Why do Men wear Perfume?
4 minute read
Black will forever be in style!
Funnily enough, when us fragrance reviewers say that Dior Sauvage is too ‘popular’ or ‘overdone’, we say that knowing that the majority of guys do not wear any cologne. This applies especially to smaller towns or cities!
When I got in to the fragrance ‘game’, my reasons for wanting to apply a fragrance everyday were ‘superficial’ but at the same time understandable (I wanted to attract a partner, who doesn’t?) That’s why I thought it would be interesting to explore the four main motives men have behind wearing fragrance and how, over time, these evolve in to something more profound through the years…
1: To attract Women
When she catches a whiff of your Versace Oud Noir…
Lets face it guys, we all want an ‘edge’ when it comes to attracting women. This is why most beginners will usually have one aftershave that they use on ‘special occasions’ before they convert to wearing a fragrance every day to work. Smell is powerful and it can make you extremely memorable to certain women!
However, as you continue to use colognes, you start to realise… They’re a very small part of the game. Attraction comes when guys have confidence in themselves. If your scent helps you achieve that, then great! But it definitely is not not a ‘magic bullet’ and eventually women will not be the main reason you wear fragrances…
2: To gain compliments
How to make your Allure Homme not be wasted…
I’m not going to lie, I still blush when people compliment my fragrance… Do you guys know how to respond apart from the usual thank you? When people ask me what scent I’m wearing I just say ‘its my natural pheromones’! ;)
From my experience, loud and fresh fragrances (a la Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense) during the day time or loud and sweet scents in the evening (e.g. Versace Eros) get the most compliments.
However, soon you start noticing scents like Paco Rabanne pour Homme or YSL Kouros, polarising scents that will not get you compliments… and you wear them anyway.
3: You’re expressing your personality
Vera Wang for men - An underrated gem deserving more love…
At this part of your fragrance journey you realise, a signature scent is more memorable than your clothes. We put in so much effort in to our ‘look’ as individuals, that sometimes we forget people’s sense of smell is just as, or even more, powerful than their sense of vision!
Like every tattoo that exists out there, there are endless possibilities of perfumes out there to express your story... Are you soft & reserved like Burberry Touch? Are you ok being in touch with your feminine side with Tom Ford’s Black Orchid? Are you a masculine yet successful man with Creed Aventus? Any man can spend countless days looking for the perfect scent to express exactly who they are.
However, as your collection grows, you realise… you still want to wear scents that don’t always express who you are.
4: You appreciate the art behind perfumery.
Perfume conga line!
Of course, you may want to wear different colognes to express different moods on different days. But I think it goes deeper than that. Once you go past your first 5 to 10 fragrances, you start to appreciate the art behind perfumery. Some may call it an addiction (it can be!), I see it as collecting art, similar to someone who collects paintings or watches.
You start being intrigued by the different note families; florals, woods, orientals, gourmands, fougéres etc. You start diving your nose deep in to your skin, understanding the structure of the fragrance and the story the perfumer is trying to convey behind it. You start wanting certain ‘notes’ in your collection, I’m still looking for a nice ‘coffee’ scent to add to mine!
Conclusion
Dolce & Gabbana the One - Pure Sexiness…
Overall, I think fragrances have a special type of appeal for people who are obsessed with smell. It is fascinating that a hybrid of chemistry and artistry can combine certain molecules in order to recreate scents found in nature as well as creating something new.
What are your thoughts? Make sure to leave a comment below as to why you wear perfumes.
Until next time!
- Omar
MCM release a unique scent as their first fragrance! Is it worth your time & money?