What The Scent You Wear Says About You… Part II

In last week’s post I mentioned that there are five different kinds of perfumes: parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, and eau fraiche.

Today I would like to elaborate the main categories fragrance concentrations are broken into:

Parfum:

This is the most concentrated and pure form of perfume. It contains anywhere from 15 percent to 40 percent fragrance; however, the concentration is generally between 20 to 30 percent. Of all scents, parfums last the longest, usually six to eight hours. Parfum generally also commands the highest price of all the fragrance types due to the high concentration of fragrance. People with sensitive skin may do better with parfums as they have far less alcohol than other fragrance types and therefore are not as likely to dry out the skin.

Eau de Parfum:

After parfum, eau de parfum has the next highest concentration of fragrance. It typically contains up to 20 percent perfume oil. On average, eau de parfum will last for four to five hours. It’s also generally less expensive than parfum, and while it does have a higher concentration of alcohol than parfum, it is better for sensitive skin than other fragrance types. Eau de parfum is one of the most common fragrance types and is suitable for everyday wear.

Eau de Toilette:

The term eau de toilette came from the French term “faire sa toilette” which means getting ready. Eau de toilette is the lightest- wearing scent with only about 5 percent to 15 percent of the essential fragrance. It is cheaper than eau de parfum and is one of the most popular types of fragrances available. EDT fragrance will normally last for two to three hours. Eau de toilette is ideal for daywear while eau de parfum is best for nightwear.

Eau de Cologne:

Eau de cologne has a much lower concentration of fragrance than the above types of perfume. It generally has a 2 to 4 percent concentration of fragrance and a high concentration of alcohol. It is less expensive than other types of fragrance; however, the scent generally only lasts for up to two hours. Eau de cologne generally comes in bigger bottles, as more of the fragrance needs to be used.

Eau Fraiche:

Eau fraiche is similar to eau de cologne in that the scent will generally last for up to two hours. It has an even lower concentration of fragrance than eau de cologne, normally only 1 to 3 percent. While eau fraiche has a low fragrance concentration, it does not contain a high amount of alcohol. Along with the fragrance, the remainder of eau fraiche is mostly water.

Along with the types of perfume listed above, there are mists, aftershaves, and other types of fragrances available.

Higher-end fragrances can cost a significant amount of money, so doing research beforehand will ensure that you get the type of fragrance you are looking for.

Your perfume should be as subtle as possible. When wearing perfume, make sure you don’t go overboard.

Remember: Less is more…

Rani St. Pucchi is an award-winning Couture Fashion Designer, a Style & Image Consultant, and a Relationship Expert. She is a Bestselling Author, a Speaker, an Inspirational Coach and a Trainer. Her recent TEDx talk: Is Your Body Image Holding You Back has received worldwide acclaim. Rani’s #1 International Bestselling Books, Your Body, Your Style: Simple Tips on Dressing to Flatter Your Body Type ; The SoulMate Checklist: Keys to Finding Your Perfect Partner; and Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams are available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Rani please visit www.ranistpucchi.com