Many cologne bottles come without any kind of spraying nozzle and include a simple hole and cap or stopper. This can add a couple of steps to the process of applying cologne, but it is still quite quick and simple to carry out.
If you have a cologne bottle lying around at home because it does not have a spray, go through the following guide to learn how to apply it and what practices you should avoid.
How to Apply Cologne Without Spray
Here are the steps you should typically follow to apply cologne without spray.
Opt for the Right Scent
Before you move on to applying the cologne, you should ensure that you have the right scent ready for you to apply to your body. Various types of scents and fragrances are available in the market when it comes to colognes, so it is a good idea to know what works for you.
Consider allergies, brands, pleasantness and safety levels so that you can ensure that the cologne is suitable for your skin. Experiment with a few options or keep multiple around for different occasions.
Shower First
It is usually a good idea for you to take a shower before you apply cologne. This will help clean your body up properly so that there is no more dust or sweat left behind, thereby making it easier for the cologne to spread the scent. The pores on your skin will also become cleaner.
Of course, there are times when you might not have enough time to shower, in which case it can help to quickly rinse your pulse points along with sweaty parts of the body.
Tip Bottle Over
After cleaning yourself up a bit, take the cologne bottle in your hands, remove the lid and use a finger or two to block the opening or hole of the bottle. You should then tip the entire bottle over so that the cologne pours out onto your fingers.
Make sure you only keep the bottle tipped over for a few seconds or so since you do not need too much liquid on your fingers. Once you have enough, place the bottle aside and cap it back up.
Dab Over Pulse Points
Using your fingers, you should apply the cologne over your pulse points. Your pulse points are parts of your body where the blood circulates in veins that have close proximity to the skin. Some pulse points include your wrists, the back of your ears, the bottom of your neck, your jaws and the interior of your elbows.
For cologne applications, the neck, jaws, wrists and backs of ears are popular options. Make sure you use a gentle dabbing motion to apply the cologne to each part and take more if needed.
These pulse points will help retain and warm the fragrance up so that it can last you for a long time while also being easily detectable.
Consider Using Hair Stick
You might not associate hair sticks with cologne applications, but if you find one lying around, it can be a suitable option for applying the cologne. Simply tip your cologne bottle over the middle of the stick and let it collect enough cologne.
Place the bottle back and bring the hair stick to your pulse points and gently dab the cologne onto the surface of the skin. Note that hair sticks are a bit sharp, so exercise caution while dabbing the cologne.
Use Small Amounts
You should always stick to small amounts of cologne. Usually, a single short tip of your bottle with a few drops is enough to cover around 2-3 of your pulse points, which is more than enough to last you throughout your day or evening.
In case you feel that you have taken too little, it is okay to take a bit more the second time around, but never more than this. Even while dabbing, try to stick to a tiny amount so that the scent is pleasant without being overwhelming.
Practices to Avoid
Even after knowing how to apply cologne without a spray, it is possible to make a few mistakes, especially if you are in a rush. Go through the following common errors so that you can avoid them in your routine.
Rubbing
Whenever you apply your cologne, it might feel almost instinctive to want to rub the cologne all over the pulse point. However, this is something you should definitely avoid at all costs since it can reduce the intensity of the fragrance by spreading it around while also potentially leading to rashes.
Rubbing will also end up making the cologne a bit more prominent on your fingers, resulting in an unpleasant sensation.
Applying Too Much
You should always resist the urge to apply extra cologne to your pulse points. Just a few drops are more than enough to make their presence felt on your skin, which is why overdoing it might end up resulting in an extremely strong smell.
This can create problems for your breathing while also disturbing others and their sensitivities/allergies.
Too much cologne is also dangerous to your skin since the chemicals and alcohol can lead to skin reactions and infections, resulting in redness and itchiness.
Rubbing with Palms
You should not rub the cologne with your palms, just as you should avoid doing so with your fingers. In fact, since palms have a wider surface area, the cologne might end up spreading before you get the chance to apply it to your pulse points. This will end up reducing the efficacy and fragrance.
It is also bound to result in a sticky and irritating presence on your palm.
Using Soft Applicators
It might seem convenient to make use of soft applicators to apply the cologne. Examples include ear picks or tips or even soft towels and cloth pieces. All this will end up doing is spreading the cologne on the applicator that the soft surface will then absorb.
When you try to dab the cologne on your skin, not much will transfer over. Some fabric threads might also stick to your skin.
Mixing with Other Smells
Never mix your cologne with other smells already existing on your body. For instance, if you have recently shaved, it is possible that the aftershave or shaving cream might have left its own scent behind. Similarly, spraying a perfume or sports spray might also interfere and clash with the smell of the cologne.
Wait for a few minutes so that these smells can disperse before you apply the cologne.
Mixing with Sweat
Another major no-no is mixing the cologne with sweat. Unlike deodorants that are okay to spray over sweaty parts like your armpits, colognes should never clash with the sweat in such areas. This will end up creating an overall unappealing smell while also resulting in itchiness.
Clean the sweat and stick to your pulse points.
Summing Up
Applying cologne without spray might sound like an inconvenience, but it is actually an extremely simple process to carry out. Make sure you know about your pulse points so that you can focus on those while avoiding sweaty parts of the body. Using your fingers to dab the cologne will give you more cologne to work with.
