How A Gentleman Chooses A Signature Scent

It says a lot about who you are as a man. A signature scent is more about your identity and personal brand than it is about smelling good.

Here's an interesting fact about our sense of smell. The moment we detect a scent it triggers a specific reaction in our minds.

Smells go directly to the part of our brains that deal with emotions.

So you have the ability to create any impression you like based on your signature scent.

 

Once this part of a person's brain is triggered, logic goes out the window.

This means that whatever associations we have with a specific smell comes to surface and we react accordingly.

When a man chooses a scent, it often has to do with his own personal experience and is a reflection of his lifestyle.

The tricky thing is that it's easy for men to stick with what they're comfortable with for YEARS.

It's obvious why.

If it's not broken, why fix it?

I'm going to challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone.

Break free from the mainstream colognes that EVERY other guy is using.

To truly stand out and get noticed, it's necessary to break free from the pack.

Would you like to be seen as a leader? A man who's confident enough to stand out?

I assume you said, "yes."

Let's dive into how a gentleman chooses a signature scent in order to make that possible!

 

What Impression Would You Like To Make

Choosing the right shoes and outfit is only part of the equation.

To bring it all together you need a cologne that goes hand-in-hand with the image you're trying to create.

Something sweet and citrusy will say, "I like smelling fresh but I don't need to be in your face about it."

On the other hand, a bold and spicy cologne says, "I'm strong and masculine and don't mind standing out."

When you're at the office aim for something that's subtle yet distinctive.

Nobody wants to be the guy that you can smell before you even see him.

Going out for dinner, drinks with your buddies, or a date requires something more potent. Just don't go overboard.

Strong smells can actually affect someone's sense of taste.

What To Look For

There's a few ways to approach this.

Choosing a signature scent requires taking a few factors into consideration.

One of the first is your age.

How you smell should be a reflection of your maturity and stage in life.

If you're still using the same cologne at 30-years-old that you were in university, it's time to change it up.

Another factor to consider is if you're going to buy one cologne as opposed to having a seasonal rotation.

When taking the one cologne approach consider something that's relevant all year-round.

Going the seasonal rotation route will require you to adjust as the weather changes.

In the colder months you'll want something more full-bodied and spicier.

During the warmer months you can get away with smelling lighter and sweeter.

Just remember that lighter-bodied colognes will fade faster. You'll have to re-apply them at least once more throughout your day.

 

What To Avoid

Body sprays!

Unless you're ok with smelling like a high-school athlete.

Don't be afraid to invest a little more money into a quality cologne. A bottle typically lasts about a year assuming that you use 2 to 3 sprays everyday.

It's worth the extra money plus it gives you more options to choose from.

You also want to say away from anything that's labelled as a "best seller."

These colognes are great and they've obviously sold well for a reason. But if your mission is for people to get to know the real you and to stand out as a confident and unique man, it's best to stay away.

Chances are you'll know somebody who's already using one of these.

There's a few bad habits worth avoiding once you finally decide on a signature scent.

One of the most common ones is when men spray cologne on their clothes rather than directly on their skin.

This is a mistake because it doesn't allow the scent to fully interact with your body oils and soak into your pores.

By doing this, you're missing out on the chance to allow the scent to develop throughout the day. You also run the risk of staining your clothes too.

Another mistake worth avoiding is committing to a large bottle of cologne.

Since we only need a few moderate sprays to get us through the day there's no need to get anything larger than 3.4 ounces.

Doing so runs the risk of the cologne spoiling.

With enough fluctuations in temperature and humidity (depending how you store it), the fragrance molecules of the cologne will break down over time.

This means that if you wait long enough, your cologne won't smell the same as it did when you first bought it.

Last Thoughts:

By now you should have a pretty good idea of how to choose a signature scent for yourself.

Ultimately your cologne should be a reflection of your personality and it should be versatile enough to be worn at the office or when you're out for drinks with your buddies.

Stick to these tips and avoid the most common mistakes as mentioned above and you should have no trouble smelling like the gentleman you truly are!

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

While you're here, you should check out the free style guide below...

 

LOOK GOOD EFFORTLESSLY

Download The 16 Essential Clothing Items Every Man Needs To Build The Perfect Wardrobe, Get Noticed, And Look Stylish

Click here to access the free guide