YSK: There is a big difference in Perfumes, Toilettes, and Colognes that have nothing to do with the gender of the scent. How to be a knowledgable fragrance consumer.
Fragrance Strength
First, there's the strength of fragrance, which you could get a find by simply reading the bottle. This graphic shows the difference in scent oils for each fragrance. From strongest to weakest:
Perfume – A corruption of the Latin phrase per fumum (through smoke). The most concentrated and expensive of all fragrance options. Slightly oilier, perfume, or parfum, is composed of 20% – 30% pure perfume essence. A single application of perfume can last up to 24 hours.
Eau de Parfum – (EDP) Historically genderless, used to describe both men’s and women’s fragrances. This has become the generic term used to describe a fragrance. Contains 15% – 20% pure perfume essence and lasts for about 5 to 8 hours.
Eau de Toilette – (EDT) A light spray composition with 5% – 15% pure perfume essence dissolved in alcohol. Usually lasts for about 3 hours. Most fragrances that you'd find in a department or drug store are EDTs
Eau de Cologne – Oldest term for perfume, used in North America for masculine scents. Lighter than most scents, these typically composed of 2% – 4% perfume oils in alcohol and water. Tend to be used in more budget-friendly fragrances for younger people. Usually lasts for about 2 hours.
Eau Fraiche – The most diluted version of fragrance, usually with 1% – 3% perfume oil in alcohol and water. Usually lasts for less than an hour. Many "body sprays" tend to fall in this category.
While preferences (and budget) vary, typically you'd want to buy an Toilette or Perfume to get the most bang-for-your-buck. A $20 cologne may smell great, but if you have you apply it 5 times as often you may as well splurge on the $50 perfume. Many fragrances offer several strengths, so buy the one that offers you the best life for your dollar.
Life Cycle
Fragrances have three timed sections – a life cycle of points – think of an evaporating pyramid. Each of the three sections contain individual scents or ‘notes,’ that are belted together into what you end up smelling.
These are the individual building blocks of scent. There are three different kinds of notes that comprise a scent – top, medium and base notes.
Top note – The top or basic note is the initial, lighter smell of the fragrance that hits the nose first. The top note lasts around 15 minutes – 2 hours. Examples of these notes include citruses, powdery scents and light florals.
Medium note – Also referred to as the middle or heart notes – showcase the main elements of the fragrance. These notes develop after the top note clears – around 30 minutes and can last 3-5 hours after being sprayed. The middle and base notes are the extra layers of scents which give the fragrance its distinctive smell.
Base note – The last to develop and helps fix the fragrance to the skin. This is where you will smell the bolder notes of the scent, which become more noticeable when the fragrance has been on the skin for a while. Base notes lay the foundation for the fragrance and will determine how long the fragrance lasts on your skin. Base notes tend to last from 5 to 10 hours. Typical base notes are sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla, tar, leather, smoke, tobacco, and musk
As the notes dry up, the scent will change, allowing for the scents to evolve and be more interesting. Typically, the mark of a low-quality fragrance is if it remains monotone throughout its life.
Testing
How to test fragrances:
- Spray one on each wrist and each inner elbow.
- Between smelling each cologne, refresh your palate with something strong, like coffee beans (usually provided).
- Smell all the notes. Avoid using the paper strips provided for testing the fragrance. The initial top note smell isn’t necessarily the one that lingers for the rest of the day.
- After spraying the fragrance on your wrists, walk around the department store, and smell the colognes at various intervals up to an hour.
Application
Spray perfume on dry skin, preferably right after a shower. See infographic Hold the spray nozzle 3-6 inches from your skin and focus on these rules for applying perfume:
Pulse points – Your body heat will push the scent through out the day, creating a nice scent trail commonly called sillage. Start with the warm parts of your body – chest, neck, lower jaw, wrist, forearm, inner elbow, shoulder.
Re-spray only when required – You can add more sprays to your wrists or take sprays away depending on how long the scent lasts.
Don’t kill the note – Rubbing the perfume into the skin seems a sensible thing to do. In reality – it breaks the molecular bond, making the scent weaker.
Don’t spray and walk – Spraying a fragrance in the air and walking through the mist is worthless. Most of it the fragrances drops straight to the floor.
Don’t spray fragrance on your clothes – The fragrance isn’t allowed to mix with your oils, and hence it can’t naturally go through the stages of notes like it should. The oils in a fragrance will stain many fabrics.
Don’t splash too much – If you are applying cologne from a regular bottle, take one finger and press it against the opening of your bottle, and then tip it over gently.
Less Is More – “Fragrance should be discovered, not announced”. People should be close to smell the perfume but not overpowered by it.
This was just a small section of the most relevant points. If you're eager to learn more, please visit the Source.