Q:Why do I need a cologne instead of an EDT in summer? And what’s the difference anyway?
George, Lincoln
A: Our expert Ahmed Zambarakji answers your questions below:
To be honest, the terms ‘eau de toilette’ and ‘cologne’ are used interchangeably these days, especially in the United States. Colognes are supposed to have a shorter life on the skin (due to the ratio of alcohol to perfume oil) and are altogether lighter and fresher in their construction. They’re especially suited to summer months because they’re not too overpowering and can have a refreshing zing about them.
A lot of the popular designer scents (Emporio Armani, Burberry etc) come in ‘summer’ editions but these tend to be eau de toilettes with the occasional summery note – lemon, bergamot, mint – thrown in. If you’re used to wearing bulldozer scents in the winter, and especially if you’re accustomed to eau de parfum concentrations, you might want to turn it down a notch come the warmer months.
There are loads of great new options coming out this summer. Some highlights include Yves Saint Laurent’s La Nuit De L’Homme Frozen Cologne (a good summer evening scent,), Acqua Di Parma’s orange-infused offering, Arancia di Capri (£38 for 60ml from escentual.co.uk) or, if you’re a real fragrance geek, the hard-to-find Colonia del Forte 1265 by Profumi Del Forte (profumidelforte.it), which I’ll be rocking this summer.
Find Ahmed on theexfoliator.com
(Image: Getty)
