Confused Between Eau de Toilette and Perfume' Cologne and Aftershave?
We explain the difference - helping you find your perfect scent.
Whether you are looking for your favourite fragrance, a great price on a classic scent, or for the latest designer fragrance to hit the market, you are sure to come across a number of different 'types' of scent - Eau de Toilette, Perfume, Eau de Parfum, and so on.
This often causes confusion and can lead to a wrong or unsuitable fragrance being selected - even by experienced fragrance buyers!Below we have listed each of the main types of fragrance you are likely to come across and given an explanation for each - explaining how they are different and the key features of each scent.
Perfume
Perfume is the strongest concentration of a fragrance you generally will find. It requires only a small application, and the scent will stay with you for hours, sometimes days. Women's fragrances traditionally have, in the past, been in perfume strength. Women put a small amount of perfume on in the morning or evening and it lasts for hours; with certain fragrances the scent can still be detected for several days, even after a shower. Due to it's higher concentration, some regard it as a 'purer' form of fragrance than its Eau de Touilette counterpart. Perfume is applied by applying the liquid to the skin, via finger or a dipping device - usually cotton. Care should be taken to avoid coating the fingers or hands in too much of the fragrance.
Eau de Toilette
Eau de Toilette is a more dilute form of fragrance than perfume - some regard it therefore as a less-pure form of fragrance. This however is a misconception – it’s incorrect to assume that Eau de Toilette is an inferior purchase. Perfume is applied by dipping something in the perfume then touching the skin; however an Eau de Toilette usually offers the convenience of a spray, and the option of applying the scent to clothing. A perfume is too concentrated to spray, which places it at a disadvantage in this respect. Eau de Toilette is generally lighter in scent - some consider the classic perfumes to be too strong, or overbearing.
Price-wise, an Eau de Toilette is significantly cheaper than a perfume, and comes in a much larger bottle. If you like to change your scent regularly, or have several fragrances that you alternate between, an Eau de Toilette is a better option. A perfume should only be chosen if you wear one scent (regardless of occasion), and are unlikely to become tired of its scent.
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Parfum falls somewhere between Perfume and Eau de Toilette in terms of fragrance concentration - not as strong as a perfume but stronger and longer lasting than an Eau de Toilette. It can be applied as a spray - offering in many respects the best of both worlds.
Compared to Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum is more expensive/volume, although still cheaper than perfume. Applicable by spray, it offers the convenience that an Eau de Toilette provides without the over-bearing scent associated with too much perfume. It is longer-lasting than an Eau de Toilette - it will last throughout the day. Less is required per application compared to an Eau de Toilette - 1-2 sprays compared to 2-3.
Choosing between an Eau de Toilette and an Eau de Parfum generally comes down to the particular fragrance's scent - most manufacturer's avoid releasing a scent as both (some however do). If you like wearing one fragrance throughout the day and another at night, an Eau de Toilette is preferable as there won't be mixing between the two scents. An Eau de Parfum will last longer, so applying it in the morning may result in traces remaining in the evening - causing a mixing if a second is applied - this can distort the fragrance and cause the scent to differ - usually for the worse.
Cologne
Cologne is a somewhat diluted fragrance when compared to perfume, and is similar to an Eau de Parfum. Cologne is applied both as a spray, or directly to the skin. You will often see women spray the air and walk into the mist to avoid getting too much fragrance on their skin and clothing. As a relatively pure form of fragrance, it gives a long lasting scent. Cologne is useful, but too strong for the tastes of many when used as a spray. Cologne is also found in bottles to be applied like perfume (no spray).
To differentiate a men's product from women's products, cologne has been stereotyped into being a male-only strength of fragrance, but women's fragrances do come as a cologne also. Cologne provides a fairly strong scent for the whole day, however is usually not detectable a day or two later after taking a shower etc (unlike a perfume).
As said, be sure to choose a fragrance carefully – consider when and where you want to wear it and if you like to wear several different scents depending on occasion. First and foremost – choose a scent you like!
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Gordons Chemists Online Fragrance Policy
We have a strict policy of only dealing with official UK and Ireland suppliers for our fragrance and beauty products. This means that when you buy fragrance online or on the high street from Gordons Chemists, you are getting the guarantee of a product that has not been imported, and is 100% genuine.