How to Buy, Wear, and Store Cologne. A Guide for Real Men.

(Cologne is an instant charmer.  It says, "I have style and the confidence you are looking for in a man."  Studies show that men who wear cologne not only get the girl, but they get the salary increase.  The following article is written for real men.  If you know of any real men who are struggling with this issue or would like a refresher course on how to buy a fragrance that is perfect for them, please forward this article on to them.  They will thank you for it.)

O.k., I know, buying cologne is the furthest thing from your mind right now.  You've dismissed wearing anything beyond a drugstore aftershave (if you put on any scent at all).  Buying aftershave is quick and dirty.  You walk over to the drugstore aisle labelled "personal hygiene", zoom in on a forest green or brown bottle, walk up to the cashier, and leave with a bag that looks as if it's holding something any real man uses (razors, condoms, gum).  After all, walking into a department store's fragrance section is about as manly as walking into a flower shop to buy a bouquet for your man-pad. 

Oh, you may be cute, but you are so naive.

Drugstore aftershave is fine.  It does the trick, making you smell nice.   But do you really love it?  Does it really suit your personality and the way you want to be viewed by others, including women?  Is it getting you what you really want ... an ambush by Ms. Gorgeous?

Cologne, if you pick the right one, says a lot about you when you enter a room.  It instantly charms.  It makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd.  Nothing is as sexy, confident, and alluring as a man who wears fragrance.  It instantly reveals that he takes care of himself; pays attention to style; and is a gentleman (even if in a bad-boy way).

So where to start?  If you don't know anything about what makes a super smelling cologne that women will love, how do you know which one will suit you?  

Easy.  Most high-end colognes are made with oils from real ingredients -- real spices, real fruits, real flowers.  So think about scents in real life that make you want to sniff them again. 

Do you love the way a mandarin smells when you peel it?  Find a scent with mandarin oil in it.  Do you love anything made with fresh basil?  Go for one with basil.  Does cinnamon make your mouth water?  Great.  It makes women's mouth water too, so go for a  cologne that has cinnamon as an ingredient.   What are your favorite flowers?  (Yes, I know, it's hard to admit you may have a favorite flower, but stay with me for a minute or two more.  No one will know.)  If lavendar (a scent most women are drawn to) or geraniums (a crisp, fresh smelling flower) catch your attention, you will love wearing their oils too.

You get the point.

Now here comes the hard part.  Walking into a store's fragrance department.  You'll have to just trust me on this one.  The women working in fragrance have seen it all before:  the macho, testosterone-oozing man who wants something that will get him ... well, you know; the business man who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to take his time choosing a cologne; and the inexperienced guy who just wants to smell good.  These fragrance consultants (found in both department stores and now even many drugstores) are too busy to judge and are there to help get you what you want. 

Try 3 colognes on your skin maximum.  Every thing after that becomes a blur.  

Once you do pick the perfect cologne for you, put it on correctly.  Spritz it on a couple of times on your chest, inner thighs (uh, hmm), or wrists.  But not all at once.  The best way to wear cologne?  After a shower, spray it in the air 3-4x and walk through naked.  Women will love its soft, even scent.

Store it in a cool place out of the sun.  Sun and heat damage cologne.  And use it every day. Cologne's true scent lasts about 6 months to a year (depending on where you store it).  Any longer and you will be wearing its vintage version.

Now, go for it.  You will be amazed at what happens when you do.


(Have any other questions about cologne?  (Or dating/marriage/relationship questions?) Ask away.  We're here to help.  Use the comments section below or join our facebook and ask there.)