My Two Scents

Not that long ago I was shopping around for a new cologne. I was using Brooks Brothers classic, but at the time I wanted something else. The gist of it is that I wanted something that wore longer and better. It turns out it was not the cologne that was the problem.

The truth of the matter is a little embarrassing. What I learned in my search for a new scent was that I was wearing cologne all wrong. My routine consisted of spraying it on after I was fully dressed. I can hear a few of you laughing now, but I promise that I did not know any better.

It turns out that you are supposed to apply cologne directly to your skin. Most people suggest a single spray to the chest. This was a game changer for me. After I started to wear my Brooks Brothers cologne correctly I noticed how much longer it lasted and the scent was much more interesting. I was a happy man.

I did not change colognes, but I did make one other change. I added Brooks Brothers aftershave to my routine. Again, this change helped me carry the scent longer and more noticeably, but not in an overwhelming in your face way. I hope that someone out there can learn from my ignorance or at least have a little chuckle at my expense.

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Jerrod Swanton is a simple man interested in simple, classic, and traditional style.

7 Comments on "My Two Scents"

  1. Jack says:

    Dear Jerrod,

    No chuckles here.

    I’ve got an equally embarrassing confession: I tend not to wear aftershave at all. I’m thinking about getting my hands on the Brooks Brothers Classic and hope that it becomes my ‘signature scent’ if I like it. I’ve read that it’s manly. I look forward to testing it out.

    Cheers,

    Jack

  2. Lennart says:

    I never wear aftershave, my skin/chin does not like it, instead I wear EdT which works all days weather newly shaved or on slightly more rugged occations. I wear Papa Cheri from Fragonnard, a gift from my daughter.

  3. Randy Carson says:

    The real question, of course, is: “What does SHE like?”

    I have an assortment (including Bleu de Chanel and even Old Spice among others), and I wear something different every day of the week just for my own amusement. But SHE likes Joseph Abboud (which I found at Jos. A Bank) the best of all.

    So, guess what I wear on date night? 😉

  4. Hollywood Argyle says:

    I’m a deodorant kind of guy myself. For summer, I loved Armani with its citrus notes, but they discontinued it! Fortunately, I stumbled across Schmidt’s Bergamot + Lime, which is a fine replacement. They also have a woodsy Cedarwood + Juniper deodorant that is good for fall & winter.

    For fancy occasions, I use George Washington’s favorite, Caswell-Massey Number Six. I prefer the spray cologne.

  5. Andrew says:

    There is a prep tradition that opposes scents of any kind for men. Deodorants should be scent free, too. Women of course wear perfume, but nowadays in some circles, with people imagining that they are allergic, even women do not always wear it. I am myself of the school that says none for men, but trad perfumes for women.

  6. FJW says:

    I rotate aftershaves between Caswell Massey’s ‘Jockey Club’, Old Spice and Harry’s ‘After Shave Balm’. I’ve never been a fan of Colognes.

    I wish Old Spice would bring back their After Shave Balm!

  7. Jim says:

    I’m biased to lime/citrus base, and am fond of Royall Lyme, Mandarin, St John’s Lime, etc., both for their understatement (the scent is not that long-lasting), and cost factor. I really don’t like to announce myself before walking into a room, but its nice to have my wife nuzzle my collar and compliment me. I tend to use this as an aftershave, or just as a splash when I primp to go out. Here I’ll apply a spray to the base of my throat and a spritz on my collarbone. Now that I think of it, I tried some Proraso Azur Lime the other week – for @$15/bottle, its very nice.

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