4 Fragrance Types Every Man Needs

Does one fragrance or aftershave fit every occasion? When you first start buying men’s colognes or scents, it is easy to think the same fragrance fits every occasion.

 

Perhaps your dad only had one fragrance type on his bathroom shelf?

 

The History of Men’s Fragrance

 

Most men indeed used to have one aftershave or one particular cologne. However, in recent years, both the fragrance and personal care market has opened up for men.

 

Brut cologne is no longer the only choice when it comes to smelling nice for men.

 

The perfume industry has realised men like to have a choice of different fragrance types. But, what determines the choice of a scent?

 

Do you buy a certain cologne or spray because your partner likes it? It seems that women still help the men in their lives to shop for fragrances.

 

If you would like to break the norm, I thought that I would give you some buying advice.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not telling you what brand or fragrance to buy. Instead, I am offering you guidance when it comes to shopping around for fragrances for men.

 

Skincare or Fragrance?

 

Choosing the right scent or fragrance is not easy. Men often think of a fragrance purchase as both skincare and a scent.

 

That is where things go slightly wrong. Skincare is not the same thing as buying a scent. But leading brands still add descriptions such as aftershave to their fragrances. That makes it easy to presume that aftershave cares for your skin as well as making you smell nice.

When I worked on a cosmetics counter in London, I spent many hours explaining to men that men’s aftershave and cologne are not true skincare.

 

If you want to improve your complexion, you need to buy skincare products, not aftershave.

 

Now that we have got that out of the way, we are going to talk about fragrance types. And just for fun, I am going to give you an insight into those ’’things’’ that go into a scent and make you smell nice.

 

Knowing what goes into making up a scent helps you to understand fragrance types better.

 

Fragrance Types for Men

 

Leading perfumers like to pigeonhole fragrances. When they create a new scent, they often take into consideration what time of the year they are going to launch their new scent.

 

Also, they like to aim their scents at different occasions. For instance, there are scents which are better for work and others which are better for going out.

 

This is where the concept of fragrance types comes from. Perfume brands often talk about Freshies, Winter fragrances, and Everyday Grab and Go’s. You have also got Stand Outs for Special Occasions.

 

When an eau de toilette is launched in summer or spring it often falls under the Freshies collection. Stand Outs for Special Occasions are launched any time of the year. They may even have similar-sounding names to a fragrance that was launched on another occasion.

 

What Makes a Fragrance a Freshie?

Let’s use Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Pour Homme as an example.

 

If you have this men’s fragrance in your collection, you will know it is a refreshing scent. It is the sort of scent you would wear into the office, shopping or splash on after your gym workout.

 

What does Light Blue Pour Homme smell like? The different ingredients that go into making a fragrance are often described as notes.

 

What makes Light Blue a Freshie is the addition of aromatic citrus. On this occasion, the top notes (the first scents you smell) come from grapefruit and mandarin. These are the two main essentials that have been added to make the scent a Freshie.

 

But, of course, Dolce & Gabbana also wants Light Blue to smell masculine. For that, they have added pepper, juniper, musk and bergamot. These are often considered traditional men’s notes. Musk is a smell many men like.

 

To make sure the scent lingers, Dolce & Gabbana has added rosemary, incense and oakmoss. Rosewood also makes up part of this Freshie. When blended in the right way, the essential oil of rose or rosewood elevates the quality of a scent. It almost makes the fragrance smell ’’cleaner.’’

 

Rosemary makes it easier for us to inhale any scent. It also helps to stimulate microcirculation in our noses. When microcirculation is stimulated, a scent or smell appears to linger.

 

Light Blue Pour Homme is not the only men’s scent in this fragrance type. Other popular offerings include Davidoff Cool Water and Mont Blanc Explorer Blue.

 

Winter Fragrances

 

Winter fragrances are often appealing in general. They often have slightly cool and sophisticated scent elements.

 

When should you wear winter fragrances? Many perfumers say that winter fragrances are slightly easier on our noses. That being said, you need to be aware that perfume brands often produce similar scents with the same name. We have touched on this briefly. In the perfume industry, they are known as flankers.

 

It does not sound very sophisticated. If you like, they are derivatives of the same scent with something added. Most of the time, they are more intense.

Winter fragrance types work well in smaller crowds. They are perfect for when going to the pub or a dinner party. Most winter fragrances don’t overwhelm or dominate.

 

Good examples are the Dior Sauvage range and Spicebomb from Viktor and Rolf.

 

Dior Sauvage is probably the scent which men are more familiar with.

 

Although it has fresh opening notes, it also offers a range of other notes including wood, herbal, lavender and warm spicy nuances.

 

When these are combined, they blend in and mellow the fragrance.

 

If you like the smell of Dior Sauvage but would like more of a stand-out scent, you should try Elixir.

Spicebomb by Viktor and Rolf is another good choice when it comes to a winter fragrance type.

