Back in what seems like a different world when people gathered together and hugs were more freely given, I would routinely get reactions during a hug such as, “You smell really good,” or more commonly, “What kind of cologne do you use?” Here I will share my secrets.
Back in my late teen years during 1970’s when I needed to start shaving, innovation was minimal and the twin blade razors were in their crude infancy. I was spared the agony of being subjected to my dad’s method of shaving, one that had drawn blood from untold numbers of human male faces, when my mom granted a Christmas wish and gave me a cordless Norelco shaver with three floating heads for close, decently comfortable shaving without butchery.
That Norelco lasted somewhere around 5 years, by which time blade shavers had improved and my pocketbook wasn’t ready to replace the Norelco. After experimenting with different products, and brands, I discovered blades are not all created equal even though you would think that sharpened steel would not have such differences. I was able to settle on the best blades and shavers that shave comfortably, and now, shavers have continuously improved, much, much more in the last 40 years than 100+ years before that. I realized early on that the closeness of the blade shave shamed the Norelco, making modern blades an easy choice.
Shaving blades aren’t my main point but they are an important accompaniment to the men’s products being featured here, which is Melaleuca’s Alloy line.
Shown above, left to right, are the three shaving products: cologne, shaving gel, and after shave, then the antiperspirant/deodorant, and bath bar (displayed both wrapped and unwrapped). I’m a bar soap guy but Melaleuca does offer an Alloy body wash gel (not shown but packaged like the after shave in a gravity fed squeeze tube).
All Melaleuca bath bars are French milled meaning they are more dense and last significantly longer than bars you buy in the store. In addition to the Alloy bar, several other bath bar scents are available, along with seasonal scents offered for a limited time. They are formulated to rival the best brands you can get but more affordable, and they’ll win you over once you try them. Treat yourself.
Alloy deodorant or antiperspirant/deodorant compliments the line with a coordinated fragrance. Order them as a 3 pack to save money. That advice also applies to the bath bars.
The shaving gel nicely suits my demand for a close and comfortable shave to accompany my preferred razor. Over the years I’ve been a Melaleuca customer, the formulation has been improved multiple times, and though it was great 15 years ago, it keeps getting better. The after shave is a soothing lotion, perfect to apply right after shaving—no stinging.
The cologne is my secret that I started this post with. It’s not overwhelming but lasts all day. One of the things I like most, besides the quality and fragrance, is the metered sprayer. One of the pitfalls to fragrances is when you first start using them, at least when they’re of this quality, you’ll notice the fragrance hours later because your nose is part of your face. Over time, you get used to it and no longer notice. The tendency is to succumb to the temptation to apply more (I’m sure you’ve encountered people who do that). The metered sprayer is an excellent way to be consistent rather than marinate yourself and overwhelm those around you.
With just the right amount of Alloy cologne applied, you can be confident and be complimented, especially when this social distancing thing goes away.