What's the difference between an aftershave and a cologne, and what the hell is Eau De Toilette? They are completely different things, although many men, unknowingly use them interchangeably.

An Aftershave contains less perfume oil (around (1%-3%), so the scent isn't as long lasting as an Eau de Toilette. Many aftershaves contain soothing and cooling ingredients, such as Aloe Vera. This helps soothe the skin after a shave . The alcohol contained will also close skin pores opened by the hot water from your shave. Aftershave will only last for about 2-3 hours so, it isn't effective if you want your fragrance to last all evening.

An Eau de Toilette contains more perfume oil than the Aftershave, typically around 4%-8%. However EDT's contain too much oil to be put on the face, especially after shaving. You will probably come up all red and blotchy as a result. An Eau de Cologne will contain 2%-5%. Therefore, an Eau de Cologne should be a lighter and not so longer lasting fragrance.

However in the world of Men's Fragrance, the definitions have become slightly blurred. A lot of the time, a fragrance house will call an Eau de Toilette strength fragrance, a Cologne. Nine times out of ten, in men's fragrance a Cologne will be of EDT strength. There are a few houses which use the correct term, (Guerlain for example).

Eau de Toilette should be put on the 'pulse points'. These are the area's where the veins are near the skins surface and you can feel a pulse (ie. Neck, Wrist, Chest... ) which will last longer. Because of the higher perfume content, Eau de Toilette lasts much longer than an Aftershave (around 6-8 hours) so its ideal if you want your fragrance to last all evening. One good tip I read on a forum was to put some behind your ears. I know this is something a woman would normally do but there's a good reason for a guy to do this. If your in a crowded bar or noisy night club, if a girl needs to speak to you, she's more than likely going to shout in your ear :-)

It is a common misconception that an Eau de Toilette is weaker than an Aftershave. Probably because the 'Eau' part of the name makes people think it is watered down Aftershave. Or it could be that people are used to the fact that an Eau de toilette is generally the weakest strength in Ladies Fragrance.