Eau de Cologne Facts for Kids

Cologne (pronounced Koh-LOHN) or Eau de Cologne (pronounced Oh duh Koh-LOHN) is a type of perfume that first came from the city of Cologne, Germany. It's a light scent, usually made with 2-5% essential oils mixed with alcohol. Both guys and girls can use cologne.

What's in Cologne?
The History of Eau de Cologne
Images for kids
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What's in Cologne?

Cologne is mostly made of ethanol (a type of alcohol) mixed with water. It gets its fresh smell from a blend of citrus oils. These often include oils from:

Lemon
Orange
Tangerine
Bergamot (a special type of orange)
Lime
Grapefruit
Neroli (from orange blossoms)

Sometimes, other oils are added for different scents, like lavender, rosemary, thyme, petitgrain (from orange leaves), and jasmine.

The History of Eau de Cologne

How Cologne Was Invented

The original Eau de Cologne was created in 1709 in Cologne, Germany. It was made by an Italian perfumer named Giovanni Maria Farina (1685-1766). He came from a town called Santa Maria Maggiore in Italy.

In 1708, Farina wrote to his brother about his new invention. He said he had found a smell that reminded him of a spring morning in Italy. He imagined mountain flowers and orange blossoms after the rain. He decided to name this new scent Eau de Cologne, which means "Water from Cologne," to honor his new home city.

Becoming Famous in Europe

Farina's original Eau de Cologne was very popular. It was used as a perfume and sent to almost all the royal families in Europe. At that time, it was amazing that he could make a perfume that always smelled the same, even though it had many different scents mixed together.

When the French allowed free trade in Cologne in 1797, many other business people started selling their own perfumes. They even used the name Eau de Cologne and sometimes even "Farina."

The Secret Recipe and Other Brands

Giovanni Maria Farina's original recipe has been made in Cologne since 1709. It is still a secret today! His shop, which opened in 1709, is the oldest perfume factory in the world.

Other famous colognes, like 4711, also use the name "Cologne." The 4711 brand is named after its address, "Glockengasse No. 4711." However, these colognes smell different from the original Farina Eau de Cologne.

Over time, "cologne" has become a general word. It now describes any light perfume, not just the original one from Cologne, Germany.