When Guy Laroche was 15 years old he sold his fashion sketches to Yves Saint Laurent, who is now considered one of the greatest French fashion designers of the 21st century. When he was 17 he assisted Dorothee Bis who led the revolution for women’s active wear in Paris. After gaining the experience in the fashion industry, he came to the United States to continue his studies only to return to Paris and become a designer in France.

Guy Laroche slid into the fashion industry with his innovative styles, but is renowned for the colognes he created. Even though Laroche passed away in 1989, he lives on through his unmistakable and unbeatable classic scents that still top the lists of popular cologne.

When examining colognes, perfumes, and other fragrances that utilize essential oils, it is important to understand what it means to define the notes. High quality colognes use all three types of notes with different scents that compliment each other and create a long lasting experience

1. Top Notes – Top notes are the scents that are most noticeable when you first apply the cologne or when you whiff the fragrance from the bottle. While they start out strong, they evaporate faster than the other notes.

2. Heart Notes (or Middle Notes) – The heart notes are the ones that deserve the most attention. They are longer lasting than the top notes and are the ones that will be noticed throughout most of the day.

3. Base Notes (or End Notes) – The name of base notes implies their function. They provide the base for the cologne. After a long day, only the base notes will be noticed. They are also the scents that mingle with the top and heart notes throughout its usage to enhance or tone down the other fragrances.

Drakkar Noir

Drakkar Noir is the classic fragrance by Guy Laroche. It was launched in 1982 and its popularity has remained steady over the decades. The name Drakkar Noir is an old Viking word that means “black dragon.” The appearance enhances the descriptive name even further with its opaque bottle that appears seductive and powerful. Drakkar Noir lives up to its name and appearance with the cologne that is housed inside.

• Top Notes – Lavender, Lemon, Tangerine
• Heart Notes – Coriander, Juniper
• Base Notes – Patchouli, Oak moss

The citrus scents that begin the cologne and the floral scents that linger longer are grounded by the earthy fragrances of the base notes. Together they produce a crisp aroma that is rooted in a confident base. Drakkar Noir is just strong enough to be noticeable without being overpowering. It is the perfect cologne for every day casual wear.

Horizon

Guy Laroche launched the intense Horizon cologne in 1993. Its strange mix of top, heart, and base notes can only be described as a cool rainfall over a pine tree forest. It is not usual for such strange combinations of fragrances to work well with each other, but Guy Laroche pulled it off with Horizon

• Top Notes – Artemisia, Lavender, Mandarin Orange, Cassia, Mint, Bergamot
• Heart Notes – Cyclamen, Carnation, Jasmine, Caraway, Rose, Pine Tree, Geranium
• Base Notes – Sandalwood, Patchouli, Oak moss, Cedar, Musk, Amber, Leather

Horizon has a little bit of everything. While the concoction is strange, the fragrances compliment each other as continued wear flows properly. It begins with floral, citrus, mint, and earth scents. As the heart notes are reached, the fragrance loses the citrus and mint kick but holds onto the floral and earth ingredients. By the end of the day, the cologne has settled into the calming earth scents. Horizon is an exotic, spicy twist that goes well with evening wear, especially in high energy situations such as a party.

Fidji

Fidji is the original cologne for women created by Guy Laroche back in 1966. It is an intense floral cologne with a bit of spice and earth scents to prevent the floral notes from becoming overbearing. Even those that report despising flowery colognes exhibit great appreciation for such a well put together blend of scents.

• Top Notes – Jasmine, Rose, Iris
• Heart Notes – Clove, Galbanum, Rose
• Base Notes – Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vanilla

As with Horizon cologne, Fidji tackles tough scents with the proper amount of balance and blending to create a fragrance that is seamless. The floral scents begin with strength but begin to mellow with the spicy heart scents. The entire production is kept in line with the earthy base notes that contain a shot of vanilla to act as a buffer between the spicy and floral fragrances. In light doses it is wearable for every day use, or apply a more generous amount to create an intoxicating atmosphere when the situation arises.

Guy Laroche is no longer able to grace us with any new scents, but the ones he left us with will remain. Most of his colognes are still under his name, but a few discontinued fragrances are being bottled under another company. For example, J’ai Ose was the scent and blend of an original cologne for women by Guy Laroche but is now produced exclusively by a company who took the name J’ai Ose.

Guy Laroche’s available colognes are few, but they have yet to cease in popularity.

Cologne Affecting Life

Because the nose plays such a large role in our lives, the fragrances we wear reflect a lot about us and create moods, memories, emotions, and influence other factors in our relationships with other people. By wearing cologne we are directly affecting more than just how pleasant we smell. When selecting a scent, we are playing an active role in how things transpire in our daily life.

Cologne plays upon the skin differently for men than it does for women. For a woman, cologne is formulated as the lightest type of fragrance and can be worn liberally as a refreshant in that it does not remain on the skin for an enduring period of time. Cologne formulated for men has the opposite affect, in that it is usually the longest lasting type of male fragrance.

