what is the best way to apply colognes for longevity? i would like to let the scent float around me in a small radius but not be so overwhelming that i can be smelled from across the room.
i have received a few trumpers samples and am experimenting wearing one scent daily before i settle on something. i have used royal, and eucris thus far, and enjoy them both immensely. i am looking forward to trying the lime extract tomorrow!
cologne newbie
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Coche_y_bondhu
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Hello Robofunk,
Welcome to the world of men's traditional fragrances!
For longetivity, the best way to apply cologne, in my opinion, is on the chest, on the pectorals and below the collarbone. You have to experiment on how many spritzes to apply. I always start with just two with a new cologne and increase by one spritz over a couple of days. The clothing over the application area allows the fragrance to slowly radiate during the day.
If you have a sample vial, use the entire vial to get the best results. If you are using a splash-on bottle, use a cotton ball or cosmetic pad to dab the cologne (do not rub) on your chest area.
Take note that fragrance rises, that is why ladies start applying little dabs of parfum (more potent than EDT or cologne) at their ankles and work upwards to their ears and sometimes hair. Cologne and parfum radiate best when applied over warm skin areas (like chests).
Most citrus scents, if they are single note like the limes extract you will try, will fade fairly quickly. That is why citrus scents are normally in the top note of a multi-note fragrance. This top note is what you smell when you first apply the scent and it will disappear after about 10-15 minutes. Then the middle notes show themselves and last for about an hour. After that, the base notes kick in and can last for hours, called "dry-down".
And always keep in mind that fragrances will smell differently on different people because of the variety of skin types.
This should be enough for now to get you started on your journey.
Cheers,
Richard
Dallas TX
Welcome to the world of men's traditional fragrances!
For longetivity, the best way to apply cologne, in my opinion, is on the chest, on the pectorals and below the collarbone. You have to experiment on how many spritzes to apply. I always start with just two with a new cologne and increase by one spritz over a couple of days. The clothing over the application area allows the fragrance to slowly radiate during the day.
If you have a sample vial, use the entire vial to get the best results. If you are using a splash-on bottle, use a cotton ball or cosmetic pad to dab the cologne (do not rub) on your chest area.
Take note that fragrance rises, that is why ladies start applying little dabs of parfum (more potent than EDT or cologne) at their ankles and work upwards to their ears and sometimes hair. Cologne and parfum radiate best when applied over warm skin areas (like chests).
Most citrus scents, if they are single note like the limes extract you will try, will fade fairly quickly. That is why citrus scents are normally in the top note of a multi-note fragrance. This top note is what you smell when you first apply the scent and it will disappear after about 10-15 minutes. Then the middle notes show themselves and last for about an hour. After that, the base notes kick in and can last for hours, called "dry-down".
And always keep in mind that fragrances will smell differently on different people because of the variety of skin types.
This should be enough for now to get you started on your journey.
Cheers,
Richard
Dallas TX
Richard,
I am rather new to this cologne thing, so I appreciate your comments. However, I want to make sure that I am understanding this correctly. You are suggesting that with a sample vial of a cologne (such as Trumpers) I shold apply the entire vial at one time - is this correct?
I have been applying a very small amount of the cologne, and wondering why the scent seemed to fade away so quickly. Now, I think that I know my answer - I simply wasn't applying enough. However, an entire vial, to my untrained nose, seems like it would be way too much. So, before I end up smelling like a cheap whore, I would like some clarification.
Also, just curious, why is so much less cologne needed when usign an atomizer?
As always, thanks for your help.
Sean
I am rather new to this cologne thing, so I appreciate your comments. However, I want to make sure that I am understanding this correctly. You are suggesting that with a sample vial of a cologne (such as Trumpers) I shold apply the entire vial at one time - is this correct?
I have been applying a very small amount of the cologne, and wondering why the scent seemed to fade away so quickly. Now, I think that I know my answer - I simply wasn't applying enough. However, an entire vial, to my untrained nose, seems like it would be way too much. So, before I end up smelling like a cheap whore, I would like some clarification.
