Perfume bottles love to flaunt fancy French labels. Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, Extrait de Parfum... It sounds sophisticated, but what do these names actually mean? Are they just marketing fluff, or do they tell us something useful about what’s inside?

The short answer: it’s mostly about concentration: how much perfume oil is in the bottle compared to alcohol or water. But like everything in the world of scent, it’s not that simple.

The spectrum of scent strength

Traditionally, these terms hint at how strong and long-lasting a fragrance will be.

Here's a general guideline:

• Eau de Cologne (EdC): The lightest option, with just 2–5% perfume oil. Think of it as the sorbet of the perfume world: refreshing, zesty, and perfect for a quick pick-me-up. Typically fades after a couple of hours.
• Eau de Toilette (EdT): A bit stronger at 5–12% perfume oil. This is your go-to everyday scent, like an easy, delicious appetizer. Noticeable but not overwhelming, ideal for a casual day out.
• Eau de Parfum (EdP): More intense, with 12–20% perfume oil. This is the main course, giving a deeper, richer experience that lingers for hours, perfect for evenings or when you want to make an impression.
• Extrait de Parfum: The most concentrated at 20–40% perfume oil. This is the decadent chocolate fondant of fragrance: luxurious, complex, and long-lasting, sometimes staying on the skin for a full day or more.

The myth of “More is Better”

You might think, “Why don’t perfume houses just make everything super concentrated?” Well, because perfume is art, not a math problem. A higher concentration doesn’t automatically mean a better fragrance.

Some scents shine in their lighter forms. An Eau de Cologne can be the perfect summer companion, airy and refreshing, while an Extrait might be overwhelming in hot weather. It’s all about balance.

Industry tricks

Perfume houses don’t always play by strict rules. A scent labeled Eau de Parfum by one brand could be an Extrait de Parfum at another, even if the actual concentration is identical. There’s no global perfume police enforcing these labels, so it varies from house to house.

And then, there’s the trickery. Some brands add things just to claim a higher concentration, but without actually enriching the fragrance itself. Instead of crafting a more complex or intense perfume, they use shortcuts:

• Fixatives: Ingredients that slow down evaporation, making the scent seem longer-lasting, but without adding any extra depth to the composition.
• Scent enhancers: Synthetic notes that amplify certain aspects of the perfume, giving an illusion of richness without adding real complexity.
• Marketing magic: Emphasizing luxurious-sounding ingredients to create a perception of exclusivity, even when the actual concentration doesn’t match the hype.

Concentration isn’t everything

Even with a high concentration, a perfume’s staying power depends on more than just the percentage of oil. Several factors influence how long a scent lingers:

• Ingredients : Natural elements (such as essential oils and absolutes) can offer complex and authentic scent profiles, but tend to fade faster than synthetics, which can be designed to stick around longer.
• Molecular structure : Some fragrance molecules are naturally heavier and evaporate slowly (think woods, resins and musks), while others are fleeting (like citrus and green notes). If perfumers were only allowed to create long-lasting fragrances, they’d have to limit themselves to the heavy, slow-evaporating ingredients. That would be like telling painters to use only dark, muted tones and refrain from bright colours.
• Skin chemistry : Your skin type, pH, and even diet can have a subtle impact on how a fragrance develops and lasts on you.

This is why an Eau de Parfum with the right balance of ingredients can outlast an Extrait. It’s all in the formulation.

Projection vs. Sillage: how far does your scent travel?

Two other key terms perfume lovers throw around are projection and sillage.

• Projection : How far your fragrance extends from your body. A strong projector means people can smell you from across the room.
• Sillage : The scent trail you leave behind as you move. A perfume with great sillage lingers in the air even after you’ve left the space.

Interestingly, an Extrait de Parfum, despite being more concentrated, often sits closer to the skin, while an Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette, with more alcohol, evaporates faster and projects farther. So if you want a fragrance that fills a room, don’t just look for a higher concentration. Try it on and see how it behaves.

Colognes are for men, perfumes are for women? Not exactly.

A little history lesson: The word “cologne” comes from Cologne, Germany, where an Italian perfumer, Giovanni Maria Farina, created a light citrusy fragrance in 1709. It was unisex, worn by both men and women across Europe.

Somewhere along the way, the American fragrance industry decided to use “cologne” as a catch-all term for men’s scents and “perfume” for women’s. But this is purely a marketing trick. Smell doesn’t have a gender. If you love it, wear it.

Conclusion: choose what speaks to you

At the end of the day, the best perfume isn’t about concentration or labels. It’s about what resonates with you. Some days you might crave a light and breezy Eau de Cologne while other times, you might want to wrap yourself in the depth of an Extrait de Parfum. And depending on the composition and ingredients used, a lighter concentration may even last longer than a higher concentration. Those labels don't tell the whole story.

Think of fragrance like music. Some days, you want an acoustic melody; other days, a full orchestra. There’s no right or wrong, just what feels like you.