Types of Perfumed Products

In this guide I will discuss the various perfume strengths and types of perfumed products available on the market. This is in essence a breakdown on the differences between eau de toilette, eau de parfum, cologne, etc.

Fragrances are priced according to their essential oil and alcohol content. The higher concentration of essential oils, the more expensive the perfume will be. The percentages given below are only a guide and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

At all cost, avoid the two extremes - drenching and dabbing. A balanced person's attitude to perfume should reflect their attitude to money - don't be "a miser or a prodigal." Choose the right perfume for the right moment. Take as much care over choosing your perfume and matching it to the occasion, as your dress and other accessories.

Essential oils: these oils come from natural sources and are responsible for the scent of perfumes. These essences are diffused through the tissues of a plant, as in the petals of a flower, these oils are extracted by means of distillation. The oils can also be synthesized from petroleum and other sources. essential oils have the property of becoming gaseous at ordinary room temperatures. They are called essential oils after the Latin word essentia, meaning "a liquid that easily becomes a gaseous essence". because they vaporize so easily, the essential oils have also been called "volatile oils", from the Latin word volare, "to fly". The oils are also called spirits by the old apothecaries, one example is spirits of turpentine, meaning the essential oil of pine.

Absolute: The essential oil of scented flowers and other aromatic plant parts in its purest and most concentrated form, It is extremely expensive. Attars, also called otto is essential oil obtained from a flower, such as rose or jasmine by distillation.

Accord: A combination of scents that blend together to produce a new fragrance. Several famous accords used in perfumery are Mousse de Saxe, Mellis, Miel Blanc and Cuir de Russie.

Bouquet: a mixture of floral notes in a perfume, also a perfume made from a mixture of perfume families.

Concrete or Concreta: a products obtained in the process of extracting essential oils by volatile solvents. When as waxy substance called stearoptene is removed from this you are left with the absolute. But perfumers often prefer to use the concrete rather than the absolute. Molinard carries a line of Concreta.

Perfumer's alcohol: also known as perfumery grade alcohol is another word for ethanol, an important diluent and carrier for perfumes. It comes primarily from the distillation of wine to produce grape spirit (brandy), the earliest perfumery alcohol. Wine distillate retains a certain bouquet of the grapes which interferes with the composition of perfumes, and is quite expensive to manufacture. In light of this, alcohol made from the fermented grains of  rice, wheat, and sorghum are much cheaper alternatives. As well as the starches in sugar beets, potatoes, and corn, as well as the sugar in molasses are also employed as perfumery grade alcohol. Perfumery alcohol is denatured and is not fit for consumption. Water and glycerine is often added to perfumer's alcohol as they prolong the persistence of the perfume on the skin.

Parfum: also called extrait, parfum classic, extrait de parfum or extract, is the highest concentration of perfume. A perfume may contain 20-30 percent oils and high grade alcohol, and a slight amount of water. Vintage Parfums can often contain at least 22-40 percent essential oils. Due to the high concentration of essential oils. Parfum can last 7 to 24 hours on the skin. Parfum is the most expensive type of perfume. Any mixture lower in oils is known as an eau.

Eau de Parfum: also known as Esprit de Parfum, Secret de Parfum, Millesime, or Parfum de Toilette, is composed of 10-15 percent of essential oils with a slightly weaker alcohol and water mix. Vintage Eau de Parfum, Esprit de Parfum, or Parfum de Toilettes were often made up of 15-20 percent essential oils and were highly concentrated. Eau de Parfums usually last about 4-8 hours.

Parfum de Toilette and Eau de Parfum can again, be used on their own. many women who love a particular perfume may find that it is a bit too overpowering to be worn during the day, but that its Parfum de Toilette or Eau de Parfum are just that much lighter to make it an acceptable day perfume too. And, of course, they can be used as more emphatic boosters of the matching parfum.

Eau de Toilette: also called toilet water, is a much thinner dilution of the same materials, containing approximately only 4-10 percent of essential oils, in an even weaker alcohol and water mixture. Vintage Eau de Toilettes often can contain up to 5-15 percent essential oils and were much more concentrated than modern formulas. Eau de Toilettes usually last about 3 hours. Meant to be splashed or sprayed throughout the day to freshen up. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates.

Eau de Toilette can be used in the same was as an eau fraiche or eau de cologne, but more properly, it should be used as a mid-way booster for its matching perfume.

