that means that we need to include that. A lot of guys still don’t want to order certain products online, they just want to grab them today or tomorrow at the grocery store.

Fortunately, the Axe Clean Cut Pomade is relatively good, especially for it’s competitive price point. It still ranks at the bottom of this list because it’s not as great as the others, but it’s good enough that we would still recommend it.

We have used far worse products in the past and still ended up with decent results. The Axe Clean Cut Pomade is their classic pomade, although they also sell another option that has low to no shine and slightly less hold.

This “classic” pomade is best for short to mid length hair and it’s going to give you some shine as well. You’re not going to achieve the same gloss that you can with Suavecito or even Imperial, but you’ll notice more shine than with a wax.

On Amazon you can normally find two containers for around $14, making it $7 for 2.64oz of product. That price alone makes it a good choice for younger men and teenagers who are becoming more interested in their style.

You might be surprised at how good the reviews are, most men seem to enjoy the product and some have even compared it to Sauvecito. We were definitely shocked at how highly it was rated, but came to the conclusion that it was primarily because the quality is reasonable for an absolute bargain price.

Overall, it’s not the top choice, not by a long way. But if you need a bargain option, this is likely one of the top picks at this price point.

Choosing the Right Men’s Hairstyles for Different Face Shapes

Jack Prenter — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 14:12:47 +0000

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Oval

The oval face shape is often thought of as the perfect face shape. It’s extremely versatile and that makes it great for trying different hairstyles, facial hair trends and sunglasses. An oval face is normally well-proportioned and symmetrical, making the man more attractive.

With an oval face you want to avoid a fringe on your forehead, this will make your head appear shorter and rounder. Instead, look to take your hair up and create some volume with one of the best hair clays.

Oblong

An oblong face is generally going to be the tallest shape with a boxy feel. You should avoid taking the sides too short if you’re keeping volume of the top, this will make your face even longer than it is.

Instead, try a fringe that will make your face appear shorter or keep a style that is well-proportioned and doesn’t have too much length on top or too little on the sides.

Diamond

The diamond face shape is characterized by a narrow jawline and forehead, with width in the cheeks. With a diamond face shape you want to create width at your forehead, therefore you want to keep some length on the top and on the sides.

Fringes work well to add weight to your forehead and keeping it long on top can help to balance out your face shape and make it less obvious.

Round

Round face shapes are where there are no obvious lines or angles on your face, leaving a perfect circle shape. The ideal haircut will add some definition to your face and lengthen it out.

To do this, you want to ensure that you have volume on the top and shorter sides. Shaving the sides high in an undercut or high fade will add some definition, whilst the longer hair on top will add volume and lengthen your face shape.

Square

The square face shape is traditionally masculine, it has defined angles and is wide at all points. It’s a great foundation and extremely versatile, but most men will want to soften it out.

Square faces are balanced with a little length on top and a haircut that isn’t too defined. Classic styles like a side part or a crew cut are great choices because they round your face out and don’t offer an extra definition.

Heart

A heart shaped face has width at the forehead and tapers down to a point at the chin. This face shape is relatively rare and should be balanced out by keeping your hair longer on the top.

This face shape is noticeable because of the tapered chin, this can be balanced by keeping a short beard that will add volume to your jawline.

7 Tips for Shaping Your Beard While You’re Growing It

Jack Prenter — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:18:42 +0000

Growing a beard is a process and letting it get longer and unruly is part of being able to grow the length of hair that you might.

Regardless, you still want it to look decent whilst you’re growing it out.

You don’t have the cut the body of the beard to make it look clean and professional. Instead, you can take efforts to improve the hair itself and to define the edges so that it looks cleaner.

Let a Barber Fix it Up

Barbers do this for a living. They know how hair works and they have the skills that are needed to make the most of the beard that you’ve got.

Instead of trying to create the perfect outline yourself, let a professional do it.

Once they’ve formed that clean shape you can do the upkeep yourself with a beard trimmer and a razor but letting a barber do it the first time is important.

It’s quite challenging to find the perfect look when you’re shaving in the mirror. Letting another person doing it from their angle will ensure you get a better cut.

Pick a Style for your Face Shape

Just like the hair on your head, you want to pick a beard style that matches the shape of your face.

In general, the best face shape is an oval. So, your beard style should complement and contrast your face shape so that it is closer to an oval.

