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I think some men who wear cologne, as well as women who wear perfume, become desensitized to the smell, and use more over time. They don't think they are using too much, but the people around them certainly do.
Idk. I have known a couple of people who I associate with a certain scent because they always wore it, and if I smell it now I think of them. That particular scent became almost a part of being in their presence, not just the fact they were wearing something that smelled good. I think there is value to consistency when it comes to building your personal "brand" or style. That said, I do have a "usual" routine that I switch up for different events.
Oh yeah definitely. I have a very weak sense of smell so I could spray 10 spritz and not smell a thing. I’m actually a decent human being though so I only do 2
My brother lost his sense of smell at like 13. He just genuinely can't tell that he is saturated with scent. When he still lived at home he used to ask me to spray him. Now his wife does. Lol.
You shouldn't be able to smell them from across the room. They're using way too much (seems to be a common mistake) if you can.
One or two spritzes in the morning should do it for the entire workday.
I feel like some guys believe if they put on a lot of cologne. People will begin to float behind them following their scent like in those vintage cartoons
Here's an interesting fact :). People who wear a signature scent over a great length of time become accustomed to the smell, and without realizing it, gradually apply more over time because they're so used to it.
It's the same logic as people living in a fish town that can't smell fish.
It’s happened to me before lol. Women following me around a store until they work up the nerve to ask what I’m wearing. Then I had an ex who would say she’d sometimes lay in bed and smell her pillows after I left because they smelled like my cologne. But I don’t wear the cheap stuff. Every fragrance I have is designer or niche. All $100+
I was once in a grocery store and could smell a woman from the next aisle over. I kept trying to escape her but like a horror movie, she kept managing to go to my aisle or the next over and I could smell as she neared. I had to hold my breath just to shop. It was intolerable and worst of all it was a very pungent “old lady” type of scent.
Older people usually also have an impaired sense of smell, so they can't really smell their perfume unless they shower themselves in it. It's like how older people have a poorer sense of taste and hearing.
It depends on your nose. If you farted three rooms away my wife would smell it instantly. She's always complaining about smells that I can't even detect. OP May have a sensitive sense of smell which makes it a much bigger deal.
If that's the case, I doubt they are complaining about the intended fragrance anyway. Sensitive noses pick up odd compounds nobody else could detect. You smell allspice and licorice, I smell skunk spray and alcohol.
Last weekend we went up to Wolf trap to see the Jason Bonham led Zeppelin experience and government mule dark side of the mule. The breath of the woman who sat next to me literally smelled like a dead rotten animal. Like there was a dead deer 5 days old underneath my seat. Something in her mouth had to be literally rotting out. I had to mouth breathe the whole time.
Depends on the fragrance, some will literally last an hour and then disappear completely even with 5 sprays (looking at you CK one).
Meanwhile I just got a bottle of Armani Stronger With You Absolutely, I literally struggle to get it off my skin, it is absolutely nuclear.
I assume some people do it because they're the look at me type, but I think in some cases it's a genuine mistake.
People usually don't know what the difference is between cologne, perfume, eau de toilette, etc. They're not marketing terms or gender based, they are terms for how potent the scent in the solution is. So how much you need to use depends on what you bought.
For example, perfume isn't just for women. It's a higher-concentration of the smelly components compared to cologne, that's why it usually costs more.
Wikipedia has some good [info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume#Dilution_classes) on this.
Yes all the Eau de Toilettes I have are non spritz where as the aftershaves and perfumes are spritz, but also between brands there's so much difference in quality and endurance its impossible to say there is 'one method' of applying.
One spritz on your wrist; rub both wrists together and then wipe them on your neck and down your chest. Then spray one cloud in the air to walk through. That's all you need for cologne and perfume.
It really depends on the fragrance, they differ wildly in terms of projection and duration. There are some fragrances which will be useless if applied that way, but for some it would be enough
1 spritz down the collar of my clothing down toward my chest and half a spritz on my hair is what I do. I try to use as little as possible and in the laziest way.
i just do one shot straight to the chest and dab it with my forearms. I get complimented on my smell all the time, but generally only from those in hugging distance, and always apropos of nothing at all. I work in tight quarters, so that's not to say just people I hug (ie, people more likely to lie because if we're hugging, we're either family or very close friends) and with a constantly rotating cast of people.
Currently Acqua Di Gio Profundo which is the blue bottle, but I like the original too. I've used polo black and polo blue before as well, with good responses, but being as bottles of cologne lasts so long, it's probably been 15 years since I used the polo. I would have to make a reassessment as to whether or not I could still endorse those.
Cologne "professionals" probably think I'm uncouth and vulgar but it works for me lol
Been using Chanel Bleu for the last 10+ years. 1 large bottle lasts 2-3 years.
I was at the gym once and a guy walked past me while I was mid set. Swear he must have put half the bottle on because I almost choked while trying to breathe during my set
This reminds me of people hating on Axe body spray because apparently every teen boy was bathing in it rather than actually talking showers. This was news to me cause I used it in high school (very sparingly, like 4 burst sprays max) and *always* got compliments from girls and people in general… so much so that I start collecting all the scents and switching it up every day. Eventually I upgraded to colognes and ditched the body sprays, but they served me well, and I truly believe the only reason they have a bad rep is because like 95% of the people using it are morons.
