Yes, you are reading that right. Halston Z-14. A blast from the past.
It was introduced in 1976 but I didn’t become aware of it until the early 80’s. This is not to be confused with Halston 1-12 men’s cologne. That one was introduced the same year and is the more popular of the two. In fact, it won the FiFi Award for best men’s fragrance in the Luxe category in 1977 but we’re not here to talk about that one.
I am wearing Z-14 right now and I have to say it is quite different. Straight from the bottle, it smells very sweet with a hint of spice but once on (after about an hour) the sweetness fades but doesn’t disappear. It transforms more to a ‘Fall’ scent and by ‘Fall’ I mean it tends to smell like well, Fall, as in the season. It smells cinnamon-ly(?), warm and woodsy with that touch of sweetness and possibly some vanilla lingering in there somewhere. I’m guessing it’s the amber that smells ‘Fall-ish’ to me. It is a good mature (meaning it would be out of place for a teenager to where this one), casual cologne that retains it’s scent quite well. It’s good for the office or school and for the evening but if I had to choose, I would say this was more an an evening cologne. It is not an overpowering scent but do be careful when applying. It does have a decent amount of sillage (French for ‘wake’ like how a boat leaves a wake in the water), meaning that the scent tends to leave a wake in the air when you walk. If too much is applied, it can be sickening so again, be careful when applying. I have received several comments from people here in the office and out in public. There have only been two other colognes on me that have garnered more (positive) comments but those do not fall into the under $25 range we are trying to stay within. Speaking of cost, I bought this one online for $23 and change (that number includes the shipping) and so it falls close to our limit but well worth it. This is a nice cologne that has been around for a long time. There was a time when it was not available in stores and in fact, still may not be but it is certainly available over the web. I would encourage you strongly to try this one. Yes, it is old but like I have said before, these old ones that are still around are still around for a reason. They’re good, this one is good.
So the first aftershave/cologne up for review under $25 is Jovan Black Musk for Men. This is a very nice masculine scent that was released in 2009. I have worn this one several times and have had the same results every time. It is a great woodsy scent and has a good solid base of musk with floral hints and a touch of citrus on top. Unfortunately, this is where the review turns south. I put this on around 6:00 am and in all honesty, it’s essentially gone within four hours. In order for anyone to smell it, they would have to practically bury their nose into my neck.
I met my wife for a date after work one day when I wore this and she could not smell it at all except for, as I said above, when she buried her nose into my neck and then could smell it. The ‘good’ news was that it still smelled woodsy. I say this because their original Musk for Men lost it’s masculinity and ended up smelling very clean and not masculine at all. So this one at least keeps its masculine scent albeit, you can’t smell it.
So, if you want to try this one be sure to use A LOT. I ended up filling my hand up with a huge puddle of it and slapped it on all over and still…..nothing after four hours. It’s sad really because the scent is really, really nice. Cost runs about $18 for 4oz. bottle so its not bad but personally, I think there are others out there that are a better sniff for your scratch.
Ok, I’m a tight-wad when it comes to spending but I love aftershaves and colognes (A/C). If you have been following this blog you will know that I have been hitting this subject hard recently. So to be short and to the point, here’s my take on aftershaves and colognes. For every day wear, wear a good smelling A/C that is inexpensive and save the really good stuff for those special occasions and the special someone in your life. Not to sound rude but why waste a $75 bottle of cologne on offices-mates or classmates? Especially when there are perfectly good A/Cs on the market for a fraction of the cost?
“But what’s out there in that price range?”, you ask. “Which one is good and which one do I need to stay away from?” might also cross your mind. Well that’s where this blog will come in handy.
Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing aftershaves and colognes that are no more than $25 and can be bought at your local drug store or grocery store….and of course on line. The idea for this started with this post in which I covered quite a few already but there will be some that I will review again with a separate post. I will (hopefully) be able to give a bit of history of the A/C, the price I paid for it, my impression and or the impression of those who comment about it. My hope is that you may find something that peaks your interest and give it a go which will hopefully save you some money in the long run. If you have a particular one you want me to review, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.