Properties of Cologne

Regardless of whether cologne is crafted for men or for women, there are essential oil properties that couple with the odor to create a similar reaction for both sexes. These properties are integrated into cologne brands to signify the brand, the scent’s purpose, and to suit the targeted wearer’s personality. Examples of properties and their affect upon humans are:

• Anise: Sweet odor, known for softening, soothing, and moisturizing
• Basil: Aromatic with relaxing properties
• Benzoin: Vanilla-like odor known for relaxing, stimulating, soothing
• Bergamot: Spicy lemon scent for uplifting, refreshing
• Caraway: Musky, relaxing and stimulating
• Cardamom: Warm, soft and spicy, acts like both an aphrodisiac and a stimulant
• Cypress: Smoky, woody, a stimulant and relaxing
• Frankincense: Balsamic, relaxing
• Eucalyptus: Aromatic, stimulating and relaxing
• Honeysuckle: Intensely sweet, relaxing, soothing, and uplifting
• Jasmine: Intense, animalistic, acts as an aphrodisiac, relaxing, calming, uplifting
• Lavender: Sweet and lemony, stimulates, relaxes
• Lemon: Citrusy, stimulating, relaxing
• Myrrh: Aromatic, camphor-like, relaxing, softening, soothing
• Nutmeg: Stimulating
• Patchouli: Strong, persistent, relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Peppermint: Menthol, relaxing, stimulating
• Sandalwood: Warm, woody, relaxing, aphrodisiac
• Tuberose: Flowery, sweet, aphrodisiac, uplifting
• Ylang-Ylang: Intense, sweet, aphrodisiac, relaxing, softening, soothing

Cologne Design

When going into the laboratory to design a new cologne, the perfume artist knows that it may take years to find the right formula for the brand. Blending is not just a matter of putting together favorite scents, but also involves highly organized and documented testing of which essential oils work together, how the scent endures, how it dries down, and other such factors that need to be determined before a cologne or perfume is bottled for the market.

As scents are blended in glass jars, the perfume artist will dip long blotters into the solutions and set them aside to dry. These blotters are called mouilettes and are similar to the cards on which colognes are sprayed at retail perfume counters, so consumers can sample a scent prior to purchase. The mouilettes are referred to again and again during the crafting process, to help the perfumer determine what needs to be added to the perfume to perfectly round out the fragrance.

Personality Matching

Just as determining which essential oils to include in a cologne is a matter of matching the brand personality to the right scents, buying a cologne for someone is a process of matching the personality of the scent to the wearer. There is a science to this matching of personality to cologne, but one that can be easily deciphered.

Below are the typical male personality types and the scents that most effectively match who they are:

• Athlete: Citrus fragrance of fresh and brisk lemon, lime and orange oils
• Earthy: Fougere oils with forest notes of oak moss, resin and geranium oil
• Romantic: Spicy scents of clove, cinnamon, thyme, nutmeg or pepper notes
• Traditional: Woody notes based on vetiver, rosewood, sandalwood, and cedar
• Dynamic: Leather scents of smoky, pungent, sweet scents with potency
• Hardworking: Tobacco-based colognes with dry and mossy-balsamic nuances
• Individualistic: Chypre creations of complexity with a citrus top note and mossy base

For a woman, personality types and their appropriate cologne matches are:

• Sporty: Citrus scents with the cleanness of lemon, orange and lime
• Environmental: Zestful and energetic grasses and dewy leaf scents
• Earthy: Woodsy and mossy combinations with sandalwood, rosewood, cedar and other aromatic woods combined with mosses and fern notes
• Romantic: Floral and oriental scents of sophistication with mystery and sultriness through exotic flowers, herbs and fixatives
• Individualistic: Spicy and pungent notes such as clover, ginger and cinnamon
• Highly Feminine: Florals dominated by one particular flower such as a rose, jasmine, lavender or lilac
• Traditional: A floral bouquet of multiple floral notes with contrasting non-floral notes of surprise

Because the human nose is so directly linked to emotion, memory, and mood, the cologne we choose to wear speaks volumes about who we are as individuals and how we wish to be perceived. Perfumers realize that the science of crafting the perfect fragrance involves a great deal of time and patience, as scents change once they hit the human skin and according to other factors such as weather and duration of wear. Once colognes hit the market, the sampling and testing is not over for a brand, as even more scrutiny awaits sample bottles at the retail perfume counter, where prospective buyers and gift givers must also ensure cologne is the right fit for the lifestyle and personality of the wearer.

Buy In Bulk

If you have a favorite or signature scent, finding a good deal on it can be a great time to stock up and set yourself up with private reserve of that scent. Properly storing your scents will ensure that even if you do have a vast collection, they will still smell just as wonderful when you are ready to use them. Keeping colognes and perfumes in a cool, dry and dark place protects them from the environmental factors that can make the scent molecules break down and smell differently. Properly storing your stash of discount colognes and toiletries will ensure that your signature scent is as fresh and clean as the day you purchased it.

When shopping for colognes and fragrances, be aware that larger packages are often the best values. The costs of packaging often make the smaller products less economical, and if it’s something you will use regularly, having a larger bottle is a practical and smart way to shop. Doing a bit of math to determine the cost per ounce of your fragrance when purchased in varying sizes will help you find the size bottle that is the best deal for you.

Shop The Sales

Fragrances tend to have a regular cycle of sales and mark downs. When you’ve found the routine that your favorite shop uses to promote their fragrances, you can plan ahead to make the best use of these discount offers. Speaking with the sales clerks can be a good way to find out about upcoming sales, promotional events and special offers. Certain shops will even offer frequent shopper clubs where your purchases can add up to free products or generous discounts on future purchases.

After the winter holidays there tends to be a massive mark down at many fragrance counters and retailers, as the gift sets are not as popular the rest of the year. Buying a gift set can often be a very smart way to shop for a fragrance. Using several products with same scent is called layering, and will ensure that your scent stay strong and crisp throughout your day. Often, the added value of these sets is easy to see, being only a few dollars more than buying the cologne on it’s own. When you consider the cost of the items if purchased individually, these sets can be fabulous deals for a savvy consumer.

