COPY REWRITE
When looking at different iterations of a single fragrance, it often comes down to their concentrations. A bottle never contains pure fragrance, but is rather a blend of a scent and a base. The scent is composed of essences, aromatic compounds and oils, while the base is made using a mix of ethanol and water or simply one or the other.
WHY DON’T YOU BOTTLE SCENT ALONE?
If you bottled a scent alone, it would be overly strong and cost a fortune, too. However, by adding alcohol, you actually help the scent project.
Aromatic compounds alone are strong, but don’t have any power to project. You’ll have to put your nose up against it to smell it! By adding a base, the scent will be diluted and helps it radiate off your skin as the alcohol evaporates. It also functions as a stabilizing agent that helps to preserve volatile oils in a perfume, ensuring that they blend properly to form accords.
Some fragrances do use alternative solvents or bases that are alcohol-free or organic, offering a hypo-allergenic solution for those with skin sensitivity to alcohol.
There are different names and iterations for various perfume concentrations, with the primary groups as:
∙Parfum (20-30%)
∙Eau de Parfum (15-20%)
∙Eau de Toilette (5-15%)
∙Eau de Cologne (3-8%)
∙Aftershave / Eau Fraiche (<3%)
Because the industry has never standardized fragrance concentrations, the percentages serve as ranges rather than precise figures.
Another consideration is that the concentration of aromatic compounds in a perfume directly correlates with its intensity and longevity. An eau de parfum has more scent than an aftershave, with a scent that lingers for a longer amount of time. Keep reading to learn more about each concentration level
PARFUM (20-30%)
Often called a ‘perfume extract,’ ‘parfum extrait’ or ‘elixir,’ parfum is the most prestigious concentration of a fragrance. They usually have a concentration of 20-30% but can even go up to an impressive 40%.
These concentrations are often more expensive than alternatives, but may offer a better value for the price, as fragrances last much longer with a small amount that doesn’t require reapplication during the day. Their heady concentration also means that they should be applied less frequently, often stored in dab bottles that offer more control than an atomizer.
Parfums are relatively rare for men in modern days, but this is most likely linked to the cost or the misinterpretation that ‘perfumes’ are something reserved only for women.
EAU DE PARFUM (15-20%)
A more common variant than parfums, eau de parfums are a luxurious option that is more attainable for the masses. Their concentrations often fall between 15-20%, which offers about 8 hours of scent with a single application. The extended longevity makes an eau de parfum version of a fragrance the best value for your money.
EAU DE TOILETTE (10-15%)
A predecessor of colognes that can be traced back to 14th century Hungary, this iteration gets its name from an old French phrase for the practice of personal grooming and cleaning around a table. In short, an eau de toilette was once cleaning water that was added to bath water or applied to the skin after bathing but is now the concentration of a fragrance.
The most budget-friendly and accessible option, eau de toilettes offer a concentration of 5-15% but typically fall at the 10% mark. These iterations are essentially a watered-down eau de parfum that are budget-friendly, easily found at stores and have a longevity that lasts about 3-4 hours total.
EAU DE COLOGNE (3-8%)
One of the most confusing and enigmatic fragrance labels, cologne is often used as a generic term for men’s fragrances, although this is a corruption of its original definition. This type of perfume originates from Köln, Germany with Italian-born Gioanni Maria Farina in 1709, who crafted a new concoction that he named after his hometown, Kölnisch Wasser (cologne water). He crafted a blend that was reminiscent of an Italian spring morning, orange blossoms after the rain and mountain daffodils.
Eau de colognes quickly became an industry standard and are still around today, with notable characteristics that offer a light body and delicate bergamot citrus head. The iconic Mäuer & Wirtz 4711 cologne, one of the oldest colognes in production, still follows this model to this day.
Most modern eau de colognes have a concentration of 3-8% and offer a fragrance that lasts about two hours. That being said, this product is often used to freshen up, being applied directly after bathing and before your personal grooming routine. The wearer will then apply their main fragrance following this process.
AFTERSHAVE / EAU FRAICHE (<3%)
Although they share a concentration level, aftershave and eau fraiche are used for different purposes. Eau fraiche, or ‘cool water,’ follows the same profile as eau de cologne, with application following bathing. Although this iteration contains alcohol, they’re mostly made using water with a mild scent that helps to clean and refresh the skin. Thanks to advancements in personal hygiene technology, aftershave’s original purpose has more or less died out. It was originally used as an antiseptic to clean any cuts following shaving, with ingredients that include medicinal herbs or balms to soothe the skin. Today, many aftershaves still contain ingredients such as menthol, bay rum and witch-hazel to suit this purpose. Because of their low concentrations, both aftershaves and eau fraiche last no more than an hour in fragrance. These products are often chosen for personal grooming to enhance the experience rather than being used as a daytime fragrance.
