Anyone has, at some point, had to question the difference between body sprays and perfumes. These two categories of scented products fill entire aisles of commercial outlets and seem to attract a similar clientele. However, it is important to know that while they might share the easy goal of smelling nice and agreeable, they are two entirely different products used for different reasons.

Definition

Perfume is a liquid combination of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives, and solvents used to make one smell pleasant. Perfumes blend high concentrations of aromatic extracts (herbs, spices, and flowers) and oil and alcohol components that give a pleasant odor.

Body spray is a perfume product that, like aerosol deodorant, is designed to be applied elsewhere than the armpits. Body sprays are less powerful than cologne, less costly, and doubly act as a deodorant. Body sprays are mostly water or alcohol blended with a modest concentration of perfume oils, often 1 to 3%.

Perfumes vs. Body Spray

To understand what truly distinguishes a perfume from a body spray, it is important to understand how these fragrances are made in the first place. All fragrances are comprised of a mix of alcohol or water with essential oils. Oil concentration is quite important in the formulation of perfume and body spray. Because the primary factor in all perfumes is the degree or composition of oil combined with water and alcohol, and because all fragrances can be a mixture of aromatic extracts and solvents.

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Specially formulated body sprays excessively target sweating and are known as antiperspirants. These are perfect for people who live active lifestyles. There are o antiperspirant perfumes. Finally, there is a difference in how they are perceived. Perfume fragrances are often stronger, bolder, and heavier, whereas body spray has a much milder aroma than perfume. Where perfume scents linger around 5-9 hours, body sprays normally only last approximately two hours.

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