I need to know the difference between the two. I'm about to begin with my Aqua Velva Musk, which, as we know, is an aftershave&cologne., as opposed to the blue AV, which, as we know, is just aftershave. I've used AV Musk before, but in doing so I never really respected that it was an aftershave&cologne. Any comments on the difference(if there is one)?
Biggest difference is the amount of scent and the length of time it may last. Aftershave is meant to be a quick splash that fades within an hour. They tend to contain 1-3% perfume oils. After shave & cologne will linger longer. A typical cologne may contain 3-8% perfume oils and last 1 to 2 hours. If you wish a longer service from your product eau de toilette (EDT) may have 15%, eau de parfum up to 20%, and the strongest commercially available products, perfume up to 40%. Another choice is Essential Oils (EO) which are distilled extracts available from some pharmacies, and health food stores. Consider using caution with EO's as some may cause irritation if not diluted. Lots of info here.
I agree with everything but the above statement. Parfum (perfume) is up to 40% oil, but it is not the strongest commercially available product. That would be Attars--100% perfume oil. The cost of some Attars is in the range of $1,000 dollars for a small vial. Edit: the main difference between aftershaves and colognes/EdT's is longevity and strength.
There is room for overlap between aftershaves and colognes. Pinaud Clubman, for instance, is labeled as an "aftershave lotion." I doubt anyone would disagree with me if I say it has more staying power than most Eau de Toilettes, let alone aftershaves and colognes. Also, the makeup of the fragrance will impact it's strength and longevity. A citrus (Lime or other) scent will last a bare 15 minutes, a half hour on the outside at best; no matter how strong or concentrated the scent is.
Opps, and sorry. @PLANofMAN is very correct. I didn't include the highest concentration of scent available, the attars. Instead I listed an alternative and more economically available single scent option. I have a liking for patchouli and lime so those two are the first E.O.s I own. They are quite nice when added to witch hazel. I want to try adjusting an unscented soap, too. Good question! I don't have an informed answer. My guess would be the manufacturer is play a game by splitting the difference. Many top notch products are multileveled, and some less expensive one get called "One Note Songs". If you would like to spend some time reading at Basenotes they share both real info and consumer impressions of these properties. Top notes that fade quickly, middle, and base notes that linger.
Some brands have started doing the combined aftershave/cologne. They bump up the strength of the aftershave a bit and discontinue manufacturing the cologne. It combines SKU's, and opens up valuable shelf space in retail outlets.
ah ok,.,...I think I put "real cologne" on my face at the beginning of my shaving career, but that soon stopped.