Mont Blanc does perfumes and colognes? Apparently, yes they do. And do it quite well I might add. I had no idea. I know of their pens since I am really into fountain pens but I had no idea about their fragrances….or watches, jewelry, eyewear or leather. I need to come out from under my rock more often I guess.
I am wearing this fragrance today for the first time, Mont Blanc Legend. My beautiful bride bought me a gift set last October and held on to it until Valentine’s Day this year and presented it to me as a gift. I have not heard of this cologne until she gave it to me but in doing some research, it looks like it is more popular up north than in the south or west. It was introduced in 2011 so it’s fairly new on the scene. Retail for a 3.4 oz. bottle is $72 but you can find it in the mid $50s if you look for it. I normally don’t wear such expensive cologne (Edt) for the office (click here for my thoughts on this) but I wanted to wear this to get a handle on how it was perceived by others
The gift set she gave me contains the shower gel, aftershave balm and the eau de toilette. It is packaged in a large classy black box as you can see. It measures slightly smaller than a square foot and is about four inches in depth. Pretty impressive really. The shower gel lathered up really well and had a smooth texture/feel to it. Rinses well too. The scent was of course, the same as the Edtbut very light. It would be something to use by itself for a casual night in with your lady. The aftershave balm has little to no alcohol in it at all, at least that I could tell. It did not burn/sting in the least when I applied it this morning. It went on smooth and did not feel greasy as a lot of balms do. Six hours later and my face does not feel oily at all which usually happens when I use balms or gels. It, of course, has the same scent as the shower gel and Edt and falls in between the two as far as strength goes. So using the shower gel and the aftershave together works well and should be enough if you are around people who are sensitive to aromas. The Edt is much stronger but not overpowering as one would guess with all the nice masculine packaging it comes in. One packaging item to note is the weight of the cap. It is quite heavy for a cap and just adds to the effect of being more masculine than most other colognes. I sprayed a little here and there in my normal places trying to be careful not to over do it. I hate it when men (women) wear too much cologne. Makes you look like you’re trying too hard and besides, no one likes being around that person. It just stinks.
In describing the notes, I would say the top notes are fresh and bright with a hint of apple and cedar, maybe? A clean scent really but not soapy in the slightest. As the heart notes emerge, they become more flowery on me but quickly turned woodsy and much more masculine. Which makes sense considering this cologne is classified as predominantly fougère or ‘fern-like’. It has a basic accord (works well with) lavender (which is probably what I interpreted as ‘flowery’) in the top note and oakmoss and coumarin in the base notes and has a small hint of spice as well. The base notes are dry and “leathery” as one person in my office put it, or “smells like a man” as another said. It is definitely a very masculine scent. Some have compared it to Abercrombie & Fitch’s Fierce but calling it more ‘mature’. Although it is recommended for casual wear, I think (opinion alert) that it is a little too ‘sexy’ for the office or classroom. My opinion of course as I am a happily married man and I don’t wear cologne to attract anyone, just smell good. But so far the response have been positive. Although, the responses have not let me know if I put on too much, just enough or too little as the results to that question are split equally. Something I am sure to work out over the next few times I wear it (with my wife). But I think I like it, like it a lot. Yea, this one I believe will become a staple in my rotation.
This is a short post about colognes and what you are smelling and when. Yes, time has an effect on the cologne you are wearing.
Colognes (eau de toilettes, perfumes, eau de colognes, aftershaves, etc.) all have basically three parts to them and are usually described in a musical metaphor as having three sets of notes that work well with each other. The notes unfold over time, with the immediate impression of the top note leading to the deeper middle notes, and the base notes gradually appearing as the final stage. As each note dissipates, it has an effect on the lingering notes and alters it’s ‘stand alone’ fragrance until enough time has passed to which the note can bare it’s scent. These notes are created carefully through the knowledge of the evaporation process of the cologne.
1. The top note or ‘head’ notes are the notes you initially smell when you open the bottle and first apply it. They last from the moment you apply to however long it takes to evaporate which usually is about, three to five minutes. These notes evaporate quickly and are generally the ‘sweet’ or ‘fruit’ scents one smells since they are very important to the sale of the cologne.
