Perfume Concentrations Explained: EDP vs EDT vs Extrait
Concentration is the share of fragrance oil in the bottle, and it explains a lot about what you're paying for. It affects how strong the first spray is, how long the scent lasts, and why a $35 clone EDP can outlast a $150 designer EDT.
The ranges below are conventions, not rules. Each house sets its own formulas, so a "parfum" from one brand can be lighter than an EDP from another.
What the percentages mean
Fragrance oil is diluted in alcohol, and sometimes a little water. More oil usually means a stronger scent that lasts longer. Think of espresso against weak drip coffee: same flavor, different intensity.
The wear times in the table are ballparks. Skin, climate and the formula itself move them a lot.
| Type | Oil content | Typical wear | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extrait / Parfum | 20 to 40% | 8 to 12 hours | Evenings and cold weather |
| Eau de Parfum (EDP) | 15 to 20% | 6 to 8 hours | Most people, most days |
| Eau de Toilette (EDT) | 5 to 15% | 3 to 5 hours | Warm weather and the office |
| Eau de Cologne (EDC) | 2 to 5% | 1 to 2 hours | A quick refresh you reapply |
Tip
Higher isn't automatically better. A light EDT is often the right call for summer and for shared offices, even if it fades sooner than an EDP.
Which one to wear when
For the office, an EDT or a light EDP is the considerate choice. You want people to notice it when they're close, not from across the room.
For evenings and events, EDP and extrait earn their place. You want depth and staying power.
Heat changes things. Warm skin amplifies fragrance, so a 10% EDT can project like a 20% EDP does in winter. An extrait in 35°C weather is how you end up as the person everyone avoids on the train. In cold weather the opposite happens: cold air mutes projection, so a stronger concentration helps.
Tip
Dry skin loses fragrance faster. A thin layer of unscented moisturizer on the spot you spray gives the scent something to hold on to.
Why concentration changes the clone math
Clone houses often sell their versions as an EDP or something stronger, while the designer fragrance they copy may be an EDT. Dior Sauvage is a good example: the original is an EDT, while many of its clones are sold as EDPs.
That is a big part of why wearers often report that a clone outlasts the designer EDT it copies, even when the scent match is only good rather than perfect. You're getting more oil per dollar.
It also means you should read the concentration on the bottle before you compare. A clone EDP set against a designer EDT is not a like-for-like test, and a clone EDP set against a designer EDP usually shows a smaller gap.
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