Men’s fragrances are their own special science. One of the rare occasions when chemistry and artistry not only collide but are treated with equivalent levels of respect and appreciation.

However, as with any mega-bucks profit-generating global industry, it does have a bad habit of talking in its own ‘insider’ lingo. This jargon barrier, along with the infinite choice in a very saturated market, does not make the journey of discovering a new signature scent any easier.

We can’t do much about holding-back the selection that’s out there, which incidentally isn’t waning any time soon. Still, we can go some way to making you perfumery-lingual, demystifying the smoke and mirrors, and armed to make a better informed, tailored to your individual taste, and more clear-sighted selection.

Types Of Men’s Fragrances

Finding the correct concentration of fragrance is essential. Too light, and it can fade without a trace; too intense, and it can have a longer life than a Duracell bunny leading to a cracking headache. To better understand which is the right formulation for you, we have to first consider how a fragrance is made; A blend of oils (known as the formula) is diluted into a ‘carrier’, usually alcohol, which helps stabilise the scent, controlling how long it lasts on the skin. The greater the ratio of oil to alcohol content, the stronger, more persistent, and as a general rule, more expensive the fragrance is.

Eau Fraiche

Considered to be a bit of a lightweight by true perfume-heads, eau fraiche (literally translated as fresh water) is the lager-shandy in the perfumery pecking order. Containing the lowest concentration of oils (usually 1-3 per cent), and diluted with mostly water as opposed to alcohol, they only stay on the skin for around 1-2 hours, making them better suited to an uplifting but temporary post-shower spritz.