I always wear scented deodorant and cologne. Especially being a latino man. I’m planning on moving to work in Japan as a JET.
From what I’ve heard it’s looked down upon to wear strong scents. Are there any scents that are sold that are light or bland? Honestly the one deodorant I wear isn’t strong it’s Gillette. But for cologne are there acceptable mens perfumes I can look into? Cheers(:
19 comments
>From what I’ve heard it’s looked down upon to wear **~~strong~~** scents.
FTFY.
As a JET, working in a school, you will be expected to wear ***no*** cologne. Many schools/BOEs/dispatch companies actually have explicit rules against wearing scents. Even if it’s not explicitly against the dress code, it’s generally not a thing that people do here in Japan. In a school environment it’s going to be particularly frowned upon.
I’m also a Latino man. So if you’re gonna wear cologne look for a lightly scented one (eau de toilette) Possibly something like CK1. I think my Japanese girlfriend mentioned she liked that one.
As far as deodorant goes I just use regular Old Spice and again my girlfriend mentioned that I don’t smell at all, which is a good comment in Japan. Of course everyone’s body chemistry is different and will react differently.
Gentleman Eau de Parfum by Givenchy is not too heavy and smells great. I wore it in schools most days for years and never had a complaint. Switched to (the much heavier) Fahrenheit by Dior in my last few years as an ALT, and still had no complaints.
But if you’re looking for something light, I’d definitely recommend Gentleman.
No cologne is acceptable. Dove men makes good(ish) deodorant that have a very faint smell. Try that one.Asking what cologne is fine to use is like asking what hot sauce can I use for my friend who thinks paprika is spicy.
8/4 Scentless is nice enough and I’ve never heard anything since making the switch.
What exactly is a JET just curious
I was actually just thinking about this. I have a decent collection of colognes and was trying to decide which to bring. Ultimately I’m going to bring Hermès Fraîche (it’s extremely light) and Dior Homme Sport ( no frills, citrusy) and Maison Margiela Coffee Break.
If the school forbids them, that’s fine. I still think I’ll use my lightest fragrances outside of school. Also you mentioned deodorant. I’m bringing some from the US because apparently Japanese deodorant doesn’t have antiperspirant.
I think it depends.
In my case, some teachers at my various schools smell of strong perfume/bath soaps/shampoo or laundry detergent. Even some of my kids do too.
It’s way better than when some teachers (male teachers) & some of the kids start reeking when summer comes around. And don’t get me started on the male teachers who chimney smoke cigarettes & go to class smelling of it too!
Best to just get cologne that is just subtle but effectively hides any body odor you’re worried about. I’m not a guy but I am Hispanic descent so I get you! For me, I use deodorant that works really well (dove 48hr protection version – best to bring your own deodorant when you come because Japanese deodorants suck butt. I buy new ones off Amazon (imported from the US) when I run out) & body lotion (body shop Japanese camellia or Hawaiian Kukui). The body lotion sinks in pretty well if you apply it with time to settle & is very subtle but most useful when it gets hot.
Good luck with this! Hope you can figure something out.
Anything is fine just not so strong.
I recommend what you like but only a slight squirt.
Even Brut is fine, but again just a small squirt.
Odorless deodorant is best so you don’t overdo it with the cologne.
1 or 2 sprays of any ‘office’ scent should be ok when working in schools. Office scents are designed to be non invasive.
I smell perfume on Japanese women pretty often. My husband wears jasmine body spray. You do you. Except at work apparently. Also bring lots deodorant, it’s ok if it has scent, better to have a good smell than a bad one
Well anyway, the general rule of thumb for cologne, or perfume for women, is that if someone more than 1 m away from you can smell it, it’s too strong.
My school had a woman who sprayed herself constantly in the staff room and restroom, like every hour. I’m not kidding, you could smell the perfume in the air hours after she had left the building. As her supervisor I had to speak to her about it. Fortunately she understood. I showed her some stuff I found on the Internet that said that our noses get used to a scent quickly, so we may not realize that we are putting on too much perfume etc. It was recommended that you use different scents and rotate to keep your nose from getting “numb” to it.
For sweaty days in Japan I recommend bringing an extra undershirt to work that you can change into if you sweat a lot during the commute. The stores sell deodorant sheets that you can wipe you body and pits with if necessary. Carry a men’s handkerchief or small hand towel to wipe off sweat from your face and neck. Let’s all pray we can take our masks off this summer. I don’t know if I can handle another summer with masks on!
Acqua di Gio
Don’t layer it on; one puff on the inside of the collar and you are Gucci
Bacon-scented cologne.
Alternatively, Eau de Tatami Mat.
The world is very anti-scent these days.
From my understanding the Japanese font view scents the way the west does. Even subtle scents are frowned upon. The best scent is **NO SCENT** as in, make it so you literally don’t smell like anything at all
The best no/low scent deoderant I have found in Japan is the on from https://deonatulle.com/en/. Buy the blue one, it has a very very mild mint smell (if you stick your nose in your armpit).
There are other brands that will try to imitate the above, but these do not work well.
People are saying looked it’s down upon blah blah blah…..
Just wear deodorant that is not strong scented, like soap or clean smelling one. Soap scent is very common in Japan.
Also I assure you there are many Japanese men who wear strong cologne but they are the チャラ男 ones so if you wear strong cologne, you’ll be seen as a flashy guy as well.
As a super sweaty guy, I’d recommend a combination of
– Absorbent undershirts – they’ll make you a little warmer, but they’ll greatly reduce sweat marks – get ones specifically designed for summer wear. Plus having the sweat contained by an inner layer helps to reduce the amount of BO that’ll escape.
– Hand towels and wipes, to get you in better condition after a sweaty commute.
– Taking along a change of shirt for when you arrive
– Accepting that you’re gonna be sweaty a lot; at some point you just need to be OK with it. Summer is hot, and A/C is not a guarantee, especially in classrooms. Wear colours that don’t change too radically/noticeably when wet. Uniqlo do great airism polo shirts – I find the dark blue/dark grey ones are quite forgiving. And they’re very breathable.
You can also buy roll-on/stick anti-perspirant online that’ll also help with all of the above. If you’re keen on a scent, aim for ‘clean’ smelling things over ‘fragranced’.
Outside of work, knock yourself out. And honestly, a lot of schools won’t actually care about scents. The above is just a more extensive toolkit that’ll help deal with the wider issue of sweat and BO during the humid summer months.