Also, just curious, why is so much less cologne needed when usign an atomizer?
As always, thanks for your help.
Sean
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Coche_y_bondhu
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Sean,
A standard sample vial is what T&H, Trumper, Taylor and Floris use for example. A Penhaligon sample vial is almost twice as large, so if you don't feel comfortable using the entire vial, use half and take the other half with you for the day. If after 30 minutes you can't smell anything, I would apply the second half of the vial.
The sample vials are best applied with a cosmetic square pad. A cotton ball seems to soak up the liquid too much and doesn't allow contact of the cologne with your skin like the square. Just empty the vial onto the pad and just dab it around your chest area.
For example, I used up an entire large vial of Penahaligon English Fern on a cosmetic pad and applied it on my chest area. About an hour later, no scent on me. I did the same with the Penhaligon Violetta sample, lasted a pleasant 9 hours. Tried the T&H Trafalgar, a very popular cologne. Entire vial. 30 minutes later, nothing. I have used entire vials of single note colognes (lavender, limes, violets, etc.) and couldn't smell anything before I left the bathroom after cleaning up.
An atomizer emits a very fine mist of fragrance over a larger area compared to a cosmetic pad. That is why many gents prefer to decant their fragrances that come in splash-on bottles, into elegant atomizers. Chris (drmoss) has some nice atomizers in his gallery if I remember. Yet others, prefer a splash-on bottle. It is personal preference.
Remember, fragrances are very personal; what smells good and lasts a long while on one gent, can smell awful on you and to your immediate circle or it may fade away in minutes.
Hope this helps. I can only speak from my personal experiences. That is why we have this forum: to garner different viewpoints and experiences from a wide spectrum of chaps.
Ultimately, in the end, it is your nose that makes the decision: to wear or not to wear, that is the question! I digress
.
Cheers,
Richard
A standard sample vial is what T&H, Trumper, Taylor and Floris use for example. A Penhaligon sample vial is almost twice as large, so if you don't feel comfortable using the entire vial, use half and take the other half with you for the day. If after 30 minutes you can't smell anything, I would apply the second half of the vial.
The sample vials are best applied with a cosmetic square pad. A cotton ball seems to soak up the liquid too much and doesn't allow contact of the cologne with your skin like the square. Just empty the vial onto the pad and just dab it around your chest area.
For example, I used up an entire large vial of Penahaligon English Fern on a cosmetic pad and applied it on my chest area. About an hour later, no scent on me. I did the same with the Penhaligon Violetta sample, lasted a pleasant 9 hours. Tried the T&H Trafalgar, a very popular cologne. Entire vial. 30 minutes later, nothing. I have used entire vials of single note colognes (lavender, limes, violets, etc.) and couldn't smell anything before I left the bathroom after cleaning up.
An atomizer emits a very fine mist of fragrance over a larger area compared to a cosmetic pad. That is why many gents prefer to decant their fragrances that come in splash-on bottles, into elegant atomizers. Chris (drmoss) has some nice atomizers in his gallery if I remember. Yet others, prefer a splash-on bottle. It is personal preference.
Remember, fragrances are very personal; what smells good and lasts a long while on one gent, can smell awful on you and to your immediate circle or it may fade away in minutes.
Hope this helps. I can only speak from my personal experiences. That is why we have this forum: to garner different viewpoints and experiences from a wide spectrum of chaps.
Ultimately, in the end, it is your nose that makes the decision: to wear or not to wear, that is the question! I digress
.Cheers,
Richard
richard,
thank you for your input! i wish it were tomorrow morning, so i could put on a new scent and head out for the day. this will be a fun, albeit potentially expensive new ritual/hobby(what shall we call it?)
some follow up questions: once i find a scent that i enjoy what kind of atomizer(s) do you recommend? and because you seem like a seasoned veteran/expert, what are some of your favorites?