Eau de Cologne: for men or women, or aftershave, is further diluted, about 3-5 percent of essential oils, in an even still weaker alcohol and water mix. Usually lasts about 2 hours. Meant to be liberally splashed or sprayed throughout the day to freshen up. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates. Used for toning and refreshing the skin after bathing.

Concentrated Cologne Spray is quite strong enough to be worn on its own; in fact, several fragrance launches have featured the concentrated cologne spray as the strong variant in the range. As it is a spray, it can be sprayed on all over thus imparting a feeling of freshness and it can be worn as its own booster through the day too.


Eau Fraiche: this is the weakest form of fragrance on the market, a light toilet water similar to cologne or splash usually with 1-3 percent of essential oil in water and a higher grade of alcohol. Usually lasts for less than an hour. Meant to be liberally reapplied throughout the day for a refreshing feeling. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates.

Dabbing a Cologne or Eau Fraiche discreetly on the wrist and behind the ears will have absolutely no effect whatsoever. Their concentration and strength is the lowest, and for best effect, should be splashed all over the body (just as the name implies), preferably just after the bath or shower. They should be used as fresheners, and if they are used with their matching perfume, should be used as a base only, not as a substitute.

Voile de Parfum: also known as Eau Parfumée, Voile d'Été, Eau Sans Alcool, Brume de Parfum, Perfume Mist, is a non-alcoholic fragrance diluted with water and about 3-8 percent essential oils. Typically used to be worn during the warmer months at the beach or in warmer climates.

Natural Spray: is a fragrance that uses a non-aerosol pump to emit a fine mist.

Dry Perfume: a recent development by which tiny, pearlized microcapsules, looking like power are placed on the skin and stroked, when they break and release a perfume.

Moisturizing Skin Spray: a fragrance that is alcohol free and contains moisturizers to keep skin feeling soft and silky.

Creams and lotions: most creams contain a fragrance content that is same as that of the eau de toilette, five percent essential oils. The rest of the formula is a blend of lanolin, beeswax, mineral oil, lard, petroleum jelly, or other fats and oils.

Vintage "lotions" are not actually moisturizers but in fact highly concentrated eau de cologne or eau de toilettes that were meant to be rubbed liberally all over the body after a bath or to freshen up. You may also find scented "lotions" that were meant to apply to the hair and scalp, these were known as "friction lotions", and were daily hair grooming and maintenance tonic lotions that would leave the scalp invigorated and cool. A skin freshener contains up to 15 percent alcohol, while a friction lotion may contain as much as 50 percent. As they are rubbed into the skin the alcohol evaporates, leaving the moisture for the skin to absorb. The skin is left smooth and fresh and pores closed.

Stick perfumes, pomades, unguent, and solid perfume: an essential oil dissolved in wax, sometimes some other fats, ointments that are blended in to make it easier to apply to the skin or head.

Soaps and soap products: composed of fatty acids and a small amount of essential oils.

Bath Oils: a combination of fifteen percent essential oils blended with mineral oil, lanolin, or other fatty oils of plant origin. Bath oils are poured into the tub while warm water is running, or rubbed on the body before a shower, they soften the water and keep the skin from drying, and leave the skin lightly scented as well.


Bath Beads or Bath Pearls: Spherical gelatin capsules coated with a pearling agent such as is used in nail varnish, for example, are sometimes marketed as 'pearls'. When gelatin capsules are added to the hot bath the gelatin dissolves in the hot water and the contents disperse or dissolve. The high level of water-insoluble mineral oils in bath oil preparations allows for other unusual presentations, and products containing two or more separate layers are marketed on occasion. By the use of both water-soluble and oil-soluble dyes, each phase can be colored differently.

Bubble Bath: originally made as a form of bath salts, bubble baths form a light foam as the salts dissolve under running water. The pressure of the water increases the amount of bubbles, so faucets should be turned on full force. Other bubble baths were made in liquid form.

Bath salts: essential oils added to sodium bicarbonate(baking soda) and sodium carbotage.

Bath powder, also known as Dusting Powder or Talcum Powder: In perfumed dusting powders, fragrance can account for only as much as 5 percent of the total content. Essential oils are mixed with talc or cornstarch. The talc is ground very fine and is purified, sometimes supplemented with china clay and starches. It is then sifted through silk screens. These powders perfume, soothe and smooth skin, absorb perspiration and prevent chafing. These powders are made to dust on heavily for a cooling effect and are not suitable as face powders as they will not stick on the skin or spread evenly. Vintage body powders and talcums differ from face powders in that they possess little or no adhesive or covering qualities and are composed almost entirely of talc Their purpose is to give a cooling effect and a delicate odor.

