I don’t wear perfume/cologne at all—I enjoy many scents, but there are so many people who are sensitive to fragrances that it seems rude (my SO can’t stand perfumes, so I don’t wear any anymore). I’d avoid it in crowds and offices, and recommend only wearing it if you’re going to be spending time with someone that you already know enjoys it—otherwise there’s absolutely nothing wrong with simply keeping clean. Most people smell pretty okay naturally unless they’ve gotten very sweaty/dirty or haven’t washed in a long while. (Some people even prefer natural smells over perfumes.)
As for use: less than you think. Only you and someone in your “personal space” should be able to smell it. Don’t spray it all over—use very small amounts on “pulse points”: wrists, behind ears, throat. (This is harder to do with sprays than oils; it’s easy to spray too much.) What kind: something you like. What smells good sprayed in the air in a department store may not smell as good along with your own natural scent, so you may want to test at home before wearing something in public. Ask someone at a department store or perfume shop to help you if you really have no idea what to get, and don’t be embarrassed about it; if they are at all good at their job, they will be able to guide you toward scents of different types based on what you like—fruity, musky, floral, woodsy, light, heavy, what-have-you. If you don’t know where to begin, think about other smells you like: fresh-cut grass, vanilla, ocean air, Irish Spring soap? If you have a significant other, ask what they like too...
(This is knowledge I have not used in a long enough time that I’d completely forgotten I had it!)
Anyone who wants to can wear perfume/cologne (it’s essentially the same stuff, just a different word for a different gender of user). If you’re wondering whether you should try it, then try it! Go to a large department store and try out their testers, then walk around for the day and see if you and your companions like it. The effect immediately after application is often not the effect after it airs a bit. You can even try mixing scents. The one thing I strongly recommend is to avoid the really cheap stuff. If the budget is tight, try different good high-quality scents for free for a while, so you can be sure you’ll like what you get.
The way I’ve seen perfume applied usually sprayed on one wrist, then the wrists are rubbed together, and then the wrists are lightly touched to the neck and clothes. This avoids getting too strong a smell, and if you overspray the wrist, you can wash it off.
When I use cologne, I spray it in my armpits instead of deodorant, and maybe on my throat. That’s not necessarily typical—it’s sort of the old way cologne was used, and works for me because I have light BO. You can also use cologne the same way I described for perfume.
In the U.S., cologne is not usually considered an appropriate substitute for deodorant, but individual tastes run a broad gamut on that. Some people are allergic to most perfumes and colognes—they do have actual botanicals in them.
It’s pretty important not to overdo perfume/cologne, as there’s a lot of variation in people’s sensitivity to odors (and odor preferences). One squirt or dab is usually more than enough. In addition, the person who is wearing the scent becomes habituated to it after a few minutes, so “I can’t smell myself anymore” isn’t a good reason to put on more.
Other people have already said that most people tend to smell okay all by themselves. I prefer a little help in that area, though.
There’s the standard advice of wearing a deodorant/antiperspirant, which I find necessary. I can’t help with perfume, but for cologne, I was never happy with anything until I spent an hour with a scented oil salesman at a stall in the mall. He helped me find the perfect combination of scents for me, which not only smells great to me but, from what other people tell me, compliments my natural smell nicely (if you’re wondering—vanilla and egyptian musk).
In other words, get a perfume/cologne salesperson to help you. If the first one you find doesn’t seem particularly helpful, don’t buy anything, and go find another one (you can space out visits, or visit different stores, if it’s uncomfortable to just go find another salesperson). One who is good at their job will know their scents well and will help you find one that you feel compliments you personally.
The tips provided below are good, but keep in mind that your decision about whether you should or shouldn’t wear perfume and/or cologne is based on a lot of other factors, many of which can’t be easily assessed on the Internet. It depends a lot on who you’re trying to signal to—in some groups, wearing perfume/cologne can actually be bad signaling, as it shows you’re a “try-hard.”
I like the grooming questions especially.
Besides by keeping clean, how do I go about smelling nice? Who should and shouldn’t wear perfume and cologne? What kind? How do you use it?
