EDT vs EDP vs Parfum: What's the Difference Between Perfume Types? (And Why It Doesn't Matter!)
When shopping for fragrance, you'll notice labels like "Eau de Toilette" and "Eau de Parfum." But what's the difference? Read on (or watch our video at the bottom) for the technical definitions, as well as our take on why it doesn't usually matter.
Perfume Concentration Guide & Definitions
Eau Fraiche
An Eau Fraiche has a fragrance concentration between 1 and 3%. They also tend to be more water-based, rather than the types of alcohol that's used in most perfumes.
It's easy to get confused here, because "eau fraiche" can also be used as a term to simply mean a fresh flanker in a fragrance line! But since most fresh fragrance don't tend to be very strong, it's safe to say that if you're looking for massive projection/longevity, anything labeled "eau fraiche" probably isn't for you.
The average longevity for an eau fraiche is considered to be around 1 to 2 hours.
Eau de Cologne
An Eau de Cologne has a fragrance concentration between 2 and 6%.
This term can also be confusing for those newer to fragrance, because the word "cologne" is used to refer to "masculine fragrances" (at least in countries like the USA). But eau de colognes often smell completely unisex, and even the word "cologne" by itself can be used to simply mean a light fragrance (like Jo Malone Colognes).
Classic eau de colognes are often citrus aromatic fragrances with notes like lemon, neroli, lavender, and rosemary.
The average longevity for an eau de cologne is considered to be no more than a few hours.
Eau de Toilette (EDT)
An Eau de Toilette (EDT) has a fragrance concentration between 5 and 15%, and is the most common type of fragrance.
There's really no consistency when it comes to longevity for EDTs. You might assume it would be lower than one with a higher concentration, but there are plenty of Eau de Toilettes with lots of projection/longevity (more on this below).
Eau de Parfum (EDP)
An Eau de Parfum (EDP) has a fragrance concentration between 15 and 20%.
As with EDTs, there's really no consistency when it comes to longevity for Eau de Parfums. (Again, more on this below!)
Parfum/Extrait
A parfum (or extrait) has a fragrance concentration between 20% and 40% (and sometimes even 15% is referred to as a parfum).
While these sometimes have better longevity/projection than Eau de Parfums, Eau de Toilettes, and other perfumes with lower fragrance concentrations, it's not a given.
Does a Higher Fragrance Concentration Mean Better Longevity/Projection?
In a word, no! Just because one perfume has a higher concentration of fragrance than another does not automatically mean it's going to have better longevity or projection. Even many seasoned "fragheads" (people passionate about fragrance) don't always realize this, because we're so used to hearing about it.
Of course, many times an Eau de Parfum or Extrait will be have better longevity/projection than an Eau de Toilette. But it's far from a given.
So, How Do You Find a Fragrance with Good Longevity/Projection?
While there's no guarantee based on the fragrance concentration, you can still gravitate towards trying those first. The best way to find a fragrance with good longevity/projection is to look at the ratings on fragrance database sites. Many of them will have a section where people can vote on how strong the longevity, projection, and/or sillage were for them! You can use this info to pick out which ones to try - or which to avoid.