How Often Should You Apply Perfume? Guide to Concentrations (EDC, EDT, Extrait)

Applying Perfume According to Fragrance Concentration

1. Eau de Cologne (EDC)

Eau de Cologne can be used right after the shower; either in the morning, once a day, or morning and evening after each shower. The original Eau de Cologne, very refreshing, is a fairly neutral product. Its use does not prevent you from applying another perfume, such as an eau de toilette or eau de parfum, as a complement. There is no risk of creating a cacophony between the two fragrances.

• Reduced Longevity: Natural Eaux de Cologne are composed almost exclusively of top notes.
• Beware of “Fake” Colognes: Products called “Cologne” that last much longer are actually false Eaux de Cologne, because they are not solely made of natural products. They also differ by having heart and base notes. These will not be neutral and will be harder to combine with other fragrances.

2. Eau Fraîche

Eau Fraîche is a spirit of Eau de Cologne that has more staying power. Indeed, this type of fragrance is sometimes supported by heart notes and composed of both natural products and synthetic materials. Eaux Fraîches often possess chypre notes in the base notes (cf. Chypre Facet).

Eau Fraîche is made with a variable concentrate, between 8% and 15%. Being very rich in quite volatile notes, such as green notes, citrus, and aromatic notes, it rarely lasts all day and must be sprayed several times a day.

With fragrances made with 100% natural raw materials, as the longevity will be lower, you will be able to apply perfume several times a day.

3. Eau de Toilette (EDT)

Made with a concentrate ranging from 6% to 20%, Eau de Toilette normally lasts only a few hours and requires applying perfume several times a day.

It is an extroverted product, whose scent is more easily perceived by those around you than by the person wearing it. Eau de Toilette can prove frustrating because, although it has sillage, its longevity is of average duration. However, there is no absolute rule, and everything will depend above all on the orchestration of the perfume, the talent of the perfumer, and the raw materials used.

Furthermore, some Eaux de Toilette can diffuse for a long time and last almost all day. For example, a gourmand note like caramel, thanks to the synthetic note veltol, will prolong the diffusion of the fragrance, whose scent will hold perfectly well.

Applying it once a day will then suffice. Conversely, a citrus-based Eau de Toilette will only last two or three hours at a stretch, thus requiring two to three applications during the day to offer scent and sillage.

4. Eau de Parfum (EDP)

Also called “spirit of perfume” or “toilet perfume,” Eau de Parfum consists of a concentrate that varies between 15% and 30%.

It is a product that offers both great tenacity and beautiful sillage. Its longevity is generally excellent. Eau de Parfum therefore represents a very good compromise, even if, here again, the quality of its sillage will depend primarily on its orchestration, the perfumer, and the notes used.

For example, a perfume based on oud wood will offer very significant diffusion, and a daily application will be more than sufficient. A perfume of this style can even last a few days on clothes. Conversely, a floral Eau de Parfum, orchestrated with light and airy flowers, will surely require a few touch-ups at the end of the day.

5. Extrait de Parfum (Pure Perfume)

Extrait de Parfum is the noblest product in perfumery. It is also the richest and most concentrated fragrance available (with 20% to 40% concentration).

This perfume is applied only once a day, preferably in the morning, on the skin’s pulse points: the base of the nape, the crook of the elbows, the wrists, and the navel.

The Extrait de Parfum is particularly intimate, and its scent is perceived both by the person wearing it and by their entourage.

After applying the extract to the skin, it is advisable to use Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum to perfect the sillage. In this case, a simple touch-up with a spray of this second fragrance in the evening will be sufficient.

The Extrait de Parfum (intimate) and the Eau de Parfum (rather extroverted) will be very complementary. However, Extrait de Parfum, whose price is quite high, tends to disappear from perfumery shelves.

The Best Way to Wear Perfume: Habituation and Routine

Before applying perfume, keep in mind that when you love your perfume very much, you may happen to no longer perceive the scent after a certain time, while the people around you will say they smell it perfectly well.

If you no longer smell your perfume, it actually means that your skin has adapted to the fragrance. You may then experience a certain olfactory fatigue or habituation. As a result, you risk wanting to apply perfume again several times a day, which means that you have assimilated your perfume well and that it is part of you.

Even if this is rather a good sign, be careful not to be too heavy-handed, so as not to disturb your entourage with a scent that is too overpowering.

If olfactory fatigue becomes frustrating, a solution is available to you: take a short break by breaking the routine with a “parenthesis perfume” for a few months. If you do not wish to change, then be sure to respect all application and storage advice to make your perfume last as well as possible.