Almost every bottle we sell is an extrait de parfum. A handful are eau de parfum. The words describe one thing: how concentrated the perfume oil is in the alcohol that carries it. Everything people believe follows from that is partly true and partly folklore, so it is worth separating the two.
The usual ranges
| Name | Typical oil concentration |
|---|---|
| Eau de cologne | around 2–5% |
| Eau de toilette (EDT) | around 5–15% |
| Eau de parfum (EDP) | around 15–20% |
| Extrait de parfum | around 20–40% |
These are industry conventions, not legal definitions. No regulation forces a house to put a particular percentage behind a particular word, which is why one brand's EDP can feel richer than another brand's extrait. Treat the label as a strong hint, not a specification.
What a higher concentration actually changes
It usually lasts longer
More oil means more material to evaporate, so the scent generally stays on skin and clothing longer. This is the most reliable of the differences.
It is often quieter than you expect
This surprises people. A very concentrated perfume frequently projects less in the first hour than a lighter one, because alcohol is what throws scent into the air. An extrait tends to sit closer to the skin and last; an EDT tends to announce itself and fade. Loud and long-lasting are not the same property.
It can smell different, not just stronger
Raising the concentration does not scale every note evenly. Base notes — woods, resins, vanilla, musk — carry further at higher concentrations, so an extrait version of a composition often reads deeper and less sharp than its lighter sibling, rather than simply louder.
You need less of it
Two sprays of an extrait can do the work of four of an EDT. This matters for value: comparing bottle prices without accounting for how much you use per wearing is misleading.
What it does not tell you
Concentration says nothing about quality, and nothing about whether you will like it. A well-built eau de toilette beats a badly balanced extrait every time. It also says nothing about how a fragrance will behave on your skin, which is a bigger variable than most people expect.
How this maps to our range
Our extrait de parfum collection covers most of the catalogue. The eau de parfum collection is small and includes Slow Living, Baby Love, Stilettos, Pink Beach, XOXO Rosy and Caramel Fudge Cookie.
That split is deliberate rather than accidental. A bright citrus like Slow Living is meant to feel airy and immediate, which suits a lighter concentration. A dense woody like Aphrodite or Senja is built to sit on the skin for the evening, which suits an extrait.
Which should you buy
Pick by the occasion, not by the number on the box.
- Daytime, warm weather, office: lighter concentrations and fresher families. Start in Citrus or Summer Picks.
- Evening, cold weather, something with presence: extrait, and a heavier family. Start in Woody & Vanilla or Gourmand.
If longevity is your main concern, concentration is only part of the answer — how and where you apply it matters just as much. We cover that in how to make your perfume last longer. To understand how a scent is built in the first place, read fragrance notes explained, and for choosing by style see fragrance families explained. Deciding between bottle sizes? See 50 ml or 100 ml.