Hello,

In this week, on a final note on all things fragrance; I would be describing how to choose the best fit fragrance- not necessarily one that is expensive, as a mixture of expensive spice might just give a "smelly mess" a writer once said- and what bodily spot to put them on.

Fragrance has a three-part life cycle, each of the three sections contain individual scents, or notes, that are keyed-in-together to what you smell; like an evaporating pyramid where the top (note) slowly disappears until you get to the base.
The three notes comprises the scents of most fragrance the top, medium and base:

• TOP NOTE. The initial lighter smell that hits the nose immediately after application. The top note lasts from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the fragrance. Typical top notes are various light floral scents, citrus, fruity scents, powdery, marine and aquatics, and spices such as cinnamon.
• MEDIUM NOTE. Known as the middle or heart notes, the middle note airs the main element of the fragrance and can last 3-5  hours after use, this is in addition to the top note minutes/hours; a build of each other. Middle note often includes heavier floral scents such as jasmine, or green scents such as grass or stone, though spicy scent such as cinnamon and clove falls in this group, alongside fruity scent.
• BASE NOTE. The very last to develop, its often the bolder notes of the fragrance which becomes more noticeable later in the day. Base note lay the foundation and determines how long the fragrance last on you. They tend to last from 5-10 hours. Typical base notes are sandalwood, moss, vanilla, tar, leather, tobacco, gingerwood, and musk. If you are Manly, these last parts should interest you.

Infographic display of Top-Base notes

Fragrance which smell the same from first spray until washed off, are called linear fragrance. Non-linear fragrance will change and go through the layers of note over time.

Quality fragrance have a life cycle and since most manufacturers won't invest in such tedious complicated orchestration of scents; thus one of the easiest way to identify a cheap perfume is that it smells the same the entire time it's worn.  A caution though, linear fragrance serves it purpose for those who want a scent that last all day and never metamorphose. 

The Fragrance Wheel

HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT PERFUME

Studies suggest that a Man naturally tends to select the fragrance that works best with his natural body scent. Meaning: You are the best person to determine which scent suits you. Its probably why a gift in scent remain unused for years. What suits one might just be the very opposite for another. Its therefore best to use the opinion of others to offset your choice.

DECIDING

1. Spray one scent on each wrist (and each inner elbow if testing up to four scents at once, though it is not advisable).
2. Avoid the cards stores provide to smell the fragrances. They enable you to only smell the top notes and not how it smells on you (note, this is a chemistry experiment, that is how it complements your body odour).
3. Refresh your palate with something strong like tea, between smelling each fragrance.
4. Try to smell all the notes, as explained this might take some hours.
5. Wearing a fragrance is a process, not a quick fix. Many Men end up loving dozen of scents. So you don't have to aim for perfection.

RULES FOR FRAGRANCE APPLICATION

We have all known people who use fragrance excessively and the smell and can be over-bearing. To avoid such trap, here are some rules for applying fragrance.

1. Spray perfume on dry skin, preferably right after shower. Hold the spray nozzle 3-6 inches from skin while applying
2. Start light. If new to wearing fragrances, start with one single spray to the chest. As you become more comfortable and knowledgeable about it use, you can branch out to few more sprays in different areas...hmm not there though
3. Apply fragrance to heat areas. Body heat enforces the scent throughout the day, creating a nice scent trail commonly called sillage. Start with the warmest parts of your body: chest, neck, lower jaw, wrist, forearm, inner elbow, shoulder. Note, do not spray on all this point at the same time; start with one and as you learn the scent, spray 2 or 3 other spots. Its not recommended to spray your Crotch or Privates; if you have issues there are articles to consult on such- called swamp crotch or others.
4. Re-spray only when required. You can add more sprays to your wrist depending on how long the scents lasts. For most this will be in the second half of the day.
5. Don't spray and walk. Spraying a fragrance in the air, walking through the mist thinking it will soak in, it's a waste and worthless, as most of the fragrance drops to the floor.
6. Don't spray fragrance on your clothes. In this case the fragrance isn't allowed to mix with your body oils, hence it can't go naturally through the stages of notes like it should. Moreover, the oils in the fragrance will likely stain many fabrics.
7. Less is more. Fragrance should be noticed like dew not announced like a flood. People should smell not get overpowered by them.

A Man's Perfume Spot

Finally, Smell is man strongest sense, it's connected to our memory and has the ability to form strong emotional ties that can last forever. Wearing Fragrance is a unique way to stand out and be distinctive, it can be a trademark that sells in your absence.

However a lot of work has gone into the study of fragrance and use, majority of this article was researched by Antonio Centeno founder of Real Men Real Style.

Till Next week, Read and post your Comments; they mean a lot.