You have undoubtedly found yourself, at one time or another, considering two separate products and wondering which would be the best fit for your current needs—aftershave or cologne.  Which will offer you the best choice for smell?  Should you consider using both to achieve the perfect scent?

The decision can be both difficult and daunting, but when you determine which is the best product for you, it will become something of second nature to choose the right product for the required occasion.  You will then feel confident that you will no longer underdo the choice—or overdo it.

Aftershave—What Is It?

The intention of aftershave was to provide more than just offering a smell, unlike those items such as perfumes, colognes, or even Eau de toilettes.  Available in forms such as gel, liquid, or lotion, aftershave’s primary purpose is that of calming your skin after shaving and closing its pores.

Using Aftershave

As the name already indicates, aftershave is to be used post-shave typically.  Applying it to the cleanly shaven areas of your face will serve to both clean and seal the pores.  The use of aftershave is significant if you find that you suffer from sensitive skin or are prone to acne.  If you accidentally nick an area with your razor, the alcohol present in aftershave will help clean the wound.  Although aftershave is most commonly associated with use on the face, it can also be used in those areas such as the legs or the arms.

Many aftershaves contain those ingredients such as aloe vera and shea butter. These moisturizing ingredients make aftershave excellent when included in your daily skincare routine.  If this is a route that you may choose to explore, keep in mind the alcohol content because it can sometimes lead to skin irritation.

How Long Aftershave Lasts

On the overall fragrance scale, aftershave comes in as the weakest.  This is because most aftershaves contain approximately 1% fragrance oil.  As a result, this will mean that the scent will have an average life of about an hour, but with select brands, it can be upwards of two to three hours, at most.

As a rule, most aftershaves are manufactured to maintain their true scent for anywhere from three to five years.  With this said, some brands will significantly outlive their suggested expiration dates.  If you find that your aftershave has taken on a vinegar smell or smells somewhat different from originally purchased, the odds are good that the aftershave has expired and needs replaced.

Cologne—What Is It?

Although typically most colognes are available in a spray form, some brands can be found in a solid form as well.  The contents of cologne are usually pretty basic—water, alcohol, and fragrance oil.  The fragrance oil content is less than that contained in Eau de Parfum, but more than that found in Eau Fraiche.  This concentration makes cologne the perfect choice for those wanting a lighter scent but one that has some longer-lasting power.

The most common times that most individuals apply cologne is for those times involving a significant event when going out on a date, or anytime you want to feel refreshed and need a little something extra to entice and attract the ladies.  Colognes are also excellent for use during your day-to-day work life as well.

Using Cologne

For the best results, you should apply cologne to those warm areas of the body—such as your pulse points.  Other places to use cologne includes behind the ear, on your neck, on your wrist, and the area of your inner elbow.  These are all excellent areas to apply cologne for the maximum effect. 

When applying cologne, the adage less is more is important to remember.  You should start with two sprays of cologne and wait a few moments.  If the scent is not as strong as you like, continue to apply individual sprays.  It is important to remember you will have the option to use more cologne, but you will need to let too much wear off.  The amount of application will depend on if the desired scent is subtle or somewhat obvious.

How Long Cologne Lasts

Cologne contains a fragrance oil concentration of 2-4%, which indicates that it holds its scent much longer than aftershave does.  With this in mind, it is essential to remember that you may need to reapply cologne after three hours.

If you store cologne in a cool, dark, and dry place, most brands will remain fragrant and viable for up to a few years.  Those colognes with lighter base notes will have shorter lives than those colognes with heavier base notes—such as musk and vanilla.

Wearing Aftershave As Cologne

One of the ingredients in aftershave is fragrance oil, which creates its gentle scent, but the concentration is minimal, and as a result, that will not be long-lasting.  If you find that you are only going to be out for an hour or so, you can probably go ahead and choose aftershave over cologne.  However, if the time will be longer, you may want to spritz yourself a couple of times with your favorite cologne.

Combining Aftershave With Cologne

Since aftershave contains such a low amount of fragrance oil, it is possible that combining aftershave with a cologne is a feasible option.  The important caveat here is that you make sure that the two scents are complimentary, which goes without saying.

Cologne and aftershaves are manufactured with different intended purposes, concentrations of fragrance oil, and overall ingredients.  Aftershave is primarily for cleaning and closing the facial pores, whereas cologne is solely for the fragrance and scent content.

Finding the cologne that suits your body chemistry and gives you the scent you desire can be somewhat daunting—not to mention expensive.  That is why taking advantage of a subscription service is a great option.  In this manner, you will be able to sample and test various available scents without breaking the bank or your budget.  Scentbox offers this option with choices of over 275 premium scents.  For more information or to take advantage of our low price introductory subscription, visit our website today.