All fragrances have a concentration and all your favorite scents are no exception. A common misconception is that cologne and perfume is gender specific when the reality is that they aren't at all but simply concentrations of fragrance. More on that below.
What are Fragrances Made of?
Most of the fragrances are made of a mixture of essential oils: natural or synthetic, and alcohol. The alcohol is added so that it can sprayed through the atomizer and evaporate on your skin when heated by your body. If fragrances were sprayed without it, you'd stain your clothes and more than likely have to rub in it adding to your quick spritz before you left in the morning or your evening plan.
The Fragrance Concentrations
Eau Fraiche
Eau Fraiche is the concentration with the least oil. It has 1-2% of oil to alcohol content. It's basically pure alcohol and the scent only lasts 1 - 2 hours the most. It isn't a popular choice of fragrance. Other products with this much concentration are usually aftershave balms.
Eau de Cologne
Finally Cologne!! Eau de Cologne is next in concentration, it's 2-4% of perfume oil. The true meaning of an Eau de Cologne (or Cologne) is a fragrance with huge head notes (largely made up of citrus ingredients) and a tiny base of herbal notes. Somewhere this got lost in translation in the West with most men's fragrances being fresh and most women's fragrances being floral.This fragrance needs multiple applications throughout to day to be effective. These are usually the same concentration as your body mists like Amber Romance by Victoria's Secret.
Eau de Toilette
These are the ones you've probably already seen and already own. Eau de Toilette has 5-15% oil concentration. These are the fragrances where you can finally start to make out notes and the dry down process. They usually last 4 - 7 hours. A lot of your favorite brands have an Eau de Toilette fragrance like one of my personal favorites L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent.
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Parfum is the one of the strongest concentrations available. It has 10 - 20% fragrance oil concentration. Eau de Parfums are built so that you can experience all 3 dry down phases as the perfumer imagined. Once you start purchasing fragrances in this range the price increases as well from $125 to as high as $1000. They last super long up to 8 or 9 hours depending on the brand. A well known long lasting fragrance with this concentration is Oud Wood by Tom Ford.
Parfums
Parfum is the strongest of all the perfume concentrations and as you may have guessed the most expensive. This concentration has between 20 - 30% fragrance oil and lasts as long as 10 hours plus!
So Eau de Parfums and Parfums Last The Longest?
Traditionally this is to be true but be wary of using this as a set in stone rule. People and their body chemistry react with notes differently. Fragrances with heavier woody notes seem to last longer regardless of their concentration. The same goes for lighter notes like bergamot. Even in an Eau de Parfum concentration it doesn't seem to last long. You should always many different fragrances and brands to find which ones work for you. If you aren't sure, send a message to us and we can help out.
- Smell Goods NYC Team