A quick chat with Leighton about male fragrance

Why do you think some guys tend to be over-zealous with their fragrance application? 

I think it's men who have decided to forgo a shower and thought it appropriate to spray scent to hide their natural odour. But you know something? That just smells like you're surrounded by a pile of week old dirty laundry. Shower first. And if you can’t shower then wash your smelly bits and just apply a light spray of scent but never use scent to try hide your natural odour. I assure you, your natural body odour won't stay hidden for that long and then you stink twice as bad. 

Do male fragrances sometimes smell quite powerful because of their notes or composition in comparison to female fragrance - and do they have a slower fade-down? 

All fragrances smell differently on different people, this is because each of us has our own ‘scent print’ that will influence the development of a scent. This odour-identity is the sum total of our genes, our skin chemistry, diet, medication intake, stress level and, probably the most important factor of all, the temperature of our skin. It’s not as simple as saying that fragrances react differently on different people because of their ‘body chemistry’. The warmth of our skin is critical. Some people have more pores per centimetre than others, or more layers of fat in their skin. These and other factors affect the warmth of skin, which in turn influences the scent of a fragrance. We are all created equal until we use fragrance. The oils in skin dissolve and retain scent molecules. Therefore, the oilier your skin, the more intense a fragrance will be and the longer it will last. If you have dry skin then your fragrance won't last, you'll need to add something to act as a barrier between your skin and your fragrance, such as matching moisturiser or solid EDP that can double the life of your liquid fragrance on dry skin.

What are your top tips for applying male fragrance so that it hits the right balance and doesn't hit you like a bus on first impression!?

Applying scent the simplest of matters. Just simply spray about 20cm away from your skin.  An even spray over a wider area will help your fragrance last longer than a generous amount in a small area.   Avoid rubbing the area after application to prevent ‘crushing’ the scent.  Apply below earlobes, inside elbows. Other good places to apply are on shoulders, and back of the neck at the hairline. I'd say a maximum of 3 to 4 sprays is the optimum amount. 

 Did you know? Leighton has launched two unisex fragrances called Lively & Desire.