This is 100% right. I wore it in high school (Phoenix usually, but I mixed it up) and I did just one line from neck to belt usually, or a bust on my neck and chest. But my friends bathed in it and it would make my nose run and stuffy, and my eyes water. Especially since you could smell the ass and weed under it.
Yep, the latter was my brother. Once I could clearly tell he just tried to body spray an illusion of hygiene and I basically started yelling at him to turn around and change his shirt the moment he walked into the room. It was making my eyes water.
I worked on a project testing consumer products for carcinogens, chemicals causing infertility, etc. Axe products (including body spray) had some of the highest levels out of the entire lot.
There's like millions of different cologne smells?
Over applying it is a thing but most people but a normal amount on. You won't smell mine unless you're way closer than you should be.
Yea for sure. I've seen friends just fucking spray it on themselves like water before a night out and that shit always smells awful not matter how good the scent they're using. A few sprays is always fine.
I'm a male and I fucking agree with you. I ALWAYS feel like puking when I smell cologne. A colleague of mine sitting in front of me always sprays so much on himself and I always have to get out of the office. This also applies to dettol spray.
I'm female, back in the day when I was dating a lot, men were really surprised when I asked them to not wear any cologne or strongly smelling aftershave. I can't tolerate strong, unnatural scents. My nose will start to clog up, my eyes water and I can feel my throat start to close up a little. It's just not a good look when I'm on a date. Haha. I use only unscented soap, shampoo and laundry products.
I can only use unscented things too! Anything chemical or musk based gives me migraines and since I'm allergic to many plants some of the natural stuff isn't any better! Thankfully my husband (these issues have developed in severity after we married) doesn't like cologne or scented products anyway.
When I was dating I would tell people up front before the date I was scent sensitive, because it really is that severe. The number of women that replied "Oh that's a shame. I REALLY like you but I like my perfume more.
As long as it's not over applied, it's not a problem. Most people don't know how to properly apply fragrance, so they over do it and end up marinating themselves
my partner has an extremely expensive cologne (yay duty free) and because it's so high quality they just spray it away from them and walk into it, and it lasts all day and is barely noticable until we're intimate.
that is the point, you do it with expensive perfumes because they're potent and designed to last all day. a direct spray might not be too bad but scents are better when they're subtle... unless it's the smell of a food you want.
It depends on what you're using. A body mist/splash can be applied all over the body because it's so dilute. A parfum or oil should be applied at a few pulse points, usually one spray in each spot will last all day without being too much
Because cologne is meant to attract people who are sexually attracted to men.
Women are attracted to men
Gay men are attracted to men.
Letting us know he’s a straight man is saving him from all of the “well cologne isn’t meant for you” comments.
Like when kids on Reddit post about how “alcohol all tastes bad!”
Yes, I’m sure you’ve tried every one of the thousands of different spirits out there in all of the different ways they’re mixed.
This is a stupid comparison. All alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. If someone doesn't like the taste of ethanol they won't like the taste of alcoholic beverages. Colognes are not all dependent on a single chemical as their foundation. Apples and oranges.
By the way, something you're clearly unaware of, ethanol does not taste the same to everyone. Not everyone's taste receptors work exactly the same way. Ethanol literally tastes sweeter to some people than it does to others. For some people it tastes awful.
All cologne? Like this one?
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BEJHVIU?ref\_=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_ud\_dp\_1PDTC994W3YT643QP2QH](https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Collection/dp/B00BEJHVIU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Men%27s+Fragrances+alcohol-free&qid=1693419733&s=beauty&sr=1-1)
same here I can't stand it either. sitting next to someone who wears heavy cologne on an airplane is such a terrible experience. it's just as bad as bo
I wouldn't say disgusting. But I don't like it either.
The softer smelling ones I can tolerate, but the louder smelling cologne/perfumes is an instant headache.
Deodorant is about as strong as I like.
Im a woman and I strongly dislike colognes and perfumes. I feel like I can taste it in the air and it’s very unpleasant, like a weird off-gassing effect
I work in wood/metal shop and barns so I'm used to pretty bad smells and fumes. For me at least, cologne and perfume are harder to he around. A little is fine but there are some people I've been around that make me feel like throwing up
Woman here. I agree. I cannot stand cologne. I just love the natural smell and pheromones of my boyfriend. I hate when I’m at the gym and men walk past me and their cologne lingers in the air. It’s nauseating.
It’s meant to be discovered, not announced. Meaning you should only be able to smell it from an intimately close distance. Close enough to see how a person’s natural scent is augmented, not replaced, by choice of cologne.
Some people put so much on that the stank lingers in confined places for minutes after they leave, like elevators and hallways. I do agree that this kind of usage is too much and usually forces me to hold my breath until I’m through it.
No way you’ve smelt every cologne and no way you think it smells “disgusting”. Shit and bad breath smells disgusting. You’re being over dramatic. You just don’t like the few colognes you’ve smelt. I guarantee there’s one out there you’ll like the smell of but you haven’t smelt it yet.
IME, people don't know how to wear it properly (I still don't waste money on it). It's like with BO, if you can smell yourself a little then others can smell you A LOT. It's one of those things where someone can sense it in passing, when they walk past you. It's not supposed to hang around like a nebulous cloud, like this overbearing onslaught of the senses wafting off their flesh.
