By Trisha Chawla
The tiny letters like EDT and EDP on your fragrance bottle may seem like technical jargon, but it should be one of the top three factors when you’re picking a perfume. The two terms determine the fragrance’s lasting power on your skin and the occasion it’s best suited for.
This difference, in fact, is simple and boils down to the concentration of raw materials used to create your fragrance. Perfumers blend natural and synthetic perfume oils with a carrier, like alcohol to stabilize and dilute the scent to create what you finally smell on your skin. The ratio of alcohol to the perfume oils determines the fragrance types and how long they last on your skin.
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Parfum is commonly abbreviated as EDP and translates into ‘perfume water’. This type of fragrance has a high concentration of perfume oils ranging from 15-20%. You’ll find that most fragrances on your dresser are an EDP as they leave lingering trail that lasts easily from day to night, without leaving your desk buddy with a headache.
When to wear: An EDP lasts for approximately nine hours and is best for when you’ve planned for a party right after your work day.
Eau de Toilette
Pronounced ‘oh duh twah’let’, an Eau de Toilette (aka EDT) has a lower concentration of perfume oils ranging from 5-15%. EDTs are perfect for lighter wear during the daytime when you don’t need an overpowering scent. You might find that EDTs have a higher content of floral and aquatic notes to boost freshness instead of heavier notes like wood, oud and musk.
When to wear: An EDTs usually lasts for 5-6 hours so save them for your lunch date or a weekend meeting over coffee.