The labels on a perfume counter describe how much aromatic compound is dissolved in alcohol, and the percentages are looser than they sound. Extrait, or pure parfum, sits somewhere between 20 and 30 per cent. Eau de parfum runs from about 15 to 20, eau de toilette from 5 to 15, and eau de cologne from 2 to 5. These are conventions rather than regulations, and one house’s eau de toilette can be denser than another’s eau de parfum.
What actually changes
The obvious effect is longevity. More aromatic material means a slower evaporation curve and a scent that survives a working day. The less obvious and more interesting effect is proportion. Concentrations are usually not the same formula at different strengths; they are separate compositions. The eau de toilette of a fragrance often carries more citrus and more air at the top, while the eau de parfum carries more of the base and reads warmer and rounder.
This is why a person can love the eau de toilette and dislike the eau de parfum of the same name, which sounds like fussiness and is simply accurate.
A composition built as an eau de toilette does not become better in eau de parfum. It becomes heavier, and sometimes it loses the very thing you liked.
Which to buy, by structure
- Citrus and cologne structures. Buy the lighter concentration. The whole pleasure is the bright opening, and the heavier version muddies it. Accept that you will reapply at lunchtime; that is the genre, not a defect.
- Florals. Depends on the flower. Delicate ones such as lily of the valley and violet are better light. Tuberose, jasmine and rose usually gain from the extra depth.
- Chypre and woody. Eau de parfum, generally. These structures live in the base and reward concentration.
- Amber and gourmand. Eau de parfum, applied with restraint, or extrait if you like a scent that stays within an arm’s length. One spray of extrait does the work of three of eau de toilette.
Application, which matters more than concentration
Two sprays is a wearing. Four is an announcement. Apply to pulse points where skin is warm, because heat drives the evaporation: the sides of the neck, the inner elbows, behind the knees in summer. Skin holds scent better than clothing, though a spray on a scarf or a coat lining will last for weeks, which is either a feature or a problem depending on how certain you are.
Moisturised skin holds perfume noticeably longer than dry skin. An unscented body cream under the fragrance is the cheapest way to improve longevity, and works better than buying the stronger concentration.
Storage, which decides how long a bottle stays good
Heat, light and oxygen are what destroy perfume. A bathroom windowsill is the worst place in the house and the most common. A closed cupboard in a cool room is the best, and the original box is genuinely useful. Stored properly, an opened bottle stays true for three to five years; on a sunny shelf, it can turn within one.
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Fragrance CompassMap your scent in five slidersQuestions we get asked
Is extrait worth the price?
Sometimes. It uses more material and often better material, and one bottle lasts years because you use less. It is poor value if you like a bright opening, since extrait usually minimises the top notes.
Why does my perfume vanish after an hour?
Either it is a citrus or fresh structure, which is chemistry rather than a fault, or your skin is dry. Try an unscented cream underneath before you conclude the bottle is weak.
Does spraying into the air and walking through work?
It wastes most of the perfume and puts the rest on your hair and clothing rather than on warm skin. Two sprays on the neck does more with less.
