Poll for the ladies; To Cologne, or NOT to Cologne, THAT is the question! [Archive]

joedevon

09-14-2011, 04:17 PM

When I was younger, I liked to wear cologne sometimes when going out...until a couple of girlfriends were so aghast that I stopped entirely.

But I saw a thread here where one after the other said they wanted their men to smell nice...and I was wondering if this meant cologne, breath mints, or...um...pheromones??! ;)

Perhaps Tango is different than just going out, because you tend to sweat and you're in pretty close contact :)

So I thought I'd take a poll, for the ladies only, what do you like??!

Darn, there's no checkbox to post a poll :(

I guess we'll have to do it the old fashioned way:

"Ladies, how do you feel about your dance partners wearing cologne?"
1. Love it!
2. Like it, but not a must.
3. Don't especially like it, but it's OK if they do.
4. Hate it! DON'T DO IT!

Peaches

09-14-2011, 04:31 PM

I have the luxury of not being allergic to it. I absolutely LOVE it when men wear cologne.

That said, for AT it doesn't really matter. "Smelling nice" as regards tango translates (for me) into being showered, wearing clean clothes, not smelling like smoke or cooking, and having neutral (or minty) breath.

Lilly_of_the_valley

09-14-2011, 04:58 PM

twnkltoz

09-14-2011, 07:57 PM

I love it, as long as he doesn't bathe in it! If not, it's perfectly fine as long as he smells clean.

Subliminal

09-14-2011, 08:57 PM

twnkltoz

09-14-2011, 10:16 PM

Guy here. Stick to the golden rule of Cologne...

Less is more.

Females have stronger senses of smell. What you may think is weak may be strong.
In a similar vein, the more you smell something, the more you get used to it. Find a good amount to spray and stick to it.

Good point. If you can smell yourself, it's too much!

How about the other way? Do men like women to wear perfume?

Subliminal

09-15-2011, 12:09 AM

Good point. If you can smell yourself, it's too much!

How about the other way? Do men like women to wear perfume?

To be perfectly honest... I do not.

My favorite perfume is girl au naturale. :) Women just smell... nice. A little sweat... excuse me... "glow"... isn't bad either, as long as she showered recently. A hint of whatever shampoo/bodywash/whatever she used is fine too.

The problem with most lady perfumes is that they are overpoweringly sweet and cloying. Not to mention they are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction for me. I don't know what it is but if I'm walking through a department store, if I pass through the men's cologne section I'm fine. But if I wander too close to the lady's perfume section, my skin starts to crawl. Maybe it's because perfumes tend to have more botanical components? I dunno. But I don't like it. heh.

If you do go with a perfume, I think the same advice for men applies... don't bath in it. I hate it when I end up soaked and smelling like perfume for the whole evening after dancing with certain people in my community. I just avoid dancing with them now unless I'm forced to in a class or something.

All that's just my opinion, I'm sure some of the other guys will weigh in.

sixela

09-15-2011, 06:36 AM

Good test for when women wear too much perfume: if, when I come home, my wife can smell the perfume of whoever I've been dancing with during just one tanda, well, that was too much.

Malus points are attributed to ladies who wear the same perfume as someone my wife ab-so-lu-te-ly doesn't want me to dance with (yes, she does have veto power) ;).

dchester

09-15-2011, 10:16 AM

Good point. If you can smell yourself, it's too much!

How about the other way? Do men like women to wear perfume?
From this other thread, I'd say it's OK as long as it smells like food (FWIW, pot roast scent has worked well in the past).

http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?p=813863#post813863

http://www.dance-forums.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

jantango

09-15-2011, 09:30 PM

Argentines are extremely conscious about cleanliness and how they smell for the milonga.

Women carry deodorant and perfume in their purses to use during the night, especially during summer and those who tend to perspire while dancing.

Men use scented deodorant sprays on the body, not just underarms, and cologne on the neck and face. They don't hold back on this.

French perfume is extremely expensive in Buenos Aires. Those who can afford it, use it. It's all part of the sensuousness of tango.

Perfume presents an interesting challenge for those who sneak out in the evening for a few tandas and then return home to a spouse who may be suspicious.

newbie

09-16-2011, 04:03 AM

Do men like women to wear perfume?

One of my otherwise favourite partners sweats, and her sweat smells. In her case it would be better with perfume. Now there are also perfumes that I don't like, for instance some african women smell funny, I think this is something they put in their hair. All in all I'd prefer nothing of any kind, completely barring the sense of smell.

nucat78

09-16-2011, 08:33 AM

Good point. If you can smell yourself, it's too much!

How about the other way? Do men like women to wear perfume?

