Have you ever wondered about the difference between Cologne and Perfume? Do you sometimes confuse one for the other? Do they mean the same thing with two different names? In the post, we dissect the differences between Cologne and Perfume. Let’s dive in:
1. Who is it for?
Going on basic internet research, you would likely notice gendered marketing tactics from fragrance companies. Cologne is most likely to be marketed toward men and perfume is more likely to be marketed toward women.
While gendered language can be helpful in some situations, it certainly isn’t the case for fragrances. Regardless of their marketing, scents are mostly for both genders. The real difference between cologne vs perfume largely shows up in the staying power. Perfume tends to have a higher concentration of oils than cologne does. This can often reflect in the price as well as how often you need to spray the fragrance.
2. Differences in a strength
A major difference between cologne and perfume is their strength. Perfumes are made with a higher concentration of fragrant oils which makes them stronger and longer lasting. Colognes are made a lot lighter and contain fewer oil concentrations, so their fragrance can last for about 2-4 hours at most. Have you noticed that your choice of fragrance will fade quickly or last longer depending on the weather? The higher level of moisture in the air often leads to scent longevity (ever notice your fragrance when you wash your hands?). Alternatively, heat and humidity (along with sweat) will destroy the scent faster.
3. Differences in notes
Perfume is the most concentrated of all fragrances, with a pure perfume essence (or essential oils) of 20-30% compared to cologne at 2-4%. To balance the lower levels of fragrance oils, cologne has a higher amount of alcohol and water, which is why it fades faster. Despite the very different oil levels, both cologne and perfume consist of top, middle, and base notes. You will notice many colognes favour lighter scents that aren’t quite as potent or long-lasting, and perfumes lean toward heavier fragrances that linger on the skin longer. So you have a good frame of reference, the fragrance notes for cologne and perfume can be broken down into three typically used aromas:
Top: citrus/floral (orange, lavender, berries)
Middle: spices (cardamon, nutmeg, cinnamon)
Base: earthy (musk, sandalwood, vanilla)
4. Differences in intensity
Perfumes will naturally have more intensity than cologne because they tend to use heavier levels of ingredients plus they have a much higher essential oil level than cologne. That’s assuming you aren’t bathing in your scent of choice, of course. To avoid overpowering everyone in a smelling radius, apply perfume or cologne to your pulse points. Cologne can be reapplied once to twice a day. To avoid being smelled before you’re seen, try to only apply perfume or eau de toilette once a day.
5. Differences in usage
Generally, very highly concentrated perfumes are seen as an experience instead of daily wear, while colognes are widely accepted in the everyday routine and tend to favour masculine scents. However, the unspoken rule that cologne is for men and perfume is for women is a myth. Historically, perfume has been a genderless word to describe fragrances. If you fear smelling too much like a daffodil, look for the word “homme” meaning for men of fragrance bottles.