Not long ago, most men's fragrances consisted of deodorant and aftershave, and both of those products rarely were of the same scent. Typically, men will go to the store and buy the same brand of deodorant that they've used for many years. Besides that, some men's fragrances seem to be intentionally generational. For example, whenever I smell Old Spice or English Leather, it reminds me of my grandad and my girlfriend's dad, because those were the only fragrances they would wear.

However things have changed. Beauty products have gone mainstream. For example, many women have no problem and think it's fashionable to wear men's cologne. However, you will rarely find a man who will purposely go out and purchase a woman's perfume for himself.

Most men have a fragrance that they prefer, regardless if it's a deodorant, an aftershave, or a cologne. And when I talked to several men, they did not choose a fragrance that matched their personality, mood, or a special occasion. In recent years, more men have focused their purchases on colognes, in addition to aftershaves.

Naturally, if a man prefers not to shave, or has a full beard, he will not use an aftershave product. Some men use scented soaps and a cologne for those special occasions. Unlike women who apply perfume to the pulse points on their body to create a longer-lasting scent, men usually splash or pat on an aftershave or cologne onto their face and neck and sometimes to another place on their body; the scent seems to last all day or all evening.

I would say that most men do not use a combination of a cologne, body lotion, scented soap, or aftershave in layers, or as a foundation to achieve an alluring and long-lasting scent. Judging by reviews of the top-selling men's fragrances, the insider secret is that most men buy just one fragrance and product, such as a musk scent, a sporty fragrance or a masculine tobacco cologne or aftershave.