What is The Difference Between Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne? How To Choose The Best One For You

It’s a common problem. You’re in the department store and trying to pick the perfect scent for you. You’ve found a few that you love, that truly match you, but you’re not sure what to pick. One says ‘eau de parfum’ and another says ‘eau de toilette’. You’re not really sure what the difference is, you just wanted to buy a fragrance! Don’t worry, we’ve got a handy guide ready here for you so you truly know what you’re buying, once and for all!

Before we go into what all of those nitty gritty fragrance terms mean, it’s important to know first how fragrances are created. They’re made by extracting essential oils from natural sources such as rose petals, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, oakmoss, sandalwood, vanilla and citron. For scents that aren’t naturally occurring, synthetic chemicals are used. Then, once the fragrance is blended, it’s mixed with an alcohol or oil carrier. If this wasn’t done, the fragrance wouldn’t smell very nice and it would be very irritating to the skin.

The major difference between the three main types of fragrance is in the concentrations that the perfume itself is blended with the carrier.


Eau de Parfum

This is the most common term for perfumes and can refer to fragrances for both men and women. Typically when a perfume is first released, it’s in this form. These fragrances contain 15 to 20 percent perfume with the remainder being a carrier. These have a lifespan of around five to eight hours and are the longest lasting perfume mixtures, other than pure parfums which will last around 24 hours. These are usually thought of as nighttime perfumes and are the perfect option to choose if you’re headed out to a hot party or a nice dinner out.

Our pick: Le Parfum by Elie Saab

Eau de Toilette

An eau de toilette is a light fragrance with 5 to 15 percent perfume essence dissolved in alcohol. These usually last around three hours and are a great daytime scent, subtle enough that you won’t bother your coworkers, but still noticeable if you’re in close range of someone.

Our pick: Eau des Merveilles by Hermes

Eau de Cologne

This is the oldest term for perfume and, in North America especially, is usually used to mean a more masculine scented fragrance. Usually these scents are light, clean smelling and refreshing. It’s composed of 2 to 4 percent perfume and the remainder is alcohol or oil. These scents typically last up to two hours. These are perfect for a quick freshen up, but aren’t particularly long lasting.

Our pick: Eau De Pamplemousse Rose Hermes Cologne Spray


Now that you’re armed with knowledge of how to choose the best perfume type for you, it’s time to go shopping! We have many different types of fragrances available in our shop for you to check out. So, what are you waiting for? Pick an amazing fragrance that suits you perfectly today!