Mens Grooming: Cologne

Men’s grooming habits are different for each person. Some are able to get out of bed, throw on the first t-shirt and jeans they see and look like David Beckham walking down the airport runway (bastards!). However, for some (ahem), it takes a little longer to look presentable before we leave the house. One of the most important things every man should do before he leaves the house (and after he is dressed and showered), is put on cologne! Cologne should be an essential part of the everyday “grooming” habits of men. Over the years, I have owned several different colognes, learning which is best for night and day, which ones last longer and which ones always get noticed by others.

I have long had this discussion with friends of mine who always retort back with, “what about body sprays?” Body spray is a fine alternative to cologne…if you are running late or have no cologne available. I sometimes keep a small bottle of body spray in my car, especially for after work if I have been sweating and running around. For body sprays, I do like the AXE sprays, but there is also one called, “Elixir Black”, by C.O Bigelow and company and it smells fantastic!

So which cologne is right for you? Of course, every scent smells different on each person, due to the oils in our skin, so to find the cologne that works best for you, go to the store and try them on! I could go on about the colognes that I love, however, that would be a pretty boring hub, so for now, ill only talk about a select few!

The first cologne that I love for night AND for day is Kenneth Cole, Reaction. It has a citrus hint in the back of it that makes it light and it smells amazing. I have found that it lasts through most of the day and isn’t too strong to where you can’t wear it during the day at work. Kenneth Cole has some other great scents, but for me, Reaction is my favorite one.

The second cologne is Polo Blue, by Ralph Lauren. This has been in my collection for years and it never gets old. It is definitely a cologne that you love or hate and, like Reaction by Kenneth Cole, it can be worn both during the day and night, however, I always used to keep it handy for the night if I went out. It is strong enough to where you only need about one or two sprays of it and it lasts all day.

Aqua Di Gio by Armani is one of my all time favorite colognes. It is clean, crisp and fresh. The scent is instantly recognizable and you smell great all day! It is a little on the pricey side, but if you can get out and get a bottle, I highly recommend it. This cologne, like the other two, can be worn for day and night and is light enough to wear at work. It was ingredients of jasmine with hints of wood and ocean breezes. This is strong cologne that lasts, so one of two sprays will be just fine to get you through the day and if you need a touch up at night…spray away!

Burberry makes some great cologne for men (and some fantastic ones for women, “Burberry Touch” for Woman is amazing), but Burberry Touch for men smells great as well. It is light enough to wear during the day, but classy and sophisticated at night and will keep you smell great all evening.

A cologne that I found that does not last at all is cologne by Ed Hardy. Sure, the bottle and the bottle designs are amazing, but for the price of the cologne, I expected it to last all day and night, which it did not.

Remember, these are colognes that work well for me and that I enjoy. Each person will have their own opinion on each one and may love or hate the ones I listed. When you smell good, you feel good, so next time you are at the store, browse the cologne counter and see what works best for you and what you like! Happy cologne hunting everyone!