2. The middle note or ‘heart’ notes (body) of the cologne generally start to appear right at the dissipation of the top notes. These notes usually act to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of the base note, which become more pleasant with time.
3. The base note appear at the dissipation of the heart note. The heart note and the base note are the main theme of a cologne. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a cologne. Compounds of this class are typically rich and ‘deep’ and usually not perceived until 30 minutes after application.
Below is one of many different variations on the fragrance pyramid and loosely explains, visually what you just read. Visuals always help don’t they?
Hopefully this will shed some light on what you are smelling and why things change throughout the day when you are wearing a cologne. This evaporative process happens for everyone but one thing that is not covered above about the changing of scents is how body chemistry changes the scent of any cologne and of course how long a cologne lasts for you. Both the scent and the duration of the cologne is different for everyone. Some colognes are really good at smelling the same or very close for the vast majority of the populace but others can and often do smell quite different when worn on two people with only the slightest hint of “sameness.”
There is a small trend moving it’s way through the Kingdom of Man (or otherwise known as Mandom) and it revolves around the old school colognes. Primarily those that your father and grandfather wore. As one marketing slogan goes, “If your grandfather hadn’t worn it, you wouldn’t be here.” Tis true, as one of my grandfathers wore one of these everyday. You find them in your local drugstores (and national chains as well) and sometimes in your local grocer. Even though they have been around for decades, they are a good option for your everyday wear especially when you take their cost into account. Most usually go for around $8 to $12 with some below and some slightly above. I wear some of these often and the younger ladies of the office often comment on how good it smells. The more mature ladies look at me with a tilted head and an expression like they should know but can’t quite figure it out.
I know it seems odd, in this day and age, with all the new fragrances out and well, really nice ones at that, which I will address in another blog post soon, but there’s just something about the old ones that are alluring and dare I say, really nice. And for the price, really, c’mon, you cannot beat them. Besides, there also seems to be a small cult following of these older aftershaves and colognes of people who just like to collect them in all their varying bottles and versions.
So here I am. Admitting that I wear some of these for everyday use and why not? For work or school, these are perfectly acceptable and you’re not wasting your nice $80 a bottle cologne. You wear that on special occasions for special people. And besides, you can’t beat them for the price, especially in this economy! So let’s review these gems of old and see what we can find out here and why men are starting to come back to or in some cases discover these colognes for the first time. I’ll start with the ‘big three’ from my earliest days then move on to later ones that may or may not ring a bell for you but in my opinion, those that are available, are still a viable option for todays man. I’ll give a little splash of history and background both public and private as I dare and I’ll throw in some old commercials and print ads to boot. By the way, for those that need a refresher on the differences between an aftershave and a cologne, you can read my earlier post here.
Aqua Velva
Aqua Velva got it’s start as an alcohol based mouthwash for men in 1929 by the Williams company. I would not recommend trying the current version as a mouthwash though. Nor would I recommend using Scope or Listerine as an alternative to aftershave. It is still available (as an aftershave and cologne) at your local drugstore or even local grocer for around $5. My youngest son has taken to this aftershave and cologne as he is now beginning to shave. WARNING: If you have the pain tolerance of a three year old girl, then brace yourself for this one when you put it on after you have shaved. If you can stand the stinging for a short while, it really does leave you feeling fresh and clean. It’s not a strong scent but it is noticeable and for me at least, tends to fade throughout the day and is not necessarily for an evening out with your lady. Regardless what the print ad below suggests in the photo. And check out the price at the end of the ad.
Check this out. Pete Rose singing! I really dig the plausible scenario that a fan would shout out to the athlete asking him the all important question, “What’s a man really want form an aftershave?” Vic Tayback (the fan) is more widely known for paying Mel, the old, grumpy, dirty shirt wearing owner and chef of Mel’s Diner in the late 70’s sitcom, Alice. Also, Vic and the peanut vendor seem to really get into the song.
An interesting offer (at least to me) is this gem. Aqua Velva Frost Lime. Gonna have to scour the Bay for a bottle of this.
