Not being in close proximity to one for several months made me consider how much I love the scent of a man.  When I was living abroad I obviously did not hug a man on a regular basis and so I started to actually long for physical contact.  One time, I was walking down the street in Chiang Mai and a guy that I wouldn’t usually even bat an eye at made me physically turn my head and look after him like a teenager.  As someone in her late twenties, I usually have a mental filter for men in their early twenties wearing a white tank-top undershirt as a shirt, Ray Ban aviators and army shorts.  They do not appear in my radar at all, but this dude smelled seriously good.  So it got me to thinking, why do I love the scent of a man so much?

For me personally, I feel that the perfect man smells like a mix of perspiration and good cologne.  One of my favourite activities to pass time at an airport is investigating new fragrances.  Now, there is a limit to this hobby since I usually feel like I’m going to pass out after a few minutes but there are a few I would recommend.  I like cologne to be more on the fresh side with strong citrus overtones and woody undertones.  Here are a few great ones:

1) Bleu de Chanel

I recently bought this for my partner and he loves it.  The only thing that troubles me is that I am so easily influenced by marketing campaigns.  This ad was on repeat at Siam Centre in Bangkok when I was missing him the most.

2) Calvin Klein Escape

3) Acqua di Gio

Both of these products are pretty classic and subtle enough to suit many occasions.

4) Ralph Lauren Pony collection

The RL brand is founded on the image of clean lines so this also translates into their fragrances.  The Pony collection is fairly new and there are four different variations with subtle differences to suit the scent you’re looking for.

In closing, I would definitely say that the sense of smell can evoke emotion and help us recall memories.  We are living in an increasingly fragrance-free world in North America in the workplace and at certain public places so there may be fewer opportunities to spritz on your favourite scent.  While I appreciate catering to allergic sensitivities, there is something to be said about the ritual of prepping for the night with some perfume behind the ears, looking forward to the fun to be had.  So I say spritz on, but in moderation of course.