-dan
thank you for your input! i wish it were tomorrow morning, so i could put on a new scent and head out for the day. this will be a fun, albeit potentially expensive new ritual/hobby(what shall we call it?)
some follow up questions: once i find a scent that i enjoy what kind of atomizer(s) do you recommend? and because you seem like a seasoned veteran/expert, what are some of your favorites?
-dan
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Coche_y_bondhu
- Don't mess with Texas!
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Hello Dan,
Chris (drmoss) pointed me to this website for some very nice atomizers:
http://www.walshbrothers.co.uk/Update/perfume_spray.htm.
Traditional, art deco, retro, etc.
You can also get inexpensive atomizer bottles from Charles at QED or The Container Store. I use these for my hair tonics and hydrosols.
But those Walsh Brothers atomizers sure look great on a counter, albeit, a tad more expensive!
Yes, fragrances can get pricey. That is why it is good to try a sample before you lay down big cash on a bottle. But sometimes, you have to just take a chance. You can always put it up for sale here on the forum if you don't like it.
Another less expensive avenue to consider would be the Crusellas, Pinaud, Master and Lustray colognes and aftershaves from Charles. They are a very good value for the money and they really smell nice. I have several. All these I use with the cosmetic pad applicator and I apply very liberally. Some of them last day with a pleasant dry down. You can get 10 bottles for about the price of one high-end fragrance. If you don't like it, you can give it away, use it in your shave or bath water or put it in your footlocker.
Yes, fragrances are fun and the variety is tremendous. Never a dull day!
Cheers,
Richard
Dallas TX
Chris (drmoss) pointed me to this website for some very nice atomizers:
http://www.walshbrothers.co.uk/Update/perfume_spray.htm.
Traditional, art deco, retro, etc.
You can also get inexpensive atomizer bottles from Charles at QED or The Container Store. I use these for my hair tonics and hydrosols.
But those Walsh Brothers atomizers sure look great on a counter, albeit, a tad more expensive!
Yes, fragrances can get pricey. That is why it is good to try a sample before you lay down big cash on a bottle. But sometimes, you have to just take a chance. You can always put it up for sale here on the forum if you don't like it.
Another less expensive avenue to consider would be the Crusellas, Pinaud, Master and Lustray colognes and aftershaves from Charles. They are a very good value for the money and they really smell nice. I have several. All these I use with the cosmetic pad applicator and I apply very liberally. Some of them last day with a pleasant dry down. You can get 10 bottles for about the price of one high-end fragrance. If you don't like it, you can give it away, use it in your shave or bath water or put it in your footlocker
.Yes, fragrances are fun and the variety is tremendous. Never a dull day
!Cheers,
Richard
Dallas TX
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Coche_y_bondhu
- Don't mess with Texas!
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Hello Dan,
Lime colognes will normally fade fast if they are strictly a single note fragrance. This is typical of citrus scents. Same goes for single note florals. If there are other notes in it, it may last longer. I, personally, have found the T&H Limes and Trumper Limes to fade very fast on me. I tried Floris Summer Limes. Faded away before I left the bathroom that morning. Nice scent though while it lasted. I need to get a sample of the Taylor Limes to try.
My Castle Forbes Lime cologne lasts all day on me, but it is not a sweet lime like the Trumper and T&H extract colognes. CF has many more notes in it allowing it to last much longer. However, these same notes alter the "sweet lime" scent.
In the world of fragrances, you have people looking for scents that last all day, others only want a finishing touch to their morning shave, others just want something subtle to last an hour or two for an evening , etc. Everyone is different.
Fragrances are not really gender specific. The fragrance industry tries to make us think so.
For really long-lasting scents, you can try the true parfums, not eau de parfums, parfums. They have the highest concentration of essentila oils and will last the longest. A little goes a long way with these scents. They are also more expensive than colognes, eau de colognes and eau de toilettes, and normally not advertised for gents.
For example, if you like Trumper Violet shave cream, nothing says you can't use a violet parfum or EDT made for women, like Penhaligon Violetta, an exceptional, but pricey, violet scent (this one is on my persoanl buy list).