Brut
I’m wearing this one today. It was launched in 1964 by a company called Faberge. In 1968 a budget version was released called Brut 33. It contained 33% of the fragrance found in the original cologne. Through numerous changes of the guards, in 1989 the Chesebrough-Ponds division of Unilever dropped the ‘33’ nomenclature from it’s range of products (colognes, aftershaves, deodorants) and rebranded it to just ‘Brut’. So the Brut bottle you see on the shelf is actually the old Brut 33 inside. If you want the original Faberge ‘Brut’ (full strength) then you need to look for “Brut Classic by Faberge”. This bottle below with the silver ‘medallion’ on it. Brut has hints of spicy woods mingled with citrus top notes and is recommended for evening wear. Although, I do wear this one throughout the day as I don’t view it as an ‘evening’ cologne per se. I mean I could see it as a cologne you would wear when you go out with the buds for a drink or a sporting event but certainly not when you are with your lady. So, take the ‘recommendation with a grain of salt.
Joe Namath….how could you go wrong in 1973 when you had this guy pluggin’ your stuff to “go all the way man.”
Ok, so here’s a short (16 second) not so vintage commercial that I thought was funny.
Old Spice
This is the one my granddad wore. I can still remember seeing the bottle in the bathroom and on his dresser and smelling it on him as we sat in the truck driving to church Sunday mornings when I would visit. Old Spice actually started out in 1937 as a woman’s product (who knew?). The men’s product didn’t come out until a year later in 1938. It was founded by William Lightfoot Schultz in 1934 under the Shulton Company. It is full bodied and quite exotic. It has top notes of orange, sage, and lemon that blends into carnation, geranium, cinnamon, jasmine and heliotrope. Following that up is the vanilla, cedar wood, frankincense, Tonka and musk. Again, quite exotic. It was marketed in white glass bottles with gray stoppers and had a nautical theme of sailing ships on the side. An interesting note is that the original ships were the Grand Turk and the Friendship. Other ships used were the John Wesley, Salem, Birmingham, Maria, Teresa, Propontis, Recovery, Sooloo, Star of the West, Constitution, Java, United States and Hamilton. 1990 was the year Proctor & Gamble bought the company and of course made some changes. The sailing ships are now replaced with a yachting logo and in early 2008 the original Old Spice scent was repackaged as “Classic” and the glass is now plastic and the gray stoppers are now red.
Old Spice has three lines and since we are only talking about the original scent, you need to know which line carries it. It’s the “Classic” line. Kind of makes scents really (pun intended). My oldest son likes the Red Zone line of products. New generation gets new scents I guess.
Original with the Grand Turk ship New packaging…bleh.
Why does the term ‘stalker’ come to mind?
They evidently felt a need to offer some lime scented products as well. Introduced in 1966 and sold until the early 1990’s. The name changed to “Fresh Lime” in 1977.
“Things happen…” Like the bottle cap exploding? They also sold other variations like Old Spice Burly and Old Spice Musk and Old Spice Herbal. The burley I assume would have more of the tobacco smell as the only burley I know of is a type of tobacco plant. Would love to get my hands a bottle of this stuff. The Musk and the Herbal? Haven’t got a clue and not that interested really.
Ok, so those are the big three. Still readily available except for some of the variations, although you might find them on the Bay or CList. But like I said in the beginning, there seems to be a resurgence in these older aftershaves and colognes in the land of Mandom. I don’t have any empirical data to support that, just observations across the web I have taken note of and conversations I have had with other men and store clerks. I seriously encourage you to try one if not all of these out. There really is no excuse not to. At the current prices….how can you go wrong? Besides, we wear vintage tees, jeans, belts, hats and jackets. Why not colognes as well?
So those were the most widely used colognes in the day but there was another level of colognes that were popular as well but just didn’t dominate the market like those above. Let’s take a look at some of these.
This one, some would argue should be up there with the big three making it the big four and in some cases, that is true. My dad wore this one for a long time and it is still available, easy to spot with its famous wooden cap and always a pleasure to wear….
English Leather.
Got it’s start in 1949 by Javier Serra of Taboo, Ambush, and Canoe fragrance fame. It is a mix of lemon, orange, honey, vanilla, leather and bergamot fragrances giving it a very masculine sent that lasts all freakin’ day. This is a classic scent that a lot of my early year buddies wore as well. Take note of the last line in the ad. You can still get it for under that price.
