The 7 Mistakes Men Make When Shopping for Cologne, According to a Pro

The wrong fragrance can be a foul-smelling misstep. Avoid these errors when shopping for your next scent.

Published April 3, 2024

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Updated April 3, 2024

What’s the biggest mistake you can make when buying cologne? You buy the wrong one, of course. And that can be an expensive, even foul-smelling, misstep.

To be fair, it’s not like there’s one single correct one. But there are many things to consider when shopping around for a new scent: cost, compatibility with your deodorant, potency and whether you’re patient enough to actually let it become a part of you.

To learn which mistakes men make when shopping for a new fragrance, I spoke with one of the world’s top fragrance experts, Clayton Ilolahia of Fragrances of the World. Here are the ones to avoid.

1. They only buy expensive bottles

“Don’t be fooled into thinking a bigger price tag means a better scent,” says Ilolahia. “A lot of the time price is linked to the bottle design, packaging and brand marketing more than the scent inside the bottle.”

Price can also pertain to the concentration of perfume oils, too, which simply means that the scent is stronger or wears heavier — maybe these aren’t things you value or need in a scent.

“There are great low-cost fragrances out there to be found, many of them are created by leading perfumers who also create expensive designer and niche fragrances,” Ilolahia adds. In short, don’t shy away from lower-priced bottles. That’s good news, right?

bottle of cologne on blue backdrop — Not all great scents cost a fortune. A bottle of 4711, a classic since the 1700s, can be had for less than the cost of lunch.

2. They only smell the top notes

What you smell in the first whiff is not the same scent others will pick up throughout the day. “I never buy a fragrance after a quick test in-store because I’m only smelling the top notes at that stage,” Ilolahia says.

His advice: “Ideally, test the fragrance on your skin instead of a paper smelling strip, because that’s where you will be wearing the fragrance if you buy it.”

“Test the fragrance on your skin instead of a paper smelling strip, because that’s where you will be wearing the fragrance if you buy it.”

Then, take a walk. Base notes take more time to unfold, and they’re the ones that work with the chemistry of your skin to evolve into something special — or something not so.

“You’ll get a more accurate read of the fragrance away from the counter,” Ilolahia says.

3. They stick to traditional gender constructs

“If you are feeling bold, discard gender when shopping for a new scent. I often find great fragrances for men amongst the isles of fragrances marketed as ‘feminine’,” Ilolahia says.

“Floral notes are often considered feminine when actually most men’s fragrances have floral notes in them too, but marketing people don’t communicate this because they think they will lose sales.”

Luckily, many brands are dropping gendered branding altogether, since their scents wear so well on all people.

4. They sample too many scents, too quickly

“Your nose will tire after smelling three to five different fragrances,” Ilolahia says. Come prepared with a note or two that you like (such as woody, musky or floral) — or, even better, a similar scent that you want to emulate.

“Be prepared to tell the salesperson the notes you like and any fragrances you previously liked,” Ilolahia adds. “This will help them cut down the guessing game and they can match new fragrances to your preferences.”

5. They don’t research the person behind the scent

There is, of course, no shortage of scents to try. Ilolahia says about 2,500 new ones launch each year. One way to narrow down your choices is to find out who created the scent — that is, research the perfumer, called the nose, behind the scent.

“Perfume is like music. Perfumers are like artists. Brands are like record labels.”

“Perfume is like music. Perfumers are like artists. Brands are like record labels,” Ilolahia says. “Build a collection and have scents for different moods and occasions like you would build playlists of music on your phone.”

6. They mistake strength for quality

“For a lot of guys, performance is about how long a fragrance lasts or how powerful the fragrance projects,” Ilolahia says. Try to think outside those bounds.

“Fragrances that are very ‘loud’ and enduring often sacrifice more nuanced and subtle characteristics,” he adds. You need to factor in how the scent plays with the chemistry of your own skin, as well as (again), how those lingering notes play out.

7. They don’t think about the rest of their grooming regimen

Don’t forget that this scent is but one product in your entire regimen, and those things can often compete with one another.

“If you find a fragrance you want to be your scent, consider everything else that is part of your grooming routine,” Ilolahia says. “Almost every product you are using, particularly hair styling products, contain fragrance. These could interfere with your cologne.”

Always apply your fragrance last — especially after any deodorant or body lotion. You don’t want anything to compromise the scent’s abilities before you even step out the door.