How to Pick Cologne/ Cologne Recos

[Robulous78]

How goes it Fellas,

As the title implies, How do you go about picking cologne? What Cologne do you recommend?

I am looking for 2 types, 1 would be more economical, an every day use, refresher kind of cologne. The other would be a more premium, special events kinda cologne...

What do you recommend?

[big_jaygee]

i only own two bottles of cologne Hugo by Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme

[mosesbotbol]

Not sure what your budget is, but Fredric Malle is "Cohiba", "Ferrari", "insert your finest moniker..." scents on the market. Most are not male-female scents. Very high quality and you'll notice the difference very easily compared to the regular department store brands.

Elys and I have 6-7 different bottles. Barneys is the only US distributor (outside of their own website). I like to pick some a bottle or two when I visit Zurich as there's a famous perfume shop on the main strip.

I met Fredric Malle in Boston a few years ago and got a hand signed bottle...

http://www.barneys.com (http://www.barneys.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-BNY-Site/default/Search-Show?q=frederic%20malle&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=frederic%20malle&utm_campaign=Cosmetics/Beauty&utm_content=Frederic%20Malle%20Perfume)

http://www.fredericmalle.com/

If you have any questions, let me know.

[Porch Dweller]

When it comes to picking cologne I use the time-honored method of asking women. Works every time. :D My wife likes Drakkar on me, so that's what I use.

[Blueface]

Tough one in my opinion.
If ever a subject as personal as underwear, cologne is it.
So many to chose from, what you and I like may never even cross each other.
Go to Macy's, get a stack of test cards, some coffee beans, and test away until you find what is pleasant to you.
In my case, I just ask my wife to buy me cologne. As a previous post says, what counts is what she likes.

I hear Sex Panther is awesome.
60% of the time it works every time.:D

[hammondc]

I pretty much only use Stetson, Jovan Musk or Polo Green Bottle :-)


Seriously, check out Valentino. Hard as hell to find, but no one near you will ever be wearing it.

[MajorCaptSilly]

I don't wear cologne because my natural essence is that of a new pair women's shoes. The ladies; they love me!

MCS

[CigarNut]

Whatever you end up with make sure not to over-do it. A little bit goes a long way.

As Carlos and others have said -- take your wife or to the store with you and let her choose.

[dave]

I'm delaying my purchase; waiting for release of 'Eau de LP (#9) Cologne'.

[stearns]

I don't wear cologne because my natural essence is that of a new pair women's shoes. The ladies; they love me!

MCS

You're sitting on a gold mine Trebek :r

[pnoon]

A little pinch of tuna fish behind each ear and I'm good to go.

[Porch Dweller]

I hear Sex Panther is awesome.
60% of the time it works every time.:D

:r :r :r

[maninblack]

A little pinch of tuna fish behind each ear and I'm good to go.

You've found out my secret ,Peter!

[kelmac07]

Really Rob?? Go to the store, smell different kinds, buy the one(s) you like.

Or if all else fails, get some of MCS's stuff. :r :r :r

[czerbe]

I'm lucky that my wife works in a Retail store that sells tester bottles of the nice stuff for dirt cheap. So She brings me home what she thinks smells best... sometimes its not up to the man if she likes it... I like it!

[pektel]

The ones in my medicine cabinet:

Curve
Emporio Armani
Armani Black Code
Kenneth Cole Black
Victoria's Secret Very Sexy for Him (there's 2 different kinds, I have the blue bottle)

All except the Armani's were choices by my girlfriend.

It's weird I have that many colognes. I hardly ever wear it. I just prefer to smell clean. The absolute favorite scent my girlfriend likes is the gillette after shave I use. Go figure.

[Blueface]

:r :r :r

Man, glad someone got it.:r

And now, for the classic itself.
Clicky Sex Panther (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ccp-lEmoAE&sns=em)

[markem]

Do you have a woman in your life? If the answer is yes, why are you asking us. If the answer is no, why are you asking? :D

If you have women friends, ask them. Don't be surprised if they suggest some version of Axe antiperspirant (strong smells from that). Aftershave lotions (like Nivea) are also popular.

There used to be an aftershave that supposedly smelled like money, so you may want to check on that...

Whatever you do, don't be that guy that you can smell 10 seconds before he comes in to view and for 2 minutes after he passes by.

[themoneycollector]

IMO, I would recommend against the everyday and premium colognes.