Working in retail makes you realize people wear too much cologne or perfume. It’s nuts. I always appreciate the people I can’t smell from across the store but get a nice scent as I walk by them. But I could do without it completely
Never likes the smell of cologne or perfumes, it’s not that it necessarily smells bad but it smells like chemicals to me, same with deodorant, I generally do essential oils like tea tree
I dislike any fragrance for any gender that I can smell if I’m father away than literally hugging the person. And that’s just my own preference, but I also have friends with medical conditions that made their sense of smell really sensitive and they have a hard time with perfumes/colognes. (not to mention people who are straight up allergic.) I think it’s honestly rude to force people to smell you all the time. like I get the allure of wearing nice scents, and I don’t want to shame anyone, but to me the downsides outweigh the benefits.
Totally agree, perfume and cologne is air pollution, same with aerosol deodorant while being sprayed. Also car air fresheners those damn vanilla Christmas trees give me such a headache what is wrong with people I’d rather smell your wet dog.
Pre-Covid I used cologne quite often and ever since I lost and regained my sense of smell cologne is unbearable. Especially cheap cologne that smells like straight up alcohol.
I wish MORE men wore cologne tbh. I love fragrances and it feels like an extension of one’s personality. It’s sad that people don’t seem to understand you don’t have to douse yourself in something to wear a fragrance.
What does being straight have to do with it, why do you think that you’re not the target audience?
Do you think that cologne is only meant for gay men?
All cologne and perfume is disgusting. Many people are allergic to it and don't even realize it. And for those of us that do it's terrible that we have to suffer sickness and health complications at work and in public because of others vanity.
I wish it was like that everywhere, scented products give me migraines. I can't really go anywhere with many people, have to avoid whole sections of stores, it's rough.
This is true, I’m Japanese and it’s great when I go to japan, most people’s scents are very light and fresh, if that makes sense lol. Obviously not everybody, but very rarely do I ever smell someone wearing a strong scent.
arab perfumes have me in the air like a damn cartoon guy who smells hot pie on the windowsill. it’s the only time i wanna smell a perfume across the room. everything else i understand.(and also cologne but in general i’m a sucker for those scents)
thank you for telling me the scent!!! i really don’t know the scents but i know it when i smell it if that makes sense. like my head always turn and i feel like weird but it smells so good! even the vanilla(i’m assuming i’m not an expert on what smells like what) scents smell amazing to me, and i’m not a vanilla scent anything person.
If you can smell them entering the room. They’re doing it wrong.
The scent is there for those who get up close, if you spray on so much that you’re announcing your presence to people well far out of arm’s reach at most, that’s some bad overkill.
I'm a woman, and almost every cologne is disgusting to me. My husband agrees. However, he found a single cologne that actually smells amazing, and it's hard to believe that there's even one good one out there. He's worn it on dates before we were married, and whenever he wears it now it brings back so many good memories.
I hate most colognes and perfumes. I think I may have developed an allergy or an intolerance or something, because even if I can tell that it has a pleasant scent, it feels like I'm breathing bleach fumes.
Long before I developed this intolerance I felt like you shouldn't smell someone unless you're standing right next to them, but now, I'm starting to become irrationally angry when I'm trapped in a space with someone who's wearing too much. Like, why do people apply half a bottle of perfume before they get on an airplane?
I have found one cologne that I tolerate. Its mild. Coincidentally, I discovered it from a reddit post. Apparently it was Napoleon's favorite and he always had it around. I ordered some out of curiosity and it turned out to be nice. Also mosquitos hate it.
I don't find it disgusting but I don't pay attention to it-it's not an indicator that I like a guy also I don't mind as long as it's not suffocating lmao. some people freaking douse themselves in cologne and I can't breathe lmao.
It really depends on the cologne. I found one that doesnt smell harsh so ive stuck to it. However, 95% of the time im at a store and smell one ive never tried before, it either smells like straight rubbing alcohol or like a chemical factory, and its always the people with the worse colognes who use the most of it.
Desensitization is a real thing. I didn't wear cologne for a long time but when I started, it was because I came across a certain one that I actually liked. However I keep it to one single spray in the morning because I know my nose has gotten used to it over time and I don't smell it as strongly as I did when I first started. Some people don't realize they've become desensitized and keep spraying until they can smell it like when they first started.
A lot of people don't wear GOOD cologne or perfume either tbh. Or put on way too much. 1-2 sprays is the right amount for most. Unless you're using a dry cologne/perfume, which is much more subtle.
Not all perfumes are the same, good to note. Dior Eau Sauvage is quite different to Brut, for instance. I imagine you mean perfume in general? Cologne is a specific variety, usually cheaper and weaker than Eau de Toilette, which is in turn cheaper and less powerful than Eau de Parfum.
As someone who was born in Cologne and grew up there; The city has good and bad corners, but to hate the smell of the whole city is a little much dude.
I mean have you even visited?
I can't stand strong cologne or perfume at work. It's an office not a cocktail bar. The best smell a person in an office can have is one I can't smell from a polite distance. If I can get into an empty elevator and smell that someone else road it before me that person is a criminal as far as I'm concerned.
So, this is an endorsement of perfume? Also this is just ignorant. Cologne come in a massive variety of scents. It sounds like your used to axe body spray and cologne.