You might investigate Caswell Massey, www.caswellmassey.com. They have a huge assortment of fragrances at very reasonable prices (many under $30) and surprisingly for the price, they are very good, in my opinion.
Ultimately, it's what smells good to you that really counts. If you don't enjoy wearing the fragrance, then why wear it just for someone else's gratification? If you have concensus from your inner circle, that makes it grand. Don't be afraid to experiment and let your nose be your guide.
Good luck and enjoy the journey!
Cheers,
Richard
Texas
Lime colognes will normally fade fast if they are strictly a single note fragrance. This is typical of citrus scents. Same goes for single note florals. If there are other notes in it, it may last longer. I, personally, have found the T&H Limes and Trumper Limes to fade very fast on me. I tried Floris Summer Limes. Faded away before I left the bathroom that morning. Nice scent though while it lasted. I need to get a sample of the Taylor Limes to try.
My Castle Forbes Lime cologne lasts all day on me, but it is not a sweet lime like the Trumper and T&H extract colognes. CF has many more notes in it allowing it to last much longer. However, these same notes alter the "sweet lime" scent.
In the world of fragrances, you have people looking for scents that last all day, others only want a finishing touch to their morning shave, others just want something subtle to last an hour or two for an evening , etc. Everyone is different.
Fragrances are not really gender specific. The fragrance industry tries to make us think so.
For really long-lasting scents, you can try the true parfums, not eau de parfums, parfums. They have the highest concentration of essentila oils and will last the longest. A little goes a long way with these scents. They are also more expensive than colognes, eau de colognes and eau de toilettes, and normally not advertised for gents.
For example, if you like Trumper Violet shave cream, nothing says you can't use a violet parfum or EDT made for women, like Penhaligon Violetta, an exceptional, but pricey, violet scent (this one is on my persoanl buy list).
You might investigate Caswell Massey, www.caswellmassey.com. They have a huge assortment of fragrances at very reasonable prices (many under $30) and surprisingly for the price, they are very good, in my opinion.
Ultimately, it's what smells good to you that really counts. If you don't enjoy wearing the fragrance, then why wear it just for someone else's gratification? If you have concensus from your inner circle, that makes it grand. Don't be afraid to experiment and let your nose be your guide.
Good luck and enjoy the journey!
Cheers,
Richard
Texas
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bernards66
- Duke of Silvertip!
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Evening, I just want to reiterate some basic points already made in the above posts. Everyone's body chemistry is a little different, so scents don't necessarily come off the same on different gents. A good example right here in this thread, is the T&H Lime cologne. On Richard, it fades quickly, on me it lasts quite awhile ( Trumper's Lime, however, I think fades fast on almost everyone ). Also, the potency of colognes varies greatly, even ones from the same firm. IMO, a whole sample vial of say Trumpers Royal or Eucris would be a BAD idea ( as per growler's post ). But Trumper's Lime? Hell, you could pour it all over yourself, without it being too much. Personal tastes vary as well, although taste in scent can be developed, just like taste in food or music. Cologne can be applied in a number of ways. Me, I'm very old school. I don't care for sprays, and avoid them when I can. I splash the scent out into my palm, sometimes I rub my palms together, and then apply to the sides and back of my neck, and also dab some on my wrists, and just a little on my shirt. Regards, Gordon
i tried trumper's eucris today, and it is great. it definitely mellows during the day, but retains enough oomph so that i can still smell it wafting out of my collar. i read somewhere that dr.moss said to put some in my hair (or what little i have left after the barber axed it off)?
only 3/4 of a sample vial was used today. i am thinking that the initial impact of the entire vial might be a bit much but after the passing of the day that extra oomph might be necessary.
tomorrow, i am going to reach for either the royal, or curzon.
only 3/4 of a sample vial was used today. i am thinking that the initial impact of the entire vial might be a bit much but after the passing of the day that extra oomph might be necessary.
tomorrow, i am going to reach for either the royal, or curzon.
