Pretty sure you meant “sillage;” I hope so, anyway. 
My problem is that the scents I like simply do not last, in any form. There are no, or very few “low” notes that I like. I’m all about the bright light florals and citrus. So it’s usually gone in an hour or so.
Autocorrect for the win. I swear I put it in with the right spelling too.
I hear you about citrus scents lack of longevity. Some of the stuff from Acqua di Parma, in their Blu Mediterraneo line, lasts a bit longer, but it’s still like three hours instead of two. Smells great while it lasts though. The Fico, mandorlo, and arancia were nice examples of the fruits they were emulating. The various Jardin scents from Hermes, or their Essences line too, are nice versions of floral and citrus.
I’m not gonna argue about my ‘consumer awareness’ or anyone else’s. Just to say, buyer beware. Of course we all shop around for the best deal. You’re either filthy rich or dumb if you don’t. Those fragrance and cosmetic counters and stores are so overpriced, anyway. I’m not buying anything from those places. Have you noticed how many malls are out if business? It might have something to do with the fact their mark up was so high. Just saying.
OP, I’m going to gently turn you in a slightly different direction: laundry detergent. I’m not talking about the ones boasting scents like Mountain Meadow or Lilac Breeze. No, no, no. Wear clothes washed in those and your fellow elevator riders will wonder why they suddenly started recalling that cheap motel near the bus terminal. Nope, I mean consider changing your laundry detergent for one with a fresh scent that lasts a long time. I like the scent of Tide on a man, but you do you. And if you’re a fabric-softener household, take your smeller to the fabric softener aisle and see what smells freshest and least like a car deodorizer. Use a liquid and tuck a matching dryer sheet in your drawer.
Oooh, good call nelliebly
I’m going to add “dry on an outdoors clothes line if possible” to that. I do that now and then, just for the fresh ‘sun’ smell.
Outdoor clothesline, I can get behind, though it’s not always practical. But the soapy perfumey scent of laundry detergents and fabric softener sheets is as bad to some of us as Axe.
Malls started going out of business because big box stores like Walmart began stong-arming vendors into giving them special breaks on wholesale pricing that the smaller chains at malls couldn’t get. And now, after killing off all of their competition, Walmart is closing some of their locations leaving many small communities high and dry with no stores at all.
But that’s okay, because everyone will be buying from Amazon online anyway.
By the way, you know how much Amazon paid in federal taxes last year? ZERO.
Poor Mean Mr. Mustard. All he wanted to do was smell nicer.
I have to admit that a couple of times I’ve encountered men who smelled so good that I was tempted to rip off my clothes and jump their bones. I suspect they were wearing expensive cologne, although in high school British Sterling would do it for me.
I agree that your best bet is to go to a nice department store and try out some scents. Note that what smells great on one person may not work so well on another. You have to find what works with your body chemistry.
Guestchaz, great idea! Nothing beats that scent!
The scent of laundry detergents varies as much as the scents of colognes. Not all of them are perfume-y.
I started smelling better when I eliminated pretty much all outside scents (be it laundry detergent, deodorant/antiperspirant, body soap, hand soap, shampoo, even things like toothpaste and mouthwash and dish soap). Mind you, I use these things, I’ve just found unscented varieties of each. Which isn’t easy: many “unscented” products have a very distinct smell.
Now if I am told that I have a smell, it’s usually the smell of whatever spices I’ve been using to cook today, or wood smoke, usually apple or cedar, and of course sometimes I smell like sweat. I’m okay with that: usually I’m just a shower and a change of clothes away from a clean slate.
The commodity line has some amazing scents :
Wool in particular is…bloody hot.
I actually don’t like scents on people. Maybe if it’s very subtle, but for some reason most women’s perfume smells like bug spray to me now.
I used to wear cologne, but every workplace I’ve been at in the last almost 20 years has enforced a no-scent policy. Some people get migraines from cologne and perfume.
I think as long as you wash, shampoo and use deodorant you’ll be fine. And clean laundry, of course.
ETA: The worst is smokers. It sucks to have to sit next to them.
Yes, but you wrote:
and mentioned Tide, which has a fairly strong scent which you said you’re able to pick out. I’d just stay away from any laundry product that has a scent designed to last a long time. Of course, ymmv.
This. They have counters to help CUSTOMERS, not “folks.” They’re not social workers; they’re merchants.
Tide does have unscented variations, which is what I use.
You know what doesn’t smell good? People pissing on each other.
Friends are like snowflakes. Piss on em and they disappear.
OBVIOUSLY when she wrote “I like the scent of Tide on a man” she wasn’t writing about the unscented version.
I use Allure Homme Sport body wash in the shower. I have recieved positive comments.
People complaining in the thread about colognes and perfumes, then singing the praises of various scented cleaning products, is very confusing. It’s like using a sledgehammer to place finishing nails.
Clean is good. Unscented clean is better. Then you can apply whatever scent you choose, and smell like you want.
I do agree that the person who overdoes it with the cologne/perfume, is not pleasant to be around. I’m also sympathetic to the idea that what people want to smell on the people they’re attracted to, is that person’s natural scent. I can’t deny though, the hind-brain appeal that various scents she likes to put on, has on me. This latest one she’s tried, Songe D’un Bois D’Ete, from Guerlain, one time she tried it, and walked past me, it was like someone had hooked two fingers into the bottom of my nostrils and yanked my head around to see her. Absolutely intoxicating.
Not everything’ll have that effect, but it’s a nice one to shoot for.