If you’ve got a round face then you want to keep a lot of lengths on your mustache and chin area. This will add length to the face and by having significantly less hair of your cheeks and sideburns you can make you face thinner.

On the other hand, if your head is very long then you can keep hair on the sides and make it much shorter on the chin area. This will add width and ‘round’ your face out, preventing it from looking like a tall box.

Take some time to figure out what face shape you have and do some research into the best beard styles for your face shape.

Match your Beard to your Hair

Similarly, you want your beard to match your hair.

Symmetry and weight is important when you’re comparing your beard to your hair. In recent years more men have been keeping long beard with undercuts and bald hair styles.

However, in general you want to avoid excessive contrast. Both your hairstyle and your beard should work to maximize your attractive features and to hide those that you don’t like.

If you have a flat face that doesn’t have many angles to it you might want to keep a very rigid and clean short beard. This helps to add definition to your soft features.

On the other hand, if you have a particularly angular jawline that you don’t like you can keep an even beard around the face that will round it out. Combining this will a long haircut can help to soften your face and make it less angular.

Pick the Best Tools

Using the right tools is critical to getting the style that you want. Of course, you could use anything but specialist tools are going to make it easier for an amateur who has little experience cutting hair.

There are four tools that every bearded man should have; scissors, beard trimmer, razor and a shaping tool.

Scissors

Unfortunately, scissors don’t get anywhere as much use as they should. If you’re looking to have absolute control over your facial hair you need a pair of scissors.

This will allow you to make tiny adjustments to the length of your hair at different points on your beard.

A quality pair of barbers scissors will cut the hair smoothly and will prevent any split ends. If you’re growing out your beard but want to keep it reasonably smart, a pair of scissors will give you the control you need to snip away the excess.

Beard Trimmer

Beard trimmers are primarily for guys who want to maintain a short beard or constant stubble. This is a great look for most guys, especially those who just want to add a little ‘masculinity’ to their face.

Generally, you want to stick to a #2 - #5 if you’re looking for a stubble look.

You can do this every few days and this will keep you always looking fresh. If you have a softer and rounder face you might shave your chin area a little longer and if you’re jawline is too defined you might shave your chin area a little shorter.

This helps to balance out the stubble and give you the look that you’re going for.

Even if you’re growing out a full beard a trimmer is a great way to blend the bottom of your beard into your skin. You might want to trim the hair on your neck instead of shaving it clean.

Razor

Unless you’re letting out your inner hippy and allowing your hair to grow completely wild, you’ll want a razor to shape the edges of your beard to keep it defined.

Some razors include a single large razor on the back of the head, this is perfect for shaping. Otherwise, find a razor that you like and make sure to use some cream to prevent irritation.

Shaping Tools

These shaping guides are extremely underrated. You can use them to help you get the perfect line to your beard.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s hard to shape your beard yourself. However, with a shaping tool you can use a guide to prevent yourself from making any mistakes.

These tools come in a wide range of shapes and sizes.

You can find a beard comb template for around $10 - $20 and they’ll last for years.

Care for the Hair with Oil

You care for the hair on your head and you should be caring for the hair on your face too.

You might find that as your beard grows the skin underneath the beard begins to dry out and become itchy. This can be solved by using moisturizer on the skin and beard oil for the hair follicles.

Remember to condition regularly if you want to prevent tangling of the hair and splits in the hair.

Beard oils, balms and butters have the same basic ingredients. These ingredients will soften the hair, nourish it and keep your skin and hair highly conditioned at all times. This prevents it from splitting and looking dry or brittle.

Avoid Harsh Chemicals

Standard bar soaps and body wash gels can be too harsh for the delicate hair on your face. Instead of using these bar soaps which have harsh chemicals, look for a dedicated beard soap.

These are much kinder on your facial hair and also include conditioning ingredients that will leave your beard feeling soft and cared for.

Comb it Out for the Perfect Shape

When you’re growing a beard you need to take the time and effort to shape and comb it. You wouldn’t leave the house in the morning without styling and brushing your hair, it should be the same for your beard.

Buying a comb or a brush (depending on your hair thickness and style) will allow you to quickly brush your beard in the morning and maintain shape and thickness.

For guys who struggle to grow thick facial hair, brushes can be particularly useful. They can add depth to your beard and make it look fuller by brushing the hairs down, rather than letting them grow outwards.