I don’t wear perfume/cologne at all—I enjoy many scents, but there are so many people who are sensitive to fragrances that it seems rude (my SO can’t stand perfumes, so I don’t wear any anymore). I’d avoid it in crowds and offices, and recommend only wearing it if you’re going to be spending time with someone that you already know enjoys it—otherwise there’s absolutely nothing wrong with simply keeping clean. Most people smell pretty okay naturally unless they’ve gotten very sweaty/dirty or haven’t washed in a long while. (Some people even prefer natural smells over perfumes.)
As for use: less than you think. Only you and someone in your “personal space” should be able to smell it. Don’t spray it all over—use very small amounts on “pulse points”: wrists, behind ears, throat. (This is harder to do with sprays than oils; it’s easy to spray too much.) What kind: something you like. What smells good sprayed in the air in a department store may not smell as good along with your own natural scent, so you may want to test at home before wearing something in public. Ask someone at a department store or perfume shop to help you if you really have no idea what to get, and don’t be embarrassed about it; if they are at all good at their job, they will be able to guide you toward scents of different types based on what you like—fruity, musky, floral, woodsy, light, heavy, what-have-you. If you don’t know where to begin, think about other smells you like: fresh-cut grass, vanilla, ocean air, Irish Spring soap? If you have a significant other, ask what they like too...
(This is knowledge I have not used in a long enough time that I’d completely forgotten I had it!)
This isn’t a general smelling-nice tip, but: imitation vanilla extract? Decent bug repellent. And smells much nicer than the standard varieties.
Anyone who wants to can wear perfume/cologne (it’s essentially the same stuff, just a different word for a different gender of user). If you’re wondering whether you should try it, then try it! Go to a large department store and try out their testers, then walk around for the day and see if you and your companions like it. The effect immediately after application is often not the effect after it airs a bit. You can even try mixing scents. The one thing I strongly recommend is to avoid the really cheap stuff. If the budget is tight, try different good high-quality scents for free for a while, so you can be sure you’ll like what you get.
The way I’ve seen perfume applied usually sprayed on one wrist, then the wrists are rubbed together, and then the wrists are lightly touched to the neck and clothes. This avoids getting too strong a smell, and if you overspray the wrist, you can wash it off.
When I use cologne, I spray it in my armpits instead of deodorant, and maybe on my throat. That’s not necessarily typical—it’s sort of the old way cologne was used, and works for me because I have light BO. You can also use cologne the same way I described for perfume.
In the U.S., cologne is not usually considered an appropriate substitute for deodorant, but individual tastes run a broad gamut on that. Some people are allergic to most perfumes and colognes—they do have actual botanicals in them.
It’s pretty important not to overdo perfume/cologne, as there’s a lot of variation in people’s sensitivity to odors (and odor preferences). One squirt or dab is usually more than enough. In addition, the person who is wearing the scent becomes habituated to it after a few minutes, so “I can’t smell myself anymore” isn’t a good reason to put on more.
Other people have already said that most people tend to smell okay all by themselves. I prefer a little help in that area, though.
There’s the standard advice of wearing a deodorant/antiperspirant, which I find necessary. I can’t help with perfume, but for cologne, I was never happy with anything until I spent an hour with a scented oil salesman at a stall in the mall. He helped me find the perfect combination of scents for me, which not only smells great to me but, from what other people tell me, compliments my natural smell nicely (if you’re wondering—vanilla and egyptian musk).
In other words, get a perfume/cologne salesperson to help you. If the first one you find doesn’t seem particularly helpful, don’t buy anything, and go find another one (you can space out visits, or visit different stores, if it’s uncomfortable to just go find another salesperson). One who is good at their job will know their scents well and will help you find one that you feel compliments you personally.
The tips provided below are good, but keep in mind that your decision about whether you should or shouldn’t wear perfume and/or cologne is based on a lot of other factors, many of which can’t be easily assessed on the Internet. It depends a lot on who you’re trying to signal to—in some groups, wearing perfume/cologne can actually be bad signaling, as it shows you’re a “try-hard.”