Perfumes are categorized based on the amount of "perfume essence" in the formula relative to the amount of alcohol and water. The concentration of aromatic ingredients in ascending order is as follows:
- Splash and after shave: 1–3% aromatic compounds
- Eau de Cologne (EdC): Citrus type perfumes with about 2–6% perfume concentrate aromatic compounds
- Eau de toilette (EdT): 5–15% (typical ~10%) aromatic compounds
- Eau de parfum (EdP), parfum de toilette (PdT): 10–20% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds. Sometimes listed as "eau de perfume" or "millésime".
- Perfume extract: 15–40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds
Eau de toilette (EdT) is a lightly scented perfume with a high alcohol content. It is less concentrated than perfume (eau de parfum) and more than cologne (eau de Cologne) . An eau de toilette has a low concentration of essential oils, typically around 5 to 12% concentrated in alcohol. It is usually a fresher, lighter, and less concentrated variation of a perfume. Eau de toilette is usually applied directly to the skin after bathing or shaving.
Eau de parfum (EdP) is derived from pure perfume and has a formula that is more concentrated than eau de toilette, with 15 to 20 percent of pure essences. Eau de parfum is richer and deeper with more of a scent trail and longevity up to 12 hours.
The ingredients used in perfumes include natural ingredients, essential oils, perfume extracts, and any aromatic oil. Fragrances or mixtures of fragrances are often referred to in the cosmetics area as "perfuming agents" or "perfume oils" or "parfum oils". These are undiluted individual substances or their mixtures which originate from natural raw materials or can be produced (semi-) synthetically. They are starting materials for the production of perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne, and other perfumed cosmetic products. The average content of fragrances amounts in perfume to 15-30%, in eau de parfum to 10-14%, in eau de toilette to 6-9%, in eau de cologne to 3-5%, as well as in skin creams, shampoos, hair and deodorant sprays to approximately 0.2-1% and approximately 1-3% in deodorant sticks.
In summary, the main differences between perfume, eau de parfum, and eau de toilette are the concentration of aromatic ingredients, pricing, longevity of the scents, and usage. Eau de toilette is less concentrated than eau de parfum and has a lower concentration of essential oils. It is usually a fresher, lighter, and less concentrated variation of a perfume. Perfumes, eau de parfum, and eau de toilette are made of natural ingredients, essential oils, perfume extracts, and any aromatic oil.