Try Something New

When a designer launches a new fragrance, often it is initially offered in a lavish gift set for a reduced price to increase interest in the new line. Taking advantage of these introductory offers will not only allow you to enjoy a designer scent for a discount price, but you’ll be ahead of fashion by being one of the early adopters of this new scent. By being game to try a fresh new fragrance on the market, you can take advantage of some of the better deals offered on designer fragrances by major retailers.

Another in which being open to trying a new scent can help you save money is by being friendly with the sales clerk behind the fragrance counter. Often, these professionals are quite well informed about upcoming product launches, special event sales and other times at which it may be possible to get a deep discount on a high quality designer or brand name fragrance. By inquiring about what new products they’ve recently brought into stock, or what brands or fragrance lines may be on sale when you’re shopping, you can sometimes find a great new scent at a remarkable price. Being sociable to the shop staff is not just a matter of good manners, but it can serve to help you save money as well when your kindness is repaid with insider information.

When seeking a discount on brand name or designer fragrances, keep in mind these simple steps to saving money on smelling wonderful:

#1- Buying several bottles of a fragrance that you use regularly when you find it for a fair price can be a great way to ensure that you won’t run out, but be sure to store them properly.

#2- The larger bottles tend to be the best deal, as packaging is a good portion of the costs.

#3- Learn when and where the best sales are, and get there early to be sure they have your favorite scent in stock.

#4- Consider the added value of buying a gift set rather than a single bottle of fragrance. Often, the package deals are quite deeply discounted.

#5- Don’t be afraid to try something new, because when a fragrance is launched, it often comes out at a low introduction price to increase interest in the new product.

#6- being friendly to the shop staff will make them more inclined to befriend you, and let you in on upcoming sales, promotions, and the secret sales that aren’t widely advertised

By shopping smart and making sure that you’re getting a quality fragrance, you will find a great joy in wearing your new cologne. Whether you choose to try a new scent that’s being offered at a discounted price, or shop the sales until your old favorite scent comes up on discount, being a savvy consumer is about taking advantage of the market. Allow the marketplace to vie for your attentions, and see if you can’t garner a choice deal out of their desire to sell their products to you.

Eternity Cologne is a men’s fragrance by Calvin Klein. A follow up to Calvin Klein’s award-winning Eternity perfume for women, the masculine version of this fragrance was launched in 1989. Its creator was the famous perfumer Carlos Benaim, who in 2004 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Perfumers, and later went on to design the award-winning Euphoria for Calvin Klein. Eternity Cologne comes in a classically simple, pleasantly heavy rectangular glass bottle, with a silver solid geometrical cap. It has a unique and compelling scent that is overall unquestionably masculine, while remaining rich in complex aromas, ranging from subtle notes to distinct elements. In Eternity, musk meets spice, and jasmine compliments sage. Other ingredients include lavender, jasmine, amber, vetiver, sandalwood and rosewood. These ingredients are refined and distilled into a spicy, refreshing scent for men.

A versatile perfume, pleasingly modern, enticingly romantic, it works as a daytime cologne for a lunch that is casual, but not too casual, or as the choice scent for an evening out for a sharp dresser in a tuxedo. This versatility, combined with its distinctive, confident masculine aroma that lasts for 10-12 hours, makes is a perfect purchase for oneself, or a thoughtful gift for a lover, friend, or family member.

The Man Behind the Brand

Eternity Cologne, as well as the entire Eternity line are, of course, the creations of the famous designer Calvin Klein, who, in the last four decades, has achieved the status of a true fashion icon for his jeans, and has gained notoriety for his provocative advertisements for underwear and lingerie. In an industry where one in hundreds makes it big, Calvin Klein is a fascinating man, who is an embodiment of an American success story,

Klein was born in 1942 in the Bronx, into a Hungarian-Austrian Jewish migrant family. As a child he loved to dance and draw. Calvin Klein’s budding artistic talent was already recognized in middle school, where he was asked to paint a mural. By age 12 he had joined the Art Students League in Manhattan, where he traveled every weekend to take sketching and drawing classes. As a teenager he enrolled in the High School of Industrial Art before becoming one of the most famous alums of the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology.

In 1968 he formed his company Calvin Klein, Inc., and by the end of the 1970s, he was a household name, with his jeans purchased, worn, and beloved by millions. His underwear ads, so risque they truly pushed the envelope, launched such models as Kate Moss and Christy Turlington to stardom, and included the controversial commercial featuring a then-16-year-old Brooke Shields telling the public: “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvin’s? Nothing.” After starting with coats, Calvin Klein expanded his repertoire over the decades to include sportswear, scarves, furs, shoes, sunglasses, belts, even sheets. And–of course–perfumes and colognes that defined a generation. In 2002, Calvin Klein Inc. was purchases by shirtmaker Phillips van Heusen Corp.

The Romance of Eternity Cologne

The idea for Eternity perfume came to Calvin Klein as he was choosing wedding jewelry for his beloved wife Kelly. While looking through a Sotheby’s catalogue he came across an “eternity ring” from the Dutchess of Windsor’s sale. In English tradition, an eternity ring precedes an engagement ring, and signifies that a commitment is made forever. Calvin Klein fell so in love with the concept that it inspired him to create his next line of perfumes: Eternity.

Depicting and Selling the Eternity Line

Calvin Klein’s Eternity line, including Eternity Cologne, has enjoyed brand recognition partly thanks to a series of memorable advertisements. But by the end of the 1980s, when Eternity appeared, the public was interested in romance more than naked sensuality. And Klein himself had gone from a playboy to a happily married man. Thus the promotional campaign for Eternity scents contrasted in tone and subject matter with his earlier, hyper-suggestive underwear ads. The Eternity ads became just as famous and recognizable, but for different reasons. Rendered in black and white, with a vintage, nostalgic, timeless feel, they featured evocative captured moments: a family coming together on a beach, or lovers falling into an embrace in high grass, to scores that blend music with organic nature sounds of the waves and the wind. Celebrity faces of the Eternity line have included the lovely Scarlet Johannson, Christy Turlington, and the once-duo Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

Imitations…Steer Clear.

