When shopping for perfume, it pays to be clued up on what all the different phrases and terms mean. This can help stop you paying over the odds for a fragrance that should be much cheaper. It can also help you to spot when you’ve found a great deal.

You might think that purchasing fragrance is all about personal preference and the scent alone, but you also need to think about what type of product you want to buy. Perhaps the two biggest products that you should learn to tell apart are eau de toilette and eau de parfum. While they might sound similar, they are very different and are priced accordingly. Here’s everything you need to know about the two…

What is eau de toilette?

Eau de toilette literally means grooming water. It is a lightly scented perfume that contains around 10% fragrance oil along with water and alcohol. Like all fragrances, it will have base, middle and top notes thanks to the unique blend of scents. Concentrated fragrance would be too strong to apply directly to the skin, so this offers a watered down version that will fade throughout the day. Eau de toilette is popular during the summer months, as it is lighter and less intensely perfumed.

What is eau de parfum?

Eau de parfum is a more concentrated scent. It contains a higher concentration of fragrance oils, usually around 15-20%. This makes it stronger and more long lasting. This type of fragrance will also contain less alcohol, which can make it less irritating on the skin. Eau de parfum is a popular choice in winter, as the cooler weather will be better suited to the stronger scents. Eau de parfum will typically be more expensive than eau de toilette.

Which is more better, eau de toilette or eau de parfum?

One is not necessarily better than the other, and there are benefits to each one. For some scents, it makes sense to purchase the eau de toilette, while other scents should be purchased in eau de parfum format.

Eau de toilette is excellent for citrus, floral or green fragrances. These can be worn in the summer to create a fresh and clean finish. In contrast, eau de parfum is ideal for woody, spicy and Oriental scents. These can be worn in the winter and will be more subdued in the colder weather.

Which lasts longer, eau de toilette or eau de parfum?

Since eau de parfum contains a higher concentration of fragrance oils, it will last much longer than eau de toilette. Some scents will last longer than others, with fresher and brighter scents typically wearing off before the more complex woody scents.

In general, you can expect your eau de toilette to last between 4-7 hours. In contrast, eau de parfum should last in excess of 8 hours. You might find that eau de parfum lingers on your clothes for much longer, particularly if it is on heavy fabrics like a wool coat.

Is one for men and one for women?

No, these terms are not gendered. In addition to eau de toilette and eau de parfum, there is also eau de cologne, which is typically available in masculine scents. You can also purchase aftershave, which is also aimed at men. Remember that all fragrance is technically unisex, we just have scents that are typically more aimed at men and scents that are typically more aimed at women. If you find a scent that you enjoy, you don’t need to worry about the label or the target market, as it’s all about your preferences.