Cologne vs Eau de toilette: what is the difference?

Cologne vs Eau de toilette: what is the difference?

Fragrances may be invisible when worn, but they have a lot of sway when it comes to how others view you. No pressure, then. Aside from how the juice smells – which is dictated by its ingredients, also known as ‘notes’, in the trade – finding the correct concentration is essential. Too light, and it’ll be gone before you’re out the door. Too intense, and it can leave everyone within a mile radius feeling like they just huffed glue.

To ensure you hit the sweet (smelling) spot in-between, ahead is a brief explainer about the difference between two of the most common concentrations: cologne and eau de toilette. Tell your fellow commuters they can thanks us later.

What is cologne?

Eau de cologne (or simply “cologne”) is one of the oldest forms of perfume in the Western world, dating back as far as the 14th century. Though today the term is often misused to describe any masculine scent, it refers specifically to a low-concentration fragrance containing just 2-4% oils, diluted predominantly with alcohol.

That doesn’t mean colognes aren’t worth a sniff, though. They are typically created using citrus and herbal notes, including bergamot, grapefruit, lavender and neroli, making them brilliantly bright, fresh and incredibly easy to wear.

What is eau de toilette?

Despite translating literally to “toilet water”, a well-picked eau de toilette is anything but a stinker. One of the most popular and accessible forms of fragrance, they typically contain a 10% oil concentration, placing eau de toilette somewhere between eau de cologne and eau de parfum both in terms of strength and price.

Fresh top notes such as citrus are usually given centre stage, with richer ingredients like cedarwood and amber brought in at the base as a supporting act.

Cologne vs eau de toilette: what’s the difference?

Attempting to memorise the difference between cologne and eau de toilette (and aftershave and cologne, and cologne and perfume) is enough to give you a headache before you even start sniffing scents.

“The main difference is the concentration and therefore the lasting power,” explains Alex Goddard, training manager at Italian fragrance house Acqua di Parma. “A traditional eau de cologne will usually last up to two hours and an eau de toilette up to four hours.”

That said, Goddard doesn’t suggest putting too much emphasis on the words on the bottle. “Different fragrance strengths are associated with different types of raw material, and different types of raw material typically have different lasting powers.”

In a nutshell, what smells you like will ultimately dictate which one you go for and how long your fragrance will last. Just remember to adjust how much you apply, and how often, to the strength of your fragrance.

(Image credit: Maurer & Wirtz)

One To Try: Maurer & Wirtz 4711 Original Eau de Cologne

Arguably the most famous cologne in the world, 4711 is widely recognised as one of the oldest fragrances still in production. Launched in 1792, it’s an uplifting blend of citrus fruits and aromatic herbs, making it ideal for the office or summer holidays. You’ll need to reapply it often, but at less the price than a round of drinks, you can easily afford to.

(Image credit: Dior)

One To Try: Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette

An instant classic 10 years in the making, Dior Sauvage was released in 2015 and didn’t take long to establish itself as the UK’s bestselling fragrance. Inside, crisp bergamot and spicy pepper are rounded out with lavender and geranium for a juice that’s strong but not overpowering. Plus, the brand has just launched a handy refill bottle to cut down on packaging.

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J’adore, Joy, Sauvage… Les secrets des parfums Dior dévoilés

Sur les traces de François Demachy, son Parfumeur-Créateur attitré, le documentaire " Nose " nous dévoile les coulisses de la création des parfums iconiques de Dior, de la sélection des matières premières à la conception des senteurs si connues comme Joy, J’adore Dior ou encore Sauvage. À voir absolument !

Pour la première fois, la maison Dior dévoile les coulisses de la conception de ses parfums. Durant deux années, les documentaristes Arthur de Kersauson et Clément Beauvais ont suivi les pas de François Demachy, Parfumeur-Créateur Dior depuis 2006 à qui l’on doit notamment Dior Homme Cologne, Miss Dior, Dior Addict, Cuir Cannage, le dernier Sauvage ou encore le parfum féminin, Joy, dont Gala vous dévoilait les secrets de fabrication. De ce voyage olfactif, les réalisateurs ont tiré le documentaire Nose, qui est disponible dès ce lundi 22 février 2021 sur les plateformes de VOD.

On découvre alors le fascinant métier de nez (d’où le titre « Nose », qui est le terme anglais). Mais au-delà du travail de créateur de parfums, on découvre celui de « chercheur» d’odeurs. François Demachy, infatigable arpenteur, amoureux de la belle matière n’a de cesse que de développer des filières qui assurent aux parfums Dior les ingrédients les plus nobles. Des roses de mai grassoises en passant par la bergamote de Calabre, le patchouli d’Indonésie ou encore le santal du Sri Lanka, on découvre au fil de ce superbe long-métrage les passionnantes étapes de sélection des matières premières, puis la transformation de ces fragrances d’exception en parfums uniques, dont la maison Dior a le secret.