As a successful brand that appeals to a broad demographic, Calvin Klein products have inevitably and unfortunately spawned an industry of imitations and knock-offs that flood Ebay and other various online venues. The Eternity Cologne is not an exception. So it is important to be attentive and exercise caution when purchasing this cologne. There are many places to procure Eternity Cologne, like in the elegant Calvin Klein stores of Paris, Seoul, Milan and Hong Kong. But even for those who are not a part of the jet-set, Calvin Klein’s various lines of colognes and fragrances are available all over the world, in boutiques and department stores, perfume shops and airport gift stores. The licensing and distribution for these products is handled by the cosmetics company Coty, Inc. of New York City. Buying only from legitimate, authorized retailers ensures the purchase of the real Calvin Klein cologne, produced with utmost quality control. And, as millions would agree, the real thing is unquestionably worth it.

It depends on who you ask:

The name comes from “Eau de Cologne,” a citrus-based perfume made in Cologne, Germany. Made famous by Napoleon Bonaparte, this perfume is still in production.

For perfume makers, it can either be a citrus perfume, or a perfume which contains about 5% essential oils. Most perfume marketed toward women is Eau de Toilette, which contains about 10% essential oils.

The definition by the public at large is a perfume used by men. There is no difference in how colognes and perfumes are made, only the people they are marketed to.

What is cologne made out of?

Cologne is a mixture of water, ethanol (alcohol,) and essential oils. Glycerin and other chemicals sometimes added as a stabilizer.

Depending on the recipe, essential oils may be added directly, extracted from whole plant matter, or added indirectly by flavored water or alcohol.

What ingredients do I need for cologne?

Water

Water used in cologne should be as odorless as possible. For this reason, distilled water is preferred. Regular bottled water will still have some impurities that may come out in the final scent, particularly if it was bottled from a spring.

Alcohol

There are three kinds of alcohol that can be used:

Denatured alcohol: This is rubbing alcohol. It has had methanol added to it to make it poisonous. It is not considered a beverage, so it doesn’t have the associated taxes on it, lowering the price. This will always contain some water, which makes mixing tricky. Isopropyl alcohol is sometimes used, which dries too quickly to adequately disperse the scent of the cologne.

Edible alcohol: This includes vodka, Everclear, and other spirits. Some cologne recipes use brandy or rum for added scent, while some perfume makers prefer Everclear because it’s near 100% concentration of alcohol makes it easy to measure, and is good for extracting oils from whole plant matter. Vodka is pure alcohol mixed with water, so with a little calculation it can be substituted for the alcohol and water used in some recipes.

If you want to sell your mixture, use denatured alcohol. A regular distilled alcohol is considered an alcoholic beverage. This may sound silly, but by combining orange peel, juniper berries, and other common perfume ingredients with alcohol and water makes gin.

Perfumer’s alcohol: A recent product, this is pure denatured alcohol designed specifically at perfume making. Some manufacturers add scent fixatives and scents to serve as a base perfume. These generally don’t contain isopropyl alcohol.

Glycerin

Glycerin slows down the evaporation of the cologne, making it last longer. This is a common ingredient in skin creams, and should be available in its pure form in this section of your local drug store. It should be unscented: many brands add rose water, but this may not be clearly marked on the packaging.

Scents and Essential Oils

There are stores on the Internet that specialize in essential oils used in perfume, although some may be available locally at health food stores, particularly if they are used in food or herbal medicine. In some cases, whole spices can be used in place of essential oils, but they require soaked in pure alcohol for the best extraction. Rose water can be bought at shops specializing in Indian groceries, as it is a common ingredient in deserts.

Equipment

Measuring ingredients requires a liquid measuring cup and a dropper. Some essential oil bottles come with their own dropper to keep them from being mixed with other oils.

Colognes should be kept in a clean dark glass jar with a tight seal to prevent it from evaporating or from light from damaging the contents.

Which essential oils should I use?

While there are a wide range of oils that can be used, bergamot oil is part of nearly every recipe. This orangy oil carries over from the original Eau de Cologne, and is paired with other citrus oils, making up the bulk of oil in a cologne.

Some scents fade faster than others, changing the smell of the cologne will change as you wear it. The first to fade are citrus and mint scents, followed by spices, and finally wood smells.

How do I make cologne?

Once you have the ingredients, making a cologne is a matter of mixing and steeping ingredients. Most colognes will need to be stored at least a month to come to full strength.

Most recipes measure ingredients in cups, ounces, and drops. One drop is one milliliter, one cup is approximately 240ml, and one ounce is 30ml or 1/8 cup.

Different types of alcohol can be used as long as the strength used in the recipe is the same. Proof is twice the percentage of alcohol, so an 80 proof vodka will contain 40% alcohol. 80 proof vodka can be substituted with a mixture of two parts Everclear or Perfumer’s alcohol and three parts water. Other spirits used in colognes, such as rum, are used in very small amounts, adding a negligible amount of alcohol to the mix.

Alcohol is the “carrier” in the cologne. When it evaporates, it takes the essential oil with it, giving the cologne its scent. It also acts as a solvent, dispersing the oil into the solution. Typically, the essential oils should be added to the alcohol alone and allowed to sit for a week, turning the bottle once or twice a day to evenly mix the oils. Essential oil can be extracted from whole spices using pure alcohol; this will take one to two weeks depending on the ingredients.

