A simple guide to fragrance concentration and strength (i.e., eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, etc.), tips for making fragrance last on your skin, and caring for fine fragrances to extend their shelf life.

Fragrance Concentration

Most people know that fragrances come in varying degree of strength, but just what is the difference between Eau de Parfum, Eau de Cologne, After Shave, Eau de Toilette, and other strengths and descriptions?

These terms all refer to the strength of the fragrance, or more specifically, to how much high grade alcohol and/or water has been added to the fragrance oils. Parfum (generally the most concentrated form you can buy) has 15-25% perfume oil dissolved in alcohol. Any mixture with a lower proportion of oil to alcohol is an eau (meaning water).

In order of strength:

Perfume oil or Pure Perfume lasts 6+ hours (15%-30% perfume oil in an oil rather than alcohol base) - Rare. Few fragrances are commercially available in this concentration, and those that are tend to be extremely costly.

Parfum or Perfume lasts up to 4 to 6 hours (15% - 25% -- also sometimes referred to as extract or extrait) - Uncommon. Not many fragrances are commecially available in this concentration, and those that are available are quite costly.

Soie de Parfum lasts 3 to 6 hours (15% - 18% perfume oil) - Not common in commercial release, as above.

Eau de Parfum lasts 3 to 5 hours (8% - 15% perfume oil) - Common, and currently very popular. Price depends on the brand, the fragrance, etc., but will be more expensive than less concentrated fragrances, naturally.

Eau de Toilette lasts 3 to 4 hours (4% - 10% perfume oil) - Common. Generally the strongest concentration available in men's fragrance. Was once the most popular concentration of perfume, and is still very popular.

Eau de Cologne lasts up to 3 hours (2% - 5% perfume oil) - Common. Was once the most popular concentration of perfume, not as popular now in women's fragrances, but still popular in fragrances for men.

After Shave lasts 2 to 3 hours (3% or less perfume oil) - Common. Also note that after shave often has aloe or other balms in it to sooth the skin after a shave, and the alcohol can help close pores.

Eau Fraiche lasts 1 hour or less (3% or less perfume oil) - Not very common. Sometimes referred to as "perfumed  mist"’ or "splash", and many "summer" fragrances are actually eau fraiche concentration. Often alcohol free.

These terms are commonly seen abbreviated, such as EDP for Eau de Parfum, EDT for Eau de Toilette, etc.

Occasionally we also see the term Parfum de Toilette which most companies use to describe a concentration that is either the same as Eau de Parfum, or between Eau de Parfum and Parfum. Other companies use the term to describe an Eau De Toilette concentration. (Yes, it can be muddled and confusing, unfortunately, but if you stick with the common strengths, you should do all right.)

Some fragrance houses also produce deodorant body sprays (very light and mostly alcohol; fragrances last only a couple of hours or less, but can be nicely refreshing, especially when chilled), perfumed creams and lotions, perfumed body powder (usually a talcum base), and so forth. These can be useful for "layering" fragrance in order to make it last longer and create a stronger impression (see below).

Making Fragrance Last on Your Skin

Generally speaking, perfumes evaporate more rapidly from dry skin, so the best way to make fragrance last longer is to use a relatively heavy body lotion or cream prior to applying the perfume. Some people like to buy the "matching" cream for their fragrance, but you can also use an unscented cream or lotion, or try almond oil or jojoba oil.

Don't spray fragrance in your hair. It's sometimes believed that this will make the fragrance last longer, but in fact the oils in your scalp can change the fragrance in a way you won't like, and the alcohol in the fragrance can dry your hair.

Don't spray fragrance directly on your clothes. It sounds like a good idea and will certainly make the fragrance last, but as it's designed to be on skin, not fabric, it may quickly turn into a smell you don't want around you as it reacts with the fabric. Additionally, some fabrics can be damaged or stained by direct exposure to perfumes, and it can prove extremely difficult to get the fragrance out of the fabric.

Don't spray fragrance into the air and then walk into it. This disperses most of the fragrance into the air (which is a waste of the fragrance), and you may end up with it on your face (a big no-no if you're at all prone to breakouts because of the high oil content in the perfume), your clothes, in your hair, etc., and it's not very effective as far as making the fragrance last.

Do dab or spray fragrance on areas of your body where the heat will cause the fragrance to slowly release, particularly your "pulse points", i.e., anywhere you can easily feel your pulse: inside of wrists, inside of elbows, base of the throat. temples, below and slightly behind the ears, behind the knees (generally only good if you're wearing shorts or a skirt, but can be effective with very lightweight trousers), ankles (again, usually only effective if your ankles are uncovered, see previous), breast cleavage or the middle of the chest, above the heart.

There are a few other strong pulse points (such as the top of the inner thigh in the groin), but you'll have to decide for yourself if you want to perfume them...

Another trick is to take a cotton ball and spray it with fragrance and then tuck it into your cleavage. This works surprisingly well and can keep the fragrance noticibly present for a very long time (just be careful with expensive bras that might become stained; this works best for women who have a fair bit of cleavage into which to tuck things.)

Caring for Fragrances, Shelf Life, Etc.

Some industry experts maintain that you should replace perfume after a year, some say two years, but perfumes can and should last much longer with proper care. Most perfumes will keep for several years, some will keep for many more years than that.

You can tell when a perfume has gone off by several means: when a perfume turns it tends to become more oily, the colour will often change and become darker, the fragrance changes, sometimes subtly and sometimes very noticibly. Note that using fragrance that has turned probably won't harm you, but it won't smell very good and may have unexpected results on your skin, due to the chemical changes in the solution.

To store perfume so it will last, keep it away from heat and light. A dark closet, a seldom-opened deep dresser drawer, or a covered box will work well. It may look pretty to have perfume bottles all sitting out attractively on your dresser or a windowsill, but exposure to light is a sure way to send your fine fragrances round the twist, so don't give in to the tempation (if you really want pretty bottles for display purposes, fill empty perfume containers with coloured water).

Don't keep fine fragrances in the bathroom, as the heat and humidity will hasten the breakdown of the chemicals.

Don't store fine fragrances in the fridge (a common myth), as the humidity and temperature changes can cause unhappy changes in the chemistry (if you like the feel of chilled fragrance, use cologne or a body spray).

Also avoid, as much as possible, direct exposure to air. Splash or pour bottles, which expose the fragrance to air every time they are opened, cause problems, so consider decanting perfume into a smaller atomizer for regular use (also convienient for carrying along with you when you go out).

If you apply perfume directly from a bottle stopper, wipe the stopper with a clean, lint free cloth before replacing it in the bottle, to remove any body oils that may contaminate the perfume (and cause it to degrade more quickly).

Treat good perfume with a little bit of care, and it should keep you smelling fabulous for a very long time!