Q&A: Do Women Like Cologne?

To use cologne or not to use cologne, that is the question.

While cologne used tastefully can certainly be beneficial in certain situations, what do women really think about it? Are the benefits overblown – hyped up by clever marketing, or will it actually help a woman become more attracted to you?

We dug deep to figure out the truth.

So, in this article we’ll be covering how women feel about cologne, the unexpected ways it can benefit men, and how to avoid it becoming harmful rather than helpful.

Do Women Like Cologne?

Generally speaking, yes – with a caveat.

According to a poll done by Scentbird, 97% of women found cologne attractive on a guy. Additionally, polls ran through social media websites like Reddit have women overwhelmingly favoring cologne when it’s used right.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that Scentbird is a biased source, as they have a financial incentive to encourage you to purchase their colognes. Therefore, we are placing this judgement more so on the polls ran on social media, other public data we’ve found, and our own personal network of people that we’ve asked.

That being said, cologne isn’t magic.

With Cologne, Less Is More

Cologne is meant to be discovered, not announced.

This means that you should only wear enough that somebody can smell it when they already within inches of you, and shouldn’t be something people catch a huge whiff of simply from being in your presence.

When used tastefully, cologne can enhance a woman’s attraction to you. However, on it’s own, it won’t make you attractive to someone, if they aren’t already attracted to you.

By the time they can smell your cologne, they will have already made up their mind whether or not you’re attractive.

So, as much as I’d like to pretend that a new scent can make women fall for you, it simply isn’t the case.

That being said, cologne does have another benefit that not many people think about, that may do far more for attractiveness than your scent! Let’s talk about that now.

Note: Beware of companies and websites that try to sell cologne as a ‘magic solution.’ Even independent blogs have a financial incentive to get you to purchase cologne online, as they receive commissions when they refer you as a customer.

Cologne Benefits You In Other Ways, Too

The biggest benefit of cologne in my opinion? The way it makes you feel while you’re wearing it.

It’s the same as buying new clothing and looking sharp. When you feel good – when you feel more attractive, more like a man, you carry an entirely different demeanor.

You stand taller. Walk more proudly. You speak with more confidence and class, even if you don’t try to.

It’s the same reason why women wear clothes that make them feel good about themselves, even while in committed relationships. They aren’t trying to attract other people, they want to feel good about themselves.

Psychology has proven that people act completely differently depending on how they perceive themselves at the moment – almost as if we have different personalities or ‘versions’ of ourselves.

Heck, we feel and present ourselves different ways even when we switch websites while browsing online. It’s been proven – people act differently on Instagram than they do on LinkedIn, for example.

And let’s be real. Confidence is universally attractive to women.

If you feel better about yourself because of your cologne, that can make more of a difference than the cologne itself.

Cologne Scents That Women Enjoy

Now that we know that cologne can help – at least a little bit, what type of scent should you go for?

Unfortunately, this is where things get a little difficult. Preferred scents are so variable and can differ so strongly from woman to woman, that what one woman enjoys might be repulsive to another.

So, all we have to go off of are generalities.

First things first, it’s worth investing extra in something quality. Nobody wants to smell your Axe body spray that you got from Walmart.

From there, you’re likely to have the best luck with scents described as ‘manly’, ‘clean’, ‘fresh’ or ‘natural.’

More importantly however, you want to make sure it blends in well with your natural scent.

Consider applying some to your wrist and walking around for 30 minutes or so, to see how it smells once it soaks in.

If you aren’t sure, ask a trusted friend or family member to give their honest opinion – and don’t be afraid to try out new colognes until you find the right one!

Conclusion

Cologne can be useful when done right, but it won’t magically make someone attracted to you who isn’t already.

Personally, I feel that the biggest benefit is what it does to your own psyche – especially when meeting new women for the first time.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re hitting the other hygiene basics – like showering every day and wearing deodorant, as cologne will never make up for good hygiene.

Have any questions about cologne? Want to share your opinion? Let us know through the comment form below – we’d love to hear from you!

– James and Amara McAllister