There are some basic things to consider when purchasing fragrance.
Perfume Concentrations
Quite a lot of people will describe any fragrance as ‘perfume’ regardless of what actual description it should have (EDP/EDT…) I’ve described the various concentrations below but as a general rule: The smaller the bottle, the more concentrated the fragrance inside (This does not apply to miniatures which usually contain the eau de toilette.) Pure perfume is a lot more expensive but a little will go a long way. A pure perfume is very, very rarely sold in a spray bottle – these are used for eau de parfums and eau de toilettes so that the buyer does not end up wearing too much at a time!
Perfume
This consists of a 15-30% concentration of perfume essence and is the strongest fragrance available. This means that not only do you need to use less, but also that the fragrance lasts longer, typically for up to 6 hours, depending on skin type.
Parfum De Toilette
This is usually between a perfume and an EDP in strength but a few companies use the term to describe an EDT.
Eau De Parfum (EDP)
This is lighter than Perfume, with an 8-15% concentration, and so is less expensive but still has long lasting characteristics, from 3 to 5 hours.
Eau De Toilette (EDT)
This is a lighter more delicate fragrance, with a 4-8% concentration of the essence, and is therefore most suited to everyday use. It is normally less expensive than Eau de Parfum, and lasts for 2 to 4 hours.
Eau De Cologne (EDC)
This is often referred to just as Cologne and has the greatest dilution of fragrances with a 3-5% concentration of perfume essence, lasting up to 2 hours.
You will love Avon’s Velvet Eau de Parfum …Better Than Roses!
For Men
Eau De Toilette (EDT)
This has the greatest concentration of essence generally available for men and hence lasts the longest, up to 5 hours. It is often available in either a splash or a spray.
Aftershave
Less strong, it is the most popular choice and lasts for 2 to 3 hours. Aftershaves are kinder to the skin than EDT’s. Those with very sensitive skin should use aftershave balms.
The % by volume that you see on the bottles is the amount of alcohol that is in the fragrance blend. Basically perfume companies ‘pad out’ their fragrances with alcohol, firstly to make them go further, and also because otherwise they would be incredibly strong to wear! A perfume with strong smelling essence ingredients will have more alcohol with it than one which is more delicate.