Last night was Theory’s birthday and it was another epic night in New York City…

It’s starting to get really cold at night though. Doesn’t it just make you want to warm up with a beautiful woman in your arms?

So to prepare for this new winter season, let’s talk about how you can smell great when she’s snuggled besides you.

We’ll talk about some hot new colognes, a few timeless classics, and some important tips on wearing scents.

Arouse Her Senses

She says:

I find myself strangely attracted to guys wearing a great cologne.

As image consultants, we help people make lasting visual impressions. However, we can’t deny the strongest human sense: smell.

When it comes to the girl you met at the club last night, you’ll probably have an easier time remembering her scent than her name. Studies show that a person’s sense of smell is connected to creating the longest lasting memories that we have.

Finding The Best Colognes

Buying the right cologne isn’t achieved by just getting whatever smells good to you.

A great cologne triggers memories in people.

When a woman smells something that triggers a good memory, she becomes drawn to whatever is producing the scent. For example, your scent might remind her of a fun summer day at the beach, or that delicious vanilla cupcake that always made her happy as a child. Get her to associate these good memories to you.

One thing I’ve noticed is that colognes that have a citrusy note get a good reaction from women because of some sort of association with those smells and things that are tasty, delicious, fresh, and clean.

Also, a lot of people have the impression that colognes vary simply by the degree of how “good” they smell. However, the truly cologne savvy know that just like clothing, there are different fragrances for different occasions. So it’s best to have a couple of different colognes to rotate, fit to different occasions [e.g., fresh everyday scent // seductive nightlife scent // woody work scent], and keep women on their toes.

And remember wearing cologne is really the icing on the cake to a complete look & style - it puts most women over the edge once everything else is right.

Choosing a Unique Scent

A woman associates a cologne to the guy who wears it most around her before someone else. If they smell this scent again on some other guy, they’ll most likely be reminded of the first guy they associated the scent to. Thus the small chance that if you wear a popular cologne, it might remind a woman of someone else.

I used to wear ACQUA DI GIO when it first came out - I got nothing but compliments - and my girlfriend at the time loved it. I wore it often until my next girlfriend kept telling me I smelled like this other guy she knew. I stopped wearing it around her because I didn’t want to remind her of some other guy - when she was with me.

Another thing that happens is that when a great new cologne comes onto the market, it blows up and you smell it everywhere. After it’s been exhausted by a certain generation, it trickles down to the younger generation of boys who start picking out colognes for the first time, and who’s female counterparts are less likely to have smelled it somewhere.

Usually people recognize a certain perfume when it first hits the market, and everyone is starting to realize a familiar scent, saying things like “What is that? I’ve been smelling it everywhere. It smells so good.”

Don’t worry too much about smelling like someone else, because most women won’t recognize the cologne unless their boyfriend or someone they see everyday wears it around them - in which case you can easily switch it up with a different cologne. Most men don’t even wear cologne regularly that this rarely even an issue.

However, these are some of the reasons why it’s good to rotate colognes and always be checking out the new colognes that come out, just to keep things fresh and always be smelling good around women. So without further ado, here are some of the newest.

Hot New Colognes:

» L’homme, by Yves Saint Laurent

Fresh woody fragrance playing on contrasts opening with a bright and sparkling freshness. It sports a sharp, slightly sweet floral smell.

» Hugo XY

The cool thing about this cologne is that one of it’s scents are basil. Basil stimulates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which controls short-term memory, this may actually help the woman recall your name at the bar, according to a study in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

» Fuel For Life by Diesel

Fuel for Life Men is an energetic potion that teases the nose with clarity and modernity yet maintains a classic and sophisticated masculinity. Accents of raspberry give an unexpected signature twist.

Some Classics:

» Le Male Jean by Paul Gaultier

A sweet and woody fragrance with a hint of mint, and a dash of orange and lavender to smooth it out. The cologne is perfect for the winter time when you need somebody to warm you up.

This cologne came out in 1995, and exploded like a bomb around the globe. You would smell this everywhere, and ladies were eating it up. Ladies still love this cologne, so it’s definitely a must have. A lot of reviewers say to spray this sparingly though, keep it down to 3 sprays; any more than that and it’ll become an obnoxious, gauche bully.

» ACQUA DI GIO by GIORGIO ARMANI

ACQUA DI GIO by GIORGIO ARMANI was introduced in 1996. A lot of women love this fresh scent. It has a strong citrus tone combined with a hint of rosemary and offers a spicy aquatic freshness. Recommended for summer days. The one caveat is that since it’s the best-selling cologne on the market, it’s a bit played out. It’s perfect for casual wear, bad for first impressions.