 

Every Day Grab and Go

 

An Every Day Grab and Go fragrance type does not have to be unsophisticated.

 

What can you expect from Every Day Grab and Go? These are fragrances that you can wear every day. Most of them are very uncomplicated. They are the sort of scents you put on if working in an office, or anywhere around people all day, if your popping out to the shop, or just fancy effortlessly smelling nice whenever your nipping out of the house.

 

One of the best examples of an Every Day Grab and Go is Prada l’homme or Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo.

 

Prada l’homme is perhaps one of the best examples of a Grab and Go. The main elements come from light pepper, patchouli and cedar.

 

Cedar is an essential part of Prada l’homme. It adds a certain soft element and makes the scent smooth.

 

When your partner says that you smell nice, she often refers to the cedar element of a scent. It is one of those essential oils that women pick up on.

 

Most women don’t know it is cedar that they are smelling, but the truth is that the vast majority of women like the smell of cedar. Does it mean your Prada l’homme is the perfect date night scent?

 

No, it doesn’t. This is a scent perfect for home use and after a shower. It smells nice and refreshing without being overwhelming.

 

If you want a more seductive scent, you are looking for a Stand Out scent or even the right Freshies scent.

 

Another scent in this fragrance category is Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo.

 

What does Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo smell like? This is another uncomplicated easy to apply morning scent. The main notes you pick up are aquatic, woody, aromatic nuances with a touch of spice.

 

Once again, it does not seek to dominate or take over a room. Acqua Di Gio Profumo has the added benefit of geranium which means it stays smelling fresher for longer.

 

All in all, Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo is a very nice scent for home use or when going for Sunday dinner at your mother-in-law’s house.

 

Stand Outs for Special Occasions

 

There is always a special occasion coming up or a romantic date night.

 

When you would like to make the most of it and smell especially nice, this is when you turn to your Stand Outs for Special Occasions collection.

 

You don’t necessarily have to pay more for any of the fragrances in this category. However, on occasion, there are reasons why you should do so.

 

Many of the fragrances in this category are statement scents. A good example is Hermes. This is a top-notch brand that offers some of the best men’s fragrances in the world.

 

Yes, they do come with a bit of a heftier price tag, but they are worth it. Remember that these are not eau de colognes that you are going to wear every day. What we are talking about is eau de parfums and parfums for occasional wear.

 

Providing you store and look after your Hermes fragrance, it lasts for a long time.

 

A top choice from Hermes is Hermes Terre D’Hermes Parfum. It is a great scent to wear on date night as it contains the seductive scent of cedar.

 

It is a rich and complex scent. Top notes are full and fruity but you will also notice wood and spices. Orange and grapefruit carry along peppery notes with the essence of patchouli. Vetiver provides a strong finish. It is a great fragrance for the right occasion.

 

Other popular choices within this fragrance type include Mount Blanc Explorer and Azzaro The Most Wanted. All are great-smelling male scents that are worth paying a bit extra for.

 

Should you have more than one fragrance within this fragrance type? That really depends on you and what you’re looking for. I’d always suggest having at least a couple in each fragrance type. If you go to parties or events with the same people often, it’s definitely a good idea to have a couple of Stand Outs.

 

How Do I Know if I Am Wearing the Right Cologne?

 

Let’s turn that question on its head. It is often easier to tell if you are wearing the wrong one.

 

You may have been in a situation when someone has walked into a room or restaurant and overpowered everybody with their fragrance.

 

That is a classic sign they are wearing the wrong fragrance for the occasion. Before you go out, it is a good idea to stop and think about if your scent is going to fit in.

 

You want to smell nice but not take over the occasion.

 

Choose Your Scent When You Choose Your Tie

 

Okay, you probably don’t wear a tie all of the time. Still, it is a good comparison.

 

Think about your fragrance as your tie. To work, you may wear a slightly casual tie. When you go on a special night out, you probably wear a slightly nicer tie.

 

If you have to go to a special event such as a wedding or horse racing, you probably wear a silk tie or even a bow tie.

 

Of course, when you are chilling out at home, you are not very likely to wear a tie at all.

 

Does your fragrance fit with what you are wearing? This is the easiest way to think about your choice of aftershave or cologne.

 

Just like you want what you wear to fit in with the occasion, you want your fragrance type to fit in. You are not always going to get it right, but most of the time you will when you decide what fragrance type to choose.

 

Do You Have to Have a Fragrance of Every Type?

 

It all depends on what you can afford. There are some men’s fragrance brands that offer extensive ranges. The Dior Sauvage range is one of them. When you would like to step things up, you can go for Sauvage Elixir.

 

Final Thoughts

 

An increasing number of men are expanding their fragrance collections. Yes, many still turn to their wives or partners for buying advice, but there is no reason why you can’t buy your own. Shopping for men’s fragrances is much easier thanks to online shopping.

 

Don’t forget deodorants and other body care products from the same fragrance type category helps you to smell nicer for longer.