In our everyday vocabulary, the word "perfume" is often used to refer to an Eau de Toilette, an Eau de Parfum, an Eau de Cologne, or even a Perfume Extract... But what are their specific characteristics and how do I choose what suits me best?
To lay the groundwork, the important thing to know is that it's a matter of the concentration of fragrance in the bottle; that is, the amount of fragrant raw materials diluted in alcohol.
If I've lost you here (and that's okay), let's rewind: pure perfume concentrate is a fatty substance, like oil. That's why it's diluted with alcohol so it evaporates and creates that famous sillage (#smellwonderfulfeelwonderful). This whole combination is what makes up "perfume," or "juice" as it's called in jargon. :)
Then comes the famous question:
How are the different types of "perfume" classified?
- Eau de Cologne, the least concentrated. It generally contains between 3 and 6% concentrate. It is also a fresh and light water, with citrus, aromatic, and floral notes. The famous "splash of freshness" that is often pleasant in summer... There are few, if any, base notes, so it will evaporate more quickly.
- Eau de Toilette, on the other hand, contains between 7 and 15% concentrate. It remains a light fragrance and sometimes more ephemeral than Eau de Parfum, but it also depends a lot on the heart and base notes it contains. For example, if your Eau de Toilette contains more heady base notes like patchouli or vanilla, it will last as long as an Eau de Parfum, while maintaining a certain lightness.
- Eau de Parfum, meanwhile, contains between 15 and 20% concentrate and can sometimes go up to 25%. It diffuses and provides a often more voluptuous sillage.
- Finally, Perfume Extract or Perfume Essence is the most concentrated product in fragrant raw materials, ranging from 20-25% up to 40%! It is much more powerful and you only need 2-3 dabs to perfume yourself, but it is also much more expensive (like, really much more).
How to choose?
It's very simple: base it on your tastes, your mood, and perhaps also the seasons...
To summarize, if you prefer fresh, light, less opulent notes, you might prefer an Eau de Toilette, which will be lighter, for the summer season, for example.
For Nolença, Patrice Revillard created our Eau du Quotidien Le Thé with the idea of bringing a luminous "splash of freshness" to our sunny daily lives (or just when you need light, that works too)!
On the other hand, if you like richer and more intense notes, you could then go for an Eau de Parfum or a Perfume Extract. These compositions are crafted with more base notes and therefore have more longevity and character than an Eau de Toilette.
At Nolença, we wanted to create perfumes with a lovely sillage, that last and accompany us throughout the day, without preventing everyone from breathing on the subway... So we chose to make them as Eaux de Parfum, concentrated at 15%, the limit between Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum if you've been following me :)
