Anne-Marie Orsini, Princess of Nerola, lived from 1642 to 1722, and the story goes that in the late 1600s she scented her gloves and her bath with oil pressed from bitter orange blossom. The flower took her town's name, and we still call it neroli. A princess in a palace smelling of a flower, and an entire category of perfume followed her nose. It is a nice reminder that orange blossom has never been a soft or shy note.

I think of her every time I spray MYSLF. Yves Saint Laurent launched the first one in 2023 as a woody floral for men, co-written by Daniela Andrier, Christophe Raynaud and Antoine Maisondieu. One small precision: the brand's heart note is an orange blossom absolute from Tunisia, not neroli, though the two are cousins. YSL Beauty calls YSL MYSLF Le Parfum a radicalization rather than a reinvention, with black pepper on top, that orange blossom in the middle and warm woods with Bourbon vanilla underneath. Where the original is shiny and fresh, this one is matte and velvety. Same flower, different light.

The trick is to meet the family in order. Start with the MYSLF Eau de Parfum with Fresh Accord and Warm Woods, the daytime reading, then move to MYSLF Le Parfum, the evening one. MYSLF Absolu is the deeper step beyond, and the MYSLF Eau de Toilette Intense Collection is the lighter, easier way in for warm weather. If your taste runs to the Y side of the house, Y Elixir, Y Le Parfum and Y Eau de Parfum sit right beside them, and La Nuit de L'Homme Eau de Toilette is the old favorite for anyone who likes a dressed-up evening. The MYSLF bottles are refillable, according to YSL, which suits a scent you will finish.

Orange scents fool you in the first few seconds, because everything bright smells alike right after the spray. Give each blotter strip a minute, with a sip of water and a breath of coffee beans between, and the real character arrives a few minutes later.

Jo Malone London's Orange Blossom Cologne with White Lilac is the gentlest of the group, pretty on a warm afternoon and easy to layer. Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum, with citrus and bergamot in the name, is the holiday one, all sunshine and sea air in a bottle. Tom Ford's Taormina Orange, with citrus and oakmoss, goes darker and greener, and Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte is the cologne to reach for when you want a clean, cool flash of citrus and nothing more.

For evening, Gucci Guilty Absolu de Parfum for Men and YSL's L'Homme Eau de Parfum have more weight. Dolce&Gabbana keeps two lanes open: The One for Men Eau de Parfum is the dressier choice, and Light Blue Pour Homme Eau de Parfum with orange and cedarwood is the easy weekend bottle.

A pairing I like: a neroli cologne on the body and one spray of something woody on a jacket collar, so the two meet only when you move.

What I would skip: a heavy orange scent on a hot, crowded commute. Citrus in the heat turns sharp, and everyone on the train gets a share.

Rubbing your wrists together flattens the top notes, and woods do better when they are left to open up by themselves. Spray on clothing or just behind the ears, and then leave them alone.

Bleu de Chanel Parfum is the polished one, the bottle I would hand to a man who wants one scent for the office, dinner and the weekend. Its Eau de Parfum sibling is lighter on its feet. Armani Code Eau de Toilette with mandarin and cedarwood is smooth and a little dressy, and Armani's Acqua di Giò Eau de Toilette with Calabrian bergamot and cedarwood is the familiar fresh one, good for summer. Hermès Terre d'Hermès Eau de Toilette is the dry, earthy classic that never tries too hard.

The smaller houses are where I would go to get away from what everyone else wears. The Maker's Alias Eau de Parfum with sandalwood is quiet and soft. Commodity's Moss+ Bold with oakmoss and juniper berry is greener and more outdoorsy, and Montblanc's Explorer Extreme Parfum is the one for a man who wants a real trail of scent.

Bleu de Chanel for work days and the orange-blossom MYSLF for nights out makes a tidy two-bottle wardrobe. Two moods, and neither one gets worn out.

What I would skip: a dark, heavy woody scent on a summer afternoon. Save the Parfum concentrations for evenings and cooler days.

Fragrance sits best on moisturized skin that is fully dry, so skincare goes first and scent goes last. A clean base means you get the scent you chose rather than the one the moisturizer smells like. Three steps, about four minutes, and then you are done.

Clinique's For Men Charcoal Face Wash Gel and Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Gentle Exfoliating Face Cleanser are two straightforward ways to begin. Both are the kind of wash you can keep by the sink and forget you are using. For moisture, Clinique's For Men Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer and Jack Black's Clean Break Oil-Free Moisturizer are light enough for oily skin, and Nivea Men's Sensitive Face Lotion with vitamin E and SPF 15 is the simple one for skin that gets touchy after shaving.

Jack Black's Face Buff Energizing Scrub is for weekends, not every morning. The Eye Balm De-Puffing and Cooling Gel helps on the days after a late night, and Jack Black's Oil-Free Sun Guard SPF 45 is the step most men skip and then regret.

What I would skip: scrubbing right before you apply a new cologne. Newly exfoliated skin is more sensitive, and alcohol on it stings.

One bottle of MYSLF Le Parfum and a little patience is all I would ask of you. Wear it for a week of evenings before you decide, because the matte, vanilla-and-orange-blossom part arrives slowly and is the reason to own it.

After that, add one citrus cologne for the days it is too warm for anything heavy, keep the skincare boring, and stop there. Princess Anne-Marie scented her gloves with a flower and is still being talked about more than three hundred years later. You only need one good bottle on the shelf.

MYSLF is built around one flower, so the next step is seeing how other houses handle orange and what else sits well on a dresser beside it. Start with Jo Malone London Orange Blossom and Orange Marmalade colognes, then Tom Ford Taormina Orange and the Hermès Concentré d'orange verte for something brighter. If you want to stay close to home, the Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF Eau de Parfum and MYSLF ABSOLU Parfum are right there. Chanel Platinum Égoïste, K by Dolce&Gabbana and Hermès Bel Ami are the other scents for men. Then keep the routine plain with Jack Black Protein Booster Face Serum, Clinique SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid and the Kiehl's Rare Earth Clay Face Mask. Apply the sunscreen first and the scent last. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Le Male Le Parfum and YSL Libre Dupe.