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Perfume hack: men's perfumes you can wear as a woman

In the perfume hack series, we share all our favourite tips and tricks that you, as perfume lovers, should know about! Perfume Hack #2 breaks all the rules in the world of perfume. We think you should try this tip at some point in your life. It's the ultimate hack to broaden your personal fragrance range. We're talking about...


Men's perfumes you can wear as a woman

Because why should you limit your fragrance choice to your own gender? You've probably heard of unisex perfumes before: perfumes you can wear as both a man and a woman. Unisex perfumes are simply fragrances that are not tied to gender, simple put, they can be worn by anyone. The rest are labelled as 'women's perfume' or 'men's perfume', but actually, these labels are just guidelines. Of course, some women's perfumes are very sweet or floral, making them more likely to be associated with a woman. And vice versa, some men's perfumes are too spicy and masculine for most women. But there are definitely men's perfumes that you can wear as a woman!


Why are perfumes labeled as masculine or feminine?

The use of perfume goes back hundreds of years, and all these years fragrances were never labelled as 'male' or 'female'. That is, until the end of the 19th century, then marketing made its appearance. The market changed completely during this time, and the then defined division of roles between men and women was implemented in the presentation of products. In addition, it was possible to create synthetic perfume ingredients for the first time around. Floral, soft fragrance notes were first labelled and marketed as feminine. Since then, perfumes are always labelled with a gender, unless they are unisex.


What makes a perfume masculine or feminine?

Whether a perfume is masculine or feminine is determined by how the perfume house markets the perfume. In 'the West', gender-specific perfumes are partly a cultural phenomenon, partly based on stereotypes. If a western perfume house launches a pink bottle filled with floral ingredients, it's probably for women. In the Middle East, on the other hand, it is often men who wear rose-scented perfume. Matters of gender are also individually determined. Think of personal scent associations; memories connected to scents. If your father wore a woody perfume, then you will consider woody perfumes more suitable for men.

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So, are men's and women's perfumes just a marketing trick?

Yes and no. Yes, marketing plays a prominent role, but some ingredients and fragrances are simply considered masculine or feminine by the majority. Ingredients also develop differently on the skin per person, and hormones play a role in this too. Because male and female hormones are different, a perfume will never smell the same on male skin as it does on a woman. That is why some perfumes are made specifically for a man or a woman. The ingredients simply react badly to the hormones of the other sex.


How do you know which men's perfume you can wear as a woman?

You decide for yourself. Never let a label stop you. If you like the smell of the perfume, whether it is a man's or a woman's perfume, then wear it. Try it out and wear what makes you happy! If a man's fragrance appeals to you a lot while you are a woman, then there is nothing wrong with that. Besides, the chance of another woman wearing the same perfume as you is much smaller.

We have made a selection of the best men's perfumes that you can wear as a woman. Keep in mind, though, that men's fragrances are generally more powerful. If this doesn't scare you off at all, try...