First impressions can be everything, so there are few feelings more deflating than knowing that you’ve just absolutely flubbed the chance to make a good one. It can leave your self-esteem mercilessly punctured, like a waterlogged ball sitting in the corner of the yard. With stakes that high, it’s important to recognise that social situations often give us mere moments to ensure we bypass that sodden feeling, as doing so can mean the difference between welcoming a new friend – perhaps even something more – into your life or failing to make any kind of meaningful connection whatsoever.
There are a number of elements at play in these situations, but one that’s so often overlooked is sitting right under your nose. Well, to be more precise it is your nose, and the nose of the person whose acquaintance you’re making, because smell has a huge impact on the way we react to the people around us – particularly those with whom we’re unfamiliar. And even though much of this happens on a subconscious level, you can consciously take steps (such as buying a high-quality cologne like BOSS Bottled Marine) to make all of this work in your favour.
BOSS Bottled Marine eau de toilette | Image: BOSS
Experts Agree
According to an analysis carried out by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), an official US Government organisation, “The influence of fragrances such as perfumes and room fresheners on the psychophysiological activities of humans has been known for a long time.”
The piece, catchily titled Influence of Fragrances on Human Psychophysiological Activity: With Special Reference to Human Electroencephalographic Response, goes on to say that “In our daily life… a sense of smell plays an important role in the physiological effects of mood, stress, and working capacity.”
We can all agree that mood and stress have a significant impact on the way we perceive and react to those around us. If you haven’t at some point given some unfortunate friend, family member or co-worker unreasonably short shrift as the result of your mood, then you deserve to be immortalised in statue form. So ensuring we have a positive aromatic influence on those around us can be a huge advantage in social situations.
Chris Hemsworth | Image: BOSS
Feel the Electricity
The NLM article reinforces this – somewhat technically – by explaining that the process by which we smell our surroundings happens through airborne fragrant molecules attaching to olfactory receptors located in the nasal cavity. Well, obviously. Where it gets interesting is that this process then activates electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain, where they modulate brain functions, including “memory, thoughts, and emotions.”
Further, the “olfactory stimulation of fragrances produces immediate changes in… blood pressure, muscle tension, pupil dilation, skin temperature, pulse rate and brain activity.” So, the way you smell can cause an instant physiological change in those you engage with.
When it comes to attraction, a second article from the NLM – The scent of attraction and the smell of success: crossmodal influences on person perception – puts it more starkly, explaining, “Attractiveness judgments would appear to be influenced to a greater extent than other judgments about people by the presence of a pleasant (as compared to an unpleasant) scent.”
This means smell has a bigger impact on whether someone finds you attractive or not than it does any other aspect of their assessment of you. If that isn’t an incentive to ensure you always smell your best, we don’t know what is.
So how to harness all of this info and use it to your advantage? Well, it’s straightforward really. Simply maintain good personal hygiene and get yourself a high-qaulity cologne, like BOSS Bottled Marine. Once you do, just follow the simple steps for application below and you’ll be ready to make the most of every first, second and third impression that comes your way.
How to Apply Cologne Correctly
If you want to make a positive first impression, it pays to get your scent right and that means more than just selecting a quality fragrance. An under-appreciated skill is applying cologne correctly, ensuring that you aren’t overpowering the room or under-utilising the product. With the science of smell on your side, here is how to apply cologne correctly:
1. Less is more
The whole point of wearing a fragrance is to make people want to get closer to you, not reel back as its impact hits them in the face with the force of a bulldozer. Subtlety is the aim of the game here.
2. Straight after the shower
The best time to apply cologne is immediately after you jump out of the shower. The heat and steam will ensure your pores are open and receptive to the fragrance, which will help it last longer, maximising effectiveness.
3. Hold the bottle three to six inches away
None of this spraying your cologne in the air and walking through the mist rubbish. Spray directly onto your skin, holding the bottle between three and six inches away.
4. Focus on your pulse points
You’ll want to target areas like your neck or wrists, where the blood is flowing generating heat, which helps the fragrance to project, albeit in the most subtle, understated way of course.
5. Don’t spray it on your clothes
This is a big no. Not only will the lack of heat mean that the fragrance is pretty much wasted, the oils in your cologne can ruin your clothes, resulting in a lose-lose situation.
To put these tips into action, be sure to pick up your own bottle of BOSS Bottled Marine Eau de Toilette, available from Myer for $135.
BOSS Bottled Marine eau de toilette | Image: BOSS
