Perfume Vs Deodorant: The key difference between them.

We are often asked by our customers ‘Deo vs Perfume, what is better’ or ‘Deo vs Perfume, what is the difference?’ It’s amazing how the two products are pitted against each other. Because it is like comparing two wheelers to sedans; while both are vehicles per se, each of them has different utility and meet different aspiration levels. To get a better perspective, one needs to clearly understand What is a Deodorant? What is its use and What is a Perfume? What need does it meet? The best of deodorants cannot meet the use of perfumes, and the best perfumes can’t address the functionality met by the deodorant. But then why this confusion? Because both have ‘fragrance’ as the main identifier. Both complement each other when it comes to fragrances. More so in India, where grooming products are in their nascent stage, most of the consumers try to achieve the goals of a perfume through a deodorant. Hence such questions arise. Let’s dig a little deeper and get out facts right in the ‘Deo vs Perfume’.

What is a Perfume and what is its purpose?

So, what is a perfume? What defines it? Perfume is an aspirational, lifestyle product which has, as its core functionality, to entice one of our five senses, the olfactory sense. It’s purely luxury product that denotes an elite standard of grooming and by extension, a higher standard of living. It complements fashion clothing through the sense of smell. The best perfumes are those that evoke emotions, memories and define one’s personality. Fragrances have been prevalent since the times of Emperors and Kings. In those days, oils were extracted from fragrant flowers and used as ‘attars.’ Broadly speaking, perfumes are an evolved version of attars in the sense that the fragrance oils are made mist worthy by adding alcohol and fixatives which help in evenly applying the liquid on your skin. The purpose of  is to aromatize your body without the ability to protect your body from bad odour, which is where Deodorants come in.

What is a Deodorant and what is its purpose?

As compared to Perfumes, Deodorants are comparatively newer products. While they contain fragrances, they are not as aspirational as perfumes (notwithstanding the innumerable deodorant ads you see about men attracting women!)  What is deodorant then? Well, the best deodorants are not just meant to smell good; it has another the job to do – de-odorize body odour effectively. The main functionality of Deodorants it to limit or kill the growth of bacteria growth that are prevalent in one’s private parts like underarms. Can we have a deodorant for men without fragrance? Yes. Can we de-odorize our skin just by adding fragrance? No!  Because they neutralize odour producing bacteria, Deodorants are meant to be applied in sweat prone private parts, under arms, groin etc. Traditionally, fragrances were added to Deodorants to make it attractive to use. Why will anyone buy non-fragrant Deo? You can have a Deodorant without fragrance, it will still deodorize. But if you were to remove fragrance out of a perfume, it would no longer be of any use.  

Still thinking Perfumes vs Deodorants? Let’s revisit our analogy of two-wheeler vs sedan, just like two-wheelers have a functional objective of cheaper, faster mode of transport, deodorants also have a functional objective of deodorizing your body. And just like we have better looking and little more aspirational motor bikes, deodorants come in better quality. They have evolved from being a single ingredient fragrance bouquet to multi-faceted product. Notwithstanding the better looking and expensive motor bike, you will still look for a luxurious sedan as your personal expression of good lifestyle and status. That’s what the best perfumes are. They are made after a lot of research on the bouquet of fragrance and all along, from the raw material to packaging, quality and style assume a lot of importance. 

Deo Vs Perfume: What is right for you?

So, as you conclude from the above, Deo vs Perfume or Perfume Vs Deodorant is not really the matter. It’s a needless comparison. You can use each individually or together. Understand the basic difference highlighted below and decide for yourself.

So, what is right for you? Our verdict – both have their own spot. Deo's protect you from bad odour and Perfumes elevate your sense of grooming. In fact, it’s not Deo vs Perfumes. Its Deo's and Perfumes. Both together are a great layering option. That’s why at Dopamine shop, we have fragrances available in the aspirational Perfume version, and the same quality of fragrances have been used to make a Deodorant version too. Used together, they become an excellent long-lasting combination.

Discover the best Perfumes from Dopamine shop for every occasion:

No marketing jargon here. Dopamine Shop is the go-to option for best scents for men because of some key fundamental reasons. Firstly, all our perfumes are Extrait De Parfums - the highest category of perfume. Secondly, the notes & accords in our perfumes are formulated on the plank of the principal that fragrances have a powerful connection to mood. Dopamine Perfumes also avoid non-essential cost (like glamourous packaging and shiny ads) and spend more on higher quality of raw material, making it an affordable luxury product. Check out our wide range of Perfumes.

Top Deodorants from Dopamine shop for Lasting Freshness:

Dopamine Deodorants come in two options – Deodorant for men and Unisex or gender-neutral Deodorants. Our Deodorants strike a perfect balance between its antibacterial properties and luxury fragrances. This unique availability is underrated amongst deodorant users. By using the same fragrance as the one we use in our Perfumes for men, our deodorants act like a form of body spray that is just a notch below actual perfume. The aerosol mechanism which uses propellent agents, ensures that the anti-bacterial agents spread evenly on your body (much needed as bacteria is spread everywhere). The propellent mechanism also gives a nice cooling effect when sprayed. You can buy our deodorants for men individually, and they also come as a bundle with discount and a luxury travel pouch.

Conclusion

Perfumes vs. deodorants is a fallacy of marketers who have chosen to downplay the functionality of Deodorants and pit it against Perfumes as an aspirational product. Deodorants are evolving in the fragrance profile with niche brands like Dopamine Shop, trying to give it a wider and complex bouquet of fragrances even while improving its core function of neutralizing Odor producing bacteria. So, the choice is not between Deo and Perfumes, it's actually both Deo's and Perfumes!