Wearing cologne properly is a matter of finding the right scent for the right occasion and applying it properly. Most men, however, fall into the unforgivable habit of wearing too much of the same old scent day after day. This happens, in part, because choosing a men’s cologne requires a guy to navigate a laundry list of ingredients and department store specials. That is until now.
For the first time in several years, new colognes prove exciting again by offering men genuinely unique blends of the masculine aromas of wood and musk balanced with floral and citrus notes. The following colognes are the very best of men’s fragrances for 2010. Aside from when to wear these colognes, you’ll also find tips on how much to apply along with translations of what those mind-numbing ingredient lists actually mean to you.
at the office
Our men’s colognes for 2010 begin with options for the office. Wearing cologne at the office, however, must always be done with care and attention. No one should ever smell you from down the hall let alone when they walk past the coffee machine 20 minutes after you’ve left. Be aware that some coworkers may be allergic to scents, and customers or clients often find it off-putting to deal with a scent instead of a person. Thus, focus on strategically placing small amounts of cologne just underneath your shirt collar and around your neck.
Tom Ford Grey Vetiver
Grapefruit citrus blends with pimento, moss, nutmeg, and, of course, vetiver. A number of the most intriguing colognes for 2010 include vetiver, which is a fragrant scent derived from the root of the perennial cuscus grass indigenous to India and Malaysia.
What all this means is that Tom Ford has once again redefined what a man should smell like. Grey Vetiver is perfect for the office because upon first notice it starts out as a citrus scent but, as the day progresses, it slowly smolders against your skin as the nutmeg and moss bottom notes come through with subtle revelations to enhance your stature. And don’t worry, you won’t smell like a grapefruit.
Price: $85 at Sephora.com
Kenneth Cole Vintage Black
This new urban, masculine cologne has the top notes of pink grapefruit and lime that soon give way to dewy greens, hints of white pepper, tequila (yup, tequila), lavender, and, finally, oak with sandalwood thrown in for good measure. All of this conspires to become the perfect international business cologne for any man; while the top notes are citrus-based and the bottom notes are wood, there is no lag time in their confluence on your skin. The mixture of Kenneth Cole Vintage Black hits your senses all at once making it a masculine, powerful scent that should always travel with you -- but apply it sparsely.
Price: $67.50 at Zappos.com
date night
Wearing cologne in the evening naturally has different rules of application. While you still want to add a touch or two around your neck and jaw line (allowing her a gentle whiff every now and then), you will also need to apply a little down the center of your torso. And if you’re feeling confident, you’ll want to add a dash along the inside of each leg before dressing and a small dab just below the waist line. These lower areas, however, naturally emit your own pheromones, so, add the following colognes lightly and carefully.
Davidoff Hot Water
Patchouli and the unique use of red basil and absinthe converge with pimento creating the complete antithesis of Davidoff’s popular Cool Water scent. Hot Water makes quick use of patchouli, which is the perfect date-night top note for a men’s cologne. OK, so what the hell is Patchouli? It is a warmly scented oil derived from an Indo-Malayan shrub. In its natural form, the oil has the aroma of heat. Blended here with basil and pimento one gets an unusually masculine and primal scent reminiscent of a man’s natural scent (i.e., she digs that).
Price: Approximately $52 at Amazon.com
Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L'Homme
Vetiver and cedar wood ride over a mixture of bergamot, lavender and cardamom revealing an earthiness not often found in men’s colognes. This is a result of the top notes of vetiver and cedar giving way to the airy citrus aroma of bergamot. Bergamot is culled from the northern Italian citrus tree of the same name. The tree produces a small orange-like fruit that has been a staple of colognes for years. Used here, however, it provides a gentler and less overpowering scent for intimate moments, but still provides you with a strong masculine presence.
Price: $43 at Sephora.com
formal event
Our list of men’s colognes for 2010 continues with an option for formal events because, hey, sometimes you need to make the extra effort. Any formal occasion deserves its own cologne for the simple reason that you are not doing serious business nor are you out on the prowl. You are, in a sense, rising above all of your daily pursuits. Thus, you want a cologne neither subtle and masculine nor strong and sexual. You want a refined scent befitting the setting and your attire.
Canali Men
Canali succeeds in enhancing your formal wear with its inconspicuousness. One is hard-pressed to clearly identify individual ingredients that add both mystery and fascination. Floral and citrus top notes of clementine, pineapple, bergamot, orange flower, and lily blend easily with jasmine, coriander and nutmeg spices creating a postmodern sophistication. Yet, apply Canali Men carefully along your neck and upper torso for a balanced aroma.
Price: $35 at Sephora.com
casual/sport
Most men don’t just wear a cologne on off days -- but they should. In fact, these hours of leisure may be the most important times to wear a cologne because the woman in your life (or the potential women in your life) notices you more in the casual moments than when you’re dressing for the work week. You also have the luxury of applying your cologne at will in areas that you deem strategically important, but a few splashes on your chest is really all you need. The motion of your body throughout the day will do the rest as the cologne is continually mixed with your perspiration.
Lanvin L'Homme Sport
Unwavering in its manliness and sheer power, L’Homme Sport by Lanvin is the singular sport and casual scent for the Everyman in 2010. The weighty notes of musk, pepper and sage overlay bergamot and patchouli. Translation? Your significant other will first notice the animalistic aroma of musk. As she gets closer, the subtle fragrant notes of the bergamot fruit and patchouli oil warm and console her senses with their blend of citrus and floral aromas.
Price: Approximately $42 at Amazon.com
smell good this year
Wearing cologne often gets monotonous; however, each men’s cologne recommended for 2010 has a quality specifically suited to an occasion or pursuit that is sure to enhance your daily life. The single most important rule of cologne is to change your scent as you change your clothing for different aspects of your life.
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