My grandfather told me a story the other day. He was about to go to church and I noticed that he smelled good. I mentioned it to him and he said,
"It's Royal Copenhagen! When I was a young man I went to the barber for a hair cut and a shave, and when they were through they used some of that. Some of the ladies I had confidences in liked it, so I went and bought some."
My grandmother, who had heard the conversation said, "That's one of the reasons I married him. He smelled good!"
Scent is Important
Scent Helps us Reminisce
All of us have experienced the connection between a smell and a memory. Although we rely on sight more than smell, we can't help but make the unconscious connection between time and place and scent.
Scent Sets the Mood
When we were selling our first house I read somewhere that you should put an apple pie in the oven on warm about 30 minutes before the showing. It absolutely made sense: people will unconsciously set their mood based on scent. A pleasant scent equals a pleasant mood.
It should be noted that I never had a chance to eat the pie. By the time we sold the house (which happened rather quickly) it had dried out by being put in the oven so many times.
5 Reasons Beard Oil is the New Cologne
#1 - Beard Oil is Natural
Back in the 1950s, scientist were learning how to make products cheaper and in larger quantities. They began to catalog the use of chemicals to produce everything from powdered coffee to synthetic cologne. Most cologne's now days have "fragrance" listed as an ingredient. What the heck is that? Some petroleum by products that stimulate our senses and make us think we're smelling something natural, though it is anything but.
These days, we know better.
A man needs to be close to nature; that's how we're made. Our bodies can tell the difference, even if our noses can't. Stay natural whenever possible.
#2 - Beard Oil is Practical
I suppose you could say that cologne has a purpose: to make a man smell better. But, that seems a bit vain to most guys (see point #5). Through the ages, men have always preferred things which join the practical with the artistic. Blue jeans are still a favorite along with leather goods and t-shirts. When a man can find something that works for his beard and makes him smell like a champ, he's winning.
But, what about guys that don't have beards?
See point #3!
#3 - Beard Oil is Good for Your Skin
Here's a bit of a secret: Beard oil isn't just for beards. Because it's for your skin, it actually works really well as an aftershave. Or, just dab some on for the scent. It's just good for your face in general.
It's true, bearded men need it the most, but every man can find a reason for using it.
#4 - Beard Oil is Cheaper than Cologne
Granted, there are cheap colognes out there - those synthetics - but in most cases cologne is quite pricey. Beard oil, on the other hand, typically cost under $25 and last about 3-4 months. All the while it's pulling double duty by making you look good and smell good.
#5 - Beard Oil is not Pretentious
Without a doubt someone is reading this (probably a beardless man) and thinking "What? Beard oil is totally pretentious!" I disagree. If a man says, "My beard itches and sometimes gets flaky so I use beard oil. Plus it smells awesome and makes my beard more full..." how is that pretentious? See point #2 about it being practical.
Cologne, on the other hand, has something of an uppity vibe about it. It likely has to do with it being promoted by celebrities, and not only that, but the way they go about it. You never see a celebrity out on their farm with a mason jar of ice water in their hand talking about cologne. They are always doing some rich people thing that rich people don't actually do and then acting like that's how they always live when wearing the cologne. It's dumb.
Final Thoughts
I don't know how you were raised, but for myself and for a lot of men, we have to give ourselves permission to look good and smell good. It likely has to do with a kind of rugged American individualism that we're all brought up in. When we decide to dress up or throw on some beard oil, we're acknowledging that other people see us and have perceptions of us. Recognizing that the perspective of others matters to us puts a bit of a dent in our rugged individualism.
If you're hung up on that, then just do what you like for yourself and let other people reap the benefits.