With seemingly endless formula types, fragrance families, and scent notes to choose from, the concept of perfume can seem head-spinningly complex.
To make navigating the olfactory world a little easier, we’ve put together this handy guide to everything you need to know about fragrance.
Below, we step through the differences between eau de cologne, eau de toilette, and eau de parfum.
Then, we delve into some of your burning fragrance questions: how to make perfume last longer, where to spray perfume, and how to mix perfumes together.
Firstly, What is Cologne?
Eau de cologne is the least-concentrated perfume formula.
In modern times, ‘cologne’ has become a catchall phrase signifying fragrances for men.
But in its true sense, ‘cologne’ is a unisex term describing a fragrance with less perfume oil than eau de toilette and eau de parfum.
If you’re concerned about accidentally buying a perfume that’s overly masculine, remember that scents for men usually say ‘for men’ or ‘homme’ (‘men’ in French) on the label.
Some of our favourite colognes:
You can find more of our top colognes in our guide: Best ‘Men’s Colognes’ for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Statement.
The Difference Between EDT and EDP
Eau de Toilette, or EDT
Between eau de cologne and eau de parfum sits our middle child of the fragrance family: eau de toilette.
An EDT is more concentrated than a cologne yet lighter than an EDP.
If you’re looking for something that’s appropriate for all occasions, EDT makes an excellent choice.
You’ll find that many of your favourite perfumes come in an EDT version too.
So if there’s a scent you love for evening but find a little OTT for daytime, you might like to try the EDT instead.
Some of our favourite EDTs:
Eau de Parfum, or EDP
As we’ve discussed, the difference between EDT and EDP comes down to concentration.
When buying an Eau de Parfum, you can expect a more potent scent that will likely have greater lasting power due to the higher concentration of perfume oils.
If you’re trying to decide between EDT vs EDP, consider when you’ll be wearing that fragrance the most.
For daytime scents, a lighter EDT is always a safe bet.
But you might like to dabble in a headier EDP for evening outings.
Some of our favourite EDPs:
Does Perfume Expire? How Long Does Perfume Last?
Does perfume go off? The answer is yes. As a rule, perfume has a shelf life of around three to five years.
However, you may be able to prolong the life of a fragrance by storing your perfume in a cool, dark place such as inside a drawer or cupboard.
And always replace the cap after use to keep oxygen from breaking down the fragrance.
By the same token, it’s possible to shave years off the life of your spritz (heaven forbid!).
Just store it in a humid or hot environment (e.g., the bathroom) or in direct sunlight.
No, please don’t. Avoid these deadly perfume sins and enjoy your fragrance for far longer.
Where to Spray Perfume
Where you apply perfume can determine how well it permeates through the air.
Although no one wants to be that person whose fragrance enters the room before they do, what’s the point of splashing out on a beautiful new perfume if no one can smell it?
For optimum scent enjoyment, mist your fragrance across a couple of pulse points, such as the inside of your wrists, behind your ear lobes, the bottom of your throat, or between your breasts.
How to Put Perfume On to Last Longer
Want to make your scent last the distance from a.m. to p.m.?
Here are some of our favourite techniques on how to apply perfume:
Layer matching body washes and body creams under your perfume.
Spritz or dab fragrance onto multiple pulse points.
Ensure your skin is clean and hydrated before applying your perfume.
Carry your perfume with you to top it up throughout the day.
How to Mix Perfumes
Layering different fragrances can be a hit-or-miss experiment.
We recommend trying it with the simplest (even one-note) scents or those that have been formulated to be worn in tandem.
It’s also a good idea to stick to fragrance families that play well together.
Florals and citruses generally mix nicely with other scents, whereas woody or spicy notes can be a little harder to pair.
Be prepared for some trial and error, and try mixing just a couple of scents to start.
Check out the YouTube video below to find out more about the fragrance wheel...
What Are Notes?
When talking about fragrance, the term ‘note’ describes a specific layer of a perfume. There are fragrance top, heart, and base notes.
Think of a perfume as a musical arrangement for many instruments. When played together, the notes form a unique (and beautiful!) melody.
Top notes: A scent opens with the fragrance’s top notes (aka ‘headnotes’).
These are the first notes you smell after spritzing on a perfume.
Generally, top notes are the lighter components of the perfume—think citruses or soft florals such as rose.
These notes don’t linger long before they disappear into the heart notes.
Heart notes: The heart of a fragrance contains the bulk of the elements of the scent.
Here, you’ll find headier notes such as jasmine, lavender, or cinnamon.
Base notes: Base notes tend to be richer, deeper scents.
Due to their heavier molecular weight, they have longer lasting power and usually remain at the end of the day.
Popular base notes feature full, woody, or gourmand scents such as sandalwood, musk, or vanilla.
That’s a wrap on our guide to perfume. We hope you’ve loved learning about all things fragrance.
Need a bit more help finding your signature scent? Try our Fragrance Quiz.
Discover our full fragrance range or have a read through the guides below...
Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.
