Scent Recommendations

[soulbrother]

I am a new member to the forum. I have really enjoyed your posts on scents and such. You all are quite knowledgeable . Please help me in choosing a fragrance for me. I am a 48 year old blk male. I work in the computer field so I wear jeans and polo shirts on a daily. sometimes I will dress up to go out to dinner, but rarely. also, please advise on application points.

So, a scent for everyday (jeans and polo)
a scent for shirt and tie
a scent for bars and clubs.

thanks.

[Bill O'Rights]

Welcome, soulbrother.

I have worn Old Spice since...well, since the beginning of time. But, then again, I also shave with a double edge safety razor. I am a man lost in time. What can I say? The classics work for me.

Oh...and I'm two years younger than you, if that matters.

[Halanna]

I shouldn't be posting because I can't help you choose a scent, but I can't help myself.

As a woman, I'm not big on cologne and heavy scents on a man.

I do like bodywashes that are scented.

I prefer to step into a mans personal space then smell. Faint laundry detergent, maybe bodywash or deodorant, their personal body scent, these all mix to allow me to smell the man, not a bottle.

If you really want to use cologne or heavier scents, I would suggest sticking with aftershave or anything in a spray. These scents are generally lighter and not as heavy as straight out cologne. Aftershave is obvious on how to use, a spray is harder to describe. You sort of want to spray it in front of you and not walk into it but wave your hands around to allow it to settle all over and not in one concentrated space.

[MSD]

If you're spraying a scent anywhere other than your skin, you're wasting it. It needs to be on your chest and pulse points to heat it so it can be smelled (this is why you apply sparingly, so you don't project to anyone who isn't in your personal space.) A spray on the back of the neck creates sillage, which is not a Pepe le Pew-style stink line behind you, but a faint hint of your scent in the air for a few seconds after you walk by. If I walk by and you get hit in the nose by my cologne, I'm wearing too much. If I walk by and someone says "something smells good, is that you?" I'm doing it right. More than once, that has been followed by "come back here so I can smell you" with a big hug and refusal to let go. Once, one of my friends actually called someone else over to show her how good I smell.

I understand that some people don't like strong smells, and I am opposed to any application of scents that forces your choices on others. The only time people should smell you is if they're right next to you or are walking right behind you. If you walk by someone's office and they can smell you, you need to go to the bathroom, wet some paper towels with hot water, and ritualistically wipe yourself down while chanting, "I will not be 'too much cologne guy.'" If you walk by their desk and they get a quick sniff, that's fine. As the guy who got me interested in designer fragrances said, if a friend or coworker overdoes it, "... kindly inform him that dousing ones self in cologne to the point of flammability is unwise in more ways than one."

My recommended application method is:
Two sprays on the chest (may need less if it's a strong scent.)
Half on each wrist, or one on one wrist and press together (don't rub, it breaks down the oil.)
Half to one spray on the back of the neck for sillage. I have long hair, so I spray half on my neck and half on my hair, which helps disperse the scent and create slightly stronger sillage.

soulbrother, sorry to take so long to get back to you, I've bee busy at work the past few weeks thanks to multiple-booking of events and a board of trustees meeting (I was mistaken for a trustee!)

Let't take these in reverse order.
To me, "bars and clubs," means you're wearing jeans or khakis with anything from a t-shirt to a button-up and maybe a sport coat or blazer. You want something light and spicy or sweet, inviting and seductive rather than too crisp and cool. For younger guys, I tend to recommend A*Men by Theirry Mugler, but for something a little more mature and age-appropriate for you. Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle is a unisex that starts out slightly feminine but dries down to the masculine side. Since fragrances work with your body chemistry, a unisex will adapt to you and smell masculine. This is in contrast to clothing, where there is no such thing as fashionable unisex and some men are clearly and unapologetically wearing women's pants. But enough sidetracking to make fun of hipsters. If you want to go more blatantly masculine and sexy rather than sweet and seductive, M7 by Yves Saint Lauren is one I've recommended time after time. It will also be easier to find than MR, although one of my special moderator buttons says your ISP is in the DC metro area, so you should be able to find somewhere with niche stuff.

Also, I started looking at Basenotes.net to get my brain going and Musc Ravageur was one of the nominees for 2008 Best Men's fragrance for Evening Wear, and M7 was the gold medalist. Sean John's Unforgivable was the Silver Medal winner, and it smells great, but I don't like recommending it because it's such a clear ripoff of Millesime Imperial by Creed.

Next we come to shirt and tie. We can go two ways with this; if you want something really casual for daily wear and something for formal events, that's fine, but I think you could also consider something that would work with jeans and a polo or with a suit and tie. If you want to go with something for both, Creed's Green Irish Tweed can go with anything from jeans and a t-shirt to a suit, and it's classy as hell. I've gotten a few people in the cologne snob thread hooked, and you can see their enthusiasm.

If you want to go separate, my first suggestion for shirt and tie is Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier. Crisp, clean, and masculine. It may or may not be relevant, but my friend Pablo wears this and he gets more women than anyone else I know. Second suggestion is Le 3me Homme/The Third Man by Caron. Nobody has to ask "Who's the Boss?" after they smell you because it informs those who smell it that you are The Man. For jeans and a polo, my first suggestion is Double Black by RL Polo. Woody and oriental, casual enough for daily wear. Next, Himalaya by Creed. My personal favorite, and the one I have gotten the most compliments on. I had friends standing right next to me just so they could smell me when I had it.

[Willravel]

Good lord, MSD. Your knowledge of cologne is almost too good.

[MSD]

I sometimes have to look stuff up. I couldn't remember the name Musc Ravageur or who makes it without searching for it.

[Willravel]

I only spray once into the air and then walk into it bare-chested, and that's only on date nights. I'm still using the RL Safari bottle I got back in high school. At the rate it's going, it'll last me until I'm 30.

[squeeeb]

hi -karate would be the best for any situation, but you can't get that anymore.

i think it depends on your body chemistry and how alkali your sweat it.

go with Nautica voyage. it's citrusy but not too sweet.

[cellophanedeity]

I like a lot of the scents over at Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. They're described in nerdy terms, but they're really high quality and fun.

You can get six mini bottles to try for a reasonable price, many are unisex, and there are lots and lots to choose from.

[Glory's Sun]

The only thing I wear is D&G Masculine. Sadly, I don't think they make it anymore. Check it out, it's not heavy or overpowering and has a nice fluid smell. I think I wear it about 3-4 times a year..other than that, my deodorant and body wash do the trick.

[MSD]

Originally Posted by guccilvr

The only thing I wear is D&G Masculine. Sadly, I don't think they make it anymore. Check it out, it's not heavy or overpowering and has a nice fluid smell. I think I wear it about 3-4 times a year..other than that, my deodorant and body wash do the trick.

Still in production.