I remember this commercial (below) simply cause it had a young girl in it and her voice was oh so disturbing to me for some reason….it still is. This commercial is also (IMO) quite the departure from the regular cologne ads that promote sex appeal and really, to be honest, it’s kind of weird. I mean I get what they are saying but still…..
Apparently, lime scented cologne was the ‘in’ thing back in the day as English Leather did as well and in the same year as Old Spice, 1966. Personally I have never tried any of these lime versions so I have no idea what they smell like (this one has grapefruit in it but no lime as far as my research has lead). Would love to see what they (Aqua Velva Frost Lime, Old Spice (Fresh) Lime and English Leather Lime) are like. In fact, I was high bidder for a bottle of this stuff but soon lost as the bottle (with wooden box) went for $45!! Time to hit up the local Goodwill stores.
Skin Bracer
“By Mennen”, sung in three notes at the end of every commercial is the famous slogan for this brand. The company name, “Mennen” is not however a play on their demographic, men but rather the actual last name of Gerhard Heinrich Mennen who came up with his first product in 1878, a talcum-based powder and obviously, the founder of The Mennon Company. Skin Bracer is a clean scent that is pretty light. I have a bottle of this stuff and it’s ‘okay’. Tends to end up smelling rather ‘soapy’ on me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very clean smell so it’s not bad at all, just not ‘manly’?Certainly not a “He-man aroma” as the ad suggests below, IMHO. If all you are looking for in an aftershave is a clean, light scent then this is the aftershave for you.
This was a very popular commercial starring Jack Palance. Most people now days would probably know him best as Curly Washburn in the film, City Slickers that starred Billy Crystal. He is also known for doing something rather unique at the Oscars one year.
Jovan Sex Appeal
C’mon, say it out loud. “Jovan”. It’s got that cheesy 1970’s “I’m sexy and I know it” sound to it. Can you see “Jovan” on the hood of his 1978 Buick Regal, white pants, open shirt with silver and gold chains around his neck?…. shutter at the image. Believe it or not, it’s still available. “This provocative, stimulating blend of rare spices and herbs was created by men for the sole purpose of attracting women.” Hmmm….for what other purpose does a man wear cologne?
Sex Appeal is a mix of patchouli and sandalwood among others ingredients that was introduced in 1976 and is a classic oriental scent. It is more of an evening cologne and a bit much for the office I would think. The ad campaign for this cologne is a bit weird to me. One would think that with a name like “Sex Appeal” the campaign would center around the relationship between a man and a woman and try to define ‘sex appeal’ or something like that. At least in my brain it would. So it’s a bit unexpected I guess to see a Herculean/Conan type character that has a benevolent, Jorel (Superman’s dad) type father figure giving him the “power”.
My dad wore this one for a short period of time. This one was introduced in 1973 and has citrus, lavender and spices that produces a very strong sent at first but then mellows out to a smooth clean smell. It is a great daily office aftershave/cologne and well worth the price of $15. “It’s what attracts. The cologne works with your body’s natural chemistry to make a sexy scent. A blend of exotic spices and woods meets with the seductive power of musk. The result is a masculine, powerful persuasive fragrance.”
This seems more in line with Sex Appeal ad campaign than the Musk. Maybe there was a mix up in the advertising department and these got switched? Who knows.
Oh wow, Lee Horsley or should I say Matt Houston! It was a TV show back in the early 80s (1982-1985 on ABC). Matt Houston was a millionaire private investigator that always got the bad guy…..it was a poor competitor of Magnum P.I. (1980-1988) which starred Tom Selleck on CBS. Other than that, nothing more to add here about the cologne or the campaign…..
okay, so I lied. In 1981, Jovan paid one million dollars to put it’s name on Rolling Stones tickets during their Rolling Stones’ American Tour 1981 that promoted their Tattoo You album. Now there’s some useless bits of information that will never earn you a dollar. In fact, nothing in this blog will ever earn you a dollar but thanks for reading anyway!
