Plenty of French words have made their way into the English language — way before #EmilyInParis aired— some of which have fit in so well that a few people don’t even know about its true origins. Fashion and fragrance are the two fields that are heavily influenced by the French, so it’s no surprise that words like haute couture and toilette have blended into the English language oh-so-effortlessly.
In the fragrance world, there is no shortage of French phrases, after all, the word fragrance itself is taken from the French. From parfum to extrait de parfum to liqueur de parfum to eau de parfum, cologne, eau de toilette, body splash – the list goes on. All these words are enough to confuse even the best of us. But the biggest misconception when it comes to dealing with fragrances is that the words parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette are all the same which most often lead to picking the wrong product.
Choosing the right fragrance first starts with understanding the terms and since most of it is in French, many people end up choosing something they don’t like. Well, we’re here to educate you on the difference between Parfumes, Eau De Parfum And Eau De Toilette, so that the next time you go fragrance shopping, you’ll pick the exact product you’re looking for. Keep on reading to know more and upgrade your Frenglish.
Update Your French Perfumes Vocabulary
The main difference between the three words is the concentration of perfume oil and the longevity of the product. Here’s what you need to know before you begin your fragrance shopping.
Everything You Need To Know About Eau De Parfum
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If you’re looking for a fragrance that will last for up to 6 hours, you need to look for the word Eau De Parfum. These products have a high concentration of perfume oils ranging from 15 to 20%. They also stay on for longer hours as compared to Eau De Toilette and are great for your night outs. Eau De Parfums are also suitable for sensitive skin as they have a higher concentration of alcohol and are great for everyday wear, unlike parfumes.
Everything You Need To Know About Eau De Toilette
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The word Eau De Toilette is derived from the French term “faire sa toilette” which literally means getting ready.
The French word Toilette translates to washing oneself, dressing, and attending to one’s appearance. Eau De Toilette fragrances are lightly scented and used as skin refreshers. Since these products consist of just 5 to 15% of perfume oils, they have a weaker fragrance as compared to Eau De Parfums and last for only four hours. Eau De Toilette products also have a high alcohol percentage, so the scent evaporates from the skin within a short period of time. Since these products act more like refreshers and are light on the skin, they are great for daywear, especially in the summer season.
Everything You Need To Know About Parfum
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Extrait de parfum or Parfum has the highest concentration of fragrance as compared to Eau De Parfum and Eau De Toilette. These products contain 15 to 40% of perfume oils, have far less alcohol percentage and can last all day. They are also the highest-priced products in the fragrance category.
Now that you’re all caught up on perfume jargon, shopping for fragrances should be a breeze.
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