The five types of fragrance (Parfum, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne and Eau Fraîche)

Perfumes are often touted as the ultimate gift to give or receive, but they’re also one of the most confusing.

There are so many different kinds of perfumes on the market that it can be hard to know how to choose.

What’s a scent? How do you know if something is “perfume quality”? Let’s dive into each type to determine which will fit your needs.

Parfum

Parfum (sometimes called: Le Parfum, Profumo, Extrait de Parfum or Extract de Parfum) is the most concentrated form of perfume.

It typically has 20 to 30% fragrance oils dissolved in alcohol and water; this means it will last longer than any other type of perfume.

You can expect a Parfum to last between 8 to 24 hours on your skin, depending on how much oil was used during production.

If you want your scent to last all day long but don’t want it to overpower others around you when they smell it on you, then Parfum will not be your ideal choice.

Always remember that Parfum tend to be more intense or heavy scents due to their higher concentration of essential oils and they are the most expensive and longest-lasting.

Eau de Parfum

Eau de Parfum is an ideal fragrance with a 15 to 20% concentration of essential oils. Eau de Parfum is the greatest and most popular version of perfume, which means it contains high percentage of aromatic compounds and is less expensive than Parfum. It mostly lasts between 4 to 8 hours on your skin and some of them lasts more.

In addition to being the most popular, Eau de Parfum will also have a more pungent scent than other fragrances except Parfum.

With this type of perfume concentration, you can expect your fragrance to last longer on your skin and clothes, so you won’t have to reapply it after a few hours.

Eau de Toilette

Eau de Toilette is a light fragrance with a 5 to 15% concentration of essential oils, and it’s the second most common type of perfume after Eau de Parfum. It often last between 2 and 6 hours on your skin.

This type of scent has the same amount of alcohol as an Eau de Parfum, but tends to be more concentrated and robust.

Scent longevity for these perfumes tends to be longer than for Eau de Cologne, but shorter than Eau de Parfum, because they contain more oil in their formula than Eau de Cologne, but less oil than Eau de Parfum. This type of perfume suits many people, especially during working hours and you’ll smell it longer without reapplying.

Eau de Cologne

Eau de Cologne is a light fragrance that can be used as an everyday scent. It’s made with a lower concentration of perfume oils, so it won’t last as long or smell as intense. Concentration of essential oils is mostly between 2 to 4%. Longevity of this kind of perfume is be between 1 to 3 hours on your skin.

This perfume is best for warmer weather since it’s less intense than Eau de Toilette and won’t last throughout the day in colder weather.

Johann Maria Farina created this type of perfume in 1709, who was trying to create something similar to scented waters used at that time, but with a much stronger scent.

Since then, many different versions have been produced by various brands, such as Creed Aventus Cologne (32 oz) and Acqua Di Parma Colonia Assoluta Ambrato Oro (2 oz).

Eau Fraîche

Eau Fraîche is the lightest perfume with lowest concentrations of fragrance oils. It is not as strong as Eau de Toilette, but closer to Eau de Cologne, so the scent will not last all day. It may last less than 2 hours on your skin.

This perfume is typically used in the daytime and can be worn by both men and women.

Eau Fraîche should be applied to pulse points like wrists, neck, and chest. The amount you use will depend on your preference, but 1-2 spritzes should be sufficient for most people.

You can reapply multiple times during the day if needed, but try not to use too much, or it may overpower your body chemistry.

Although most people do not prefer this type of perfume, but it is very suitable for those who suffer from sensitive skin.

How to apply perfume?

You can use the same application method for a fragrance: Spray two-three times into your hairline behind each ear; once on each wrist; once on your chest/neck area; one spray in the front middle section between breasts or chest area; one rush behind knees/elbows; two fountains inside shoes (or take off shoes if possible).

Which one do people mostly buy and why?

As you can see, each type of fragrance has its purpose, longevity, oil concentration and price. If you want something with more staying power but don’t want to spend too much money buying it, get yourself some Eau de Toilette.

If your budget won’t allow for that kind of splurge or if your area doesn’t permit people to wear strong scents such as those found in perfumes or colognes (like airports), then opt for an Eau de Cologne or Eau Fraîche instead.

In general, we can say that in the first place, the most common perfume is Eau de Parfum, followed by Eau de Toilette in second place, while Parfum ranks third, and followed by Eau de Cologne and Eau Fraîche, respectively.

Most people prefer to buy Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette, for several reasons, the most important of which is that perfume manufacturers manufacture larger quantities of these two types more than others, and the longevity of these two types on the skin is suitable for the vast majority of people, and the value of these perfumes is in the reach of many people, so it is the favorite of the majority.

The fragrance is a complicated topic, but knowing the difference between these common types will help you navigate the world of perfumes!

Sometimes simply knowing the difference between these common types will help you navigate the world of perfumes. Here’s what you need to know:

• Parfum is the most potent concentrated form of fragrance, and it usually contains 20 to 30% perfume oil and can last up to 24 hours on your skin.
• Eau de Parfum is much less concentrated than Parfum, but still has a strong scent that lasts several hours almost 4 to 8 hours. The average concentration rate for this type of fragrance is 15 to 20%.
• Eau de Toilette has a lighter smell than Parfum or Eau de Parfum (see above), but it also lasts up to 2 to 6 hours. This perfume contains 5 to 15% perfume oil in its formula, which means its scent won’t fade away as quickly as other options today (like Eau de Cologne).
• Eau de Cologne is alcohol-based fragrance that create light scents all day long; however, they don’t last very long compared with their “heavier-scented” counterparts like Parfum, Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette, and this makes sense because Eau de Cologne only contains about 2 to 4% perfume oils within its formula.
• Eau Fraîche is a watery fragrance and although its scent is impermeable, it is suitable for those who suffer from sensitive skin. It contains 1 to 3% perfume oils and will last less than 2 hours.

Conclusion

With this guide, you’ll be able to navigate the world of perfumes confidently. Whether you’re searching for another aroma or want to try something new, it will help you understand which fragrances suit your needs and preferences.