After this period, any whole spices should be removed. Water is added to slow down this process, and the fragrance will stabilize after about three weeks. Glycerin should not be added until this point as it slows down the absorption of the oil.

Armani has sustained himself as a top designer for more than thirty years in a famously brutal trade. One only has to turn on cable television to see pretenders to the fashion throne scrambling to get a foot in the door of the business Giorgio has molded in his image. Three decades worth of exquisite clothing, accessories, and fragrance, have made a man Piacenza a household name not only from Paris to New York, but also from Hong Kong to Sidney.

The Armani brand does produce clothing, accessories, and fragrances for women, but Giorgio got his start designing for men, and it is what he does best. His men’s clothing line uses clean lines and luxurious fabrics to create a look that reeks of wealth and style without losing the vital breath of masculinity. Nothing is more evident of this than the recent ad campaign featuring Christian Bale’s Batman character donning a custom cut Armani suit. No one questions Bruce Wayne.

Beyond clothing, Giorgio Armani colognes, above all, have the masculine spark. While there are several scents for the discerning man to choose from, they all carry the theme of dignified style. The brand names currently in production are:

• Acqua di Gio
• Armani
• Armani Code
• Attitude
• Emporio Armani Diamonds
• Emporio He
• Mania

Acqua di Gio- First introduced in 1997, this continually popular fragrance is the perfect blend of musk and spice, which leaves the wearer with a clean, pleasant scent which does not overpower the senses. This quality cologne may carry a relatively steep price tag (around $50-$60 for 3.7 ounces), but it is a product that lasts. A daytime application can easily carry the wearer into after work cocktails. Even men who do not normally wear a scent, seem to find this cologne attractive, as it is one of the top sellers every gift giving season.

Armani- The original, and a true classic, Giorgio Armani cologne is a scent that has stood the test of time and still pleases new customers every year. A strong scent, with undertones of patchouli, this pricey number should be used sparingly and is a wonderful compliment to an evening out on the town. Men looking to perfect their business look can give themselves a spritz of self confidence with this solid scent many will immediately recognize and respect.

Armani Code- With a more delicate and powdery scent, this one is for the man looking to most appeal to the opposite sex. Women adore the sweet smell of this cologne, but it still strong enough to be a true man’s fragrance. Dress it up for night time wear, or play it down for a day at the office. Either way, with a long lasting scent, you will enjoy for hours on end.
Attitude- Introduced in 2004, this romantic cologne carries subtle undertones of lavender, apple, cumin, citrus, and the green woods. Wear this on a special date, or any time you want others to want to get a little closer to you. The down to earth scents attached to Attitude, make it a very approachable fragrance for both the wearer and those close enough to appreciate his choice.

Emporio Armani Diamonds- The new kid on the block, only just introduced in 2008, Emporio Armani Diamonds is a wonderful addition to the Armani fragrance line. Upon fir whiff, one should notice the overtones of guaiac wood and bergamot. Closer inspection will reveal strong undertones of cedar, vetiver, and sichuan pepper. Those with truly refined senses may even notice the base elements of amber and cacao. This is another great scent appropriate for the office, it does not carry as long as some of the other products in the Armani line.

Emporio He- Last year’s Fall-Winter Armani clothing collection was the inspiration for this fougere scent. His clothing line featured midnight blue as a central element, and the bottle for Emporio He carries on this theme. The most obvious scents for He are cardamom, basil, and bergamot, they are backed up by mace, lilly of the valley, and under tones of licorice, vetiver, and white musk. The bottle says it all: this fragrance is perfect for a midnight blue evening out on the town, ringing in the next day while dancing out the old.

Mania- Truly a man’s man cologne, this product carries the essentially masculine tones of cedar, musk, saffron, vetiver, and amber. This is the cologne men should wear for nights out amongst one another. Evenings filled with cigar smoke, and mutual congratulations on being masters of the universe, would be complimented by this primal male scent.

No matter where your destination is, or what your preferences are for fragrance, if you are a man of refined taste and style, you will find a pleasing scent among the Armani fragrance line. Young men looking to impress, and men of a certain age with standards to uphold are all fans of Giorgio Armani cologne.

The Fragrance Intervention

Fragrance is like memory: it permeates, it suffuses, it lingers when other physical evidence of a special someone’s presence has faded. For men and women alike the right fragrance is a signature note, the perfect distillation of a charismatic personality.

But while women seem to understand this instinctively, men often need a little pushing to smell the Italian bergamot (a popular ingredient in upscale male colognes.) The annals of male gawkery are filled with otherwise attractive men who still use the brand of aftershave that Dad gave them on their fourteenth birthday. The electric razor broke a long time ago. They threw that out. But the Old Spice just won’t take the hint.

You know who I’m talking about, right?

Maybe it’s time for an intervention. Sure you can lure him to the cologne section of your favorite department store for a spray date. But if you’re like most people, the sensitivity of your nose is inversely proportional to the number of times your wrist has been spritzed. Best to bring the mountain to Mohammad – in the form of a gift set of assorted fragrances for men that will allow him to mix and match in the privacy of his own home.

Here are some tips to should make your shopping easier.

Different Products Have Different Uses

First of all, aftershaves and colognes are actually different products with different uses. An aftershave is an astringent lotion designed to sooth the sting of a close shave and keep a gentleman’s skin soft enough so his objet du desir won’t recoil from the pain when his face nestles up against sensitive parts. A cologne, on the other hand, is more about a man’s projection of his inner alpha upon the world at large.