Invest a few extra dollars and avoid the cheapest brushes or combs. They are often poorly manufactured and can tug on the hair, causing irritation and lost hair. Instead, the best combs will glide through your hair and untangle any knots in your beard.

The 7 Best Burberry Colognes Of All Time Rated

Jack Prenter — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:22:06 +0000

Burberry was originally founded in Basingstoke, England in 1856. Since then, Burberry has grown into one of the worlds biggest luxury fashion houses, with headquarters in London the company has established a global presence and has revenues in the billions.

Although Burberry is most famous for their ready-to-wear collections, they’ve become known in the past decade for their fragrances lines. The house has made a conscious effort to expand their line of mens colognes and to acquire some of the market from competing houses.

In the early 2000’s Burberry struggled with reputation problems, caused by lower prices and a football hooligan culture. To try and rectify their issues, Burberry has increased prices once again and made their brand exclusive. Their fragrance line is a part of that mission, with prices higher than competitors and expensive ingredients that exude luxury.

Burberry London for Men EDT

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London for Men by Burberry was created by Antoine Maisondieu, a renowned perfumer who went on to create the famous Armani Code and Velvet Orchid for Tom Ford. Antoine is a fantastic perfumer and he did an excellent job with London.

Some men have described London for Men as Christmas in a bottle, mainly because of the pine, spice and wood notes that are relatively strong.

On the top notes you’ll find bergamot, lavender and cinnamon. Although the cinnamon is hard to notice according to some, the lavender and bergamot are very noticeable. The heart is dominated by the sweetness of the port wine, quickly allowing for the base wood and moss smells to come through.

Overall, this is the best burberry cologne and isn’t overwhelming at any level and is available at a reasonable price. This could be characterized as a sweet but fresh winter fragrance and would be best suited to colder months of the year.

Burberry Brit for Men EDT

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Just like London, Brit for Men was also created by the talented Antoine Maisondieu. Originally launched in 2004, Brit has stuck around and is still a popular fragrance.

Brit for Men doesn’t get nearly the praise that it should, it’s been overshadowed by some more commercially successful fragrances. The projection and longevity for an EDT at this price is very good, you’ll notice it throughout the day and some have even suggested that you can smell in on your skin into the next day.

The top notes are diverse with green mandarin, ginger, bergamot and cardamom. However, you’re mainly going to pick up the cardamom and ginger, they are much heavier scents and do overpower the mandarin.

Regardless, that spice and citrus opening gives way to a more traditional floral and wood heart. Finally, there are strong wood and musk base notes that anchor the spicy ginger notes particularly well.

Overall, it’s a relatively pleasant fragrance. Where this stands out is the projection which is particularly good. Although it’s not the best fragrance in the world, it’s one of the best burberry colognes available.

Burberry for Men EDT

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Burberry for Men is one of their longest standing signature fragrances, originally released way back in 1995, it’s still in production and can be found in many retail stores as well as online.

This isn’t a particularly complex fragrance, it smells like a sweet dessert and is characterized by spicy fruit and a sweet base.

On the top notes you’ll mainly pick up a green apple and peach note, backed by bergamot that makes it interesting. These spice and fruit notes are anchored by heavy musk and vanilla base notes. Overall, this create a sweet apple pie dessert scent that is pleasing on the nose and not overly powerful.

The projection or longevity isn’t as impressive as Brit for Men, but for an EDT at this price point it’s competitive. However, it’s not universally loved as much as Brit or London, so it would be hard to rank this as the best burberry cologne for men.

Burberry Touch for Men EDT

Touch was released in 2000 and has received mixed reviews. There is a heavy tonka bean base note that is particularly strong and if you don’t like that sort of scent then you’re not going to enjoy Touch for Men.

However, if you can get over that note you’ll find a classic floral and citrus fragrance that has some interesting notes like a strong pepper that hits you in the face. This is a spring or summer fragrance that could be worn any time of the day.

The main reason this was ranked lower down the list was because it’s not as universally liked. This is a standout fragrance to many men and if you’re looking for something different then this could be a nice change.

Burberry Brit Rhythm for Men EDT

Brit Rhythm for Men is another Burberry fragrance that features a noticeable ‘tonka bean’ note. Again, if you don’t like that smell then it’s going to ruin the whole fragrance for you.

Fortunately, it’s not quite as strong as it is in Touch, but then again the whole fragrance isn’t quite as appealing either. On the top notes you’ll find basil, cardamom and juniper berry. As you might expect, the cardamom is overpowering but it will fade in 30-minutes.

