Your aftershave is not just something to slap on your face following your morning whisker removal regime. Along with your haircut and your dress sense, your aftershave says a lot about you to those you encounter during the day.

Even if you don’t speak to them, they may still make assumptions about you based on your scent. For that reason, it is important to make sure you pick the right fragrance for you. So, how do you do that?

Pick one you like

If your aftershave choice is currently based on whatever you happen to receive at Christmas, you need to change that to make sure you like what you’re wearing. It is important that you think your aftershave smells great because you should be confident about wearing it.

Try before you buy

Don’t just plump for your favourite brand or a nice bottle. Use the tester bottles to make sure you’re getting the right one. Visit the shop more than once before buying your new aftershave. On your first visit, splash away on tester cards to help you pick your top three aftershaves without creating a very unusual aroma for yourself.

Next, test the ones you like on your skin. This is important so that you can see how the fragrance works with your sweat, your body heat and your skin. You can then return to the shop another day, test again to make sure you’re happy with your choice and make your purchase.

Make sure it blends with your natural scent

Part of the reason for visiting the shop more than once is to give your tester spray chance to blend with your natural scent. We all have our own smells, and it’s important that your aftershave doesn’t clash with yours.

Swap with the seasons

It is not enough to find an aftershave you like and make that your ‘signature scent’. You should be changing your aftershave to suit the seasons. Experts recommend opting for a light, citrus-related scent for spring and summer, with fuller-bodied wood or spice-tinged fragrances for autumn and winter.

Having said that, we don’t think you’ll need a dedicated section of your sliding door wardrobes for your aftershave collection – between two and four options should be plenty.

Lighter in the day

You might also adapt your choice of aftershave depending on when you’re planning on wearing it. Lighter scents are more appropriate for daytime, while you might opt for something a little heavier for a night out.

Follow those steps – and apply your aftershave in moderation – and your new scent is sure to be a success.