These two scents – aftershave and cologne – need to share the same fragrance profile because there are few things in life more irritating than smells that clash with each other. (Next time you’re trapped in an elevator with some badly groomed strangers take a deep breath. I’m right, aren’t I?) In the best of all possible worlds, the soap, hair styling products and deodorant a man uses will also harmonize with this fragrance profile.

Gift sets featuring a suite of products bearing the same brand assure compatibility. Sean John’s Unforgivable After Shave Balm may not smell exactly like Sean John’s Unforgivable Cologne but the two products are expressly designed to be used in concert.

Which is not to say you can’t select a sampler with scents from several manufacturers, but these may be more suitable for an experienced fragrance connoisseur, someone who already has experience at smelling great.

Different Scents For Different Gents

Secondly, the exact same fragrance may smell quite differently on two different men. Think about it a moment and you’ll understand why. No two men have exactly the same biochemistry and fragrance, after all, is a chemical. Chemicals react. While fragrance manufacturers aren’t required by law to list their ingredients on the label, it’s a safe bet that any scent you end up buying will contain ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, limonene, linalool, a-pinene. ethyl acetate, and acetone. This is the stuff that keeps the essential oils and other olfactory additives in solution. They can also be quit rough on the skin and in extreme cases, cause respiratory complications.

Pick the fragrance that’s right for your man’s skin type

The Three Types of Skin

• Oily Skin

A man with oily skin has a natural barrier to the chemicals in fragrance. Consequently it will take the fragrance longer to dissipate after he applies it. He’s got to be careful how much he puts on. And if he sweats a lot, he’s got to be really careful. (Remember that elevator?) Lighter fragrances will work best for him, scents that emphasize citrus, herbal and tropical wood notes. Stay away from that musk.

Recommendations:

o Giorgio Armani: Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme. The number one selling men’s fragrance in the United States in recent years, this one mingles bergamot and rosemary with amber and patchouli.
o Tom Ford: For Men. Lemon leaf oil, basil and grapefruit with a leatherwood and amber back.
o Hugo Boss: Boss Pure. Citrus notes whose memories linger as the scent of a Mediterranean springtime.

• Dry Skin

A man with dry skin produces fewer oils that adhere to scent-producing molecules. He may have to apply his fragrance more often during the day than his oilier skinned counterparts. But he also gets his pick of the more robust fragrances.

Recommendations:

o Dolce & Gabbana: Light Blue. An olfactory symphony of jasmine, cedar wood, amber and musk.
o Giorgio Armani: An Oriental fragrance that seduces as it mingles notes of lemon, bergamot and wood.
o John Varvatos: Artisan. An initial rush of mandarin and thyme that fades to an after note of rainforest and ginger.

• Sensitive Skin

You can tell always tell a guy with sensitive skin – he’s the one whose face always looks a little red for half an hour after his morning shave. The Catch-22 here is he may be allergic to some of the chemical additives we listed above. Not to worry – there are plenty of products that use natural ingredients. But because they don’t include artificial binders, he will need to reapply them often throughout the day.

Recommendations:

o Calvin Klein: CK1. A subtle, blended mist of bergamot, cardamom, jasmine and musk.
o Givenchy: Very Irresistible For Men With Fresh Attitude. Sparkling notes of mint and basil against a back note of cedar wood and coffee.

Time To Shop

Now that you know everything we know about keeping a man smelling great, it’s time to shop. Remember: a fragrance set for men is not a casual gift, it’s a way of saying, “I want to get to know you better.” And you do, don’t you?

The success of Calvin Klein colognes is attributed to the depth of each fragrance. Complimenting and coordinating top, heart, and end notes combine to create a scent that does not linger, but changes throughout the day to enhance the experience.

• Top Notes – These are the fragrances that will be most prominent when you first put the cologne on. However, these are also the ones that evaporate the quickest and will not stay with you until the end of the day.
• Heart Notes – Heart notes do not evaporate as quickly as top notes, but they do not last for the duration. They do, however, last long enough to make them of vital importance when choosing cologne.
• End Notes – End notes, also referred to as base notes, are the final scents that remain after the top and heart notes have evaporated. They act as a base to compliment the top and heart scents, but also stand alone after the day is nearing the end.

When deciding on a fragrance, it is important to examine all three notes; the initial scent received from sampling at a department store does not begin to explain how the fragrance will transform.

TOP CALVIN KLEIN SCENTS FOR MEN

Calvin Klein Man

Calvin Klein Man provides a spicy scent that is rugged without being overpowering or inappropriate for professional use. It has top notes of rosemary, mandarin, bergamot, and violet leaves. The heart notes consist of nutmeg, mint, and bay. Calvin Klein Man uses end notes of Cyprus, sandalwood, and amber.

The scents begin invigorating and end feelings of balance. The top and heart notes contain citrus and mint scents that are energizing, as well as earthy scents for stability. The end notes are earthy scents to induce a grounding effect. This makes Calvin Klein Man ideal for every day wear. The fragrance accompanies yet adds spark to the mundane routine of every day life.

Calvin Klein Euphoria

As the name suggests, Euphoria creates an atmosphere of elation and bliss through its unique blend. The top notes contain ginger, pepper, raindrop accord, and chilled sudachi. Black basil, cedar leaf, and hydroponic sage comprise the heart notes of Calvin Klein Euphoria. The end notes contain suede, patchouli, Brazilian redwood and amber.

Euphoria’s blend of fragrances utilizes the same pattern as Calvin Klein Man. The end notes are earthy and grounding to prevent the seductive and spicy scents from being deemed overbearing. Calvin Klein Euphoria adds the sensual final touch for an exciting night out or an intimate night in.

