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.