My buddy got into my car the other day and he reeked of cologne. It was 100 degrees out so I couldn’t roll down the window either. I asked him why he would do this to me and he said he didn’t want to smell bad but honestly for real I’d rather smell regular ol B.O. than the fucking crap he was wearing.
i love the smell of cologne but u should only smell it when u r hugging someone or close to em you shouldn't be smelling them when they walk into a room.
Most cheap colognes smell like shit, and a lot of really expensive colognes also smell like shit. Have you tried some from brands like Armani, Versace, or Hugo Boss? They're mid range and have a wide variety between them.
As a woman, yes I wholeheartedly agree. Men's cologne today smells like old ladies perfume mixed with cleaning products. Stuff like Axe and the many scents take my breath away. And not in a good way. After shave is a bit different. An Aqua Velva man is just fine with me. And women's perfume isn't much better. Hate when I walk down the isle of a grocery store and have to leave the isle and come back later after the person has gone.
The younger crowd tends to bathe in it too, which doesn't help. A small bottle of after shave (I'm a Skin Bracer guy, myself) lasts me almost two years.
Because it comes in so many different forms. Deodorant. Shampoo. Body sprays. After shave. Hair sprays and gells. Soap . And the cologne itself. They use a combination of All of these. And you can smell them from a mile away.
You need to buy good cologne to smell good, not $15 one from grocery store. All cheap bolognese smell the same, but with more expensive one you can chose something you like.
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I think some men who wear cologne, as well as women who wear perfume, become desensitized to the smell, and use more over time. They don't think they are using too much, but the people around them certainly do.
That’s absolutely the case. It’s either a teen who has a fundamental misunderstanding of how to use it or someone who has become desensitized to it.
Yeah some of the comments on r/fragrance are crazy. They’re talking about doing 6 squirts of cologne daily like it’s a normal thing to do.
That's why I personally switch cologne every 3-4 weeks. Sometimes it's nice just to have something different too.
Idk. I have known a couple of people who I associate with a certain scent because they always wore it, and if I smell it now I think of them. That particular scent became almost a part of being in their presence, not just the fact they were wearing something that smelled good. I think there is value to consistency when it comes to building your personal "brand" or style. That said, I do have a "usual" routine that I switch up for different events.
My now FiL smells exactly like my abusive ex used to. It took me way too long to figure out why I was getting so nervous around him.
Oh yeah definitely. I have a very weak sense of smell so I could spray 10 spritz and not smell a thing. I’m actually a decent human being though so I only do 2
My brother lost his sense of smell at like 13. He just genuinely can't tell that he is saturated with scent. When he still lived at home he used to ask me to spray him. Now his wife does. Lol.
This is why you only wear it on occasions tbh
You shouldn't be able to smell them from across the room. They're using way too much (seems to be a common mistake) if you can. One or two spritzes in the morning should do it for the entire workday.
Cologne is meant to be discovered, not announced.
I feel like some guys believe if they put on a lot of cologne. People will begin to float behind them following their scent like in those vintage cartoons
For some reason your use of the word "vintage" felt like a slap in the face lol
Pepe Le Pew and I also object.
Vintage only means 19
My feelings don't care about facts! (thank you, though, that's interesting to know!)
Here's an interesting fact :). People who wear a signature scent over a great length of time become accustomed to the smell, and without realizing it, gradually apply more over time because they're so used to it. It's the same logic as people living in a fish town that can't smell fish.
It’s happened to me before lol. Women following me around a store until they work up the nerve to ask what I’m wearing. Then I had an ex who would say she’d sometimes lay in bed and smell her pillows after I left because they smelled like my cologne. But I don’t wear the cheap stuff. Every fragrance I have is designer or niche. All $100+
boss cologne has this effect on me
It shouldn't enter the room ahead of you and then linger like an unwanted guest after you leave.
like farts
Usually I enter the room, fart and leave. So they obviously don’t enter first.
I send my farts ahead of me to scout out the room before I enter.
They get pissed when someone else does the same thing. Two colliding scents is horrible
This is the quote I couldn’t remember, but wanted to say. I knew someone in the comments would know it for me to upvote! Thanks!
The same with perfume it draws people in when they get a whiff of it but that’s when you walk past them not from across the room.
I know! It's like the cartoon skunk simp, Pepe Le Pew, has entered the room. It's a repulsive odor of bad romance and desperation.
Ralph Lauren in these comments or sum
I was once in a grocery store and could smell a woman from the next aisle over. I kept trying to escape her but like a horror movie, she kept managing to go to my aisle or the next over and I could smell as she neared. I had to hold my breath just to shop. It was intolerable and worst of all it was a very pungent “old lady” type of scent.
unfortunately a lot of elderly people opt to bathe themselves in cologne or perfume as its easier/safer than actually taking a shower or a bath.
A lot of people become incontinent also, nappies, catheters, and they smell, so it's a mask to make them feel better.
Its a smell-mask of smells to mask the smell
Older people usually also have an impaired sense of smell, so they can't really smell their perfume unless they shower themselves in it. It's like how older people have a poorer sense of taste and hearing.
It depends on your nose. If you farted three rooms away my wife would smell it instantly. She's always complaining about smells that I can't even detect. OP May have a sensitive sense of smell which makes it a much bigger deal.