Instead, if you are going to go 2 bottles, try for a summer scent and a winter scent. Or you could just swap back & forth whenever you want. I prefer sweet and fresh scents for summer, and woodsy and strong scents for winter. You could budget accordingly.

$20-30 (Coolwater/Nautica Blue - Summer, Curve/Joop - Winter)
$40-50 (Aqua di Gio/Tommy/A-Men - Summer, CK Be/Hugo - Winter)
$60-70 (Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue/Issey Miyake - Summer, Armani Code/Polo Double Black/Unforgivable/John Varvatos - Winter)
above this you have some esoteric stuff like Creed, Hermes, Tom Ford, and the price can get pretty incredible

[mosesbotbol]

You have to consider body chemistry when picking a fragrance. Different fragrances wear differently on different people. Some fragrances do not last long on certain people. Sample what is available for you to try and see how it wears.

*Does it last?
*Do you like it?
*Do people who matter dislike it?

I don't think you should let your better half decide, you are the one wearing it. Do they put clothes out for you every morning too? Cut your food up into small pieces? If it comes to two equally delightful fragrances to you and you can afford just one; sure let someone pick it out if you can't decide.

Most the big department store fragrances are crap. Sure they have a famous name behind them, but they lack the purity level. Most are just eau de cologne, not parfum.

If you like designer labeled cologne, Tom Ford is branding some nice ones.

[mosesbotbol]

...I prefer sweet and fresh scents for summer, and woodsy and strong scents for winter. You could budget accordingly.

...above this you have some esoteric stuff like Creed, Hermes, Tom Ford, and the price can get pretty incredible

Just noticed your post... Creed makes some nice stuff, very traditional scents. My girlfriend wear Hermes a lot. Aqua Di Parma & Montale are another two I'd recommend on the high end.

[maninblack]

Brut for summer, Brut for winter, Brut all the damn time. Your cologne problems have been solved.

[Blueface]

I don't think you should let your better half decide, you are the one wearing it. Do they put clothes out for you every morning too? Cut your food up into small pieces?

:r
If you want to last 37 years together, Yes and Yes to the two questions, specially if you want sex after that long.;)

My wife doesn't put out my clothing but I do think she has awesome taste and does in fact dress me for the most part as she buys a lot of my clothing or helps me when I'm buying it.

As cologne goes, yeah, if she likes it, she wants to smell me, in turn feel me and yadda yadda.

Not a bad way to go.:D

[hotreds]

Impossible to answer your question as it is "what cigar should I pick?" You need to try stuff out- go to www.theperfumedcourt.com and buy some decants.

[milhouse]

i would check out Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford for a special occasion treat.

i use john vervatos black bottle with the black leather strap and obsession as my daily colognes. obsession is still my favorite years later.

[Genetic Defect]

Lot of info here

http://www.basenotes.net/f/

A good source of samples.

http://www.luckyscent.com/

[pektel]

:r
If you want to last 37 years together, Yes and Yes to the two questions, specially if you want sex after that long.;)

My wife doesn't put out my clothing but I do think she has awesome taste and does in fact dress me for the most part as she buys a lot of my clothing or helps me when I'm buying it.

As cologne goes, yeah, if she likes it, she wants to smell me, in turn feel me and yadda yadda.



Hell, it's worked good for me to last the 10 years my significant other and I have been together.

Same thing for me, she doesn't set out the clothes for me, but she buys darn near EVERYTHING I wear. At least, anything not designated as "work clothes" or "garage clothes." That's mostly the clothes I had before we met :r

She buys my shoes, jeans, dress pants, shirts, jackets, etc.

I pretty much buy underwear and socks.

[bigswol2]

Old spice and Chanel bleu!

[CigarSquid]

I use Escape by Calvin Klein and sometimes, very rare I will get Eternity by him as well.

[Genetic Defect]

http://images.askmen.com/fashion/grooming/john-varvatos-vintage_1.jpg

[IBQTEE1]

I agree with some of the guys here...take a woman with you. I went with my friend Ken and we were in the store for like a hour. We smelled, sprayed, waved it around, smelled it again, walked away and finally purchased Kenneth Cole Black for him.

The one thing I look for in a cologne is if it smells like alcohol when you first spray it. Most of the time they don't small good when you wear them.

One of my favorites is Polo Blue.

I love the smell of a good cologne makes me a little moist. :o

[TNT009]

http://images.askmen.com/fashion/grooming/john-varvatos-vintage_1.jpg
Just whiffed that in the Men's Health mag....
That is next on the list, a winner?

