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Two bottles, same name, same brand, different letters — and a sixty dollar gap. The letters are not marketing tiers or quality rankings. They describe how much perfume oil is dissolved in the alcohol base, and that single number changes how a fragrance opens, how far it travels and how long it lasts.
The concentrations, roughly
- Parfum / Extrait — around 20–30% oil. Dense, close to the skin, can last well beyond eight hours. Usually sold in small bottles because you need very little.
- Eau de Parfum (EDP) — around 15–20%. The modern default. Good projection, typically five to eight hours.
- Eau de Toilette (EDT) — around 5–15%. Brighter and more volatile at the top, generally three to five hours.
- Eau de Cologne (EDC) — around 2–5%. Refreshing, designed to be splashed generously and reapplied.
- Body mist / Eau Fraiche — 1–3%. A light finishing layer, not a day's wear.
Higher is not automatically better
This is the part most guides skip. Concentration is not the only difference — brands often reformulate between versions. An EDT frequently has a fresher, more citrus-forward opening precisely because the lighter base lets the top notes breathe. The EDP of the same scent may be warmer and more resinous, and some people prefer the EDT on its own merits, not as a budget option.
Choosing by situation
Concentration is mostly a question of context:
- Office, gym, close quarters, hot weather — EDT or EDC. You want presence, not a statement.
- Evenings, winter, events — EDP or parfum. Cold air suppresses projection, so the heavier concentration earns its place.
- All-day wear with no chance to reapply — EDP.
- You love a scent but find it overpowering — look for the EDT version before giving up on it.
A note on price per wear
A 50 ml parfum that needs one spray can outlast a 100 ml EDT that needs four. Compare on sprays, not millilitres, and the pricing usually makes more sense than it first appears.
How to spray, whatever the concentration
Onto clean, slightly moisturised skin at pulse points — neck, chest, inner elbows. Do not rub your wrists together; the friction and heat break down the top notes. And apply before you dress if the fragrance has any depth to it, so nothing marks light fabric.
Every listing in our catalogue states its concentration and size, so you can compare the two versions of a scent side by side before deciding.
