Cologne Buying Guide

Cologne  can make or break a man's style: an expensive new suit may as well be jeans and a vest for all the Lynx  spray some lads wear with it, and a fellow in his pajamas can look the part of a prince with just the right scent. However, it can be tough to find something that complements the wearer and still comes in under budget: there are plenty of colognes  out there that smell divine yet masculine , but they're usually very expensive. Our guide aims to help you figure out what will be best for you or your recipient--and most importantly, your wallet.  Every man has a different preference in scents, and these preferences often relate to a man's age, style, tastes, etc., so let's start breaking them down.

Tips on Choosing Cologne

• Strong, musky  scents are perfect for winter, but they can be totally overpowering during the warmer weather. Look for lighter colognes with notes of marine or aqua for the summer months.
• Some scents can be energizing , giving you just the pick-up you need in the morning. Citrus scents  with galbanum essence are worth pursuing.
• It sure is great to enjoy the savings found online, but it's a good idea to go to a store first and actually smell the cologne. Then you can go home to your computer and most likely find it for a lot cheaper.
• Say you're in the store testing colognes, and you smell something so strong that you can't get it out of your nose. What do you do? Sniff some coffee beans! Many high-end perfume stores and department store counters will have these on hand.
• Remember your French lessons! Keep in mind that eau de toilette  will last about three to four hours, while eau de cologne  will last about two.
• Don't be afraid of new scents that have the word "floral" or "fruity" in them. Because there are layers to every cologne, most men's fragrances won't smell like a woman's perfume  even if they're labelled "Floral."
• That said: read the label. Buying your mate his favourite Armani scent doesn't count for much if it's the ladies' formulation .

Tips on Wearing Cologne

• If your cologne doesn't come in a spray bottle , put it in one. Never "splash" cologne, as it'll be too much and no one will want to take the lift with you.
• Never spray cologne on clothes. It actually doesn't last longer that way. It's better to spray the skin directly before dressing.
• Hold the spray at arm's length and aim at the very bottom of your neck/beginning of your chest. One spray should do the trick. Wear it for a day, and if you really think you weren't wearing enough, spray a little extra the next morning--one spritz more at the most--and see if that helps.
• Want to make the scent last longer? Use an aftershave or body wash  in the same scent. Just take care not to overdo it; you don't want to smell like you bathed in it.

Time and Place

Just as one does not wear his three-piece suit to a football match, cologne also requires some thought concerning context. You'll give off a different air if you wear a woody scent  to work than you would on an outing in the country or on a night out . 

For the Vacationer Bvlgari Aqva	For Everyday Wear Kenneth Cole Reaction	For the Executive Canali Men	From City to Country Be Delicious DKNY	For the Man Looking for a Woman Envy for Men by Gucci

It Takes All Types

Sometimes you'll care less about context and more about having a signature scent. A personal fragrance will remind people of you; they'll get a whiff of it as they go about their day and think, "I should ring Dave!" without really knowing why. Think of it as your own personal stamp of masculinity . They can also help you give off different impressions , the better to let the people around you know what you're really about. 

For the Player Obsession Night by CK	For Down-to-Earth Guys M7 by Yves Saint Laurent	For the Big Spenders Infusion for Men by Prada	For the Classy Guy Pasha de Cartier	For the Sporty Guy Cool Water

Special Occasions

Regardless of what type of guy you are, sometimes you just need to smell good . Dressed to impress, at a wedding or on an important date, you'll want a little something extra to complete your ensemble. These are the scents that are too powerful to waste on just any occasion. These are the colognes  one wears when he's already got the right hair, the right suit and the right shoes, but still needs the ultimate finishing touch.

For the Refined Man Green Irish Tweed by Creed	For the Stylish Man Essenza di Zegna	For the Trendy Guy Lacoste Pour Homme	For Sophisticated Men Burberry Brit for Men	For the Classic Man Vetiver by Guerlain

Related Guides

New Perfume and Cologne	Classic Colognes	Gifts for Men with Style	Gifts for Men	Christmas Gifts for Men

Popular Scents

• Armani Code For Men Eau De Toilette  debuted from Giorgio Armani in 2004, and is a romantic, sexy, and warm fragrance. A manly aromatic scent, made up from top notes of bergamot, apple, citrus, Tonka bean, guaiacum wood and olive flower, it will create a powerful, sensuous, and completely irresistible scent. It's a perfect long-lasting daytime fragrance that really stands out from the crowd without being overbearing or overly strong.
• Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Eau De Toilette  is an ultra modern fragrance for fun-loving, masculine men! This fresh, seductive blend of bergamot, cardamom, orange blossom, cinnamon, cumin, wood, musk, amber, vanilla, and tonka bean creates a truly breathtaking scent that turns heads.
• Versace Man Eau Fraiche  is a lighter version of Versace Man with notes of lemon, rosewood, star fruit, cedar leaves, tarragon, sage, musk, amber, and sycamore wood.
• Joop Go Electric Heat  a new playful scent bringing together notes of lavender and lime with cold waves of mint.
• Thierry Mugler Amen Summer Flash  is a light, cooling reinvention of Amen that is perfect for summertime .
• Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin Fraicheur  is another summertime scent that is a derivation of the original, adding in notes of ivy green and absinthe.