Scent Word of the Week: Cologne
Words Related to Scent
Cologne: What Does it Mean?
The word cologne is used in perfumery as a noun. It is the shortened version of eau-de-cologne. Although it is traditionally thought of as a male fragrance, it is actually a fragrance that can be worn by any sex.
An eau-de-cologne fragrance contains characteristic notes which are light, fresh, crisp, and of a citrus aroma. Water-like notes are common, too. The key to this type of fragrance is that it is not too heavy or too deep.
However, the word cologne is also used to describe the amount of fragrant materials that a fragrance contains. For example, a true cologne fragrance only contains under 5% of fragrant materials whereas a true perfume fragrance may contain up to 30% of fragrant material. This will also reflect on how long the sillage holds; the greater the amount of fragrant materials, the longer sillage of the fragrance.
The word cologne can be a confusing descriptor in perfumery use! You will find it used interchangeably with the word perfume and neither might be the “correct” use of the word.
Above is an example of how to use the word cologne in a sentence, in relation to its type of fragrant materials.
Drop me a comment below and let me know what the word cologne means to you and what you might put in a cologne fragrance!
If you’re interested in trying a cologne this summer made by me, try Audrey on Air, with its citrus, slightly spicy, bubbly aroma.
“Both my grandmother and mother used to wear the Red Roses cologne, and when I was 21 or 22, I smelled the same scent on a friend of mine.”
Poppy Delevingne, English socialite, actress, and model