Once that note fades you’ll find a leather and wood fragrance that is a little smoky too. If anything, it smells like meat cooking on a fire in the woods.

Overall, it’s not the most appealing fragrance but it’s certainly different. It seems that some men enjoy it but the general consensus was that it was mediocre.

Burberry Weekend for Men EDT

Weekend for Men has split reviewers in the past quite distinctly. It’s easy to understand why, the citrus and fruit notes on the top are extremely strong when you first smell it. The nature of reviews is that your first impressions will have a huge impact.

Unfortunately, that first blast is strong. Some guys have referred to it as a citrus flavored industrial floor cleaner! Fortunately, that citrus blast does give way to a more pleasant wood heart that is anchored by musk.

Some men have reported smelling amber and honey, obviously, mileage will vary depending on your own skin but also how well developed your nose is.

Overall, there are better Burberry colognes out there.

Mr Burberry EDT

Mr Burberry is the newest fragrance on this list, being released in 2016. Unfortunately, it’s also the lowest scoring on this list. The overwhelming majority of reviews were either neutral or negative, making it hard to be positive about the direction of Burberry.

It seems obvious looking at the reviews of past Burberry fragrances that the best years are behind them. Hopefully in the future they’ll be able to bring back some of those classic scents that made them so popular in the first place.

Mr Burberry has been described as a generic mall scent that offers nothing new or interesting. Anyone who is interested in fragrances knows how much copycatting goes on, that’s the nature of the game, but it seems that Burberry has taken it too far this time.

On the top notes you’ll find grapefruit and cardamom, an interesting mix of spice and bitter fruit that is a nice change from the typical orange and spice flavors we are getting bored of.

The base notes include sandalwood and vetiver, creating quite a traditional fragrance. Overall, the reviews have been disappointing and you’re most likely going to enjoy some of the older fragrances that have stood the test of time.

How we Ranked the Colognes

Most products are relatively easy to rank because they aren’t subjective, you can simply look at the features, reviews and price, making the decision very simple. However, with fashion and fragrances a lot of the decision is subjective. Of course, some things are more universally appealing than others, but it makes it difficult to rank them.

To try and get around this issue we’ve decided to look at fragrances from a majority perspective, trying to suggest the colognes that we think the most people will enjoy.

There are a few different factors that we took into account:

Price: When looking at luxury fashion houses price can often go out of the window. However, even between different Burberry fragrances there are substantial price differences. Within price we looked at the cost per application and then the value based on the quality of the fragrance.

Scent: Obviously, the most important factor in choosing a fragrance is how it actually smells. We were looking for universal scents, nothing too experimental but also nothing boring. We wanted complexity, something that smells good on the top nose but is still interesting later in the day.

Longevity: All of the scents we looked at in this article were EDT’s and so we didn’t expect great longevity. However, even within a single strength category you can get vastly different longevities, so we looked for fragrances that sticked around.

Projection: Projection is a sensitive issue among fragrance connoisseurs. You want enough so that the people talking to you can smell it, but you don’t want the entire room to be gagging on your cologne. Finding the right balance is difficult even for the makers, so it was interesting to look at how the different perfumers over the years have approached it.

How to Love and Care for Your Skin This Summer

Jack Prenter — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 09:53:02 +0000

Our skin is the largest organ that we have and yet so many of us make almost no effort to take care of it, especially when it’s sunny out and those extra UV rays are reaching our skin and causing damage.

It’s important that we care for our skin all year around, but because there is generally less cloud cover in the summer, more UV rays reach the surface and we wear less clothes, reducing our protection against the sun.

Wear a protective sunscreen everyday

It’s not enough to just wear sunscreen when it’s sunny and warm outside, the clouds only prevent a small amount of UV rays from reaching the surface. This means that you should be wearing sunscreen every single day of the year.

When you’re choosing a sunscreen you need to pick one that is at least SPF 30, any less will not do. You might think that you don’t burn, but you will burn and even if you don’t, you’re still causing damage to your skin. Choose an SPF30+ and make sure that you’re re-applying it throughout the day. It doesn’t last forever, even if it says once-a-day, you should ideally re-apply.

Stay hydrated

A common mistake that a lot of people make in the summer is to not drink enough water. Dehydration can have serious effects on your entire body, but they are most visible on your skin. Water is used to help to flush out the toxins in your body, when you’re not drinking enough these toxins stick around and make your kidneys work less efficiently, this will impact on your skin.

