Proper way to apply cologne? - Page 4

Just discovered the styleforum message board, first time poster.... and this was just the thread I was looking for.

Just have a few questions that I hope someone can help me out with here:

1. I'm a male, and it seems from what I have read in this thread..... the most commom/best (?) places to apply cologne is on the neck, behind the ears, and chest. If this is the case, when spraying cologne in any of these areas.... how far should the cologne bottle/spray nozzle be from your body when applying to these areas?

2. I usually put cologne on myself after I shower and then shave.
- After I completely finished saving with my shaving blade + shaving cream.... should I wash my face with cold/cool or hot/warm water?
- Should I apply after-shave .... when finished shaving? Does it matter if I don't?

Any othert tips on applying cologne would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks everyone

my dad, whom, at this time is most likey past the stages of transfigureation as he approaches 104 in his box , came from a golden era of impeccable grooming...i, his only offspring, emerged from my moms' box when he was 54... i often watched as he ready himself for the day and night ahead...he had many routines; i've inherited many of 'em ...always mindful that he was a happy bachlor till he married at 52; so far, this particular routine has been my most significant w/only one and a half yrs left till complete attainment .. now back to the frag application thing...once out of the shower he would towel pat off excess water and then whilst still a bit moist he would then apply the frag w/a slight massage to stimulate the body/frag mix..as i recall there was not a specific area targeted as he preformed this ceromony..results: always a clean aura prevailing about him; never overdone.....i recall hearing or reading that Dean Martin used this technique as well....perhaps i will post some other quirks of my pops in future posts; u may classify them as OCD w/a purpose

Sorry for the thread bump but I figured it might be better to post this question here.

If I have to shave before I go to work and I am applying cologne.....

Is it better for me to:

1. Shave first, shower, then apply cologne?

or

2. hower first, shave afterwards, then apply cologne?

Not sure if it helps or not but I shave with shaving cream and a razor without applying any aftershave.

Also another quick question. When applying cologne to the throat/neck area if it starts to sting/burn a little bit only in the area in which it is applied to what does that mean and if possible how can it be prevented?

Thanks once again for the all the help everyone, it's very much greatly appreciated.

- Diqs

You should shave after showering if you're using a safety razor and shaving cream. It'll loosen up the hairs so you get a closer shave.

+1 Shaving while in the shower is even better.

Here are a few simple instructions on how to wear cologne and maximize your scent all day!

http://www.themensroom.com/how-to-apply-cologne/

I'm going to try the back of the knees suggestion. thx.

apply spritz to neck and some people do their ears/wrist; all preference

Spraying on the wrist does not promote good sillage IME. I spray on the neck, crooks of elbows, and chest.

Ok, how to apply cologne.

- Have good coverage throughout... apply just a bit to your ankles, knees, waist, chest, neck (behind ears) and a bit in the middle of the back. That's full coverage. Remember though, don't over do it!! Put about the same amount on that you would normally...just spread it out. If you just splash some on your chest, the girl in front of you will think that you're wearing too much while the girl in back of you may not smell it at all...see?

- Always, always behind your ears. That way, when a girl is talking to you (at a loud nightclub say), you can say, "What?, What?" causing her to come closer and hopefully speak into your ear. When she talks into your ear her nose will be right there. She'll make a note to herself - clean, smells nice. Not that you'll want to push it on her and try to show off the $ 180.00 scent that you're wearing but, sometimes, at certain places like a restaurant, bar or outdoor venue, your cologne can be tough to smell because of background scents or wind etc.. You want her to notice it a little don't you?

- If you think that you're gonna get lucky, always, always between the balls from the back to half way up...no further; cologne doesn't taste very good and that may keep her from.... You can apply an extra dab there (on top of what you've already put on throughout) without having to worry about overwhelming anyone with your scent because that's usually covered by at least 2 layers of clothing.....maybe a tucked in shirt, etc.. Besides, unless you expect to be sitting still in a cold room, you're gonna sweat a little. A girl will usually prefer the scent of cologne to ball sweat....of course, not that you're wearing cologne to hide a bad smell or anything, right?

