What to wear

Know Your Perfume

A lady spraying perfume onto her wrist

Having trouble figuring out the difference between perfume, eau de toilette and eau de cologne? We’ll explain it to you.

The different names given to perfume are actually terminology to classify their concentration of essences and aromatic oils.

Eau de cologne has one of the lowest concentrations in terms of essences, with about 7% essence and oils dissolved in about 60% to 70% alcohol. It is perfect for hotter summer days and gives you a refreshing feeling, especially as the alcohol evaporates off your body.

However, eau de cologne doesn’t last very long so you might want to reapply every now and then.

Eau de toilette is slightly more concentrated than eau de cologne, with around 10% essences and aromatic oils. It is also quite summery for the same reason, it is refreshing. The two however, eau de cologne and eau de toilette are the most sold types of perfume.

Eau de parfum is stronger than the eau de toilette and eau de cologne, however it is still lighter in concentration than perfume. It has somewhere between 15% and 20% essences and oils, and is perfect to spray onto clothing and hair, since their scents last longer.

Perfume is the real deal, it is substantially higher in concentration and will last a lot longer than other types of perfumes. With a concentration of essences somewhere between 25% and 40%, all it takes is a few drops or a spray at pulse spots on your body – your inner wrist, neck, behind your ear or throat – to get the fragrant aroma stuck.

However, this type is the most expensive and usually sold in smaller bottles only.

Next time you go perfume shopping, just check the bottle and you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for.

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