“Perfumes are foods that reawaken the spirit.” – Prophet Mohammed
Scent is one of the most powerful senses. The use of perfumes can be traced back to ancient Egyptian civilizations (Annick Le Guérer) (Fashion-Era.com) (Bustle.com), mostly being used for ceremonial and beatification purposes. We’ve come a long way since then because today some analysts give the Global Fragrances, Perfumes Market a value of $46.6 billion by 2018 (Perfumer & Flavorist).
It wasn’t until the 19th century when new extraction methods were invented and implemented and then the 20th century when mass production of perfumes began. Starting in the 1970’s men’s fragrances would begin to be marketed with the same vigor and intensity as women’s fragrances. As such men’s fragrances have long been regarded as style accessories which serve to compliment men’s apparel, special moments, and/or important occasions. A man’s fragrance is a simple and distinctive way for a man to differentiate himself and compliment his personal style.
During a recent visit with my style insider at Bergdorf Goodman, Omar Chandler, he explained it’s important for a man to stick to three brands of fragrances. He further explained that men are judged by three things, the clothes they wear, the shoes they wear, and the car they drive. But a man is remembered by the scent he wears.
Indeed Omar’s signature scent is memorable and whenever I smell it, I’m going to think of him. Omar selected Green Irish Tweed as his signature fragrance. “It’s invigorating, fresh fragrance as legendary as the leading men who love it, Green Irish Tweed is worn by today’s stars who ask for it by name. This rich, green, spicy, sporty, and unforgettable fragrance is one of the best known fragrances of the House of CREED. Green Irish Tweed‘s ingredients include French verbena, Florentine iris, violet leaves, sandalwood from India, and ambergris. Founded in 1760 and passed from father to son since then, CREED is the only dynastic, privately held luxury fragrance company in the world. CREED is based in Paris.”
When selecting your fragrance think about when and where you will be wearing it and don’t ever select a fragrance for someone else. Don’t hesitate to test some out before you find the right one.
Fragrances are generally composed of about 78 – 95% of specially denatured ethyl alcohol with the remaining percentage made up of essential oils. Below is a quick reference chart outlining fragrance intensity, essential oil composite, retail pricing and current examples of popular men’s fragrances.
It’s important to remember your overall scent is be defined by the compatibility of your natural scent blended with your cologne of choice.
The following will assist you in your fragrance selections:
| Perfume | Essential Oils 22% |
The costliest form of fragrance | Valentino Valentino Umo |
| Eau de Parfum | Essential Oils 15 – 22% |
The second costliest form of fragrance | Tom Ford Tobacco Oude |
| Eau de Toilette | Essential Oils 8 – 15% |
The third costliest form of fragrance | Calvin Klein Eternity Summer |
| Eau de Cologne | Essential Oils 4 – 8% |
The fourth costliest form of fragrance | Chanel Eau de Cologne |
| Eau Fraiche | Essential Oils 1 – 4% |
The fifth costliest form of fragrance |
Issey Miyake L’Eau Bleue d’Issey Eau Fraiche |