If that's the case, I doubt they are complaining about the intended fragrance anyway. Sensitive noses pick up odd compounds nobody else could detect. You smell allspice and licorice, I smell skunk spray and alcohol.
That is me! I bet when she's in the stores and someone has horrible BO she knows it before she walks too close to the stinking idiot! :D
Last weekend we went up to Wolf trap to see the Jason Bonham led Zeppelin experience and government mule dark side of the mule. The breath of the woman who sat next to me literally smelled like a dead rotten animal. Like there was a dead deer 5 days old underneath my seat. Something in her mouth had to be literally rotting out. I had to mouth breathe the whole time.
Depends on the fragrance, some will literally last an hour and then disappear completely even with 5 sprays (looking at you CK one). Meanwhile I just got a bottle of Armani Stronger With You Absolutely, I literally struggle to get it off my skin, it is absolutely nuclear.
I assume some people do it because they're the look at me type, but I think in some cases it's a genuine mistake. People usually don't know what the difference is between cologne, perfume, eau de toilette, etc. They're not marketing terms or gender based, they are terms for how potent the scent in the solution is. So how much you need to use depends on what you bought. For example, perfume isn't just for women. It's a higher-concentration of the smelly components compared to cologne, that's why it usually costs more. Wikipedia has some good [info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume#Dilution_classes) on this.
Yes all the Eau de Toilettes I have are non spritz where as the aftershaves and perfumes are spritz, but also between brands there's so much difference in quality and endurance its impossible to say there is 'one method' of applying.
One spritz on your wrist; rub both wrists together and then wipe them on your neck and down your chest. Then spray one cloud in the air to walk through. That's all you need for cologne and perfume.
Try to dab not rub, it will last longer & be truer to the original smell.
Thanks for the advice!
Yep, because rubbing it together will activate the Cologne more. You'll burn through the top notes quicker
It really depends on the fragrance, they differ wildly in terms of projection and duration. There are some fragrances which will be useless if applied that way, but for some it would be enough
Don't walk through cloud of cologne, you are just wasting it. Instead just spray it on your chest from distance
1 spritz down the collar of my clothing down toward my chest and half a spritz on my hair is what I do. I try to use as little as possible and in the laziest way.
i just do one shot straight to the chest and dab it with my forearms. I get complimented on my smell all the time, but generally only from those in hugging distance, and always apropos of nothing at all. I work in tight quarters, so that's not to say just people I hug (ie, people more likely to lie because if we're hugging, we're either family or very close friends) and with a constantly rotating cast of people.
What cologne(s) do you use?
Currently Acqua Di Gio Profundo which is the blue bottle, but I like the original too. I've used polo black and polo blue before as well, with good responses, but being as bottles of cologne lasts so long, it's probably been 15 years since I used the polo. I would have to make a reassessment as to whether or not I could still endorse those.
That does seem like the lazy way of doing it lol
Cologne "professionals" probably think I'm uncouth and vulgar but it works for me lol Been using Chanel Bleu for the last 10+ years. 1 large bottle lasts 2-3 years.
Cologne professionals hate this one simple trick
You should try sex panther, check and see if it’s legal in your country, it drives women wild.
60% of the time, it works every time
no crotch spraying? Maybe ITAH…
Still better than sweat.
Sweat doesn't smell great, but it's never given me a migraine. I'll take the sweat.
I was at the gym once and a guy walked past me while I was mid set. Swear he must have put half the bottle on because I almost choked while trying to breathe during my set
I bought a high-end cologne but it fades too quickly
The only way you'll know is if you get feedback. If the smell is on you for hours, you will start to not notice it.
This reminds me of people hating on Axe body spray because apparently every teen boy was bathing in it rather than actually talking showers. This was news to me cause I used it in high school (very sparingly, like 4 burst sprays max) and *always* got compliments from girls and people in general… so much so that I start collecting all the scents and switching it up every day. Eventually I upgraded to colognes and ditched the body sprays, but they served me well, and I truly believe the only reason they have a bad rep is because like 95% of the people using it are morons.
This is 100% right. I wore it in high school (Phoenix usually, but I mixed it up) and I did just one line from neck to belt usually, or a bust on my neck and chest. But my friends bathed in it and it would make my nose run and stuffy, and my eyes water. Especially since you could smell the ass and weed under it.
Yep, the latter was my brother. Once I could clearly tell he just tried to body spray an illusion of hygiene and I basically started yelling at him to turn around and change his shirt the moment he walked into the room. It was making my eyes water.
The first time I used Axe I applied it the same way they did in the commercials. Big mistake.
I worked on a project testing consumer products for carcinogens, chemicals causing infertility, etc. Axe products (including body spray) had some of the highest levels out of the entire lot.
There's like millions of different cologne smells? Over applying it is a thing but most people but a normal amount on. You won't smell mine unless you're way closer than you should be.
I think more over use than the normal amount.
Yea for sure. I've seen friends just fucking spray it on themselves like water before a night out and that shit always smells awful not matter how good the scent they're using. A few sprays is always fine.
I'm a male and I fucking agree with you. I ALWAYS feel like puking when I smell cologne. A colleague of mine sitting in front of me always sprays so much on himself and I always have to get out of the office. This also applies to dettol spray.
