Finding the right perfume to buy can be a difficult task on many levels, whether it’s figuring out if you even like the scent or justifying the perfect fragrance with the high price tag.
Many perfumes only reveal its full scent profile after 5 hours, and not everyone realizes this or is able to allot this much time to make a decision.
The high price tag associated with many well-known perfumes furthers the difficulty in this task.
What I’m here to teach you will make this decision less daunting and help you feel more confident in your purchase. For example, you will learn about the different strengths of perfumes, types of notes, and ways to save some money through dupes.
Types of Perfumes
Something you’ve probably noticed before is the words “Eau de Parfum” or “Eau de Toilette” under the name of a perfume. These are just two of the five main types of perfumes available.
The five types of perfumes include, Parfum, Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, and Eau Fraîche.
The difference between these types essentially lies in its fragrance concentration, which directly relates to how long the scent will last.
Parfum
The first one, Parfum, as you can probably guess is the strongest.
It has a concentration of around 20-30%, and will last you about 8-12 hours.
The best time to use this type of perfume would be important occasions or events when smelling good is a must.
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Parfum (EDP), the second strongest, has a concentration between 15-20%, and lasts 4-5 hours.
For those of you who know French, or have taken a few French classes, you probably noticed that Eau de Parfum directly translates to “Perfume Water,” which is just a small way to understand it’s less concentrated.
An EDP perfume is great for daily use to maintain a clean and fresh look all day.
Eau de Toilette
Eau de Toilette (EDT) typically has a concentration of 5-15%.
These perfumes will hold their scent for around 2-3 hours.
If you’re looking to buy an EDT perfume, the best time to use one is during hotter temperatures, as the simple concentration will provide a subtle fragrance that is just right.
Eau de Cologne
Eau de Cologne (EDC), one of the lighter options, has a small concentration of 2-4%.
These types of perfumes typically last around 2 hours.
EDC perfumes are best for casual use when you are in need of a light fragrance for a quick outing or event.
Eau Fraîche
Finally, Eau Fraîche, the lightest fragrance available, has a concentration between 1% and 3%.
As this is the least concentrated perfume, they typically only last up to 2 hours.
The best example of this type would be body mists, which is usually something fragrant enough to temporarily freshen up.
| Type | Concentration | Strength |
| Parfum | 20-30% | 8-12 hours |
| Eau de Parfum | 15-20% | 4-5 hours |
| Eau de Toilette | 5-15% | 2-3 hours |
| Eau de Cologne | 2-4% | 2 hours |
| Eau Fraîche | 1-3% | <2 hours |
What are perfume notes?
Perfume notes are exactly what you expect them to be, the specific scents that make up a perfume’s fragrance profile. There are three main types: Base notes, top notes, and middle notes.
Base Notes
Base notes are the main, foundation scents that are incorporated into a perfume to last the longest.
Depending on the strength of a perfume, these are the scents that can last up to 12 hours.
The best examples of base notes include, vanilla, musk, sandalwood, and cedarwood.
Top Notes
Top notes are the scents you typically smell or recognize first when you apply perfume, and last for around 10-15 minutes.
These notes are considered as the first impression of a fragrance, as this is what you initially smell after a spritz.
Common examples of top notes include citrus, light fruits, and herbs.
Middle Notes
As the name suggests, middle notes are the scents that emerge once the top notes begin to fade, and can last for a couple of hours.
Middle notes are also known as heart notes.
Examples include floral scents, like rose and lavender, and spices.
What perfumes should I look for?
If you’re still unsure what perfume is best for you, don’t worry, I have a few recommendations that cover a variety of scent notes and price points.
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia (EDP)
Gucci Flora is a highly popular fragrance that captures the scent of a fresh floral garden with hints of sweetness.
The base notes include Patchouli and Brown Sugar Accord. The top notes are Blossom Accord, Italian Mandarin and Red Berries. Finally, the middle notes are White Gardenia, Jasmine Absolute and Frangipani Flower.
The cost of purchasing a 1 ounce (oz) bottle of this perfume can cost you around $111. That is particularly pricy, especially because of its brand, but there are dupes you can find.
One dupe that has been found to mimic the Gucci perfume is the Ariana Grande Sweet Like Candy EDP perfume.
The perfume has base notes of marshmallow and vanilla, top notes of blackberry, Italian bergamot, pear, and middle notes of jasmine sambac, frangipani, dewy honeysuckle. Many similarities in notes can be found between this perfume and Gucci Flora, if you caught it.
This perfume can be found in a 1.7 oz bottle for roughly $62, which is a great deal.
Le Labo Thé Noir 29 (EDP)
Le Labo’s perfumes have started to become a niche liking, but they deserve as much attention as other designer companies, like Gucci.
My favorite from Le Labo is their Thé Noir 29. This perfume will have you smelling fresh and feeling classy.
The base notes of this Le Labo perfume are tobacco and hay. The top notes are fig, bay leaf, and bergamot. The middle notes include, cedar, vetiver, and musk.
The main downside to this perfume is its hefty price tag. A 1.7 oz bottle of Thé Noir 29 will cost you roughly $240. Even a 0.5 oz bottle costs $110.
A great dupe for this perfume is Zara Ebony Wood EDP.
This Zara perfume has base notes of vetiver and patchouli, top notes of pink pepper, grapefruit, and cypress, and a middle note of coffee.
While the notes between Zara Ebony Wood and Le Labo Thé Noir 29 don’t have many similarities, they still produce a comparable scent and feel.
Zara Ebony Wood also has a far more affordable price point of around $26 for a 1 oz bottle.
Hermès Un Jardin sur le Nil (EDT)
Hermès is best known for their exclusive bags and high fashion brand, but very few give the same recognition to their wonderful perfume line. Un Jardin sur le Nil is an example of their beautiful, refreshing perfumes that is perfect for daily wear.
The base notes of Hermès Un Jardin sur le Nil include musk, iris, incense, labdanum, and cinnamon. The top notes include grapefruit, green mango, tomato, and carrot. The middle notes are lotus, bulrush, citrus, hyacinths, and peony.
Compared to the other two high end perfumes mentioned, Un Jardin sur le Nil is priced slightly better, with consideration of its brand, at $91 for a 1 oz bottle.
There is a dupe that has been found to be close to the Hermès perfume which is Fresh Margarita & Lime by Dossier.
This Dossier perfume has base notes of violet leaf, marine notes, and white musks, top notes of lemon, lime, blackcurrant, and grapefruit, and middle notes of water fruits, spearmint, and elemi.
The price tag of Dossier Fresh Margarita & Lime is $40 for a 1.7 oz bottle, less than half the cost of the Hermès for more product.
Are you ready?
Now having gotten a quick crash course on everything perfumes, I hope you feel more confident in finding your signature scent!
Just remember to have an idea of what use you will be using the perfume for, what notes you are looking for to match what’s available, and even if you find a product that seems expensive, you can almost always find a dupe somewhere else.
Now find your signature scent!
