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Olfactory & Fragrance Lexicon

Perfume Terms & Strengths Meaning

Shopping at Sephora or buying a signature fragrance? Decode perfume bottle labels: EDP vs EDT vs Parfum, longevity hours, Top/Heart/Base notes, and Sillage.

Strength & Longevity Spectrum at a Glance

Eau de Cologne2%–4% OilLasts ~1-2 hours
Eau de Toilette (EDT)5%–15% OilLasts ~3-5 hours
Eau de Parfum (EDP)15%–20% OilLasts ~6-8 hours ★
Extrait de Parfum20%–40% OilLasts 12–24+ hours
Topic:
Showing 12 perfume terms

Parfum (Extrait de Parfum)

French: Extrait de Parfum
Concentrations & Strength
20% – 40% Pure Perfume Oil12 – 24+ Hours (All Day & Night)

The highest concentration of fragrance available on the commercial market. Thick, rich, and intimate. It stays close to the skin with less alcohol projection, but lasts through showering and sleep.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Apply sparingly (1-2 sprays max) directly to pulse points (wrists, neck). It costs more upfront but lasts months longer because you use so little.
Famous Examples:Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait, Dior Sauvage Elixir, Roja Parfums.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Eau de Parfum (EDP)

French: Eau de Parfum
Concentrations & Strength
15% – 20% Pure Perfume Oil6 – 8+ Hours

The most popular luxury standard for both women and men. Provides the perfect balance of strong projection (scent trail) and all-day endurance for work, evenings, and dates.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Best value for daily signature scents. Stronger and richer than EDT without the astronomical price tag of pure Extrait.
Famous Examples:Bleu de Chanel EDP, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Yves Saint Laurent Libre EDP.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Eau de Toilette (EDT)

French: Eau de Toilette
Concentrations & Strength
5% – 15% Pure Perfume Oil3 – 5 Hours

A lighter, fresher, alcohol-forward formula designed for everyday casual wear, hot summer days, and office environments where heavy scents would be overpowering.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:EDTs project very loudly during the first 30 minutes because high alcohol evaporates quickly, but fade after lunch. Requires re-applying around mid-afternoon.
Famous Examples:Dior Sauvage EDT, Versace Eros EDT, Acqua di Gio EDT.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Eau de Cologne (EDC)

French: Eau de Cologne
Concentrations & Strength
2% – 4% Pure Perfume Oil1 – 2 Hours

An ultra-light, refreshing splash originally created in Cologne, Germany. Traditionally formulated with bright citrus oils (bergamot, lemon, neroli, rosemary).

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Meant as an invigorating post-shave splash or quick morning refresh rather than an all-day fragrance.
Famous Examples:4711 Original Eau de Cologne, Jo Malone London Colognes.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Eau Fraîche

French: Eau Fraîche
Concentrations & Strength
1% – 3% Pure Perfume OilUnder 1 Hour

The lightest scent formulation on Earth. Made mostly with water rather than alcohol, leaving virtually zero heavy oil residue.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Great for high humidity beach vacations or gym gym bags where heavy perfumes clash with heat.
Famous Examples:Versace Man Eau Fraîche, body mist sprays.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Top Notes (Head Notes)

Fragrance Pyramid (Notes)
First 5 – 15 Minutes

The initial scent burst you smell immediately after spraying. Composed of tiny, light, fast-evaporating molecules like citrus, light fruits, and green herbs.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:NEVER buy a perfume based purely on the first spray in a department store! Wait 20 minutes for the top notes to evaporate and reveal the real heart.
Famous Examples:Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Mint, Pink Pepper.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Heart Notes (Middle Notes)

Fragrance Pyramid (Notes)
20 Minutes to 4 Hours

The true "personality" and theme of the fragrance. As the top notes fade, the heart notes emerge to soften the scent with florals, spices, and aromatic leaves.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:This is the scent people will smell on you during meetings, dinner, or daytime outings.
Famous Examples:Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Base Notes (Dry Down)

Fragrance Pyramid (Notes)
4 Hours to Next Day

Heavy, dense, long-lasting molecular fixatives that bind to human skin and fabric. They anchor the entire fragrance and remain on your sweater the morning after.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:If you love warm vanilla, cedarwood, amber, or musk, you are smelling the base notes.
Famous Examples:Vanilla, Amber, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Oud (Agarwood), White Musk.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Sillage

French: Sillage (pronounced: see-YAHZH)
Performance & Sillage

Literally French for the "wake" left behind by a boat cutting through water. In perfumery, Sillage is the lingering scented trail left behind in an elevator or hallway after you walk past.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Heavy sillage turns heads in nightclubs, but can give colleagues headaches in small office conference rooms.
Famous Examples:High sillage icons: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540, Mugler Alien.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Projection

Performance & Sillage

How far outward the fragrance radiates from your skin into the surrounding air (e.g., skin scent vs 1 foot vs 6 feet "room filler").

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Spray on clothes for stronger projection, or spray under shirts on chest/skin for more intimate, subtle projection.
Famous Examples:Beast-mode room fillers: Dior Sauvage Elixir, Mancera Red Tobacco.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Flanker

Fragrance Families

A spinoff sequel perfume that builds upon an existing successful flagship fragrance (e.g., adding "Intense", "Parfum", "Elixir", or "Night" to the name).

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Flankers often fix shortcomings of original formulas (e.g., adding longer performance or darker evening notes).
Famous Examples:Armani Code -> Armani Code Parfum; YSL Y EDT -> YSL Y EDP -> YSL Y Le Parfum.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie

Gourmand

Fragrance Families

Fragrances featuring edible, dessert-like culinary notes that smell like bakery treats, coffee shops, or candy stores.

💡 Buyer & Application Tip:Massively popular in autumn and winter; comforting, warm, and highly attractive on dates.
Famous Examples:Killian Angels’ Share (cognac & apple pie), YSL Black Opium (coffee & vanilla), Tom Ford Lost Cherry.
Fragrance ClassificationFrench Haute Parfumerie