Pierre Cardin
Ah yes, launched in 1972 this cologne is classified as a refreshing, subtle oriental fragrance. I remember having this on my dresser or did I steal it from one of my brothers? Hmmmm. “It is an elegant cologne, fresh and tonic with notes of bergamot (BTW, bergamot is a type of orange grown mostly in Italy), lavender, orange (the real kind I guess?), sandalwood, oak and geranium moss, oil of opoponax and Russian leather.“ It is suited more for daytime wear than evening. I liked this one. Becky in fourth grade liked it too. Only thing I remember was going over to her house one Saturday afternoon. She cleared the back porch so we could dance. Only thing was, I didn’t know how to dance so I just sat there like the 12 year old idiot that I was and watched her dance then went home.
And last but not least…..
Hai Karate
This post wouldn’t be complete without Hai Karate. I will state emphatically, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WEAR THIS ONE…until you have memorized the self defense instructions (against the inevitable onslaught of women) that came with each bottle. This was introduced in 1967 as a budget cologne and strangely enough, held it’s own against the likes of Old Spice, Brut, and Aqua Velva before coming to an end in the 1980’s. It was most known for the marketing campaign than the cologne itself really. After seeing the video, you’ll know why.
They too offered a lime version….wonder if this one had grapefruit in it too.
There are of course others I’m sure like, Polo, Drakkar Noir, Jacomo, Arimis, Chaz, Sante Fe, Paco Robanne, Azzarro just to name a few but I didn’t want to include those in this post. I will however blog about those in another post soon. Such weird memories of that time in my life, Jr, High school and high school…..bleh.
So there you have it. The old become new again….sort of. I encourage you to go visit your local drugstore or corner store. Take a stroll down the perfume and cologne isle in your grocery store and take a look-see. Don’t take yourself so seriously, loosen up and have fun, be brave, grab one and try it out. If anything it is a great conversation starter.
If you are like me when first starting out wearing aftershaves and colognes, you really didn’t understand the differences between the two or know why both existed and you had (have) questions about them and their intended use or even how to use them correctly. I mean aftershave is pretty much self explanatory but do you use cologne on top of an aftershave? Why doesn’t aftershave last as long as cologne? Why do some aftershaves have a scent and some don’t? Why do aftershaves sting when you put them on? Which is better, a liquid, gel or balm? Why are colognes so strong? Where does cologne get applied? A lot of questions that hopefully I can answer. We will discuss aftershaves then colognes and then end with how to buy the right one for you and your body chemistry and hopefully through all of that, some of those questions above have been answered.
Aftershave. The main purpose of aftershave is to sooth and heal the skin after shaving. They generally have an astringent to help close and tighten the pores of the skin which gives the feeling of having your face all nice and toned, making it feel tighter after you have shaved. If the aftershave has a lot of alcohol in it, as most liquid aftershaves do, then you will experience stinging on the face where you shaved. Also, Most aftershaves have some sort of fragrance added to them so if you have sensitive skin, you might want to find one without a fragrance. Also, gels and balms generally have less powerful astringents in them so those would be an option as well.
Cologne.Colognes have one purpose and one purpose only; to make you smell good. There is no benefit for your skin when using it. When compared to aftershaves, colognes have much more fragrance in its content and thus are much stronger. They last longer than aftershaves too (generally all day, especially true for newer colognes). If you use a cologne after applying an aftershave, remember to take it easy. Also, remember that our noses get accustomed to the smell and we can’t smell it or it is a very faint smell, but it’s there, even at the end of the day. So be careful when reapplying before heading out at night after work. You don’t need as much (if any). If you are planning on using another cologne then please, take a shower and wash off the cologne from earlier. Mixing colognes is a no-no. As far as applying cologne well, there is no hard and fast rule of how to. I personally apply a little to either wrist, on each side of my neck then as strange as it sounds, a shot down the back inside the shirt, if it’s a spray bottle. If it’s a liquid, then only on my neck and not on my wrists as I have it all over my hands to begin with and of course, not inside the shirt. I know of some men who wipe the remainder off their hands onto the upper shoulders of their suit coat so that when they offer their coat to a lady who is chilled, they can smell him even when he’s off getting another drink for her. Something to think about if you are single I guess.
