The Purpose of Cologne

Perfume or also known as “Parfum” is extensive dating back thousands of years. It is believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia which is currently modern-day Iraq around 3000 BC. Egyptians have also played a large role in its creation. It was used during these times in religious ceremonies, personal use, and even for embalming practices. Later, the Greeks and Romans took the art of perfumery and improved the methods and materials used to create scents. Modern perfumery started to begin during the Middle Ages, when it had become a signifi cant aspect of European culture, especially in France which is now known as the world’s perfume capital. Perfume includes a mixture of fragrant essential oils, aroma compounds, and solvents, which are combined to create perfume which is intended to provide a pleasing scent to a human body. Perfume has the highest concentration of fragrance oils which allow scents to linger for up to 8 hours or longer.

Cologne or “Eau de Cologne” originated in the city of Cologne Germany in the early 1700s. Giovanni Maria Farina produced the most well cologne in 1709. He created a light, citrus-based fragrance that expanded across Europe, with this the term “cologne” was created to describe fragrances similar to this. Cologne includes a blend of essential oils, alcohol, and water. The concentration is around 2-5% while perfumes have 20-30% which gives colognes less longevity and a lighter scent which is a reason pulse points (like wrists and neck) are important when using cologne.

While both Cologne and Perfume can be unisex, colognes are typically marketed towards men due to its masculinity, lighter scent, lower concentration of fragrance oils which can feel more refreshing. Perfumes are more frequently linked to women due to its feminines and higher concentration of fragrance oils, which allow it to be long-lasting, and give a richer and complex scent profi le. Many women prefer this for special occasions and daily wear because they can always smell fresh. Perfumes have traditionally emphasized fl oral and sweet notes that are often linked with femininity while colognes have often been associated with masculinity due to its scents that are used such as wood, spice, leather, and fresh citrus which often represent strength, and confi dence.