For the ‘everyday’ man reading this, cologne is simply a type of fragrance made from essential oil extracts, water, and alcohol (with an average concentration of 5%).

The fragrance with the highest concentration of essential oil extracts is perfume (or parfum). Next would be Eau de Parfum, then Eau de Toilette, and finally Eau de Cologne. In the majority of cases, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne are interchangeable, particularly with Men’s fragrances.

But you’re not interested in the nitty gritty details, you’re seeking out a scent that you can wear to extrude confidence, attractiveness, professionalism and all around coolness. And so you should! Smell is an undervalued sense when it comes to your image, first impressions and your overall demeanor. Especially for men, it is common knowledge that men perceive beauty with their eyes and women perceive beauty with every other sense – smell in particular.

Quality Colognes

Just like a quality, well fitting suit or an understated but quality watch: a quality fragrance should be the secret weapon in your male grooming arsenal. You should have particular fragrances picked out for certain situations, so you are prepared for any situation:

• Dates
• Business Meetings
• Social Gatherings
• Casual Activities

The question is, how do you know what cologne is right for which situation? Apart from straightforward trial and error, which can mean purchasing and trailing 100s of fragrances until you find the perfect collection, you can try looking at recommendations from others who have gone through the long (and expensive) process of trailing different colognes for you.

Most Popular Mens Cologne

Here’s a selection of Cologne suggestions for different situations:

Armani Code Cologne

An understated yet sophisticated smell, perfect for dinner parties and business meetings. My associate described it as as “spicy and bold, but also understated. Notes of citrus and bergamont.” He then went on to add “I love Armani code, it’s not a fragrance that’s going to send the person next to you into a coma but people will notice and compliment you.”

Green Irish Tweed Cologne by Creed

A brilliant everyday fragrance due to its complex ‘I can’t tell what I like about it but it smells really good’ scent. I personally used Irish Tweed as my daily scent while previously working at an office, I would get so many compliments about its fresh scent, probably more then I have ever received with another fragrance. I also have a young friend who rants and raves about this stuff. He recently claimed, talking about the companies products, “I don’t compare Creed to anything but themselves. They are that unique and different” adding “Irish Tweed is VERY unique! It’s complex, fresh, slightly earthy, and its hard to describe describe this, it is like you can’t quite put your finger on what you are smelling.

Usher Cologne

Gentlemen, this cologne is ideal for dates, nights on the town or candle light dinners with the wife – it just makes everything sexier! I used this cologne after my evening shower before I head out, it always has a wonderful soft smell, although I do have to be a bit generous with how much I use if I want the scent to last the whole night. I also think that Usher COlogne & Eau De Toilette is very universal, because it’s soft scent works well wether you are dealing with clients at the office or sliding up to the bar next to your future ex-wife.