The most simple rule to follow is to drink AT LEAST eight, eight-ounce glasses of water every single day. In our opinion, this is less that ideal and you should aim for twelve each day if you're exercising (which you should be!). It’s important to note that you only begin feeling thirsty when you’re already feeling the effects of dehydration, to feel great and care for you skin you need to drink before you get thirsty.

Reduce your stress

When we get stressed our body begins to release hormones that are associated with stress. These are known to reduce the production of collagen in our skin, when we stop producing collagen our skin will look tired, rough and less elastic.

One important method for reducing stress is to make sure that you’re getting the amount of sleep that your body needs. Even if you don’t physically feel stressed, by not sleeping enough you’re putting a stress on your body that will make you age more than you should.

Beauty sleep is real guys! Make sure that you’re getting 7.5 - 8 hours of sleep every night. Like many guys, I often don’t need this much sleep and can function on far less. Unfortunately, with beauty, you’re looking to thrive rather than just survive. Get to bed that little bit earlier and get a full nights rest.

If this doesn’t help and you’re still feeling stressed, you should try and get some light exercise in at the very least. Something like yoga is an excellent way to clear your mind, strengthen your body and reduce stress.

Moisturize your skin regularly

In the summer you’ll often not feel the same drying effects that you would in the winter because our skin will be sweating and produce huge amounts of vitamin D. However, it’s important that you still continue to moisturize. The hot weather can dry out your skin even if you don’t feel it as much.

For the sake of ease, you should look for a moisturizer that comes with SPF 30+ so that you’re regularly moisturizing throughout the day as you’re applying your sunscreen.

Exfoliate twice per week

Exfoliating is often thought of something that women do, but more men need to start right away. Exfoliating has some excellent benefits for your skin that can make you age better and look fantastic every day. Dead cells sit on the top of your skin and can make it look rough and dry.

Using an exfoliator will help to remove these dead cells, allowing the fresher cells underneath to thrive. When you’re in the sun all the time you might find that you’re getting more dead skin cells, that’s why it’s so important to exfoliate in the summer to keep your skin looking great.

Protect your scalp

One of the most common places to get sunburn is on your scalp. Your hair doesn’t offer the amount of protection that you imagine and most guys fail to apply sunscreen to their scalp because they think it’ll mess up their hair. Instead, make sure to apply it first thing in the morning before you style your hair.

Finally, make sure that you’re wearing a hat. This is an easy way to protect your scalp and unless you’re re-applying to your scalp through the day it’s likely it will burn eventually. Wearing a hat, at least in the middle of the day, is an easy and stylish way to keep your hat cool and your scalp burn-free.

How to Reduce and Prevent Dark Circles and Bags Under Your Eyes

Jack Prenter — Wed, 31 May 2017 10:13:14 +0000

We’ve all experienced the horror as you look in the mirror in the morning and realize that you look like you’ve gone twelve-rounds with a prime Mike Tyson. Your eyes are dark, puffy and you’ve got huge bags under your eyes.

Bags under your eyes are essentially an abnormal protrusion of the fat that surrounds your eyes. When these fat pads become swollen they will stretch the skin, causing it to bulge, this gives you the classic bags under your eyes look.

Whereas dark lines under your eyes are generally caused by swollen blood vessels that prevent them from draining as efficiently. The skin under your eyes is very thin and therefore its easy to see the vessels below. These dark circles can be made far worse by eating too much salt, having allergies or not sleeping enough.

Cut down on the salt

Put the salt away! A large amount of your body is composed of water and water will always move to areas where sodium is in high concentration. Below your eyes is an obvious area and eating too much salt with lead to you have bags under your eyes the next morning.

Care for your allergies

If you have allergies then you need to make sure that you’re taking over-the-counter anti-allergy medicines to prevent swelling of the eye area that can leave you with puffy eyes.

Swap that beer for a water

A lot of us are sensitive to alcohol and our body will react by becoming inflamed. This can cause puffy eyes the next morning and alcohol also dilates your blood vessels, this will make your dark circles look even worse.

Instead, swap out that beer for some water. This will keep your skin hydrated, reduce inflammation and it’s important for your entire body to operate efficiently.

