Perfume vs. Body Mist: What's the Difference?
Not sure which one to use, body mist or perfume? Well, it's a super fun thing to do!
Picking up fragrances by looking at notes and how they work on your skin is just an art. As the perfumer Olivier Creed once stated, "A man will never remember your handbag, but he will remember your perfume." But how about your body mist? Will he remember that?
With a perfume, you can convey your feelings without speaking them out loud and reflect your energy and sense of style. But which concentration or strength is appropriate to wear at dinner, a party, a date, or the office, and how to carry them is an important question.
How Many Types of Perfume Are There?
You must have seen terms like parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, or eau de cologne. All these are general names of types of strengths of perfumes and the amount of perfume oil they contain, rendering them distinct from one another.
Whereas, Parfum has the largest amount of perfume oil, and body mist (or eau fraiche) has the other with the least concentration of fragrance oil.
Essence extract, when emulsified in alcohol in a fixed quantity, creates perfume. Ratios are adjusted to achieve the best results, such as in one perfume, I took 12 g of Sandalwood extract, while in others, just 2 g. Then it’s obvious 12g is up with richer and stronger intensity.
Look at the concentrations; each type of perfume has to know which is your preferred strength:
- Parfum: It has 25 to 35% essential oil extract
- Eau de Parfum (EDP) has 15 to 25% oil extract.
- Eau de Toilette (EDT) has 12 to 15% of essential oil extract.
- Cologne (EDC) has 3 to 5% of essential oil
- Body Mists have only 1-2% of oil.
Even though both perfume and body mist are something you can incorporate into your everyday fragrance, when and how you use them can have everything to do with how you're received.
A tutorial on when to substitute perfume with body mist and how to get the best out of them is as follows:
Difference Between Body Mist and Perfume
The largest distinction between perfume and body mist is the concentration of fragrance oil. Because perfume contains a greater percentage, it lasts and has a scent longer than body mist.
Since body mist is lighter and more refreshing, it's more appropriate to apply it for a shorter period, like horsing around for a few hours. Body mist is so light that it will leave a scent that will evaporate sooner than perfume, so it's ideal for everyday, daily use. Perfume is something that can be reserved for longer affairs where you want to make a stronger, longer-lasting impression.
Also Read: How to layer perfume?
How To Wear Body Mist?
Body mist or body spray is lighter-scented and less expensive. Lasts 1-2 hours, ideal for boosting yourself throughout the day. For the strongest scent and longest lasting, layer with same-scented body lotions or body washes.
How To Apply Body Mist:
- Start with a scent-comparable body wash.
- Layer with body butter for a moisturizing layer.
- Finish with a few spritzes of body mist to seal in the scent.
- Other places where you can apply body mist:
- After bathing, you can smell good
- If you tend to be sensitive to strong smells
- As a substitute for deodorant, you can get an added whiff of fresh scent
- As a face spray, you can get an instant energy boost
- On your pillow and bedsheets, so they can be fragrant-smelling
Also Read: All about perfume oils
When to Use Perfume?
Perfume, being an oil scent, lasts longer and is stronger. Long-lasting perfume is the best for occasions, evening outings, or when you want to leave a lasting impression.
Getting the Best Out of Your Perfume
Spray on Pulse Spots: Your wrists, neck, and nape of your neck below your ears are pulse spots to distribute perfume.
- Use Small Bottles: The shorter the time it's exposed to air, the longer it will last. When you use a small bottle, you can use it up before the fragrance starts to alter.
- Spritz Hair or Scarf: Fragrance put on flowing hair or garments will last longer when perfume is being worn.
- Store Properly: Store perfume in cold, dark locations to keep its quality and life span intact.
- Don't Rub Your Scent: Rubbing your scent after spraying creates friction, which changes the way the scent unfurls.
- Don't Spray on Skin if You Excessively Sweat: If you're a heavy sweater, heavy sweating will cause the fragrance to evaporate faster, so spray on your scarf or hair instead.
- No "Spray & Step" Method: It might seem glamorous on TV, but walking through a cloud of fragrance is not going to extend its life. Spray on pulse points for maximum impact.
Also Read: Parfum vs Eau De Parfum vs Eau De Toilette
Can I Use Perfume and Body Mist Together?
Amen to that! Combining perfume and body mist will create a multi-layer scent effect that will enhance the longevity of your fragrance. For all-day fragrance, apply perfume as a signature and layer on coordinating or contrasting body mist. You can blend mandarin perfume and vanilla body mist for a bittersweet fragrance, or vice versa for vanilla as the main fragrance.
Conclusion
While both perfume and body mist serve the same purpose, they achieve it in different ways. Body mist is a very light, airy fragrance that won't last very long, whereas perfume is something with longevity and a bolder scent. If you need a day odor for everyday use or an odor to go out at night, either one of these can be a great addition to your arsenal.
Next, use body mist and perfume, layered for an overall signature scent or separately as needed. Whatever you decide, choose something that has meaning to who you are, and be sure that the right scent always makes a lasting impression.