While the male skincare market in Australia is markedly smaller than other regions, local brands have made a name globally for their no-frills approach to grooming. In particular, Australian brands are famed for using natural and organic ingredients that have a proven effect on the skin. With that said, here’s a list of the top 5 best men’s skincare brands in Australia.
Simply put, they are all french terms for fragrances, but the difference is their concentration of perfume oil (which gives the product its unique scent), alcohol (used as a carrier) and water. Finding the right concentration is equally as important as finding which scent you like; if it’s too light it might feel like you’re not wearing any fragrance, but if it’s too strong you risk the fragrance ‘wearing you’ instead of you wearing it.
In essence, the higher the concentration of perfume oil in a fragrance, the more potent and longer lasting it will be on your skin.
Eau Fraiche
Translated as ‘fresh water’, this is the most diluted version of fragrances and has the least amount of perfume and alcohol (usually 1 – 3 percent). This means it will last for about an hour or so on your skin before it evaporates. If you just want a quick refresher, an eau fraiche should be your go to.
Cologne (Eau de Cologne)
In North America, cologne is now used to describe masculine scents or fragrances designed for men. But eau de cologne is in fact a term for a fragrance with a light concentration of perfume oil (usually 2 – 4 percent) in alcohol and water. As a result, colognes last for 1-2 hours on your skin. Cologne is designed for a freshen up – like date night or movie date – but not for an all-day event.
Toilette (Eau de Toilette)
Translated as ‘toilet water’, this is a light spray with 5 – 15 percent perfume essence in an alcohol base with water. Specifically made for a light wear on the skin for a few hours, eau de toilette will not last until the end of the night. Some argue that by design, eau de toilette should be used during the day, while eau de parfums (see below) should be used at night, but it’s no faux pas to use whatever suits your lifestyle.
Perfume (Eau de Parfum)
Historically the term ‘perfume’ was genderless and was used to describe both men’s and women’s fragrances. Now, marketers have generally divided the term so that ‘perfume’ is for women and ‘cologne’ is for men. Eau de parfums have second-highest concentration of perfume oils, typically between 15 and 20 percent. This is the most common fragrance category in department stores and is typically how new fragrances are released. As the concentration of pure perfume oils is quite high, perfume will last for 5-8 hours.
Because of its longer lasting nature, the scent of a perfume will change over the course of a day. When you spray a perfume on in the morning, the scent will mostly be of its ‘top notes’, and as the day goes on, its ‘middle’ and ‘base’ notes will become more apparent. This is why when purchasing perfume, it’s best to leave it on the skin and smell it over the course of the day to make sure you like how it changes over time.
Parfum, Extrait De Parfum or Pure Perfume
Unless you go to a store dedicated to scents and fragrances, it is rare to come across this category of perfume. This is the most concentrated of all fragrance options and therefore the most expensive. Parfum is composed of 20 – 30 percent pure perfume essence and a single application is designed to last up to 24 hours.
Pure perfume is dense and thick – you’ll almost be able to taste it when you walk into a cloud of pure perfume. Pure perfume, like lipstick, is also transferable – meaning when you hug someone wearing it, you’ll smell like them for the next few hours.
Final Notes
Fragrances nowadays are organised by brands, not by type, so the best way to find what fragrance you need is by doing your research online or speaking to the salesperson at the counter. Popular fragrances are usually released as eau de parfum at first, and will then be available as eau de toilette. Just make sure you’re wearing the right type for the right occasion.