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bernards66
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Evening, Regarding the 'omooph' issue: most men's colognes that come on real strong all day are synthetic, and I don't at all care for them ( there are a few higher quality scents with great staying power, of course ). I deal with this by keeping a couple or three bottles of cologne in my desk drawer at the office, and thus can refresh the scent during the day if need be. Much like women who carry a small cologne spray in their purse. This is why my weekday SOTD posts don't seem to vary much. I currently have a bottle of Hammam Bouquet Aftershave, and one of Yardley Black Label in the drawer, and now that the seriously oppressive heat is upon us here, I'm going to add a bottle of D R Harris's Freshening ( lemon ) cologne. This way, a scent doesn't have to be overpoweringly strong, and yet can be discernable all day long. Regards, Gordon
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AACJ
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Got a silly question here. Let's say you use a Lavender scented shave cream one morning, do you base your cologne/aftershave choice based on whether it will go with the shave cream? Do certain scents of both shave cream/soaps and cologne/aftershaves clash?
Any thoughts on that? I have been wrestling with this question for a while now. I have noticed that when I do not use a cologne or aftershave I still smell the scent of my shaving cream during the day/night, but when I put on cologne, it overpowers the shaving cream scent, which is not a bad thing, I enjoy both, but sometimes its nice to just smell the shave cream.
Thanks
art
Any thoughts on that? I have been wrestling with this question for a while now. I have noticed that when I do not use a cologne or aftershave I still smell the scent of my shaving cream during the day/night, but when I put on cologne, it overpowers the shaving cream scent, which is not a bad thing, I enjoy both, but sometimes its nice to just smell the shave cream.
Thanks
art
Art
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Coche_y_bondhu
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Hello Art,
There is no hard and fast rule in the world of fragrances that one must layer scents.
Single note scents like lavender, violet and limes can benefit from layering, but a shave cream scent is easily overpowered by a cologne. There are shave creams that have no equivalent layering partners, like coconut, avocado, tea tree. So in these cases, you enjoy the shave cream scents while shaving and either do not use a cologne or just use a cologne of your choosing. If the cologne is light, you can use it in the morning and then apply a different cologne in the evening with no clash.
There is nothing wrong with mixing fragrances, just be aware that some will overpower others. It is a personal area, so have fun experimenting!
Cheers,
Richard
Plano Texas
There is no hard and fast rule in the world of fragrances that one must layer scents.
Single note scents like lavender, violet and limes can benefit from layering, but a shave cream scent is easily overpowered by a cologne. There are shave creams that have no equivalent layering partners, like coconut, avocado, tea tree. So in these cases, you enjoy the shave cream scents while shaving and either do not use a cologne or just use a cologne of your choosing. If the cologne is light, you can use it in the morning and then apply a different cologne in the evening with no clash.
There is nothing wrong with mixing fragrances, just be aware that some will overpower others. It is a personal area, so have fun experimenting!
Cheers,
Richard
Plano Texas
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Coche_y_bondhu
- Don't mess with Texas!
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Hello Chris73,
I tried Trumper Royal and found it was a very powerful scent. I guess you could call it assertive. Bit too potent for me; I was aware of it all day. It had a "pay attention to me" presence. I prefer fragrances that last, but this one overstayed its visit.
I had high hopes for it, but personally, I have to pass. Again, it depends on skin types and individual smell senses. I would recommend asking Trumper for a sample, because Royal is pricey.
Cheers,
Richard
Drying out from the Rain in Texas
I tried Trumper Royal and found it was a very powerful scent. I guess you could call it assertive. Bit too potent for me; I was aware of it all day. It had a "pay attention to me" presence. I prefer fragrances that last, but this one overstayed its visit.
I had high hopes for it, but personally, I have to pass. Again, it depends on skin types and individual smell senses. I would recommend asking Trumper for a sample, because Royal is pricey.
Cheers,
Richard
Drying out from the Rain in Texas