When it comes to personal style, an oft-overlooked aspect is your fragrance. But fragrance is part of the impression you make — it influences how people perceive and remember you. Our sense of smell is much more sensitive than our sense of vision, and smell triggers memories better than any of the other senses.

Picking out a signature cologne can help set you apart from the pack. It could be one of Grandpa’s drugstore colognes, one of the colognes favored by history’s famous men, or something that’s unique to you (I’m a fan of Sportsman, myself). Whatever fragrance you select, you want to make sure you apply it right in order to optimize the results. The above guidelines will help ensure you don’t overpower people with your cologne, while allowing folks to smell the full range of scents in your fragrance. 

For more insights on colognes for men, check out our in-depth article on the subject. 

Illustrations by Ted Slampyak