« Nose » de Arthur de Kersauson et Clément Beauvais est disponible en vidéo sur demande dès le 22 février 2021 via les plates-formes numériques ITunes, Google Play, Amazon et Microsoft.

Crédits photos : Dior

How to choose the right cologne or aftershave: 5 expert tips

Fragrances are a lot like clothes. They only really work if you choose the right ones at the right time. Think about it, you wouldn’t show up to a beach resort in a cashmere roll neck, cummerbund and one ski, would you? In the same vein, there are certain dos and don’ts when it comes to your de toilette.

“This is why educating yourself in basic perfumery can be very useful to making better choices,” agrees Emmanuelle Moeglin, founder of the Experimental Perfume Club. “If you know what you like, and what works for what you need, then you can better search for it.”

Best men’s fragrances and colognes: discerning scent

Ahead are five expert tips to help you sift through the surplus of scents so you can choose the right aftershave or cologne every time.

Here are some useful rules to follow when choosing your fragrance:

Learn The Lingo: A lot of men unknowingly use terms like aftershave and cologne interchangeably, but these actually refer to a fragrance’s concentration levels and ultimately determine how long a scent will last. An Eau Fraiche is the weakest, sticking around for just 1-2 hours, followed by eau de cologne, eau de toilette, Eau de parfum and finally parfum, which will still be filling the room long after last orders. You can adjust this sliding scale (and your budget) to whether you’re looking for a simple post-shower spritz or an olfactory all-nighter for parties and weddings.

A lot of men unknowingly use terms like aftershave and cologne interchangeably, but these actually refer to a fragrance’s concentration levels and ultimately determine how long a scent will last. An Eau Fraiche is the weakest, sticking around for just 1-2 hours, followed by eau de cologne, eau de toilette, Eau de parfum and finally parfum, which will still be filling the room long after last orders. You can adjust this sliding scale (and your budget) to whether you’re looking for a simple post-shower spritz or an olfactory all-nighter for parties and weddings. Know Your Notes: You don’t need a PHD in perfumery to find a good fragrance, but it does help to know how they’re made. Most traditional men’s fragrances are built in three layers. The top notes are the ones you’ll smell first, but these quickly fade, giving way to the middle notes which linger slightly longer before you’re left with the base notes. Look out for notes that frequently crop up in the fragrances you like, and the search for new ones will be much easier.

You don’t need a PHD in perfumery to find a good fragrance, but it does help to know how they’re made. Most traditional men’s fragrances are built in three layers. The top notes are the ones you’ll smell first, but these quickly fade, giving way to the middle notes which linger slightly longer before you’re left with the base notes. Look out for notes that frequently crop up in the fragrances you like, and the search for new ones will be much easier. Shop For The Occasion: Just as you dress for the occasion, you should spray for it too. Luckily, all this talk of fumes needn’t give you a headache. Each fragrance falls under a ‘family’ – such as woody, citrus, floral, or oriental – which is usually a giveaway of when it’s best deployed. For example, work colleagues will appreciate you opting for a light citrus scent featuring neroli over a heady oriental oud, while a date almost certainly calls for something earthy and musky.

Just as you dress for the occasion, you should spray for it too. Luckily, all this talk of fumes needn’t give you a headache. Each fragrance falls under a ‘family’ – such as woody, citrus, floral, or oriental – which is usually a giveaway of when it’s best deployed. For example, work colleagues will appreciate you opting for a light citrus scent featuring neroli over a heady oriental oud, while a date almost certainly calls for something earthy and musky. Try Before You Buy: To properly shop for a fragrance, you need to wear it. Not only do scents change over time, they also react differently to different body chemistry – meaning what smells good on blotting paper won’t necessarily smell the same on you. Even if you’ve made it your mission to find a signature scent that you’ll stick with for life, limit your testing to four. Spray one on each wrist and on the inside of each elbow, then let them develop over three to four hours before picking the one that comes up smelling roses (or citruses, or spices.)

To properly shop for a fragrance, you need to wear it. Not only do scents change over time, they also react differently to different body chemistry – meaning what smells good on blotting paper won’t necessarily smell the same on you. Even if you’ve made it your mission to find a signature scent that you’ll stick with for life, limit your testing to four. Spray one on each wrist and on the inside of each elbow, then let them develop over three to four hours before picking the one that comes up smelling roses (or citruses, or spices.) Research The Classics: With hundreds of revivals, remixes, relaunches and rebottlings happening every year, it can be hard to sniff out a fragrance that will have staying power, both on your shelf and your skin. Though you should always buy for personal taste, if you’re worried about smelling like last year’s trend, consider sticking to the classics. Only a few colognes have clawed their way into the grooming hall of fame (think Dior Sauvage, Terre d’Hermes and Bleu de Chanel), making it hard to go wrong.

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