Protect the skin around your eyes

If you’re not using sunscreen then you need to start ASAP. Even if it’s not sunny outside, the large amount of UV rays still reach you and impact your skin, even if you don’t get a tan. The skin around your eyes is very sensitive and not protecting them is a sure way to see worsening bags and dark circles as you age.

Use a cold-compress

Have you ever seen American Psycho? Patrick Bateman has a rigorous morning routine that often involves a cold-compress when his eyes are looking puffy. This cold helps to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels and encourages the bags to reduce.

Get your beauty sleep

The phrase ‘beauty sleep’ isn’t just a cute name, if you want to look your best then it’s crucial that you’re getting a full eight-hours of sleep. Like many men, I don’t need a full eight-hours to feel rested and energized for the next day, but I’ve noticed that I still look tired the next day even if I don’t feel it.

Use a quality eye cream

If you’re still experiencing dark circles and bags then you should consider investing in a quality eye cream or gel that will help to reduce the appearance of dark lines and make the underlying blood vessels smaller.

Quit smoking

Smoking is a quick way to tire out your skin. Smoking cigarettes will cause your skin to become dry, wrinkled and aged quicker. The carcinogens in a cigarette will damage your skin. The nicotine tightens your blood vessels, reducing the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the skin, causing it to sink and age prematurely.

The Correct Way to Put on Your Fragrance in the Morning

Jack Prenter — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:43:33 +0000

We’ve all seen the stereotypical scenes in movies of guys spraying half a bottle onto their neck and the other half into their groin, or spraying a large cloud and then walking into it.

Well, I’ve got news for you… you’re doing it wrong! Cologne doesn’t come cheap (or does it?) and you don’t want to waste your favorite scent making your room smell amazing when you could be making yourself smell great.

Don’t rub it the wrong way

In fact, don’t rub it at all. We’ve been shown on television and in movies that the right way to apply cologne is to spray it onto our wrists and the rub that onto our neck and jawline.

Your scent is built up of top, middle and base notes, each of which is released at different times, creating an exciting developing scent through the day. But when you rub the fragrance you break down the molecules and mash it so that you go straight to the base notes.

This removes a lot of the complexity and joy of the scent. But just as importantly, it means that it will last for a shorter time on your skin.

Spray from a distance

If you’ve ever looked at the instructions on the bottle you’ll notice that it suggests that you spray from a distance of 15cm. Have you ever done that? I doubt it, most of us spray much closer.

The problem with spraying closer is that a lot of the spray isn’t vaporized and instead, it leaks as a liquid onto your skin. This prevents the top notes from developing as strongly and therefore dulls the scent.

Apply after the shower

You might know that the scent of your fragrance can be quite different depending on the chemistry of your skin. Throughout the day you’ll sweat and get different oils on your skin which will affect the smell.

The best time to use your cologne is normally (but not always) right after you’ve dried off from your shower and before your skin has had the chance to produce any extra oil.

There’s also some suggestion that after a warm shower your pores are slightly wider and the hair follicle is relaxed, meaning that the fragrance can seep into the pores and release slower through the day.

Be conservative

One mistake a lot of guys make is thinking that the more cologne they apply the longer that it will last. In fact, all of the oil you’re spraying on yourself will decay at the same rate.

All that you’re doing is making yourself smell unbearably strong for the time that it lasts. Instead, stick to three sprays and then re-apply later in the day, usually, five to six hours later is a good time to re-apply an Eau de Cologne or Eau de Toilette.

Choose the best location

The projection of your fragrance is amplified by your body heat and so if you’re looking for the biggest and most efficient use of your cologne you want to choose hotter body areas.

Traditionally, men would spray their neck and their wrists with cologne. Whilst your neck is an excellent choice because it is so warm, your wrists are mild or medium-warm at best. Instead, you might consider using that spray on your underarms and a very small amount on your palms.

One excellent tip for the summer, when you’re wearing shorts you can apply some cologne to the back of your knees. This area is particularly warm when you’re walking and will emit the cologne impressively.

Avoid the cloud

Now that you know that it’s important to apply the fragrance to a warm part of your body, you should understand one of the reasons why the cloud method doesn’t work.

Firstly, most of that cologne ends up on your clothing and therefore has pathetic projection.

Secondly, when you walk into it, a lot of the cologne is pushed away by the air molecules and never ends up on you or your clothing.

Instead, stick to spraying it in the locations we’ve suggested and watch the compliments begin to roll in.