Cologne can be a man’s secret weapon, creating a scent that infuses with your essence for something truly unique.
Unless, of course, you apply too much of it, in which case you’ll come across more than a few crinkled noses and disapproving looks as you move around the world.
There’s a lot of debate around exactly how many sprays are necessary, but we’d suggest anywhere between 2-4 is a good amount. Too much more than that, and it will be overpowering, any less, and the scent will likely be faint.
There’s a lot of nuance to this question, believe it or not, and we’ll tackle all of the related issues in this guide.
Some of the most important factors surrounding this issue are the method of application, the type of cologne you use, and where you apply it.
Without any further ado, let’s dive into the issue and explore everything you need to know to apply just the right amount of cologne to endear you to others and not scare them away.
Method of Application
The first thing we need to get straight is the method of application.
The last thing you want to do is spray your cologne all over the bathroom like a mad man or create a wall of the stuff that you then walk through ,hoping it covers your body from head to toe.
These approaches are futile if you’re trying to create a signature scent that isn’t overpowering.
Instead, you want to follow these simple steps when applying cologne.
Step 1: Before you even consider applying cologne, hop in the shower and rinse off. While you don’t have to do this every time you apply it, coming fresh out of the shower before you put on your cologne will bring out the best of the scent. Just make sure to thoroughly dry off before you spray the cologne onto your skin.
Step 2: The next step is an important one, so pay close attention: keep the bottle approximately 4 or 5 inches away from your body as you spray it. This can make a big difference in how strong the scent is, and spraying from too far away or too close can lead to disappointing outcomes.
Step 3: As you’ve probably already gathered, you’re going to spray the cologne onto your body, not into the air. With anywhere from 2-4 sprays, you should be good to go, but you may want to pause after each spray to make sure the scent isn’t too strong. Whatever you do, don’t try and rub the cologne into your skin.
Aim for the Pulse Points
It’s all well and good having a process for applying cologne, but you’re not going to have much success if you don’t know the best places to spray it.
Our advice is to always aim for the pulse points.
Pulse points are parts of the body that have arteries close to the surface of the skin, and as a result, are warm enough to react quickly with the fragrance to create a signature scent.
You should already be familiar with the best pulse points to aim for, but we’ll go over them just in case.
Wrists
The wrists are an excellent place to start out if you’re just trying out a new cologne.
All it takes is a spray or two on the wrists, and you can get a good idea of what the fragrance is like.
The best thing to do is get experimental with colognes, spraying them on your wrists, and waiting for the fragrance to infuse with your own unique scent.
The wrists are also a relatively risk-free place to try out a cologne, so you can hide the scent if you aren’t too keen on how it develops.
Neck
The neck is a more intimate place to apply cologne, making it the perfect place to spray the liquid fragrance if you’re going on a date.
If you’ve got a particularly seductive scent, you’ll want to show it off by applying a few sprays to your neck.
It’s best to make sure you like the cologne before you go applying it on your neck, though, since one it’s there, you can’t do much to hide it.
Type of Cologne
There are various types of colognes out there, and each one offers a different concentration and staying power.
We’re going to exclude solid colognes since they aren’t sprays, but they can be a good option if you’re looking to have greater control over how strong the scent is.
The main differentiating factor when it comes to colognes is the percentage of the aromatic essence it contains.
Eau de Cologne
The first option is Eau de Cologne, which has the shortest duration and the lowest concentration.
With around 2-4% concentration, this type of cologne is best suited for short periods of time as it only lasts for two hours or so.
With that in mind, it might be a fragrance that you need to re-apply throughout the day and perhaps requires a spray or more two than a highly concentrated perfume that sits at the other end of the spectrum.
Eau de Toilette
Eau de Toilette is a very common type of cologne, and this one has a concentration of 5-15%, making it significantly more potent in some cases than Eau de Cologne.
This cologne will last you anywhere up to three hours, which still isn’t a very long time, so again you might want to consider several sprays over the course of the day.
It can be easy to overdo it, though, so don’t get carried away when you first apply an Eau de Toilette.
Eau de Parfum
Approaching the other end of the spectrum is Eau de Parfum, which refers to a type of cologne with a concentration of 15-20%.
This type of cologne can last for as long as four or five hours, so it can be a great option for a night out or date.
Less is more is the best approach with Eau de Parfum, since the risk of creating an overpowering scent is high.
Perfume
Perfume has the highest concentration of any cologne fragrance, coming in at a substantial 20-30%.
While it isn’t that common to find men’s perfumes, if you do go with one you can achieve outstanding results off just a few sprays.
Be very careful with perfumes, since one spray too many and you could end up wondering why nobody wants to be near you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cologne Spray Frequency
How often should you spray cologne?
There’s no hard and fast rule for how often you should spray cologne, but generally speaking you should reapply it whenever the scent starts to fade.
As such, this means you could be reapplying it just once for the day or several times.
The amount of times you need to spray the cologne will depend on the aromatic essence concentration and how many times you’ve already applied it.
Is 5 sprays of cologne too much?
Five sprays is a lot, but sometimes it’s necessary too.
The answer to this question is multifaceted and will depend on the strength of the cologne, personal preferences, and where you apply it.
We suggest that 2-4 is the optimal range, but some situations call for five sprays so you might have to just trust your gut on this one.
How can I make my cologne smell all day?
You can do several things to boost the duration of your cologne that so that it clings to you throughout the day.
First, always apply cologne after you’ve showered and dried off for the best results.
Also make sure you aim for your pulse points and do 2-4 sprays, reapplying when the scent starts to fade.
A Final Word From The Trending Man
It’s easy to overdo cologne; we’ve all been there.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Heed our advice and stick with 2-4 sprays of cologne while making sure to consider the strength of the fragrance and where you apply it.
