Every time you pick that bottle of perfume, I am pretty sure you notice Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette or Eau de Cologne written on it. But did you know what they mean and why fragrances last differently for different people? Well, the reason behind this is hidden behind these very words.
The distinction is actually a ranking based on the lasting duration of the fragrance which is achieved by the concentration or amount of oil in the scent.
Perfumes are basically a combination of 3 notes; top, heart and base. These notes are released, in that order, over a period of time.
A ‘Perfume’ concentrate has the heart note as the most powerful & beautiful scent. But it releases all the notes over a period of time, and is thus considered the strongest form of fragrance. It is also the most expensive as it contains about 40% concentration of essences.
Next is the ‘Eau de Parfum’, which contains 15% perfume concentrates. The heart note becomes noticeable once the top note has faded away and is also the dominant one. This the second most powerful fragrance available.
The third out of the lot is the ‘Eau de Toilette’. It has only 10% perfume concentrates and fades away rather quickly. It is lighter and has a refreshing scent suitable typically for warmer climates. You get these in higher volumes, since you have to spray more.
Then comes the last one; ‘Eau de Cologne’. It has only 7% perfume concentrates. The scent fades away faster than compared to the rest and these can be applied repeatedly. These are also sold in larger lots and are the least expensive of all. Cologne actually originated in the city of Köln in Germany, where a particular fragrance gained popularity and the name stuck.