A fragrance, as we discussed last week, is that invisible part of a person’s style and grooming. But it’s by no means a much-felt part of it.

As we revealed, wearing even the most basic fragrance enhances your confidence, alertness, attractiveness and everything in between – including the courage to ask for any woman’s phone number.

For now, we understand the difference between an eau de toilette and eau de parfum. We can also tell cologne from an eau fraiche. You may also need to understand why the good fragrance you wore in the morning smells different by midday. This change in scent intensity is what some will call the ‘lifecycle of a fragrance’.

Scent experts tell us there are three different notes that comprise a scent. These are the top, medium and base notes. The top or basic note is the initial, lighter smell of the fragrance that hits the nose first. It lasts between 15 minutes and two hours.

Typical top and middle notes are various floral/fruity scents, marine/aquatic notes, and spices such as cinnamon. Examples include citruses, powdery scents and light florals.

Medium note, also referred to as the middle or heart notes, displays the main elements of the fragrance. These notes develop after the top note clears – around 30 minutes – and can last between three and five hours. Heart notes most often include heavier floral scents. The middle and base notes are the extra layers of scents which give the fragrance its distinctive smell.

Base note is the last to develop, and helps fix the fragrance to the skin. This is where you will smell the bolder notes of the scent, which become more noticeable when the fragrance has been on the skin for a while.

Base notes lay the foundation for the fragrance, and will determine how long the fragrance lasts on your skin. Base notes last from five to 10 hours. Typical base notes are sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla, tar, leather, smoke, tobacco and musk.

According to male grooming website www.realmenrealstyle.com, “as the notes dry up, the scent will change, allowing for the scents to evolve and be more interesting. Typically, the mark of a low-quality fragrance is if it remains monotone throughout its life”.

So, cheap fragrances now can be separated from expensive ones! And this has everything to say about a man’s sense of style and class.

APPLYING A PERFUME

Yes, you will be amused to realise you were simply not aware of how to wear that perfume. Spray the perfume on your dry skin, preferably right after a shower. Hold the spray nozzle three to six inches from your skin, and focus on the following rules:

Pulse points. Your body heat will push the scent throughout the day, creating a nice trail commonly known as sillage. Start with the warm parts of your body – the chest, neck, lower jaw, wrist, forearm, inner elbow and shoulder.

Don’t kill the note. Rubbing the perfume into the skin seems sensible. In reality, it breaks the molecular bond, and weakens the scent. Did you know this?

Don’t spray the fragrance on your clothes. The fragrance isn’t allowed to mix with your oils because it won’t naturally go through the stages of notes like it should. The oils in a fragrance will also stain many fabrics.

Don’t splash too much. If you are applying cologne from a regular bottle, take one finger and press it against the opening of your bottle, and spray gently.

Less is more. Fragrance should be discovered, not announced. People should be close to smell the perfume, but not overpowered by it.
These are the rules, not my words!