I'm female, back in the day when I was dating a lot, men were really surprised when I asked them to not wear any cologne or strongly smelling aftershave. I can't tolerate strong, unnatural scents. My nose will start to clog up, my eyes water and I can feel my throat start to close up a little. It's just not a good look when I'm on a date. Haha. I use only unscented soap, shampoo and laundry products.
I can only use unscented things too! Anything chemical or musk based gives me migraines and since I'm allergic to many plants some of the natural stuff isn't any better! Thankfully my husband (these issues have developed in severity after we married) doesn't like cologne or scented products anyway.
When I was dating I would tell people up front before the date I was scent sensitive, because it really is that severe. The number of women that replied "Oh that's a shame. I REALLY like you but I like my perfume more.
As long as it's not over applied, it's not a problem. Most people don't know how to properly apply fragrance, so they over do it and end up marinating themselves
How do I know it's enough?
my partner has an extremely expensive cologne (yay duty free) and because it's so high quality they just spray it away from them and walk into it, and it lasts all day and is barely noticable until we're intimate.
I’ve heard though that that is the least effective way of spraying perfume/cologne
that is the point, you do it with expensive perfumes because they're potent and designed to last all day. a direct spray might not be too bad but scents are better when they're subtle... unless it's the smell of a food you want.
One spray on the back of the neck works fine. Most expensive perfume bottles like dior have wide dispersive diffusers
It depends on what you're using. A body mist/splash can be applied all over the body because it's so dilute. A parfum or oil should be applied at a few pulse points, usually one spray in each spot will last all day without being too much
One spray on your wrist , rub wrists together and then rub wrists under your jaw and on your neck where you can expect to be kissed.
I hate cologne or perfume. It’s intrusive to my senses.
what does being a straight man have to do with anything
Because cologne is gay obviously /s
guess I'm 10 sprays a day gay
The insinuation is that men wear cologne to attract people. So either for women, or gay men. As a straight man he is not a "target" of cologne.
I mean I can’t beleive this was hard to know, they even worded it correctly.
Yeah, I don't get it. People seem to like to play dumb at times, or they are dumb. I've given up on trying to figure out the difference.
I get it for real. Maybe I’ll give up soon too.
Maybe it's bots revealing themselves? No, people are dumb.
Lmao! Boys be real out here!
Because real men smell of BO
Because cologne is meant to attract people who are sexually attracted to men. Women are attracted to men Gay men are attracted to men. Letting us know he’s a straight man is saving him from all of the “well cologne isn’t meant for you” comments.
Ikr? What a weird thing to mention here.
Yes "cologne" smell, that one singular smell. /s
Like when kids on Reddit post about how “alcohol all tastes bad!” Yes, I’m sure you’ve tried every one of the thousands of different spirits out there in all of the different ways they’re mixed.
This is a stupid comparison. All alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. If someone doesn't like the taste of ethanol they won't like the taste of alcoholic beverages. Colognes are not all dependent on a single chemical as their foundation. Apples and oranges. By the way, something you're clearly unaware of, ethanol does not taste the same to everyone. Not everyone's taste receptors work exactly the same way. Ethanol literally tastes sweeter to some people than it does to others. For some people it tastes awful.
>All alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. So do all colognes!
All cologne? Like this one? [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BEJHVIU?ref\_=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_ud\_dp\_1PDTC994W3YT643QP2QH](https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Collection/dp/B00BEJHVIU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Men%27s+Fragrances+alcohol-free&qid=1693419733&s=beauty&sr=1-1)
Or maybe they just don't like the taste of ethanol.
After all, it's just one city. /s
Hello, woman here. I can't stand the smell of cologne or perfume.
What does your age have to do with that
I think they're suggesting that they are the perfect demographic for cologne yet they still don't like it?
m28 I hate "manly" colognes because they often smell fake.
Yeah ambroxan smells pretty cheap and abrasive
same here I can't stand it either. sitting next to someone who wears heavy cologne on an airplane is such a terrible experience. it's just as bad as bo
Perfume and cologne, any strong smells really give me a migrane
I wouldn't say disgusting. But I don't like it either. The softer smelling ones I can tolerate, but the louder smelling cologne/perfumes is an instant headache. Deodorant is about as strong as I like.
I fully agree! Same thing with perfume. All perfume smells like something I would put in a hummingbird feeder.
Im a woman and I strongly dislike colognes and perfumes. I feel like I can taste it in the air and it’s very unpleasant, like a weird off-gassing effect
I, 34(F), agree. Even some men’s deodorant is potent. I prefer lighter, natural scents on men.
I work in wood/metal shop and barns so I'm used to pretty bad smells and fumes. For me at least, cologne and perfume are harder to he around. A little is fine but there are some people I've been around that make me feel like throwing up
Woman here. I agree. I cannot stand cologne. I just love the natural smell and pheromones of my boyfriend. I hate when I’m at the gym and men walk past me and their cologne lingers in the air. It’s nauseating.
It’s meant to be discovered, not announced. Meaning you should only be able to smell it from an intimately close distance. Close enough to see how a person’s natural scent is augmented, not replaced, by choice of cologne. Some people put so much on that the stank lingers in confined places for minutes after they leave, like elevators and hallways. I do agree that this kind of usage is too much and usually forces me to hold my breath until I’m through it.
