Scent is one of the most evocative of the senses. Up to 75% of the taste of food, for example, comes from its smell. And have you ever noticed that particular scents can often conjure up specific memories or sensations, positive and negative? We associate emotions, memories, and even attraction with scent, so deciding on what scent you want to emit when meeting someone for a date is an important part of your pre-date planning. New research suggests that each of us also unconsciously reacts to scentless pheromones given off by every person we meet, and those pheromones make a big difference in how we perceive attractiveness in potential mates. But putting on a scent like perfume or cologne also just helps to attract that cute guy or girl, so go ahead and dab some on.
The Differences between Perfumes, Colognes, Eau de Toilette, and Body Sprays
If you’ve ever been confused by the labels and wondered what the differences are between various types of scents, you’re not alone. Here’s a clue: each name (i.e. perfume, cologne, etc.) describes the concentration of the oils used in each scent. For instance, perfume has a higher concentration of oils (and is, therefore, more expensive) than eau de toilette. Here’s a list to help you make good purchasing and wearing decisions based on the labels.
Eau de Cologne is the least concentrated of the scents at 2% to 5% oil content. Usually referred to simply as “cologne” this type of scent is generally meant for men to wear as just a scent or to double as an aftershave (though if you use it as an aftershave, go easy).
Eau Fraiche is not commonly known in the States but has the same concentration as cologne, and the oils used in Eau Fraiche are more feminine for women to wear.
Eau de Toilette has 5% to 8% concentration of oils, which makes it a light scent that doesn’t have a lot of long-term lasting power. Eau de toilette is great for lightly misting into your hair or over your clothes (be careful not to stain silks or satins). Body sprays typically fall in this category or in the Eau Fraiche category.
Eau de Parfum or Eau de Perfume typically contains between 8% and 15% oils, which gives it more lasting power than eau de toilette but isn’t as expensive as perfume. Many designers and celebrities have designed some amazing Eau de Parfum, so you can smell fabulous without spending hundreds of dollars on one bottle of scent.
Parfum or Perfume is the longest-lasting type of scent with up to 40% oil concentration and the highest price tag. Some of the most famous perfumes used today were designed decades ago and have been beloved by generations of women (i.e. Chanel No. 5 and Shalimar).
When it comes to wearing a scent, choose one that really appeals to you and that you enjoy smelling time and again. Dab the scent onto your pulse points (wrists, neck, back of the knees, and, for men, your face) or spray a bit over your hair for a very subtle whiff of allure. You can wear it strong or light as you choose, but keep it below the point where others can almost taste it because you’re wearing so much. Choose a higher quality scent over a cheap discount bottle because cheap perfumes smell cheap and have a much higher volume of alcohol. When you wear a scent you love, you’ll feel confident. The scent can also be very alluring to your date.
When it comes to finding a date, take some time out of your busy life to set up a Mingle2 profile. It’s free, it’s fun, and you’ll start finding other singles right away. Visit our Home page to get started.