Only if it's a fragrance that doesn't give me a headache and don't bathe in it. And try to avoid "old lady" scents.

I had a class in which one female grad student wore so much cologne that it literally made my eyes water. I had to stay as far away from her as I possibly could.

dchester

09-16-2011, 08:40 AM

Men use scented deodorant sprays on the body, not just underarms, and cologne on the neck and face. They don't hold back on this.
I'm curious, do women like when men do this?

Mosca Negra

09-16-2011, 03:10 PM

Cologne? No ... No .... No! Non-scented deodorants? Yes.

j_alexandra

09-16-2011, 06:43 PM

From this other thread, I'd say it's OK as long as it smells like food (FWIW, pot roast scent has worked well in the past).

http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?p=813863#post813863

http://www.dance-forums.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Good heavens, I'd forgotten about that. But it's still true. Pot roast works better than Eau de Whatever

Thanks for the memory!:p

sambanada

09-16-2011, 06:50 PM

love it!

joedevon

09-17-2011, 03:46 AM

Thanks for the replies so far everyone.
Keep it coming :)

Cologne? No ... No .... No! Non-scented deodorants? Yes.

Aha! We have one NO vote.

On the question of women wearing perfume, what I learned tonight is that even though I like garlic, secondhand garlic is missing that allure.
i'd suggest mints after the garlic "perfume" ;)

Wanderer2

09-17-2011, 10:44 AM

Do men like women to wear perfume?

No
- I'm allergic to perfumes
- Perfuming transfers and if it adds up... ouch

mshedgehog

09-17-2011, 12:43 PM

I'm fine with it either way - I like it in moderation. My reactions are:

Clean man = perfectly fine, pretty safe bet, rarely noticeable at a conscious level
Strong smell of soap = slightly comical and endearing
Additional scents = fine in moderation, usually pleasant

Funniest thing that has happened to me with perfume was the partner I was dancing with (an Argentinian and a fairly recent arrival) searching for the English to explain to me that the expression on his face was due to having caught a tremendous waft of overdone scent from the guy in front. Some fairly expressive gestures, there.

Oh yeah, just edited to add: if it's really overdone it can end up on MY clothes, and become noticeable on the way home. I don't like that at all, it's yucky. It might be a good idea to put it on skin *before* adding the clothes, as then it's less likely to transfer.

Zoopsia59

09-19-2011, 01:13 PM

Men use scented deodorant sprays on the body, not just underarms, and cologne on the neck and face.

I personally hate coming home with my clothes smelling like some guy's cologne or scented chest whatever. I'd much prefer that he just be clean and if he sweats on me, my dress gets damp, but doesn't end up with some chemical on it that might not launder out properly. I'd also rather not spend the entire night smelling like his cologne after dancing with him. It can get pretty nasty having the last guy's scent mixing with the next guy's scent (and I can't imagine that the next guy wants to smell the last guy you danced with... I certainly don't want to smell the previous follower's perfume all over a dance partner)

So my preference is that men keep the stuff OFF any part of his body that will contact mine. That includes scent on his chest and face.

Even if I like the scent, I want it on HIM, not on ME.

Peaches

09-19-2011, 02:16 PM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

Zoopsia59

09-19-2011, 04:22 PM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

Well, I'm glad we finally disagreed on something.. I was beginning to think I had Multiple Personality Disorder and didn't know it, posting under several screenames.

twnkltoz

09-19-2011, 04:29 PM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

Me too.

AndaBien

09-19-2011, 04:50 PM

..I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

Doesn't that make you smell like a bouquet?

I have a limited sense of smell, so this thread goes right over my nose.

LoveTango

09-25-2011, 10:37 PM

I personally hate coming home with my clothes smelling like some guy's cologne or scented chest whatever. I'd much prefer that he just be clean and if he sweats on me, my dress gets damp, but doesn't end up with some chemical on it that might not launder out properly. I'd also rather not spend the entire night smelling like his cologne after dancing with him. It can get pretty nasty having the last guy's scent mixing with the next guy's scent (and I can't imagine that the next guy wants to smell the last guy you danced with... I certainly don't want to smell the previous follower's perfume all over a dance partner)

So my preference is that men keep the stuff OFF any part of his body that will contact mine. That includes scent on his chest and face.

Even if I like the scent, I want it on HIM, not on ME.

I am with you 100%, on this topic.

LadyLeader

09-26-2011, 12:40 AM

I am out of scope a little bit but the makeup components are also traveling ;)

I don't have so much hair now and use some cloth around my head instead: though not white any more! At the end of milonga I noticed the blackish,brownish stains where followers had had contact. It must have been unpleasant for the last follower to put her forehead there ....

bordertangoman

09-26-2011, 04:44 AM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

ah the proustian morning after; smelling the night before on your discarded shirt; the perfumes of a thousand* women....

