# Men's Fragrances (For Both Genders) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626 "2010-09-30T17:38:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/1 "2010-09-30T17:38:33Z")
I would like to poll y’all and ask if you prefer smelling a scent on your male partner? For my “scent du jour” I use Joop, which my friend Peter in Germany sends me. I also use Royal Gopenhagen, Lagerfeld, English Leather (shup guys) and Canoe. In honor of my Dad, I also use Old Spice. So I guess what I am asking is - do I NEED a frarance? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/2 "2010-09-30T17:43:29Z")
Jesus, all at once? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/3 "2010-09-30T17:45:15Z")
I like a guy wearing scent if he’s dressed up for a special occasion. If it’s just for everyday, I’d think it was an affectation, unless he was an executive or male model or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/4 "2010-09-30T17:55:18Z")
My **favorite**? “Hawaaian Surf” (in the cork bottle). Dude, I’d hold up a sign for that one! British Sterling also comes to mind… Polo smells like mothballs. Joop. Definitely. Q ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/5 "2010-09-30T18:21:46Z")
Unless your friend is sending you Joop for free, why do you get it from Germany…it’s sold in the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/6 "2010-09-30T18:26:44Z")
I am allergic to almost all scents. I love smelling guys who are not wearing scents, though. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/7 "2010-09-30T18:55:38Z")
I love cologne and if i like the guy will forever associate that scent with not only him, but also - ahem - anything we do/have done together. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/8 "2010-09-30T22:16:14Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > So I guess what I am asking is - do I NEED a frarance? > > Q Do I like the smell of some fragrances? Yes. Do YOU need a fragrance? I don’t know, I’ve never smelled you. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/9 "2010-09-30T22:24:45Z")
Do you NEED one? Well, no, of course not. My only real preference for anyone I’m around is that they don’t stink, regardless of what the stink is. If there’s something you like and it smells good on you (please get a second opinion), then go for it, but it isn’t necessary. My SO doesn’t even own anything scented, aside from deodorant. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/10 "2010-09-30T22:33:06Z")
I’m a male and do not plan to have a male partner but I’ll answer anyway. If you _need_ perfume, you have bigger problems than which perfume to choose. I would only wear perfume when dressed at least to the business casual/date clothing levels. Otherwise, it’s incongruous for a man to mix casual clothing with perfume. Be mindful of the quantity of perfume. Too much is much worse than none. Some people are particularly sensitive to perfumes (I vaguely recall reading that women tend to smell them more than men) and I’ve noticed that as people get older, they seem to be unable to notice when they’ve put on far too much perfume. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/11 "2010-09-30T23:17:33Z")
Answering for my wife, No. I am not allowed any scents at all, she hates them all. I’m barely allowed non-scented deodorants, she says they aren’t really. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/12 "2010-09-30T23:18:54Z")
The only scent that my husband wore for years was sent to him by his German Grandmother. Not available here in the US ☹ And she is now gone. It’s called Marbert Man. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/13 "2010-09-30T23:41:37Z")
No. Clean is all. 99% of male fragrances are nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/14 "2010-10-01T00:53:32Z")
I like most male fragrances. I was turned off by male cologne in the '80’s when all men were either using Polo or some other heavy fragrance that I can’t remember the name of. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/15 "2010-10-01T01:04:51Z")
No. Guys who smell like cologne smell like old grandpas to me, and then I can’t find them attractive no matter how good they look…the smell just ruins it. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/16 "2010-10-01T02:02:32Z")
I like a scent but **only** if the guy hasn’t bathed himself in it. Less is best. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/17 "2010-10-01T02:42:24Z")
I like some fragrances on men. Others, not so much. Clean smells best. If a man wears a scent, Old Spice or bay rum, but lightly applied. There are others that I’ve liked, but the two mentioned are my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/18 "2010-10-01T06:39:04Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > Answering for my wife, No. > > I am not allowed any scents at all, she hates them all. Ditto not only for my wife, but every woman I’ve ever dated. None liked cologne and almost every one had the same opinion (which I also agree with): 95% of men don’t know how to apply cologne properly, so they always end up reeking of the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/19 "2010-10-01T08:16:02Z")
I’ve hated almost every fragrance I’ve ever smelled on a person. Can’t stand the feeling of that fragrance burning through my nose. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626/20 "2010-10-01T08:55:28Z")
No, you dont _need_ one, but it is nice. I have Joop, Drakkar Noir, and one of the Halstons for mrAru. I am not as fond of Joop as Aztek, but I couldn’t find Aztek last year when I noticed it was running out. There was one back in the 80s called Baccus that was great, but whomever stopped making it =( [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fragrances-for-both-genders/555626.md?page=2)