A cautionary word about using the two together. Aftershaves are generally known for not lasting very long, especially those that have a lot of alcohol in them as well as generally not having the same amount of fragrance as the cologne but that is not always the case. So be cautious when you add cologne after you have splashed on aftershave.The aftershave may be all that is required for your normal work day.You would rather go through your day with too little than too much. You never want to be ‘that guy’ in your office (or classroom). Also, if you plan to use a scented aftershave and a cologne together,make sure you use an aftershave and a cologne from the same line.I cannot stress this enough. No need to have competing odors emanating from your person. Don’t want people thinking you have a split personality and can’t make up your mind if you are a sea breezy fresh and clean guy or an outdoorsy, earthy woodsman. Pick one and stick with it for the day.
Buying Aftershave/Cologne. Although you (and me) wear the aftershave/cologne (cologne) you cannot forget that the ultimate purpose of it is to satisfy those special people in your life or at the very least, not offend those you are with day in and day out. So it stands to reason that you are essentially wearing this stuff for their benefit, not yours. The reason I say this is because you may find a cologne you really like but it does nothing for you or worse, ends up smelling like a rotting barrel of fish and eggs when you put it on and that is not doing anyone any favors, least of all, you. Remember, how a cologne interacts with you is based on your body chemistry. What works for you may not work for me. Conversely is true as well. Also, you may not really like the smell of a certain cologne from the bottle or even when it’s applied but everyone else loves it. Personal example, I don’t necessarily like Brut (yes, you read that correctly, Brut as in the Essence of Man) on me, it’s “okay” I guess but I get quite a few compliments every time I wear it.So I break it out every now-and-then. So, how do we go about buying the right cologne?One that we know works well with our body chemistry?Simple really. My oldest brother taught me this and he was taught by a friend of his who bought and sold perfumes and colognes for a living. It actually has scientific backing as 80% to 95% of TASTE is brought about by the sense of smell as research in Great Britain has found. Wait, did I just say taste? Yes, yes I did. Am I saying to taste the cologne before you buy it? Not directly. Here’s what I mean and how to use this method. Spray a little cologne on a sample card then smell deeplyWITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN. You will ‘taste’ the aroma of the cologne and based on how well you like or dislike the ‘taste’ in your mouth can help you determine whether or not the cologne will work with your body chemistry or won’t work with it.Obviously, if you like it it should work for you and if you don’t like it, it will not. This of course is not 100% but it has worked well for those who have employed this method. Give it a go with what’s sitting on your vanity now and see if this method is viable for you.
I hope I have answered any questions you may have concerning this matter. If you have any questions, please feel free to email or leave a comment and come back soon as I will be posting a couple more blogs about older colognes and newer ones.
WARNING: This blog consists of massive amounts of my opinion on all matters concerning Mandom (The Kingdom of Man). My intended audience is obviously men but any woman of course, is welcome and who knows, perhaps what she reads here will help to understand the man in her life a little better. As for the men who read this blog, hopefully you will leave here with some sense of how to be a better man or in the very least, encouraged to be a better man. This blog will cover all aspects of Mandom from simple reviews of man stuff to deeper issues of faith, character, leadership and love. Sure, some of what I say will ruffle feathers and that's ok. Part of becomming a better man is being open to challenge. Remember, iron sharpens iron. So take a look-see, read and comment and I hope you learn something interesting or cool or just simply reminded about something you forgot.
The format of this blog is a work in progress so don't be put off by changes that will probalby occur. Thanks for reading.
It is still available (as an aftershave and cologne) at your local drugstore or even local grocer for around $5. My youngest son has taken to this aftershave and cologne as he is now beginning to shave. WARNING: If you have the pain tolerance of a three year old girl, then brace yourself for this one when you put it on after you have shaved. 
If you can stand the stinging for a short while, it really does leave you feeling fresh and clean. It’s not a strong scent but it is noticeable and for me at least, tends to fade throughout the day and is not necessarily for an evening out with your lady. Regardless what the print ad below suggests in the photo. And check out the price at the end of the ad.
In fact, nothing in this blog will ever earn you a dollar but thanks for reading anyway!
A Man's World 
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