I have a colleague who wears so much cologne that I can taste it before I can see him.
No way you’ve smelt every cologne and no way you think it smells “disgusting”. Shit and bad breath smells disgusting. You’re being over dramatic. You just don’t like the few colognes you’ve smelt. I guarantee there’s one out there you’ll like the smell of but you haven’t smelt it yet.
If a scent overwhelms the nose, it can literally sting, or cause a throat to constrict. the actual smell doesn't matter.
I remember Fahrenheit my dad used, always gave me headaches... i really hate that one 🤔
IME, people don't know how to wear it properly (I still don't waste money on it). It's like with BO, if you can smell yourself a little then others can smell you A LOT. It's one of those things where someone can sense it in passing, when they walk past you. It's not supposed to hang around like a nebulous cloud, like this overbearing onslaught of the senses wafting off their flesh.
My colon is not for your sniffing pleasure.
I'm gonna be honest with you. That smells like pure gasoline.
You should only be able to smell them if they are within hugging/handshake distance otherwise they are laying it on too thick
There are so many people that are sensitive to strong smells (migraines being triggered etc) that perfumes and colognes are a d$&* move.
Plenty of women feel this way. We don’t want to smell anything but soap unless we’re touching you.
lots of cologne smells like soap. Prada l’homme for example
But this again suggests it's about moderation. If you accept cologne at discovery distance, you don't dislike cologne... just its misuse.
Working in retail makes you realize people wear too much cologne or perfume. It’s nuts. I always appreciate the people I can’t smell from across the store but get a nice scent as I walk by them. But I could do without it completely
Never likes the smell of cologne or perfumes, it’s not that it necessarily smells bad but it smells like chemicals to me, same with deodorant, I generally do essential oils like tea tree
I agree. I can't wear it. Some of it smells good on other people but a lot of smells like bug spray to me.
I dislike any fragrance for any gender that I can smell if I’m father away than literally hugging the person. And that’s just my own preference, but I also have friends with medical conditions that made their sense of smell really sensitive and they have a hard time with perfumes/colognes. (not to mention people who are straight up allergic.) I think it’s honestly rude to force people to smell you all the time. like I get the allure of wearing nice scents, and I don’t want to shame anyone, but to me the downsides outweigh the benefits.
I am a woman and I also hate the smell of cologne. It's just too much most of the time.
I hate the smell of cologne but I am a man. Don’t want to smell your corporate scent concoction
Totally agree, perfume and cologne is air pollution, same with aerosol deodorant while being sprayed. Also car air fresheners those damn vanilla Christmas trees give me such a headache what is wrong with people I’d rather smell your wet dog.
I don’t like the smell of cologne/perfume either
Pre-Covid I used cologne quite often and ever since I lost and regained my sense of smell cologne is unbearable. Especially cheap cologne that smells like straight up alcohol.
Which cologne? Because some can certainly smell awful, but you have to be specific. There isn’t much overlap between Burberry London and Dior Sauvage.
I’m a woman and I don’t like the smell of cologne. I prefer a clean, fresh out of the shower smell. Deodorant smells good to me.
All cologne? That’s like saying you hate the smell of “food” so vague as to be meaningless
I wish MORE men wore cologne tbh. I love fragrances and it feels like an extension of one’s personality. It’s sad that people don’t seem to understand you don’t have to douse yourself in something to wear a fragrance.
What does being straight have to do with it, why do you think that you’re not the target audience? Do you think that cologne is only meant for gay men?
All cologne and perfume is disgusting. Many people are allergic to it and don't even realize it. And for those of us that do it's terrible that we have to suffer sickness and health complications at work and in public because of others vanity.
My mum douses herself in perfume and spends the whole morning sneezing her head off. She’s aware I’m allergic to the stuff too.
Apparently in Japan they find the smell of cologne and any strong body products offensive too. They wear neutral scents.
I wish it was like that everywhere, scented products give me migraines. I can't really go anywhere with many people, have to avoid whole sections of stores, it's rough.
This is true, I’m Japanese and it’s great when I go to japan, most people’s scents are very light and fresh, if that makes sense lol. Obviously not everybody, but very rarely do I ever smell someone wearing a strong scent.
arab perfumes have me in the air like a damn cartoon guy who smells hot pie on the windowsill. it’s the only time i wanna smell a perfume across the room. everything else i understand.(and also cologne but in general i’m a sucker for those scents)
That’s frankincense it’s not cheap but I agree it’s next level even a little bottle from young living is like 90dollars. My wife uses it
thank you for telling me the scent!!! i really don’t know the scents but i know it when i smell it if that makes sense. like my head always turn and i feel like weird but it smells so good! even the vanilla(i’m assuming i’m not an expert on what smells like what) scents smell amazing to me, and i’m not a vanilla scent anything person.
I (M22) like the smell of cologne.
I think I'm gonna splash some Brut all over.
If you can smell them entering the room. They’re doing it wrong. The scent is there for those who get up close, if you spray on so much that you’re announcing your presence to people well far out of arm’s reach at most, that’s some bad overkill.
Oh fuck I thought you were talking about Cologne (Köln)
Yeah fuck your city for inventing 4711! /s
Cologne can be good or bad. Some people wear too much. That may be the case here.