Vintage dusting powders, talcs and sachet powders can often lose their fragrance over time. in order to revive or re-scent your vintage powders/sachets etc, you need to add a few drops of the actual parfum (extrait) and not the eau de parfum or eau de toilette. There is not enough essential oils in EDP, EDT and EDC to impregnate the powders. You need to add these drops and tightly seal the container, open after a week then stir it up, you may wish to add a few more drops, and stir again, keep sealed and open after two weeks, see how it is.  I also use a sifter to help blend the fragrance within the powder.

I was able to revive the scent of some 1980s Shalimar dusting powder for my own usage. I used 1980s vintage shalimar parfum to do this.

Face Powders: made much like dusting powders, but very finely milled and only have a hint of fragrance. Cotys Airspun Face Powder, was originally available in several of Coty's famous scents: Emeraude, L'Aimant, L'Origan and each box was subtly scented and meant to harmonize with the perfume of choice.


Potpourri: a mixture of fragrant materials, usually dried and including rose petals, placed in a jar or bowl to perfume a room.

Sillage: the aroma left by a person wearing perfume who walks past. It is French and is pronounced "siyaj", it means "wake".

Synthetic fragrance: a laboratory made imitation of a natural perfume or a fragrance made in a laboratory that does not exist in nature. Many synthetics are derived from natural materials. Gerianol, for example, provides the basic part of the fragrance in a rose, but can be more cheaply and abundantly obtained from a geranium. Several thousand synthetics are now available for perfumers to use.

Fragrance blotter: also called a smelling strip or mouillette. The strip of absorbent papers that perfumers use when testing their fragrances. Or when you are trying out new perfumes at the counter.

How to make your fragrance last:

To make your fragrance last even longer, it should be worn "in depth", layered in its various matching product forms. For example: 

Start the day with a luxurious bath or shower using perfumed soap or bath gel, next apply either Body Lotion of Body Cream to smooth the skin and act as the perfect "base" for the Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum. Then, a light dusting of Body Powder to silken the skin and help delicate lingerie slip on sensuously. Eau de Toilette follows in either splash or spray form. Lastly, Parfum is applied to pulse points: wrists, inside elbows, behind knees or base of throat. The purpose of layering is to enhance the fragrance. Simply put, to sustain and maintain the beautiful fragranced aura.

Parfum: Apply fragrance while your body is still wet after bathing to help extend the fragrance's beauty. Drench cotton with perfume. Tuck it into your handbag or bra. The scent lingers beautifully. Before guests arrive, daub  the perfume on cool lightbulbs. When you turn on the lights, the fragrance will literally "bloom" throughout the house. 

Eau de Toilette: It is never a substitute for Parfum. It is to be used lavishly as a background for Parfum. Add a splash of Eau de Toilette to the rinse water when washing lingerie and bed linens. Keep a bottle of Eau de Toilette in the refrigerator. On hot, humid days, use it to refresh your spirits. Spray Eau de Toilette inside envelopes as a very special and personal touch.

Dusting Powder: Sprinkle a bit of dusting powder between the sheets or inside your dresser drawers to scent linens subtly. Put dusting powder in your shoes and boots before you slip them on. The powder will help absorb moisture pleasantly.

DO'S AND DON'TS:

Fragrances, especially the expensive and exclusive, are delicate blends of many natural ingredients and should be treated with care, both in use and when not in use. Thoughtful use will increase your enjoyment of these very personal products.

DO: apply fragrances to pulse points - wrists, crook of elbow, throat, nape of neck, temples, behind ears, cleavage, behind knees and inside of thighs. That the heat of your body strengthens the scent may be am old wives' tale but, it's definitely sexy to discover a hint of hidden fragrance at these zones.

DO: think of fragrances as a "many splendored thing," Besides your favorite bottle of perfume or cologne, try using scented bath and body oil, moisture lotion and whatever else you find to surround yourself with.

DON'T: expect any fragrance to develop its full qualities for at least ten minutes after you have applied it. It takes this much time for the alcohol in any fragrance to evaporate and for the oils in the perfume to combine with your skin oils.

DON'T: give perfume the cold shoulder - or the heat treatment, either. Extremes of temperature can upset the delicate balance of oils, although cologne can be chilled for a few hours before use to give a cooling spray.