Cologne Lasting Question

[Hey Man]

Maybe it's just my nose, but I can't seem to smell my cologne after a little while. Do you have to spray excessively in the morning and then it won't go away as much later in the day?

I work with people where they will walk by me and they smell fantastic. It's not offensive at all. But for me, I smell good in the morning - but by the time I get to work it seems to be gone. But maybe I can't smell it, but others do.

Or is it simply a matter of quality. Do you gotta spend 60+ bucks for cologne for it to actually last all day. It isn't that I am buying 10 dollar cologne, but 26 bucks for American Crew Classic Fragrance, which I bought recently and I like. Are there better places to spray on your body?

Thanks

 

[StevenRocks]

It's probably because you're used to your own smell. Don't overdo your daily spray to compensate. The only thing worse than too little fragrance is too much.

You could also consider using the matching body wash or deodorant to your scent. The effect is called fragrance layering and it tends to mellow out the smell as opposed to eau de toilette alone.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Its called "olfactory habituation". No matter how much you spray, your nose will get used to it and stop sending the "news" to your brain that "hey, I smell this stuff." It has nothing, whtsoever, to do with the price opf the fragrance. Creed, one of th most prestigious fragrance houses, with one of the snootiest price points around, is known for poor lasting quality (they chaclk that up to their alleged "all natural" ingedients.. so there is supposedly no chemical preservatives keeping it on your skin. I call it poor quality control and call their "all natural" bluff).

Better than trying to smell yourself is top ask someone arund you "hey, how do I smell. Im trying a new cologne and im not sure if it lasts"

and please please please don't douse yourself. That behaviour gives us frag addicts a bad name.

 

[rach2jlc]

I agree with the others. And, I'll second that quality isn't necessarily a mark of how long it will last on you. A lot of it depends on the body type and chemistry; some people will simply "dissolve" a fragrance sooner than others. As well, there are just some fragrances that seem to have poor lasting power. I totally second the note above about Creed fragrances; they just don't last well on me and I've wasted a fortune trying probably 6 different kinds.

Also, concentration of actual fragrance vs. water/alcohol plays a part: are your fragrances eau de toilette, eau de parfum, or eau de cologne? Eau de cologne is the weakest (they last just a few hours, for example Helmut Lang's Cuiron, Guerlain Eau Imperiale), followed by eau de toilette (they generally last most of the day) and eau de parfum (some of these seem to last forever!), which is the strongest. Pure perfume is the most concentrated, but there are very few (if any) pure perfumes for men and they are all REALLY expensive.

Then again, some really cheap fragrances seem to last for months and certainly aren't pure perfume.

 

[routechecker]

Years ago I read something on this subject to which I adhere till today
-A gentlemens fragrance cannot be smelled until the second shirt button is undone.

 

[Hey Man]

rach2jlc,

As I said before, the current cologne in question is the American Crew Classic Fragrance. I am not sure what type of cologne it is. Having said that, the tester I tried seemed to last all day and I liked it - so I bought it the next day and it has not been the same. I guess my nose is no longer sending the message to my brain that I got this stuff on. I have also bought the cologne's for men from The Body Shop.

Have you ever been walking down the street, while some beautiful woman walks past you and just the outside air fills up with the sweet smell of her perfume. It's incredible sometimes when that happens. I guess I would like to offer that same sort of thing for women in terms of being associated with a specific amazing smell and not have my deodorant smelling more than the cologne that I am wearing.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

If you're using a deodorant soap, stop. Deodorants inhibit, all odors. Not just bad ones. Also, after wearing a fragrance for a prolonged period, 'fatigue,' does set in. I wore Eau Sauvage as a signature, for 22 years. I can't smell it anymore, so I switched to Signoricci.

Next, if your skin is on the dry side, it will not hold fragrance that well.

Cool / cold weather, will not vaporize a fragrance, the way warm humid weather, will. You may need an extra spritz, or a heavier fragrance to start with.

Of course, I've had a woman walk by who smells lovely. I've also smelled my share of unpleasant perfumes, too. Very subjective, depending on one's nose.

