Is Cologne Only Meant for Men?

No, not technically. “Cologne” originally referred to a specific concentration of fragrance, eau de cologne, rather than a gendered product, and it’s only cultural convention that’s made the word feel synonymous with “men’s fragrance” in everyday UK usage.

Where the confusion actually comes from

Eau de cologne describes a light concentration of fragrance oil, typically around two to five percent, originally developed in the German city of Cologne and historically worn by both men and women. Over the 20th century, particularly in North America and the UK, “cologne” gradually became the everyday word people used for men’s fragrance specifically, while “perfume” became associated with women’s, even though neither word technically has anything to do with gender.

What this means today

Anyone can wear an eau de cologne concentration regardless of how the word gets casually used in conversation, and plenty of women’s fragrances are technically colognes by concentration even though they’re never called that on the label. Our perfume concentrations guide and complete guide to perfume clear up this terminology properly.