Fragrance for beginners: A guide to getting your head (and nose) around scent

Do you know you EDP from your EDT? And which one works best for different occasions and why? We’ve got you covered! Here are four must-know fragrance terms made easy.

Cologne

This type of scent is steeped in history as it formed the very first fragrance category. Fragrance experts and journalists Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez (they co-authored the book Perfumes: The Guide) define cologne like this: “The oldest extant fragrance genre, dating at least from the 1700s. Traditional eau de cologne is a blend of citrus, florals, herbs and woods.” Wear cologne if you like aromatic scents that are still fresh and light to wear – often these present themselves as unisex fragrances that are perfect for sharing. 

EDP versus EDT

Eau de parfum (EDP) and eau de toilette (EDT) differ in terms of their concentrations. Let’s start with the grand-daddy of fragrance, parfum which is the strongest of the them all (in other words, it is the most concentrated). EDP is lighter with only 8 – 15% concentration of the essence, but it has staying power reported to last properly up to five hours. You will also find it’s less expensive than a pure parfum. 

EDT is lighter still with between 4 – 8% concentration. That means it won’t last as long as EDP and so expect a two to four hour period of smelling the true character of the scent on your skin before it starts to fade. EDP and EDT are for men and women; you’ll find versions of your favourite fragrances in both formats.

Aftershave

According to online platform, theidleman.com aftershave is more a skin saver than skin scent. They explain the product like this: “Aftershave is more focused on adding a small amount of fragrance (1 – 2% vs cologne's 4 – 6% percent) as well as some post-shave nourishment. While the most popular are liquid or lotion, aftershave also comes in the form of scented balms, creams and gels.” 

Fragrance notes

Ever heard about industry experts talk about the various notes that make up a scent? In Perfumes: The Guide, Luca and Tania describe a note as “an isolated smell in a fragrance.” Every fragrance has a top, middle (or heart) and base note that make up its distinct blend. A heart note is the middle portion of the fragrance, after the top notes subside (those sparkling, lighter scents you smell first) but before the dry down, often considered to be the fragrance’s true personality. 

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