Written by The Strategy

One of the mainstays in fashion and style is the mantra “Borrow from the boys.” Men’s suits, t-shirts, shoes, hairstyles, and overall aesthetic have been pulled over the boarder to the women’s side of things. Which leads us to, arguably, one of the best things to borrow from the boys: fragrance.

There’s something extra indulgent about a good men’s cologne that will trump a women’s perfume any day. The stronger, more complex scents of most men’s cologne are often more appealing than the typical light and sweet notes in perfume. Women’s fragrance makers have been taking notice of this more and more, with creations like the Nirvana duo by Elizabeth and James, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, and other more masculine smelling perfumes.

Whether you are more inclined to wear a fragrance that is singular and recognizable such as leather or wood, or more complex such as blends of sandalwood, citrus, and pine, we guarantee that there is a men’s cologne match for you. Initially, yes, they do smell quite manly. Some women might find the scent too strong at first, especially since colognes typically contain more alcohol than oil based perfumes, or even eau de toilettes. However, once you spray a fragrance on your skin, the scent changes. Mixing with your own body chemistry and scent, the cologne of choice will adapt and shift slightly to smell just a touch different on each and every person who wears it.

In our travels through life and beauty stores, we’ve picked up a few favourite scents that are originally intended for men. What can we say? We just can’t help ourselves. They smell divine, last longer than other scents we’ve tried, and constantly bring in comments and compliments. From the light and fresh scents of Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue Pour Homme, and Armani’s Acqua di Gio, to the heavy, sultry notes of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, Acqua Di Parma’s addictive Oud, to the date-night-appropriate Bleu de Chanel, and L’Homme by YSL, these colognes have a special place on our vanities and in our hearts.

Trial and error is the true hero in this experiment. Some fragrances will blow you away, while others will leave you less than impressed. The best bet to finding your cologne soul mate is to simply try some on. So, the next time you are browsing the perfume section, scoot over to the men’s side and sniff around.

See what else you can borrow from the boys.

Written by Katrina Garofalo