[Genetic Defect]

Just whiffed that in the Men's Health mag....
That is next on the list, a winner?

I think it is, When you get a chance check it out at Sephora:) I really notice the tonka beans, with a little of the tobacco. over all a sweet spicy scent.

[TNT009]

Got it mixed up, I meant !!! I love the spice! This is also good!

[the jiggler]

Forget the cologne. Grow a beard. Score!

[Adriftpanda]

Issey Miyake, for me. Not over powering, women love it.

[Subvet642]

For me it's Montblanc Presence or Hanae Mori Por Homme.

[Robulous78]

Wow... Ya take a day off and a so does a thread... :lr

Yes, in a perfect world, I'd already have a girlfriend or female friends I could pose the question to, however currently all I seem to be able to gather are disinterested co-workers... As I am trying to improve on that situation I thought I'd seek the forums advice :D

I had been a long time stetson county wearer, but I have never had any remarks about it... as you all say its what the women want, I take this lack of remarks negatively and decided to try and up my game...

Some good names / recos being dropped so far, I'll have to smell my way around those and get back to you guys... :lr

[Blueface]

Rob, based on what you most recently posted, trust me on this one.

Put on your Sunday best, head on down to a store like Macy's, go to the cologne department, stop any and EVERY woman that even remotely appears single and ask them which cologne they prefer.

Outcomes:
1) you will have plenty of women's opinions.
2) you may have one follow you home to further smell you.

Problems Solved:
1) cologne purchased
2) no longer alone

Hurry up, Sunday is tomorrow.:D

[Porch Dweller]

Man, glad someone got it.:r

And now, for the classic itself.
Clicky Sex Panther (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ccp-lEmoAE&sns=em)

It's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.

[Porch Dweller]

You have to consider body chemistry when picking a fragrance. Different fragrances wear differently on different people. Some fragrances do not last long on certain people. Sample what is available for you to try and see how it wears.

*Does it last?
*Do you like it?
*Do people who matter dislike it?

I don't think you should let your better half decide, you are the one wearing it. Do they put clothes out for you every morning too? Cut your food up into small pieces? If it comes to two equally delightful fragrances to you and you can afford just one; sure let someone pick it out if you can't decide.

Most the big department store fragrances are crap. Sure they have a famous name behind them, but they lack the purity level. Most are just eau de cologne, not parfum.

If you like designer labeled cologne, Tom Ford is branding some nice ones.

I disagree with the highlighted part. Maybe it's just me, but when I put a cologne on, after about five or ten minutes I no longer smell it; it's like my brain just filters out the smell after a little bit. It's kind of like how if you work in a BBQ joint you no longer smell the smoke after being on the job for a few minutes. But my wife notices the scent for much longer. So I might as well go with something that she enjoys as she's the one that's going to be smelling it.

[Genetic Defect]

today

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rOV8K3G5MvQ/TLr5n6oJzjI/AAAAAAAAAO0/37jInwWiwKc/s1600/Bulgari_Black_48a93718d3995.jpg

[mosesbotbol]

But my wife notices the scent for much longer. So I might as well go with something that she enjoys as she's the one that's going to be smelling it.

Have you worn a scent you picked out and she said she did not like it after you put it on?

[CigarNut]

Have you worn a scent you picked out and she said she did not like it after you put it on?

My wife has so it was a waste of money. I would not buy one without her presence. She also carries the Nordstrom card :)

[Genetic Defect]

95% success rate for me.

[Porch Dweller]

Have you worn a scent you picked out and she said she did not like it after you put it on?

Only once.

[mosesbotbol]

Here's our collection of Fredric Malle fragrances. Just picked up the 100ml Vetiver Extraordinaire at Barneys on Friday. Also picked up one his anise scented candles which is amazing; not cheap either :hn

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh39/mosesbotbol/mallecollection_zps7d48d0ce.jpg

[colinb913]

Here's what I have been wearing lately, I hope this helps someone..

Victoria Secrets Very Sexy for him (1 and 2)
Dolce and Gabanna
Gucci
Gucci Guilty
Aqua Di Gio
Express (clothing store cologne)
Armani Black

Those are all decently priced, and I tend to get compliments on them.

[Robulous78]

Impossible to answer your question as it is "what cigar should I pick?" You need to try stuff out- go to www.theperfumedcourt.com and buy some decants.

This site has given me alot to look at, I will be purchasing some samplers soon...

Score 1 more for Hotreds... :salute: