Oil vs Alcohol: the Sophie’s choice of fragrance shopping. On paper, a fragrance oil and an alcohol-based fragrance are more or less the same at conception. It’s in the distillation that things get get interesting.
When comparing an oil fragrance next to its alcohol-based brother (we’ve all got one) the core of both will be exactly the same. The modus the perfumer employees to get said fragrance into your hands (oil or alcohol) is what dramatically affects the final result. Alcohol based fragrances tend to be more verbose and dramatic, whereas fragrance oils are closest to the purest form of the fragrance, with a much hazier complexion and shyer demeanour.
If you are on the hunt for a new fragrance and tossing up between oil or alcohol, these are a few things to keep in mind regarding both. I’ll preface this by saying there is no right or wrong way to enjoy a fragrance. The key takeaway from this is it is entirely up to you and how you want to present yourself to the world.