Every fragrance label carries one of a handful of terms — eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, extrait de parfum. They describe how much perfume oil is dissolved in the alcohol. Roughly, from lightest to richest:

• Eau de cologne — the lightest, around 2–5% oil.
• Eau de toilette (EDT) — around 5–15%.
• Eau de parfum (EDP) — around 15–20%.
• Extrait de parfum — the most concentrated, commonly 20% and above.

These ranges are conventions, not rules. No regulation fixes them, and every house defines them a little differently.

Does a higher concentration last longer?

Usually, but not always, and not in the way people expect. Longevity depends far more on what a fragrance is made of than on the word on the box. Heavy materials — oud, amber, vanilla, resins — evaporate slowly. Citrus and fresh top notes evaporate quickly, whatever the concentration. A fresh extrait can fade sooner than a woody eau de parfum.

Is more oil always better?

No. A high oil load suits an oriental or woody composition. In a fresh citrus it can do the opposite of what you want: the opening turns heavy and flat, and the lightness that made the fragrance appealing is lost. That is why we don't print one concentration across our whole range — each composition is concentrated for what it is.

Why maceration matters as much as concentration

Oil and alcohol don't become a finished perfume the moment they are mixed. They need time to settle — maceration. Fresh compositions need seven to fourteen days; left longer, the citrus starts to oxidise. Spiced and oriental blends need thirty to forty-five days, woody and oud thirty to sixty. A well-macerated fragrance smells rounder and wears more evenly than an unrested one at the same strength.

So which should you buy?

• For daily wear in hot weather, a fresh composition that isn't overloaded — something you can spray without worrying about the room.
• For evenings and winter, a richer oriental or woody scent.
• For the office, anything you would be comfortable sitting next to for eight hours.

If you want to compare for yourself, the Discovery Set lets you wear six of our fragrances side by side for a week.