Cologne and Deodorant: How Much Is Too Much

Fragrance is a grace to be discovered by those granted the privilege of proximity, not a herald to be despatched ahead of one’s arrival to clear the street.

Two points govern the subject: application should be restrained enough that proximity is required to detect it, and cologne is the discretionary flourish, not the foundation. In my own time, the use of scents was governed by a regard for the comfort of others. A man might employ a few drops of lavender water or a discreet West Indian bay rum after his morning’s invigorating sponge bath, but the effect was intended to be as fleeting and as clean as the morning air itself. The modern deodorant is a sensible, if somewhat industrial, evolution of this necessity; it is the foundation of maintenance, while cologne remains the discretionary flourish, and the two ought never to be confused in their relative importance.

A two-spray rule is a commendable discipline for any man of refined taste. By applying the essence to the chest and the wrists alone, one ensures that the scent remains within a personal orbit. Should a person standing three yards distant be able to identify a chosen bouquet, the wearer has transitioned from being a gentleman of taste to a public nuisance. The scent should only announce itself when someone is invited into that closer circle of conversation or acquaintance. Furthermore, one must exercise caution against reapplication; the olfactory senses are notoriously treacherous, becoming accustomed to a scent until the wearer believes it has entirely vanished, when in truth it is still performing its office with considerable diligence.

A man’s scent, like his signature, ought to reflect his own character. Choose a fragrance that suits you, take a companion’s view as a valued second opinion, and then decide for yourself.