Calvin Klein CKin2U

CKin2U acts as a buffer between the every day potential of Calvin Klein Man and the spontaneity of Euphoria. With top notes of lime, pomello, and pomegranate, heart notes of cocoa, pimento, and shiso leaves, and end notes of white cedar and veviter, CKin2U creates a one of a kind fragrance.

The fruit scents are uplifting and nearly provocative while the uncommon usage of cocoa and pimento only intensify the exotic and fresh nature of the fragrance. Of course, Calvin Klein incorporates the traditional musky scents of cedar and veviter to create a balanced and long lasting cologne.

UNISEX CALVIN KLEIN COLOGNE

Calvin Klein CK One

Gender gaps were narrowed as Calvin Klein took a revolutionary step with unisex cologne. While he released many other unisex scents, CK One remains the most popular. The top notes consist of bergamot, cardamom, pineapple, and papaya, the heart notes are jasmine, violet, rose, and nutmeg, and the end notes of CK One are musk and amber.

CK One evokes feelings of purity, unity, and sensuality as men and women share the same clean and contemporary scent that will not lose its appeal. Floral, earthy, and herb fragrances combine to appeal to both sexes. The blended cologne ensures that no single category overwhelms the others that would make the cologne female or male.

AMONG THE GREATEST

While certain Calvin Klein colognes have worked their way to the top of the list, there is not one cologne that works with everyone. Calvin Klein puts the same dedication into each cologne, not just the top selling fragrances, and they deserve the same respect and recognition

• Eternity and Eternity Summer
• Obsession and Obsession Night
• Euphoria Intense
• Escape
• Contradiction
• Truth
• Crave

Calvin Klein built his world wide industry on the basis of fashion and clothing. While he later incorporated fragrances into his line, they were the life-saving product to bring Calvin Klein back from the brink of destruction. Today his colognes are among the most popular for men and women because of his meticulous combinations and attention to subtleties.

SIGNATURE SCENTS

From moderately priced to higher end , Versace sells more than a dozen types of men’s cologne. Shoppers can choose from the following assortment of masculine fragrances.

• Baby Blue Jeans: Targeted for teenagers, this mix of citrus, rosemary, sandalwood, cedarwood, and musk blend well for casual wear. This fragrance remains as popular with young men today as when it debuted in 1995. Retail price: $32 for a 1.6-ounce bottle.
• Black Jeans: Introduced in 1997, this spicy scent appeals more to the mature man. It’s natural citrus, rosemary, geranium, musk, and vetiver ingredients make it ideal for laid-back days. It promises to last 16-plus hours. Retail price: $42 for a 2.5-ounce bottle.
• Blue Jeans: This woodsy, citrus mix pleases men of all ages. It’s moderate scent strength makes it perfect for everyday use. Since its conception in 1994, Blue Jeans remains a popular cologne. Retail price: $49 for a 2.5-ounce bottle.
• Dreamer: The leather and tobacco aspects of this fragrance suit it well for the more mature man. The notes of wild flowers and linen keep it casual. Introduced in 1996, Dreamer still attracts men (and women) today. Retail price: $72 for a 3.3-ounce bottle.
• Green Jeans: Designed for daytime use, the blend of pine, oak, grapefruit, lemon, cedar, and mint appeals to almost anyone. Versace brought out this fragrance in 1996. Retail price: $55 for a 2.5-ounce bottle.
• Metal Jeans: Also created for daytime wear, Metal Jeans aims to please men of all ages with its mix of flower, watermelon, and oakmoss scents. Retail price: $45 for a 2.5-ounce bottle.
• Versace Jeans Couture: With a variety of outdoor scents, this woodsy fragrance works well for the mature wearer. Since its 2002 debut, this fresh scent has gained popularity. Retail price: $55 for a 2.5-ounce bottle.
• Versace L’Homme: Introduced in 1984, this veteran fragrance offers a spicy blend of fruits, jasmine musk, wood, and amber. It promises to be the perfect scent for a gentleman’s evening out. Retail price: $55 for a 3.3-ounce bottle.
• Versace Pour Homme: This newer 2008 cologne features notes of citrus, neroli, bergamot, petit grain, hyacinth, sage, cedar, geranium, Tonka bean, musk, and amber. It offers a masculine contemporary twist for today’s modern man. Retail price: $55 for a 1.7-ounce bottle.
• Versace Man: With is 2006 debut, this newer fragrance appeals to the distinguished customer thanks to its mix of tarragon, white lemon, cedar leaves, rosewood, carambola, musk, amber, sage, and sycamore. Well-suited or casual wear, it can last up to 10 hours. Retail price: $42.50 for a 1-ounce bottle.
• Versace Man Eau Fraiche: Also introduced in 2006, this fragrance offers a wonderful scent of lemon, rosewood, carambola, cedar leaves, tarragon, sage, musk, amber, and sycamore wood. Designed for casual occasions, it stands out as an attractive choice for the more mature man. Retail price: $65 for a 3.3-ounce bottle.
• Versace Signature: This spicy fragrance aims to please today’s gentleman with its unique blend of jasmine, Moroccan cedar wood, musk, kashmir, wood, and azalea. It’s wonderful for casual days. Retail price: $72 for a 3.4-ounce bottle.
• Versus: Since 1990, this fragrance has appealed to the distinguished man. Its lively blend of citrus, spices, woods, amber, and musk make it ideal for an evening out. Retail price: $50 for a 3.4-ounce bottle.
• Versus Time for Action: This 2003 signature fragrance stands out with its definite masculine scent of woods and citrus. Perfect for evening wear, this cologne promises to appeal to the most discriminating customer. Retail price: $38 for a 4.2-ounce bottle.
•VS: Specifically made for the college-aged man, this subtle scent smells sweet and spicy, yet fresh. Brought out in 2000, youthful guys continue to enjoy this cologne. Retail price: $40 for a 1.7-ounce bottle.

