Wearing cologne says a lot about a person in terms of hygiene, confidence, and even personality. This is because smelling good has a significant impact on your personal style.
Lots of men prefer wearing fragrances over their natural scent. In fact, 63% of adult males wear cologne on a regular basis. This begs the question; why do men wear cologne?
Why Do Men Wear Cologne?
1. To Increase Attractiveness
The most common reason why people, especially men, wear cologne is to attract the opposite sex.
Now, we know there’s nothing more attractive than just being a naturally confident person. However, don’t underestimate the power of a good cologne.
According to research, women are more attracted to scents, while men are more focused on visuals. This is why most men wear cologne to impress women.
2. To Strengthen Emotional Connections
Have you ever heard of The Proust Effect?
Picture this: You’re walking down the street, and you get a whiff of a scent that transforms everything into a gray past tense. You’re suddenly ten again, running around the neighborhood with your buddies before going home for dinner.
You recall your friends, the streets, the euphoria, all from one scent.
This is what the Proust Effect is all about; how your senses, especially smell, can trigger memories. Wearing a specific cologne definitely reserves a spot for you in people’s memories, especially if they smell a similar fragrance later.
3. To Stand Out
If you smell a certain fragrance on someone for long enough, it’s automatically linked to them. Everybody can recognize their loved one’s scent from a mile away.
Not only that, but cologne smells different on everybody. For example, five guys can wear the same cologne and each one will smell different. This is because everyone’s skin is unique.
This is why your signature cologne mixed with your natural scent will surely make you stand out from the crowd.
4. To Signify Confidence
Nothing screams confidence like a man’s pleasant fragrance. When a man smells good, it shows he takes pride in his appearance enough to groom himself. After all, you can’t deny that nothing is more attractive than self-confidence!
Additionally, smelling good significantly boosts your self-confidence. When you smell nice, you’re more likely to receive compliments left and right, which leaves you feeling great at the end of the day.
5. To Smell Like Success
Whether you’re heading to an interview for the job of your dreams or have a big meeting with potential investors, you’ll want to smell like success (literally).
Wearing cologne gives you that sleek, professional look. It also shows your co-workers and your boss that you put effort into your appearance. Also, people will remember a great scent just as much as they would recall a fresh haircut or bad breath.
6. To Feel Good
If you’ve ever tried aromatherapy, you’ll know how important fragrances are to how we feel. Smells can have physiological effects on the wearer’s mood, focus, and work capacity.
These effects can either be negative, positive, subtle, or profound. If you’re having a bad day at the office and you get a whiff of a pleasant scent, especially if it’s linked with a good memory, you’ll feel somewhat better.
7. To Improve Concentration
Aromatherapy is widely used in the workplace and at home. This is because smells can have a significant impact on our productivity and performance. They can also interact with our brain chemistry to strengthen our memory.
There are even smells that are scientifically shown to improve concentration! A few of these are:
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Sandalwood
- Jasmine
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
8. To Leave a Good Impression
Whether you’re going on a first date or meeting your future in-laws for the first time, you’ll want to make a good, strong first impression. Not only does a good fragrance have physiological effects on the wearer, but it also has effects on the person who smells it.
Research even found out that a person’s scent says a lot about their personality. So naturally, the better you smell, the more people perceive you as a more confident, approachable person.
9. To Complete the Look
Whether you’re in a full suit or rocking gray sweats, the right scent will make your final look ten times better. Most people underestimate how important that last, subtle touch of fragrance is to your whole appearance.
This is why there are fragrances designed specifically for formal occasions, and others for casual ones. Another thing most people don’t know is that the wrong scent can mess up your entire look.
For example, you wouldn’t show up to a wedding in a tux wearing body spray, would you?
Cologne Tips for Men
Believe it or not, cologne application mistakes are more common than you think. Some people put on too much, others don’t put on enough.
To help you perfect your fragrance, we included the top three cologne tips every man needs to know.
1. Test the Cologne First
It’s easy to smell a cologne at the store and think, “Aha! I found my signature scent.”
Little do you know, the fragrance and the intensity will smell different on your skin. This is why it’s important to test the cologne on your skin before purchasing it.
2. Less Is More
When it comes to cologne, many people think the more the better. In actuality, they couldn’t be any more wrong.
Nothing is pleasant about drowning yourself in cologne. Therefore, the recommended amount of cologne to apply is no more than two sprays.
3. Moisturize First
This is a less common piece of information. Using a moisturizer before applying cologne actually locks in the scent.
That being said, you should use fragrance-free lotion to get the best results.
Wrapping Up
Emerging from the 1700s, men’s love for cologne still continues to this day. This makes some people wonder, why do men wear cologne?
Men probably choose to wear cologne to smell good and to attract women. However, there are a lot of other physiological reasons.
If you’re curious to know what they are, you’re in the right place. We’ve done the research and found nine reasons why men wear cologne.