Originally created in 1927, Penhaligon’s Eau de Cologne has been relaunched in the Anthology Collection. Eau de Cologne should get an award for the most fleeting fragrance on the planet. I swear that its life span is 5 minutes on my skin. Even for an eau de cologne, I find this remarkable.
I find Eau de Cologne very refreshing. It opens as freshly squeezed lemons and oranges. It’s very effervescent and optimistic. I get some of that heady neroli that reminds me of little petals following the breeze. Eau de Cologne is sheer and light. It doesn’t bide by the pesky laws of gravity. I’ve timed its wear in 80° weather and in 45° weather, it lasts 5-7 minutes on my skin. This is a huge deal breaker for me.
Notes listed include orange, lemon, bergamot, rosemary, and neroli.
Give Eau de Cologne a try if you like very, very light perfumes or you live in an unbearably hot climate or if you like to reapply perfumes every 10 minutes. And give it try if you are looking for a “classic” eau de cologne and for some reason you’re avoiding Guerlain.
Like I said longevity is way below average, at least -3 standard deviations from the mean. Projection is average.
The 3.4 oz EDT retails for $140 and is available at Beautyhabit.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A classic eau de cologne with worse than average longevity and an above average price point. If I want the invisible ink of the perfume world, I’ll save my pennies and wear/buy 4711.
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Basenotes (member reviews)
Oh, dear…this is indeed a record-breaking longevity, or rather lack thereof, even for a cologne…
Indeed this is one reason why cologne is not my go-to fragrance, even when I crave freshness: so fleeting, I sometimes just don’t see the point of applying it in the first place. ^_^
That said, I sometimes wear Thierry Mugler’s Cologne and Fragonard’s Cologne Grand Siecle with great delight, both of which have very good longevity for fragrances in this class. I would also put Diptyque’s l’Eau de Tarocco in this category, for a sweet orange take on the genre.
Is it me or does it smell like Summer? ^_^
Sometimes it gets so hot (rare here but it does happen) that I don’t want to wear fragrance. I like 4711 or even Jean Naté! I do love Mugler’s Cologne but I’m out and haven’t replenished.
I also find that just a diluted neroli or lemon oil “cures” my eau de cologne craving AND they are cheaper and last longer on my skin.
After my trip to L.A., I realize that none of my perfumes would work in that environment! I don’t own many summer perfumes.