We, humans, have a very old relation with perfumes. Although such exquisitely bottled perfumes did not exist earlier, people still found pleasure in the scents of plants, gums, and resins.
Although all scents are created to smell nice, finding the right fragrance is a tough task. Why? Well, not every scent will appeal you. It is not possible to go around testing every scent until you find the desired one.
I was planning to buy a Paco Rabanne Cologne for myself but was overwhelmed upon seeing hundreds of brand and store options. Does the same happen with you? After surfing the internet for hours, I successfully made a purchase through eliteperfumes.us. It was worth every penny!
What I learned from my experience is that it?s better to know about the types of scents in detail to choose the right one for yourself.
So if you are also a true fan of different fragrances, dive into this article to know more about them!
What makes up a fragrance?
Essence, alcohol and water are the three main components of a fragrance.
Let?s talk about essence first.
A perfume?s essence is developed using a variety of ingredients like, essential oils, floral and animal extracts, synthetic chemicals, etc. However, these ingredients are very concentrated and may even smell unpleasant by themselves.
Hence, we use water and alcohol to dilute all the elements in a perfume. In fact, that is how we categorize each kind of scent. The concentration level of perfume essence in the alcohol and water blend is the basic characteristic of a fragrance.
So, the major categories of fragrances based on their concentration level are: Extract, Parfum, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau Fraiche, Eau de Cologne, Cologne, Baby Cologne.
Most Common Types of Fragrance
Out of all the different kinds, most of the people use Eau de Parfum (also known as perfumes) and Eau de Cologne (also known as colognes). Both categories fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum; neither too strong nor too light.
However, people often confuse both the terms. Some even associate them with specific genders. The result? They are not able to identify the right scent for themselves.
What?s the Difference between Cologne and Perfume?
Let?s see what makes colognes and perfumes different from each other.
1. Concentration
This is the most basic difference between the both.
Cologne is composed of two to four percent oils in alcohol and water, while a perfume?s concentration is around fifteen to twenty percent. This clearly defines the strength of both categories and becomes the root of other differences.
2. Longevity
This characteristic defines how long a scent will last on your body.
The fragrance of cologne lasts only about 2-3 hours. Middle notes (heart of the fragrance) prevail during the first hour and the base notes (final scent) take over during the second hour. This is known as the dry-down period, the time when your body?s chemistry infuses with long-lasting essences to produce the true or final scent.
The scent of cologne does not last long due to its lower concentration. You will have to re-apply it after every few hours in a day.
On the other hand, perfume lasts much longer than cologne. A higher concentration extends the life of its fragrance to almost 8 hours.
In short, a perfume lasts about 3 times longer than cologne. However, a dry-down period of almost 8 hours means a greater effect of our body chemistry?s on the final scent. Hence, a perfume?s scent changes dramatically throughout the day, depending on your activities.
To conclude, buy a perfume only if you think it smells good at the end of the day.
3. Sensitivity
Colognes may not suit people with a very sensitive skin because it has a high content of alcohol. In fact, it is very likely to dry out your skin.
On the contrary, perfumes have far less alcohol than other types of fragrances. The larger concentration of essential oils makes it better than cologne in terms of sensitivity.
4. Popularity
Have you ever noticed that most of the fragrances on a department store?s counter are Eau De Parfum?
Even though colognes are also used worldwide, perfume is still the most common fragrance category. As a matter of fact, most of the new fragrances introduced by different brands belong to the Eau De Parfum family.
5. Price
Ingredients that go into producing a fragrance are expensive.
Therefore, perfumes having a larger quantity of essential oils cost more than colognes, having a lower oil concentration.
Conclusively, you can get colognes at a much lower price than perfumes.
6. Volume
It?s a very simple concept.
Since colognes are made up of less essentials oils and more alcohol, a single application lasts just for 2-3 hours. Hence, they are usually supplied in bigger bottles than perfumes. Otherwise, a small bottle of cologne would end up being used too quickly.
7. Packaging
Other than the size, the design of their packaging differs too.
Due to a watery consistency, colognes usually come in spray bottles. In contrast, perfumes have a thicker and oilier consistency, so they are mostly packaged in stoppered bottles.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
