Fragrance types Toilette, Parfum, Perfume, and Cologne

Fragrance types Toilette, Parfum, Perfume, and Cologne

Fragrance is a mixture of essential oils and aroma compounds diluted in a solvent typically ethanol, or a mix of water and ethanol used to give a unique scent.

Ethanol is a colorless liquid with a pleasant smell use in alcoholic beverages and as a solvent in the manufacture of other chemicals. Undiluted fragrances contain high concentrations of chemical components (natural or synthetic) that likely would result in an allergic reaction and possibly injury if applied directly to skin. In its pure form fragrance scents are far too concentrated to smell pleasant.

Although a gender specific naming trend is become common Cologne for men and Perfume for women they do not have anything to do with fragrance type. Fragrance types are independent of gender and are used to reflect the concentration of a fragrance in a bottle.

The intensity and longevity of a fragrance is based on the concentration percentage. As the percentage of aromatic compounds increases so does the intensity and longevity of the scent created. Men's fragrances are rarely sold in Parfum or perfume concentrations and women's fragrances are rarely sold in Cologne concentrations.

Fragrance Type: Perfume, Pure Perfume, Perfume Extract
Concentration: 15% to 40% of fragrance, typically 20%


Fragrance Type: Eau de Parfum (EdP), Parfum de Toilette (PdT)
Concentration: 10% to 20% fragrance, typically15%


Fragrance Type: Eau de Toilette (EdT)
Concentration: 5% to15% fragrance, typically 10%


Fragrance Type: Eau de Cologne (EdC)
Concentration: 3% to 8% fragrance, typically 5%


Fragrance Type: Body Mist, Shampoo, Conditioner
Concentration: 3% to 8% fragrance, typically 5%


Fragrance Type: Splash and After shave
Concentration: 1% to 3% fragrance


Please note the overlap between the different concentration levels, actual amounts can vary between perfume houses. Different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of fragrance to each of their products and an Eau de Toilette EdT from one house may be stronger than an EdP Eau de Parfum from another house even though the EdP should be stronger fragrance concentration.

Some fragrances, with the same product name, will have a different concentration name that can not only differ in concentration but can also differ in the fragrance mixture. In order to make an EdT version brighter and fresher than its EdP version, the EdT version will have the fragrance mixture contain slightly more top notes or fewer base notes words like “summer” "extrême", "intense" or "concentrée" are used and may indicate aromatic concentration or sometimes a completely different fragrance that relates only because of a similar note accord.

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