Types of Perfume : Perfume, Eau de Perfume, Eau de Toillete, Eau de Cologne

Perfume types reflect the concentration of aromatic compounds in a solvent, which in fine fragrance is typically ethanol or a mix of water and ethanol. Various sources differ considerably in the definitions of perfume types. The concentration by percent/volume of perfume oil is as follows :

From highest concentration to least, the different forms of perfume are :

• Perfume, (extrait), can include 15-30% perfume concentrates. This is the purest form of scented product and is the most expensive as a result.
• Eau de parfum (EdP) contains about 10-15% perfume concentrates. This is the most popular and common form of perfume. It provides a long-lasting fragrance and generally doesn't cost as much as extract perfume.
• Eau de toilette (EdT) has around 5-20% perfume concentrates. This makes for a light scent that doesn't linger as long as the more intense versions. It was originally intended to be a refreshing body splash to help people wake up in the morning.
• Eau de cologne (EdC). Has around 2-5% perfume concentrates. Dilute perfume. Introduced c.1709 in Cologne, Germany, by Jean Marie Farina. However outside of Germany the term has become generic for a weakly concentrated perfume. It is sometimes used interchangeably with the term eau de toilette. However, the concoction began as the name of a light, fresh fragrance mixed with citrus oils and was made popular by Napoleon. Some perfumers today have a version of this called eau fraiche.
• Splash Perfumes, (EdS) and aftershaves: 0.5-2% aromatic compounds. They are perfumes with hoemostatic effects basing on natural sources. Since 1994 special perfumes basing on jojoba, wax and fat alcohol (C6-C22 e.g. C22 behenyl-alcohol syn. docosanol) have the feature to be useful as herpes-protecting lip-gloss.

Perfume oil is necessarily diluted with a solvent because undiluted oils (natural or synthetic) contain high concentrations of chemical components (natural or otherwise) that will likely result in allergic reactions and possibly injury when applied directly to skin or clothing. As well, the scents in pure perfume oils are far too concentrated to smell pleasant. By far the most common solvent for perfume oil dilution is ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and water. Perfume oil can also be diluted by means of neutral-smelling lipids such as jojoba, fractionated coconut oil or wax.

As the percentage of aromatic compounds increases, so does the intensity and longevity of the scent created. Different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. Therefore, although the oil concentration of a perfume in Eau de Parfum (EdP) dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in Eau de Toilette (EdT) from within the same range, the actual amounts can vary between perfume houses. An EdT from one house may be stronger than an EdP from another.