Guide
Eau de Parfum vs Eau de ToiletteParfum and Cologne too: what the strength changes, and what it costs
Eau de parfum vs eau de toilette is mostly a question of strength: how much of the bottle is perfume oil and how much is alcohol and water. A stronger concentration usually means a richer scent that lasts longer, and usually a higher price per milliliter.
Perfume concentration, from strongest to lightest
There is no legal standard for these names, so each house sets its own recipe. These are the typical ranges:
| Name on the bottle | Typical perfume oil | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Parfum, Extrait de Parfum | about 20–30%, sometimes more | The richest version, close to the skin, lasting the longest |
| Eau de Parfum (EDP) | about 15–20% | Full-bodied, usually lasts well through a day |
| Eau de Toilette (EDT) | about 5–15% | Lighter and brighter, fades sooner |
| Eau de Cologne (EDC) | about 2–4% | A fresh burst that fades within a few hours |
EDP vs EDT: more than strength
An EDP is not always a stronger copy of the EDT. Houses often change the formula between versions, so the two can open, develop and finish differently. If you like one, smell the other before assuming you will like it too.
Eau de parfum vs parfum
Parfum (or Extrait) is the most concentrated version and is often sold in smaller bottles. Names such as “Le Parfum”, “Elixir” or “Intense” are chosen by each house and can mean a different composition rather than just a stronger one. We list those as their own fragrances where they are separate scents. Across 16 fragrances where we track both a Parfum and an EDP, the Parfum costs a median 14% more per ml today.
How long each strength lasts
Strength is only part of it. Skin type, climate, how many sprays you use and the materials in the formula all change how long a fragrance stays noticeable. As a rough guide, an Eau de Cologne often fades within a couple of hours, an Eau de Toilette tends to last a morning or an afternoon, and an Eau de Parfum often carries through most of a working day. Heavier materials such as woods, resins, vanilla and musks usually last longer than citrus and herbs, whatever the strength, which is why a woody Eau de Toilette can outlast a citrus Eau de Parfum.
Flanker names, decoded
Houses add words to a name to signal a variation, but none of these words has a fixed meaning. Treat them as clues, not specifications:
- Intense often means a richer or darker take, frequently at Eau de Parfum strength, but sometimes an entirely different fragrance.
- Elixir and Le Parfum often sit at the top of a line, concentrated and denser, sometimes with new notes.
- Absolu or L'Absolu usually signals a deeper, richer version, though what that means differs by house.
- Eau Fraîche and Cologne versions are usually lighter, brighter and made for warm weather.
- Extrait is the most concentrated form a house sells, often in small bottles.
Because these versions are often new compositions, we track them as separate fragrances and never mix their prices with the original's.
How to choose between them
Smell both on skin before buying, ideally over a few hours, since the difference often shows in the drydown rather than the first spray. Think about where you will wear it: a lighter strength is easier in a warm office or in summer, while a stronger one makes sense when you want one application to last into the evening. Then compare by the milliliter, not by the bottle, because sizes and strengths are rarely priced in proportion.
What the difference costs
Across the 22 fragrances where we track both, an Eau de Parfum costs a median 17% more per milliliter than the Eau de Toilette today. Compare both strengths of a scent on its own page, where every bottle is priced per ml.
Fragrances we track in both strengths
Today's lowest price per milliliter for each strength, at the same bottle size:
- Sauvage by Dior, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $1.31/ml, Eau de Toilette $1.25/ml.
- Eros by Versace, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $0.66/ml, Eau de Toilette $0.64/ml.
- L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake, 125 ml: Eau de Parfum $1.05/ml, Eau de Toilette $1.04/ml.
- Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren, 200 ml: Eau de Parfum $0.84/ml, Eau de Toilette $0.80/ml.
- Eros Pour Femme by Versace, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $0.64/ml, Eau de Toilette $0.58/ml.
- Born in Roma Uomo by Valentino, 50 ml: Eau de Parfum $3.00/ml, Eau de Toilette $2.20/ml.
- Miss Dior by Dior, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $2.00/ml, Eau de Toilette $1.29/ml.
- Terre d'Hermès by Hermès, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $1.44/ml, Eau de Toilette $0.73/ml.
- J'adore by Dior, 50 ml: Eau de Parfum $1.76/ml, Eau de Toilette $2.56/ml.
- Polo by Ralph Lauren, 100 ml: Eau de Parfum $1.10/ml, Eau de Toilette $1.17/ml.
Browse the ledger by strength: Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Parfum.
Questions
What is the difference between EDP and EDT?
Strength. An Eau de Parfum (EDP) has a higher share of perfume oils than an Eau de Toilette (EDT) of the same name, so it usually smells richer and lasts longer on skin. Houses often adjust the formula as well, so the two can smell noticeably different.
What is eau de cologne?
The lightest common strength, typically about 2–4% perfume oils, made for a fresh burst that fades within a couple of hours. Some houses, such as Jo Malone London, use “Cologne” as the name of their whole range, although the house itself describes most of them as closer to an eau de toilette, with only Cologne Intense nearer an eau de parfum.
Is Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette better value?
Per milliliter, EDT is usually cheaper. Across the 22 fragrances where we track both, the EDP costs a median 17% more per ml than the EDT today. An EDP is usually the stronger of the two, so some wearers find they need fewer sprays.