“What kind of perfume are you wearing?” is far from an uncommon question. However, most people aren’t today simply interested in the name of the fragrance or the brand. Rather, they want all the details, including the exact concentration of every scent you spritz. Good thing this isn’t hard to determine—all you have to do is look at the label.
Eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, and extrait de parfum—you can tell a lot about your perfume by each of these identifiers, which will be neatly displayed on your perfume’s label. “Each of these explains the strength of the formula,” explained Kevin Keller, co-founder of niche fragrance brand Fulton & Roarke. “In all of the traditional fragrance formats, you have a combination of alcohol, water, and fragrance oils.” The amount of fragrance oil differs between the four, which determines how long each will last on your skin.
“The label is primarily about concentration, but also about intention,” added David Benedek, founder of BDK Parfums Paris. “A cologne is designed to be fresh and fleeting, while an extrait is dense and enveloping.”
To help you understand the difference between each perfume format—and help you determine which is best for you—we broke down each type.
Eau de Cologne
Out of all the perfume types, eau de cologne has the weakest concentration of perfume oils, with 2 to 5 percent oil. “The other 95 to 98 percent is a mix of water and perfume alcohol,” explained Keller. “Because the fragrance oils are such a small portion of the mix, unsurprisingly, the scent usually lasts two to three hours per application.”
Beyond the lower amount of fragrance oils, eaux de cologne tend to have a lighter, airier scent profile, often filled with citrus, herbs, and other green notes. The resulting lighter aura makes these an ideal pick for spring and summer, as well as times when you don’t want your fragrance to project too powerfully, like when you’re at the office, said Benedek. If this type of perfume is calling your name, I suggest trying anything from Jo Malone London, a brand that concocts some of today’s most captivating colognes.
Eau de Toilette
Eaux de toilette are a step above eaux de cologne in terms of concentration, yet maintain a lightness that avoids being cloying. Typically, Keller said, an eau de toilette is composed of 5 to 15 percent fragrance oils, with the remainder of the formula being a mix of alcohol and water. The scent lingers for about four to six hours on the skin.
Contrary to eaux de cologne, though, eaux de toilette don’t only feature feathery notes. These scents run the gamut—floral and fruity, woody and ambery—and offer a range of aromas for every nose. Maison Margiela’s Replica line may create the most famous eaux de toilette, with each calling a specific time and place to mind. Never Ending Summer—which replicates the feeling of summers spent on the Amalfi Coast—smells like a bubbly Aperol Spritz. At the same time, the Namibia-inspired Under the Stars is deep and smoky with black pepper, woody oud and leather.
Eau de Parfum
Perhaps the most popular option, eaux de parfum contain 15 to 20 percent fragrance oil—an amount that Andrea Maack, eponymous founder of her fragrance line, calls the “sweet spot.” This level offers impressive longevity on the skin (approximately six to eight hours) for a scent that lingers throughout the day.
Most fragrances you’ll find at your local department store or Sephora are eaux de parfum, and they come in a range of scent profiles. You can find something delicate and floral, like Harlem Perfume Co. Showgirl; an aroma that’s a bit more enveloping, sugary and robust, like Ellis Brooklyn Queens Caramel; and even scents that are deep, dark and sexy, a la Kayali Oudgasm Chocolate Oud.
Extrait de Parfum
Extraits de parfum are the strongest, most long-lasting type of fragrance, with each bottle containing 20 to 40 percent fragrance oils. If you want a “beast mode” scent that will last from the moment you spritz it on in the morning until you come home at the end of the night, an extrait de parfum is what you should use.
Extraits have long been considered a luxury. This format typically costs more than the others due to its concentration of oils and longevity. In my opinion, extraits are often more interesting or unexpected—perfumers often take liberty to create something that feels and smells exclusive. For example, Andrea Maack Flux takes you on a journey through the mountains, starting icy and fresh with frost-soaked berries before melting into a woody autumnal day. BDK Parfums Gris Charnel Extrait is essentially boundless confidence in a bottle. A single spritz cloaks you in a grounding cloud of cardamom, patchouli, and vanilla. Consider it the ultimate date night scent.
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