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If you’re a man who needs a new cologne, don’t start buying blind. Get the information you need here to find the right fragrance.

1. Know about the different perfume strengths

There is an awful lot of confusion when it comes to perfume, especially as far as men are concerned. It doesn’t help that there seem to be quite a few different names for, as most people can tell, what just appears to be perfume. Simple.  Why then all the different names?


Most confusion stems from people not knowing about the different strengths that you can buy perfume in. Depending on what the strength of the perfume is, the name might change. For example one of the strongest types of fragrance you can buy is Eau de Parfum. This can contain 15-20% pure fragrance. Next comes Eau de Toilette, which contains 5-15% pure fragrance; then Eau de Cologne at 2-4% pure fragrance and last but no means least comes Eau Fraiche (aftershave). This usually contains between 1-3% pure fragrance.

The strengths also have an impact on the cost of the fragrance you buy, which you will no doubt have noticed in the past. This is because the stronger the perfume is, the longer its staying power, which makes sense when you consider it contains more pure fragrance.

2. Play (or choose) the right notes

All fragrances are made up of a mixture of different ‘notes’, or in layman’s terms, ingredients. As a man buying a fragrance, you should make an effort to try and recognize the different notes contained within a perfume. This will help you learn what notes you like, as well as dislike. Once you become more familiar with recognizing these notes it will make buying fragrances you actually really like a lot easier for you.

3. Always test before buying

The main issue a lot of men have when buying perfume is that they’ve smelt a scent on someone else but when they buy it and wear it, it doesn’t smell as nice as they remembered it smelling on the other person. There is a chemical explanation for this; fragrance ingredients react differently to different people. 

Every single person is unique in terms of their skin chemistry and how their skin interacts with fragrance. It is therefore important to always try before you buy! Fragrances are not cheap and you don’t want to spend money on something you’re only going to wish you never bought. Take the time to try out different scents and check how they react to your body.

4. Shop at the right time

One of the biggest annoyances about buying perfume is that you actually have to go shopping amongst the hordes to buy it. Yes, you can buy it online but then that negates point 3. It is therefore important to go shopping at opportune moments so that your nose doesn’t have to wade through hundreds of other people’s perfumes and aftershaves, whilst trying to recognize the notes in a perfume you’re thinking of buying.

The best time is in the morning before the shops get too crowded and before the air in the fragrance shops becomes too clogged up of other scents. Your senses are also a lot sharper in the morning, so your nose will be able to detect certain notes a lot better.

5. Treat your fragrance well

When you’ve actually found a fragrance you like, it is crucial you treat it well. What is meant by treating it well is storing it correctly. For instance, storing your fragrance in direct sunlight will spoil it by disturbing the natural balance of the notes. Many people believe keeping the perfume in the fridge prolongs its shelf life but this is a myth. Storing your perfume in a sheltered, cool place will keep it from spoiling but generally, the perfume will only ever be good for between 2-5 years.