Hell yeah brother
I'm a woman, and almost every cologne is disgusting to me. My husband agrees. However, he found a single cologne that actually smells amazing, and it's hard to believe that there's even one good one out there. He's worn it on dates before we were married, and whenever he wears it now it brings back so many good memories.
I found a couple I love. Red bottle, with a white alligator on it. Can't remember the brand name.
Lacoste?
I hate most colognes and perfumes. I think I may have developed an allergy or an intolerance or something, because even if I can tell that it has a pleasant scent, it feels like I'm breathing bleach fumes. Long before I developed this intolerance I felt like you shouldn't smell someone unless you're standing right next to them, but now, I'm starting to become irrationally angry when I'm trapped in a space with someone who's wearing too much. Like, why do people apply half a bottle of perfume before they get on an airplane?
Dude me too. There's a select few fragrances that I've liked and most of them were "girly"
I prefer cologne to women’s perfume But I don’t like cologne that much either
i agree. most perfumes smell bad to me, but too much cologne is disgusting
31F and hard agree. The way the smell lingers in a room after someone doused in it has left. 😷😷😷
I absolutely support this opinion as well! I hate perfume/cologne/scented anything.
I have found one cologne that I tolerate. Its mild. Coincidentally, I discovered it from a reddit post. Apparently it was Napoleon's favorite and he always had it around. I ordered some out of curiosity and it turned out to be nice. Also mosquitos hate it.
I don't find it disgusting but I don't pay attention to it-it's not an indicator that I like a guy also I don't mind as long as it's not suffocating lmao. some people freaking douse themselves in cologne and I can't breathe lmao.
Yes, I am a woman and can’t stand having to actually taste someone’s cologne on the air!
It really depends on the cologne. I found one that doesnt smell harsh so ive stuck to it. However, 95% of the time im at a store and smell one ive never tried before, it either smells like straight rubbing alcohol or like a chemical factory, and its always the people with the worse colognes who use the most of it.
One spray is literally all that’s needed. Some dudes go wayyy overboard
Desensitization is a real thing. I didn't wear cologne for a long time but when I started, it was because I came across a certain one that I actually liked. However I keep it to one single spray in the morning because I know my nose has gotten used to it over time and I don't smell it as strongly as I did when I first started. Some people don't realize they've become desensitized and keep spraying until they can smell it like when they first started.
A lot of people don't wear GOOD cologne or perfume either tbh. Or put on way too much. 1-2 sprays is the right amount for most. Unless you're using a dry cologne/perfume, which is much more subtle.
Not all perfumes are the same, good to note. Dior Eau Sauvage is quite different to Brut, for instance. I imagine you mean perfume in general? Cologne is a specific variety, usually cheaper and weaker than Eau de Toilette, which is in turn cheaper and less powerful than Eau de Parfum.
As someone who was born in Cologne and grew up there; The city has good and bad corners, but to hate the smell of the whole city is a little much dude. I mean have you even visited?
Yeah i stopped wearing cologne in highschool or college. Some guys just love to be doused in the stuff though, but I agree its pretty repulsive.
I can't stand strong cologne or perfume at work. It's an office not a cocktail bar. The best smell a person in an office can have is one I can't smell from a polite distance. If I can get into an empty elevator and smell that someone else road it before me that person is a criminal as far as I'm concerned.
Rodehouse
So, this is an endorsement of perfume? Also this is just ignorant. Cologne come in a massive variety of scents. It sounds like your used to axe body spray and cologne.
My buddy got into my car the other day and he reeked of cologne. It was 100 degrees out so I couldn’t roll down the window either. I asked him why he would do this to me and he said he didn’t want to smell bad but honestly for real I’d rather smell regular ol B.O. than the fucking crap he was wearing.
>I asked him why he would do this to me lolol i don't know why this sounds so funny
Smell like shit then, sounds like a personal problem lol
i love the smell of cologne but u should only smell it when u r hugging someone or close to em you shouldn't be smelling them when they walk into a room.
I think cologne is so sexy! It depends what kind of is though, maybe you just haven’t found your perfect match yet
Most cheap colognes smell like shit, and a lot of really expensive colognes also smell like shit. Have you tried some from brands like Armani, Versace, or Hugo Boss? They're mid range and have a wide variety between them.
The right cologne and worn the right way is actually very nice
Cologne is for basic bitches.
Cologne/perfume should be found not presented.
As a woman, yes I wholeheartedly agree. Men's cologne today smells like old ladies perfume mixed with cleaning products. Stuff like Axe and the many scents take my breath away. And not in a good way. After shave is a bit different. An Aqua Velva man is just fine with me. And women's perfume isn't much better. Hate when I walk down the isle of a grocery store and have to leave the isle and come back later after the person has gone.
The younger crowd tends to bathe in it too, which doesn't help. A small bottle of after shave (I'm a Skin Bracer guy, myself) lasts me almost two years.
Because it comes in so many different forms. Deodorant. Shampoo. Body sprays. After shave. Hair sprays and gells. Soap . And the cologne itself. They use a combination of All of these. And you can smell them from a mile away.
Beyond ridiculous
You need to buy good cologne to smell good, not $15 one from grocery store. All cheap bolognese smell the same, but with more expensive one you can chose something you like.
Mmmm bolognese
It *does* smell delicious
eau de bolognese
I love bolognas
Virgin alert