» Cool Water by Davidoff

A classic: cool, refreshing and spicy with a hint of amber and smoothness of lavender. This aroma drives women crazy. A lot of women have great things to say about this cologne. Recommended for daytime, perfect for the office or restaurant.

» L’Eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake

Still one of my favorites, classified as a refined, aquatic fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of citrus and spice combined with lower notes of musk, amber and woods. Women always compliment this cologne, it really arouses your senses when you smell it. Great for first impressions.

Some Top Picks From the Ladies:

» Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana

Light Blue Pour Homme is Dolce & Gabbana’s newest fragrance for men. Drawing upon their native home of Italy, this innovative design team have captured the sensuality of the Mediterranean. A refreshing blend of citrus notes combines perfectly with masculine woods and subtle spice to create a distinctive fragrance that epitomizes relaxed sophistication. This is really popular with the ladies right now.

» Armani Attitude

After Attitude’s powerful opening, one gets a pleasant whiff of cardamom and lavender (both easily recognizable) before the scent moves into its best (and final) phase. Attitude’s base notes are cedar, patchouli and (I think) vanilla; the base has a “coffee-amber” aroma. All the base notes are smooth, pleasant and slightly sweet.

I remember one of the girls at the perfume shop was holding this to her nose and literally rolling her eyes into the back of her head with ecstasy, she couldn’t stop talking about how much she loves this cologne, and how “It’s the way a real man should smell.” Check it out.

» Pi by Givenchy

This energetic, sensual and woody fragrance contains a dash of tangerine and pine scents. A very popular scent among every woman asked; the men say that this is a favorite of theirs also. This one is great when you plan on making a lasting first impression. It has a strong Vanilla scent in it, which by the way is a scent proven to increase blood flow to the genitals in women. Hmm…

» Touch by Burberry

Thanks to its woody undertones and floral overtones, this cologne lives up to its name. Great for the everyday, casual wear — it has a very “clean” impression like fresh laundry and just out of the shower.

» Armani Black Code

Armani Code Cologne by Giorgio Armani is a fairly new, elegant, sexy, masculine scent that combines sleek seductiveness with sophistication. A fresh, spicy composition which opens on notes of lemon and bergamot, leading to a heart of olive flower. This cologne was one of the best in 2006-2007. This one is a great nightlife scent.

How to Test & Wear Cologne (important)

Not all colognes smell the same on different people. The final scent is a result of the chemistry between the oils on your skin and the cologne. So always test cologne on your skin, not your clothing because it won’t bring out the full effect of the cologne.

The best places to apply cologne is where there is the most body heat. Heat activates the cologne and allows it to last longer, while a colder area will dull the smell. These “hot spots” are the wrists, the neck, on your elbows, and behind your ears.

Don’t spray it directly behind your ear. It’ll come off as too strong in case a women gets closer to your ear in a loud club. Wipe some off your wrist with one finger and dab the space behind your ear.

A Great Conversation Starter and Cologne Test

When picking out the best cologne for yourself, instead of going to the store to get high off a bunch of colognes, try this next time:

Every time you happen to be at the mall or a perfume shop, spray on a new cologne that day, and then ask as many women as you possibly can about their opinion. This is the best way I’ve found to pick out a cologne that gets good reactions. It’s also a great conversation starter with the ladies.

If I happen to be with one of my female friends or my girlfriend at the mall, I’ll stop by the store and ask their opinion on some colognes. This is great because they will give you a straightforward honest opinion.

When asking strangers, Try saying something like:

“Hey, really quick… I know you don’t know me… but I wanted to get an honest opinion about this new cologne my girlfriend just bought me.” Point to wrist* (I wouldn’t ask her to smell your neck or some other weird place, the wrist is more non-threatening)

I like to add “girlfriend” in there because it shows that I’m not trying to pick up the girl or anything but just asking for her honest opinion, because I really do want it and sometimes guys talk to women without an agenda.

Now, if you don’t really care about the “honest opinion” but more about the girl you’re asking, here is how to take it further: tease her about the opinion she gives you. If she gives you a negative opinion, playfully tell her she must have a cold or that she probably sniffed too many markers as a child. If she gives you a positive opinion, bust her on being nervous around you and that she should really give you an honest opinion instead of just being nice like her mommy taught her. Once she laughs you’re in, and then you can continue to run your game.

Remember The Power of Scent

This is not a end-all, be-all article on colognes. These are just some of my favorite new fragrances for men, as well as classics that I’ve worn and tested over the years. And although women really like these particular fragrances for many reasons, there are hundreds of other scents out there you can find to match your personality, style, and occasion. So if you’re missing one of the strongest elements of your wardrobe, or just need something fresh & different, get out there and try some of these colognes.

P.S. - Share some of your own favorite scents, and colognes that women have liked in our community.

Happy Holidays,

Jae