The fragrance industry today is about far more than just perfumes and deodorants. There’s a never-ending list of products from body mists and concentrated fragrance oils to aftershaves, body washes, and scented lotions. Each product serves a distinct purpose and offers a different level of intensity. Even within the perfume category itself, there are different types: Eau de Toilette (EDT), Eau de Parfum (EDP), and Parfum. Each offering its own concentration, longevity, and ideal use, making choosing the fragrance far more complicated than ever.
In this blog, we’ll discuss types of fragrances, with specific attention to Eau de Toilette, its usage, performance, and the position of Eau de Toilette in the UK market from a retail perspective.
Main Types of Perfumes
- Eau de Toilette (EDT)
This is a fragrance with comparatively lighter fragrance concentration, that is somewhere between 5-15%, with a fresh and subtle scent that lasts for 3-6 hours typically.
- Eau de Parfum (EDP)
On the other hand, EDP has a slightly higher fragrance concentration, ranging between 15-20%. Which is why it has a deeper, more intense scent profile that lasts up to 8 hours.
- Parfum
Parfum has the highest fragrance concentration, typically around 20–30% or even higher, resulting in a very intense, rich, and long-lasting scent. Due to this higher concentration, Parfum can last up to 12 hours and is usually positioned at a higher price point.
Understanding Eau de Toilette Performance & Longevity
Typically, Eau de Toilette in the UK lasts for 6 hours, however, some fragrances from reputable brands can even last up to 8 hours, but its performance doesn’t solely reflect its quality and composition; there are several other factors at play, such as:
Skin Type
The skin type plays a crucial role in how long a fragrance lingers on your skin and how the notes project. There’s a whole chemistry behind it; let’s break it down. If a skin is dry, it tends to absorb scent oils faster, which means fragrance will fade away quicker than usual. On the other hand, if skin is oily or well-moisturised, it can hold fragrance for longer, keeping you smelling fresh for longer.
Body Temperature
If you exercise or have naturally higher body temperature, a perfume will last less as fragrance will evaporate faster than on people with lower metabolic activity. Therefore, applying fragrance to cooler areas can help slow evaporation and make the scent last longer.
Climate
Fragrance performance largely depends on climate and temperature. The higher temperatures tend reduce longevity as heat can make fragrance evaporate faster, while a cooler climate can slow down the evaporation process, making scent linger on your skin longer and last better. If we talk particularly about Eau de Toilette in the UK climate, it performs really well in this relatively cool temperature, maintaining its freshness for long hours.
Composition
There’s a common misconception about Eau de Toilette: that its lower fragrance concentration means it fades faster. Well, that’s not how fragrance works! Let’s understand the science behind it. Eau de Toilette sits at the lighter end of fragrance concentrations, but what most customers and retailers don’t know is that it generally has a higher alcohol concentration, and that is what makes it have a stronger projection of fragrance than more concentrated forms like Parfum.
Notes
Perfumes with deeper base notes like musk or amber usually last longer on the skin because these notes are heavier and fade more slowly, allowing them to stay noticeable as the lighter notes disappear. In comparison, scents built around fresh or citrus notes tend to wear off more quickly, even if the concentration is similar.
Application Technique
The application technique matters the most in the longevity and projection of a perfume. The right way to apply Eau de Toilette is on the pulse points, like the wrist, neck, and behind the ears, as these areas have blood vessels close to the skin. This brings warmth that diffuses fragrance gradually into the air, allowing the scent to project better. For longevity of Eau de Toilette, it is best to apply it on moisturised skin and a little on clothes as well, in addition to pulse points, so it doesn’t have overpowering notes, so this way it can provide a fresh scent for long hours.