Why You Should Know the Difference Between An Eau De Parfum and An Eau de Toilette

Before getting into the nitty gritty of perfume descriptions and why you should know them here’s a list of all five types of perfumes. In order of their strengths they are Extrait de Parfum, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, and Eau Fraiche. If you’ve ever shopped for a fragrance at any point in time chances are you’ve seen these classifications listed on your bottle. Some are more common than others like eau de colognes and eau de toilettes.

But in short, every perfume has a fragrance concentration, and this usually determines the power of the perfume oils and alcohol used in it. The differences in these factors result in the five main types of perfumes (listed above) in the market today.

Eau de parfums and eau de toilettes are universally the two most purchased perfume types in the world. And for that reason, you should know the difference between the two, other than if you like the scent.

What is an Eau De Parfum?

An Eau de Parfum contains between 15-20% of oil concentration and is the second highest fragrance concentration of all the five types. In terms of wear, (and keep in mind this is based on your body’s PH) an eau de parfum on average can last anywhere from five to eight hours while still containing a very low amount of alcohol to guarantee skin tolerance.

If you’re a fragrance wearer that likes to only spray your scent once or twice a day this is definitely a type of fragrance you should reach for. Most shoppers that go for this type of scent like to smell their fragrance throughout the day without their perfume bottle in tow.

What is an Eau de Toilette?

An Eau de Toilette is one of the most widely-used types of perfumes and contains between 5-15% of oil concentration. This type of fragrance is cheaper than an eau de parfum, however it does not last as long. On average buyers reported their eau de toilette fragrances to last around four to six hours. Depending on how long your occasion is you may have to spritz a few times throughout the day.

A fun fact is Eau de Toilette comes from the French term "faire sa toilette," which means getting ready. Many people consider it the go-to choice for getting ready for a typical day in town or work day.

Now that you know the difference between an eau de parfum and an eau de toilette you can go into any fragrance department and buy your next signature scent like a pro.