*artistic licence

nucat78

09-26-2011, 08:33 AM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug.

Yeah, Hai Karate lingers... :D

joedevon

09-27-2011, 01:35 PM

the perfumes of a thousand* women....

;)

.

Sagitta

09-27-2011, 02:22 PM

I'll stand out as a lone dissenter here again...I love it when I'm able to smell my partner's (s') cologne on me at the end of the evening. Shrug. On the reverse side...Ladies often use some sort of powder, right? What is it?

bordertangoman

09-28-2011, 03:07 AM

On the reverse side...Ladies often use some sort of powder, right? What is it?

cocaine, i think...thats why they have mirrors in their bags;)

LadyLeader

09-28-2011, 03:31 AM

cocaine, i think...thats why they have mirrors in their bags;)

Oooh, that's the reason for all the happy looks!

DancinMachine

03-16-2012, 03:13 PM

On the subject of this topic anyone have some particular cologne recommendations?

opendoor

03-16-2012, 03:41 PM

And how will you deal with all that suggestions and recommendations?

Anyway this is my tango perfume http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=VP11935#details

Lilly_of_the_valley

03-16-2012, 06:50 PM

On the subject of this topic anyone have some particular cologne recommendations?

It is a very subjective matter. On a general note, almost all modern scent tend to be quite inoffensive, so just pick one that you and your girlfriend/ladies friends likes best.

fascination

03-16-2012, 08:06 PM

just don't bathe in it and pick something that is clean and light, not sweet

UKDancer

03-17-2012, 09:10 AM

just don't bathe in it and pick something that is clean and light, not sweet

Plain Eau de Cologne fits the bill very well. Just a gentle citrus fragrance, that doesn't last too long. I never use anything else.

fascination

03-17-2012, 11:24 AM

this is the sort of thing I like on a man, something that is crisp and fresh, either citrus, or pine or something that hearkens to fresh sea breeze...cannot abide sweet or musky...want it to be consistant with a recent shower and clean laundry...(which is also sufficient but can be enhanced if not fought with by something too complex and pungent or spicy...can't abide that)

bordertangoman

03-17-2012, 11:39 AM

I use Verdon, no not Veron and nothing to with Pablo.

most ladies have commented favourably.

LoveTango

03-18-2012, 01:31 AM

Hope the cologne is applied to somewhere which would not get passed from one person to another. I don't like to wear second hand cologne.

basicarita

03-18-2012, 01:39 AM

I think ... if you're new to a class, or practica ... perhaps to "not cologne". As has been alluded to here, you never know who is allergic.

However, if I'm going dancing with a long-term partner, I love it when I can lean in and say "What is that nice new cologne you're wearing?" :-)

pascal

03-20-2012, 11:49 AM

Cologne no, Reuter soap yes! (1910 ad)

http://tof.canardpc.com/view/6f84747e-f3d5-481c-93ed-4cf5b22f2c3f.jpg

Se baila el tango.
Por supuesto que con corte y con quebrada, como es de ritual suburbano.
Las parejas, estrechamente ligadas, se deslizan á pasitos cortos y rítmicos, á veces bruscamente detenidos por un síncope de balanceo, con su correspondiente voltereta y agachada.
Carmen está sola, melancólica y meditabunda.
Algún percance de amor, tal vez.
Celos, deslealtad, traición... ¿Quién lo sabe? De improviso se le acerca Ciledonio, el infatuado gallito del ''barrio de las ranas'"'.
Carmen, ni se digna mirarlo siquiera.
—¿Has venido al baile á dormir?—le dice con acento un tanto agresivo el "cumpa''.
—No, he venido á ver si encuentro un hombre limpio—murmura Carmen con dejo despreciativo.
—i Y te parece eso tan difícil.
—¡ Ya lo creo !
—Pues, mira, yo soy un mozo asiao. . . Yo me lavo... .
—¿Con qué?
—Otre! Con agua, pues.
— No basta.
—Y con jabón.
—¿Qué jabón?
—Amarillo.
— Salí de aquí! ¡Sos un puerco!...
—¿Qué?.. .
—Que hasta que no encuentre un hombre que me pruebe que se lava con Jabón Reuter, que es el único jabón que hay en el mundo, no salgo á bailar con ninguno.
— ¡Sonsa! ¿Y esto qués? (sacando un pan de Jabón Reuter del bolsillo). ¿Vos crees que un mozo bonito y presumido como yo, m'iba á lavar con sebo y soda ordinaria ? ¡ Avisa !
—¡ Pues, es tuyo este tango, y si querés, es tuyo mi corazón !