Humans have altered their natural scent for ages.Years ago, explorers risked their lives making voyages to the far east for priceless fragrances only royalty could afford.Today, a voyage to Macy's can't be made without the risk of being ambushed by spritzing, smiling women behind glass-topped counters.
Perhaps this obsession with smell can be traced back, Charles Darwin style, to a time when scent was more about survival and less about Chanel No. 5.
"It's kind of animal, but I want a smell to remember a girl by," first-year College student Thomas Codevilla said.
Codevilla also said he can get a sense of what a girl's personality might be like by her choice of scent.
Looking at any modern perfume advertisement, it's not hard to tell that seduction is a large part of why men and women wear a fragrance.
Second-year College student Gabe Alegrett said his girlfriend's opinion was a large part of why he wears Polo Sport.
"I've been wearing Sport for awhile now," Alegrett said. "My girlfriend likes it so I keep wearing it."
Alegrett's girlfriend isn't the only woman with an opinion about men's cologne.
"Smell is one of the first things I notice -- if a guy smells good it's a good thing," fourth-year college student Christine Thai said.
Second-year College student Danica Murphy agreed with Thai.
"It's attractive to get a whiff of a guy's cologne as he walks by," Murphy said.
While a whiff of cologne can be a plus, third-year College student Jennifer Wheatley emphasized the importance of moderation.
"I like cologne if it's just enough so you can only smell it when you are close" to the wearer," Wheatley said.
Likewise, f ourth-year College student Younah Pee said she dislikes it when guys wear too much cologne.
"Some guys just walk by and you get hit by a wave of cologne," Pee said.
Third-year College student and Clinique employee Kim Osagie offered some tips for correct fragrance application."If you're worried about your smell being too intense, mist the fragrance on clothes rather than skin," Osagie said. "It will be fainter."
Getting the perfect amount of fragrance on is half the battle; the other half is finding your perfect scent.
Second-year College student Kyle Boynton said he mixes two fragrances to find his ideal smell.
"I wear a combo of Polo Sport and something else I can't reveal," Boynton said. "Every girl comments on it."
Second-year College student Allison Lewan said she found her favorite scent from the same manufacturer of some of her favorite purses, Kate Spade.
"My little brother got [Kate Spade perfume] for me for Christmas because he knows I like Kate Spade purses," Lewan said.
So as classes intensify, and summer fades into fall, don't forget to stop and smell the roses -- and maybe the person in the seat next to you as well.
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