- Don't be afraid to ask a friend if you're wearing the right amount as it's hard to tell for yourself. Ask an honest female friend preferably and not your guy competition for the evening. Guys will lie and say, "Yeah, sure, that's just the right amount." even though you're wearing waaay too much - in order to gain an advantage over you) Start with a little bit (don't start with a lot because it's harder to remove too much than it is to apply more) ask friend, then add little more, until you get it right and then remember that amount...that's your personal amount forever. Again, never wear too much!!! Girls may suspect that you actually are trying to cover a bad smell....because, understand, they do that themselves from time to time. And nobody wants to smell that big whooosh of air from Mr. Cologne Man anyways.

- You need to re apply periodically, the scent will wear off sooner or later. Again, don't be afraid to ask an honest friend if it's the right time to re apply...not that you'll ask every hour on the hour,...this is something you do need to know. Try to get the time down to within an hour or so. Then remember this time. This is the time for you and that particular cologne. Some colognes will last longer than others, it's not a uniform time for all scents. When you have the quart bottle of smells-just-like-the-real-thing cologne, you can expect to apply more often than normal.

- Follow these tips and throughout your lifetime, you can expect to get laid an additional 10 to 20 times more than you normally would have. I promise. Thank me later.

I can't thank you enough!

Last night I sprayed some cologne on my balls. After an intense burning and itch reaction, they turned bright red, which I was able to quell with some talc, after which I had a male friend sniff them (sorry, no lady friend around). He said it was the optimum amount. I then went out and picked up ten (yes 10) women and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with all of them. I've already met your quota and am a true believer in your technique!

Shower, shave, then cologne. The stinging is from alcohol interacting with freshly scraped skin. Shaving removes an upper layer of your epidermis. To prevent the pain, use an aftershave balm or ask if the particular fragrance comes in an alcohol free formula.

Most men do not know how to apply fragrance correctly. First off, there are three levels of concentration in increasing order: Eau de Toilette (Aftershave), Eau de Cologne, and Eau de Parfum. Some companies are releasing Eau de Cologne Intense which is in between Cologne and Parfum in strength. Fragrance oils or Essential oils are similar to Parfum in strength. Heavily scented product lines like 'Axe' should be treated like cologne.

LESS IS MORE!!! One half to a full spritz on the chest sprayed from a foot away is enough. Sometimes a second spritz divided between the wrists and/or ears and neck is more than enough for evening time. A man's fragrance should only be smelled when giving a hug or whispering espionage secrets into his ear. More than a foot of sillage is committing flagrant fragrance abuse to the people around you. Remember, for every person that likes your cologne there will be three others that hate it. Under no circumstances should fresh cologne be worn to the gym before a workout!

Be very careful layering a bodywash, aftershave, and then cologne from different lines. Unless it is intentional, you risk reeking like a perfume counter or The Body Shop. Light fragrances may be re-applied after lunch as a pick-me-up, especially scents like Gendarme, Guerlain's Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat, Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte, Etro's Vetyver, or Lavender Essential Oil. Notice they are mostly in the citrus family, anything with a woodsy or oriental base will be too heavy to reapply unless after a second shower. A full day of sweating mixed with body odor will make most colognes smell stale. Angel, Drakkar, anything Cartier or Calvin Klein, as well as Dolce & Gabbana is very heavy and should be used sparingly.

When in doubt or working in a socially delicate situation leave the cologne at home. Instead, invest in the scented soap of your favorite fragrance or just use Ivory, Irish Spring, or Old Spice soap. Almost everybody likes the smell of soap and clean skin. The best fragrance of all is fresh sweat and natural pheromones, use it to your advantage but realize it only has a shelf life of approximately two hours. Nobody likes the smell of fear, so be confident and use perfumes wisely.

Many years ago, (40 plus) i was shown/told to apply cologne to upper and lower chest, why, because as the body generates heat it enhances and radiates the scent, and rises up towards the neck/head. Cologne should be notice at a half arm length.