I have spicy geraniums in full bloom in my yard, and I tell you, their scent is heavenly. One of my favorite parts of summer is the wafts of fragrance I get to enjoy as I go through my day.

Sandalwood rules as far as I’m concerned, so you might say I’m an earthy woman. Its exotic, sweet, woody fragrance feels like home on my skin. Many ancient cultures in India, Egypt, Greece and Rome incorporated sandalwood into their religious and spiritual traditions. It is considered a symbol of vitality in India. I have adopted sandalwood as my signature scent.

What’s your signature scent?

The Importance of a Signature Scent

I write about the importance of dressing with confidence and finding your signature clothing style. I also believe that finding your signature scent is just as critical because our sense of smell plays a role in the attraction between two people. Your attraction factor is tightly linked to not only your appearance, but to the way you smell. Your signature scent transmits who you are to the person standing close to you.

Scents for Men

Here are some scents for men that you might find appealing:

Coffee

If you love the smell of a dark roasted cup of joe, you’ll pick out the coffee qualities in scents like Polo Double Black, Armani Attitude, or Givenchy Play Intense. Another scent combining coffee and lavender with low notes of amber and sandalwood is the very affordable Rochas Man.

Spice

The spices used in fragrances are aromatic cooking ingredients like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. If you are a spicy kind of guy, check out Gucci Pour Homme II, Burberry London, or John Varbatos Vintage. My husband wears Kolnisch Juchten, by Regence Paris, which sends me swooning every time he’s near me. He sometimes splashes on a spicy sandalwood aftershave cologne called Sandalwood from www.TheArtofShaving.com.

Vanilla

If you love vanilla, Boss Bottled (a classic) or Givenchy Pi gives a soft hint of vanilla. Tobacco Vanille, by Tom Ford, blends vanilla with the sensual smell of tobacco leaves (not to be confused with choking tobacco smoke) to create a seductive, pipe smoke effect.

Chocolate

Chocolate may be appealing to eat, but can be a tricky note for men to wear. Aim for the rich, sensual cocoa of dark chocolate and offset it with the scent of leather, spice, or wood. Dior Homme Intense achieves this balance.

Citrus

Lemons and oranges smell fresh and energizing. Acqua Di Parma, the original lemon-based cologne that shot to fame during Hollywood’s Golden Age, remains popular, along with the classic, Christian Dior Eau Sauvage.

How to Apply Cologne

If you are wearing a strong fragrance, only a small drop on your chest is necessary. Sometimes men don’t realize how overpowering a scent can be to the person standing or walking nearby. We have all experienced the gagging results of over-application! Less is more when it comes to cologne application.

And, remember, cologne is supposed to be used after you shower,
Not INSTEAD of a shower!

My recommendation is to step out of your comfort zone and test some of these fragrance categories. Bring your significant other to the fragrance counter and make it a date night!