I admit I’d never heard of “solid cologne” until my friends over at Birchbox Man sent me some. But, being the open-minded cologne lover that I am, I wanted to give it a try. There are a billion different scent options out there, and it can be a bit overwhelming to figure out which one works for you (think the cosmetics counter at Macy’s and the over-zealous lady who ambushes you with fifty different kinds of Polo). I, personally, tend to find a cologne I really like, and stick with it at least until the bottle runs out, and then try something new. But my cologne has never come in a tin before!

Birchbox sent me the “brio” scent by Alfred Lane. It comes in a nifty little container that fits (conveniently) in the front pocket of your jeans. And this is what I love most about it. My first thought was “this is going to be super portable.” And it is. How many times have you tried to pack your favorite bottle of Tom Ford, or Versace, for a weekend trip, only to find that some of that $100 liquid gold has leaked out, evaporated, etc? Or, worse yet, you get stopped by TSA on your way through security because your cologne is now a potential terrorist weapon? I hate checking bags when I fly. It is the bane of my existence. They always lose them, or somehow manage to mangle them. So I pack a carry on whenever possible and jam it (often literally) into the overhead. But if you do this, you’re going to have a hard time finding a way to bring your nice cologne. In the past, I’ve taken to free samples from Sephora, or one of those little aerosolizers to avoid checking my expensive cologne. But the solid cologne has just changed the game.

I keep my Alfred Lane in my bag at all times. That way, when it wears off (as all scents do) I have the option to reapply if I need a little touch up. No pesky spilling, no bulky bottle, no pricey evaporation. This thing packs like a tin of balm or moisturizer. When you get that mid-day not-so-fresh feeling, you can discretely put this bad boy on and smell delicious again.

The application process was a bit of a challenge at first. This stuff has the consistency of a balm as well, so I wasn’t exactly sure how much to put on, and how to go about it. Just take a little and rub it on your wrists and neck until it dissolves.

I love the way this particular solid cologne smells, too. It’s not overbearing, and has hints of spice and musk. It isn’t overly floral, and is sort of reminiscent of a campfire– not a bad scent for summer.

Now, I can’t say I’ll be a solid cologne convert for the rest of my life. I’m too attached to my  bottle of Cartier Essence (which I also got from BBM), and solid colognes just don’t have the amount of options that their liquid counterparts do. But you can bet I’m going to use the hell out of this Alfred Lane, and probably always keep some as a backup, in my bag, for the plane, and for those post-workout coffee dates where you don’t want to alienate your girlfriend with your stank. So throw out that old bottle of Adidas Moves (really? Adidas?) and get out of your cologne comfort zone.