Perfumes and eau de parfum with the same name can contain different aromas.
Alexander Sumenkov, creator of the Sumenkov Parfumeur brand, author of the NoseKnows channel;
Alexandra Feoktistova, perfume expert at biblioteka aromatov.
- Kinds
- The difference between eau de parfum and eau de toilette
- The difference between eau de parfum and perfume
- What to choose
- Expert comments
Types of perfume
Perfume contains a higher content of aromatic elements, such as essential oils and essences, and, on the contrary, less alcohol
The idea of applying fragrances to oneself belongs, of course, to women. Her name was Taputti, she lived in Mesopotamia 3,200 years ago and became known as history’s first chemist and perfumer. Taputti has figured out how to extract essential oils from plants and turn them into perfumes (1). Since then, people have invented many forms of perfumes, as well as ways to keep them on the body. But the basis of any product is the same set of ingredients: aromatic substances, water and alcohol. The difference is in proportions.
- Perfume – This is the most persistent format for confining a fragrance in a bottle and, perhaps, the most ancient. Perfume has the highest content of aromatic elements, such as essential oils and essences, and the lowest alcohol content. They last longer on the skin or clothes, and the aromas in them are often stronger and more tart.
- Eau de parfum – This is a slightly less durable product. It contains more alcohol, which is why the form of release of eau de parfum is different – a bottle with a spray bottle. This is done so that the aroma can be applied to a large surface or form a cloud.
- Eau de Toilette – it is even lighter in essential oil content product. Most often, eau de toilette contains fruity, citrus or floral aromas and dissipates fairly quickly.
- Eau de cologne – This is eau de parfum. It is often chosen by men, which is why sea and woody notes predominate in colognes. They do not last long and are used mainly after shaving to disinfect the skin.
Substance content and durability for each format are specified in GOST (2). For concentrated perfumes, durability must be at least 60 hours, the alcohol content must be 55% or more and fragrant substances must be at least 30%. For eau de toilette, the indicators are as follows: durability 30 hours, alcohol content 75%, perfumed substances – 4%.
Characteristics and norm
| Indicator name | Concentrated perfumes | Perfume group “Extra” | Perfume | Eau de parfum | Eau de Toilette | Eau de cologne | Fragrant water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear liquid | Clear liquid | Clear liquid | Clear liquid | Clear liquid | Clear liquid | Clear liquid |
| Color | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name | Characteristic color of a product of a specific name |
| Scent | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name | Characteristic odor of a product of a specific name |
| Odor persistence, h, not less | 60 | 60 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 24 | – |
| Transparency, (no clouding at temperature, °C) | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +5 | +5 |
| Volume fraction of ethyl alcohol, % vol, not less | 55,0 | 70,0 | 85,0 | 75,0 | 75,0 | 60,0 | 20,0 |
| Sum of mass fractions of fragrant substances, %, not less | 30,0 | 15,0 | 10,0 | 10,0 | 4,0 | 1,5 | 1,0 |
Note: for children’s products, the volume fraction of ethyl alcohol in perfume liquids should not exceed 20%.
Differences between eau de parfum and eau de toilette
Eau de toilette usually has a simple…