Here are some men's fragrances that I have found to last a long, long time: Rocabar, from Hermes . . . perfect for fall / winter. Woodsy, with a burning leaf note that intoxicates.

Memoire D'Homme, from Nina Ricci. Fresh, spicy, woody. Grapefruit and licorice, meet blue cedar and moss. Elegant and chic.

NU eau de parfum. Unisex fragrance of precious woods and spice.

Zanzibar, from Van Cleef and Arpel: citron, cardamom, ginger, pepper, ambrette seed. Exceptional drydown.

Bel Ami, from Hermes, is REALLY potent. Lemon and thyme, with spice and wood.

A really smooth, less aggressive smell that lasts too, is Guerlain L'Instant. But, again . . . every skin is different. I have found though, that citrus based fragrances, like Eau Sauvage and Guerlain Imperiale, don't go as far when it's cold outside.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

As the name implies American Crew Classic is a classical men's cologne. A bit bright at the topnotes for a sense of hygenic-ness, a bit powdery in the middle for a sense of well-groomed-ness and a bit spicy toward the bottom notes or a sense of manliness.

Originally Posted by Hey Man

Have you ever been walking down the street, while some beautiful woman walks past you and just the outside air fills up with the sweet smell of her perfume. It's incredible sometimes when that happens.
This is because women's fragrances are typically of Parfum or Eau de Parfum (EdP) concentration (see three posts above for an accurate breakdown of fragrance concentrations). Men's are cologne or EdC, as there isnt really a market for men's frags that fill up a room (see two posts above for a good reason why. Men's scents are about discretion, womens are about turning heads). If you do want to get more projection, try spraying on your pulse points, which will amp up the smell when your pulse rate heightens. To avoid olfactory habituation, don't spray on your neck (where it will be under your nose all day, and youre senses will disregard the message sooner). For more "sillage" (a french perfumery term for the trail you leave), a handy trick is to spray on the back of your neck or, if you can reach it, between your shoulder blades.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Excellent suggestion, about spraying the back of the neck. That's exactly what I do. Also, I find that by spraying twice or three times, in the same spot, the fragrance lasts considerably longer, and smells more potent.

 

[StevenRocks]

Originally Posted by Ivan Kipling

Also, I find that by spraying twice or three times, in the same spot, the fragrance lasts considerably longer, and smells more potent.
I agree. Some fragrances may seem too strong for this based on the top notes at first, but what gets you through the day is what happens after it dries down. Give it a little time. If you can't stand smelling yourself after about 30 minutes or so, it's too much.

 

[designprofessor]

Another one that lasts: Jo Malone -Pomegranite Noir, at least on my skin. As Joel Cairo said price is no assurance of longevity. I'm also suprised when I can't smell my cologne and assume no one else can either then someone compliments it. So you may be getting your desired affect but no one is saying anything.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

You could also be getting an undesired effect . . . but no one is saying anything.

 

[designprofessor]

Originally Posted by Ivan Kipling

You could also be getting an undesired effect . . . but no one is saying anything.

I look for the wake of bodies in my path!

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Just kidding, of course. I rarely get compliments, on fragrance . . . when I do, it's usually when I wear a sample that I don't like.

 

[dkzzzz]

Spray EDT on your hair it will hold it longer than your skin. Some people, as being said above, have quite a potent skin secretion which neutralizes all fragrances. The cologne in question is probably of a cheap type (poorly made) therefore would not last long. Buy EDT from reputable fragrance companies and not from Bath and Beyond or you local grocery store. Generally avoid fragrances made by stores that sell clothes : Zegna, BrooksB, Abercrombie, Valentino, Gucci, Prada, Boss etc. To buy EDT from J.Crew or Banana Republic is the same as buying coffee from McDonalds. Regarding Creeds "all natural ingredients claim", it's laughable. The substrate for all natural fragrances were among other things natural secretion of beaver glands, that stay potent for days even in a water. If Creed's fragrances don't last a single day it's not because they are al natural it's because they are cheap and poorly made. Look here if you on a budget: www.Scentiments.com