FINDING A FRAGRANCE
Upscale department stores, such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom, carry the Versace cologne lines. Well-known skincare shop, Sephora, also sells many of these fragrances. The more casual lines can even be found in super centers like Target.

If these stores are not convenient, a host of online perfume companies also offer many of the Versace products. Web sites such as www.perfume.com, www.fragranceNet.com, www.fragranceshop.com, www.fragrancex.com, www.yournewfragrance.com, along with many others sell a huge assortment of name brand colognes. Most of them also boast of prices below retail.

Reading online customer reviews reveals the high satisfaction rate of men who wear a line of Versace cologne. For those trying to decide which fragrance to buy, customer counters aren’t the only places to test. Thanks to the sample strips inside a variety of mens magazines, potential buyers can see which cologne smells best on them. No matter the choice, a Versace brand cologne always delivers high quality inside their special scents.

Ralph Lauren is one of the most popular and lucrative names in the fashion industry. Not only do they make clothing and accessories but they have a whole line of men’s and women’s colognes. Started by Ralph Lauren, whose name used to be Ralph Lifshitz, no wonder he changed it, the Polo line started with a budget of $50,000 granted to him as a loan and has since become a multi-billion dollar empire.

The first Polo cologne was the signature one most people recognize, in the green bottle with the gold top and the famous Polo insignia on front. To this day, decades after it was released, it remains a standard favorite.

Ralph Lauren Colognes

Ralph Lauren Polo is the uber-masculine fragrance. Robust and green, with piney notes and that clean tennis-pro-just-out-of-the-shower smell it is well liked among men and the women who smell it. I like it myself as well. There is an underlying delicious note that pulls you again and again to sample it. It’s also strong enough to last the day through.

Polo Black was just introduced a few years ago, in 2005. It followed the less popular Polo Explorer, which is packaged in army green and orange and looks like cologne for the army marshall going deer hunting. Explorer is still liked by some but has been often targeted for being an over enthusiastic attempt at a clean scent that borders on insect repellent meets avalanche. In being determined to convince you that the cologne is clean and powerful the makers have simply overdone it.

Most of Polo’s colognes are deliberately created to represent masculine men. The preference is strong, sharp scents that bring to mind the ocean, pine trees and the great outdoors. Polo men are seen to be powerful, well-off men who can afford to spend their leisure as they so please, and do it with great sophistication and ease.

Ralph Lauren Style

Ralph Lauren once said that he preferred clothing and style that was effortlessly elegant and tightly pulled together without being overt or flashy. He liked the understated charm of Cary Grant and Fred Astaire and felt their sense of dress was the epitome of the sophisticated man, used to luxury and confident about how to handle it.

Though some of the Polo fragrances have fallen short of this goal, Polo Black seems to land somewhere in the middle, embraced by some and disappointing others.

Polo Black Reviews

The top notes of Polo Black are:
1. Iced mango.
2. Silver armoise.
3. Patchouli Noir.

It is described by some as the scent of something rich and sugary baking in the oven, or like a pie or custard brought out to cool on the rack whose crust has cracked and is letting the warm steam escape. It has a delicious and sumptuous undertone. Underlying this is a musky but soapy smell of a man’s skin.

But the same ones who praise this quality in the cologne are disappointed by how quickly this initial scent fades away, to be replaced with a more traditional manly cologne smell. The patchouli gives way to a crispness and spiciness that is pleasant but comparable to dozens of other colognes and this scent too disappears after a few hours.

Others, though, love the smell, particularly women, who have said that the smell seems to last all day. This could be because the men in their life are reapplying it throughout the day without their knowledge of it. Of course, not every review is going to be the same. Colognes do smell differently from one person to the next, both to those sampling them and for those wearing them. Our individual chemical make-up causes whatever fragrance we wear to have a different scent, as our balances will cause one or another of the perfume’s ingredients to be stronger than the others.

Prices for Polo Black by Ralph Lauren

Polo Black prices start at about $25, depending on what you buy. The average cologne size will sell for $45 and up. Gift sets, which include a fragrance and after shave and deodorant, start at $75.

If you already know what the cologne smells like it’s a good idea to do your shopping on the internet. You’ll find a great deal of bargain prices. Just makes sure that the bargain price isn’t offset with a not-so-bargain shipping cost. Also, be sure to google the company you’re thinking of buying the cologne from to make sure they actually send the product. It’s fairly easy to pretend to be a business on the internet, set up some advertisements and then disappear.

But if you haven’t smelled the cologne it’s a better idea to do your shopping the old-fashioned way. Hit up the mall and get a sample.

Get a Free Vial of Polo Black

Ralph Lauren offers many other colognes. Try them all out and see what you think. If you can, get a free sample vial of the cologne so that you can compare the reviews that have said Black tends to die out quickly. It’s fairly easy to do this.

Approach the salesperson behind the counter and let them know that you’re seriously shopping for a new cologne but you want to make sure that you get the right one. Tell them you’ve read reviews that state the cologne has a tendency to fade too quickly during the day.

The salesperson will spray the cologne on a card for you, but if you like the way it smells and want to try it out during the day specifically ask for a free vial. Every cologne delivery a store gets is packed with free vials. You’re entitled to ask for one and if they’re still in stock, they’ll give them to you.

This is the perfect way to determine if Polo Black is the right cologne for you.