Definitive : Men’s Scents of Style Waft Through the Ages
Splash and dash or spray and stay--whatever the occasion, mood or lifestyle, men are not forgotten in the art of perfumery.
The longest-lasting and purest of bottled scents, perfume sets the standard for its resulting offspring of cologne, toilet water, after shave, soap, lotion and powder.
The artful blending of odoriferous substances has its genesis in the burning of incense made from aromatic gums and resins, with the term perfume coming from the Latin phrase per fumum, meaning “through smoke.”
A savory past of biblical proportions: The legendary Wise Men are said to have brought brought frankincense and myrrh (aromatics) to the Christ child as the ultimate in worldly tributes. The burning of incense was thought to send souls soaring in the heavenly direction and always was included in early religious ceremonies.
The ancient Egyptians developed a perfume, kyphi, in the shape of a cone that was placed atop the head and allowed to melt at body temperature, thereby perfuming the face. Favorite scents of the Egyptians came from violets, myrrh, mint and majoram.
The value of fragrances as fumigants for houses and streets was prized during the Middle Ages, when facilities for removing waste materials was nonexistent.
Later, Louis XIV (the “Perfume King”) led the way for French royalty who brought perfume to the height of its popularity during the 18th Century. It was a time when dousing oneself with scent was preferential to bathing.
Typical scents were made from flower essences such as violets, roses and lavender but with derivative from ambergris, musk, bay and cinnamon.
Napoleon would not enter battle unless equipped with a dozen or so of his favorite scents. He considered them necessary to maintain his prowess on the battlefield and requisite to his personal well-being.
The 18th-Century gentleman spent much time on his toilette and kept a dressing box fitted with perfume bottles, after-shave lotions and powder, much unlike the later Victorian period when the perfumed man was frowned upon.
Today, men have overcome the Victorian phobia of using perfumed cosmetics in their daily toilette. Manufacturers produce masculine scents with names that are indicative of the modern male pursuit and character: Safari for Men, Grey Flannel, Polo and Egoiste.
Raw materials used in perfumery include plant materials such as flowers, grasses, spices, herbs, citrus products, woods, leaves and roots, and animal extracts such as ambergris from the sperm whale, castor from the beaver, civet from the civet cat and musk from the musk deer. (Chemical interpretations of these animal extracts are favored.)
Fine perfumes may contain as many as 100 ingredients.
The distinction between perfume, cologne and toilet water is simple. Perfume generally has a higher concentration of essential oil, which makes the scent last longer. Better perfumes may contain 10% to 25% perfume concentrates in an alcohol solution, whereas cologne or toilet water (terms that are used interchangeably now) may contain 2% to 6% perfumed concentrates.
Eau de cologne was originally a mixture of citrus oils from fruits such as oranges and lemons, combined with substances as lavender and neroli (orange flower oil). Toilet waters were less concentrated forms of other types of perfume. Cologne is the term most often used in America and eau de toilette is the European descriptive, also used by American companies trying to give a French flair to their products.
After-shave lotions contain between 0.5% and 2% perfume oil. Perfumes for men are not as common except for a few exceptions such as Bijan and Boucheron.
In general, fragrances designed for men are classified as citrus, spice, leather-tobacco, lavender and woodsy-mossy. Spicy scents such as Romeo Gigli are created with the likes of cinnamon, ginger and clove. The woodsy-mossy set use cedar, rosewood, sandalwood, oak-moss, fern and balsam.
Makes Scents to Me: The young and trendy favor such scents as Versus by Gianni Versace, Moschino, Joop!, Cool Water by Davidoff, New West and Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche, a favorite on prom night.
The boomer crowd buys Eternity and Obsession by Calvin Klein, Tuscany, Polo Crest, Chanel’s Egoiste and Romeo Gigli.
Classic gifts for Dad include Aramis, Christian Dior’s Eau Sauvage, Chanel for men, Kouros by YSL and Perry Ellis.
When the old guard goes shopping for fragrance, they look for Armani, Boucheron, J.H.L. by Aramis, Chanel’s Pour Monsieur or Imperiale eau de cologne by Guerlain. Cacharel is a European favorite.
For the complete individual who can’t stand to have anything like the next guy, antique reproduction perfume is available at Bullock’s.
Parfums J’Aree Hage Paris are made by hand, as are the hand-painted bottle and accompanying leather pouch. Only 20 bottles of each men’s perfume were made. There are three men’s perfumes: Equis--England 1770 Parfum, a brisk sporting scent of Georgian England; Falconi--Europa 1475 Parfum, a re-creation of a rare European Renaissance fragrance that enjoyed a reputation as a potent talisman for positive influences, and Cristoforo--Italia 1492 Parfum, based on a 1492 manuscript formula and inspired by Columbus’ voyage to the New World. These perfumes sell for $200-$300.
Many of the colognes sold today come with a complete skin-care line including after shave, shave balm and cream, body talc, bath soap, shampoo, deodorant and moisturizer. All contribute to a long-lasting fragrance.
All Bottled-up Inside: Ralph Lauren’s hot-selling Safari for men is bottled after his leaded crystal stemware designed by Waterford in a cut-glass “herringbone” design. And his complete grooming collection, inspired by Old World shaving traditions, features a pewter shaving mug, brush, razor, brush and comb.
Jeweler Boucheron designed his perfume bottle to reflect a piece of fine jewelry or a “liquid jewel,” and the rings around the top are to symbolize good luck.
Some women like to cross-scent themselves with men’s colognes. Favorite sellers included the new Joop! for men, Fahrenheit (a semi-Oriental) and Gendarme.
Scented Secrets: Cologne rises, so the best place to apply the fragrance is on the body, as opposed to splashing just the face. Put it on arms and chest or behind the knees.
Keep your fragrances in a cool dark place, and it should last up to seven years . . . or longer. When the tomb of King Tut (circa 14th Century B.C.) was opened, quantities of aromatics were still fragrant.
