The single most common mistake in buying fragrance online is treating cologne, eau de toilette and eau de parfum as three fancy names for the same thing. They are not. They differ by how much aromatic oil is in the bottle, and that one number changes how long it lasts, how far it carries, and how much of it you should buy.
The concentrations, in plain numbers
- Eau de toilette (EDT) - roughly 2-5% aromatic oil. Fresh, light, gone in 3-5 hours.
- Eau de parfum (EDP) - roughly 8-15%. Richer, lasts 6-8 hours on skin and longer on fabric.
- Cologne - the same family as EDT. Lighter, fresher, more citrus-forward, and typically the weakest longevity of the three.
- Parfum or extract - 20% and above. A commitment, not a starting point, and rarely worth it for a first bottle.
More oil does not mean better. It means more presence. A heavy extrait is not more impressive than a well-made EDP; it is just louder and shorter-lived.
Why they last differently
Fragrance oils evaporate at different rates depending on their structure, and alcohol carries them off the skin faster. A higher concentration contains proportionally less alcohol, so what is left sits on the skin longer instead of evaporating with it. That is the whole mechanism.
Skin type matters more than most people expect. Dry skin holds fragrance far longer than oily skin, because there is less natural oil to carry it away. If you have dry skin, an EDT may last almost as long as an EDP on you. If your skin is oily, even an EDP will fade early.
Which to buy, and which size
If you are buying your first serious bottle, buy an eau de parfum. It is the balance point: 6-8 hours, noticeable but not a room-filling cloud, and it works for most situations. For day-to-day and warm weather, a cologne or EDT is the right call, and it is not the lesser option - it is a different job.
The most useful thing is to own both a heavier and a lighter scent, because they cover different hours. Our fragrance collection runs from light marine colognes for the office to heavy coffee and patchouli orientals for the evening, and the two-piece cologne gift set exists for exactly that reason - one bottle for home, one rollerball for the bag.
Making a bottle last longer
- Apply to pulse points - neck base, chest, inner wrists, behind the ears - but not to clothing if you want the scent to stay close.
- Never rub your wrists together. You break down the top notes, and the scent flattens into something dull.
- Layer unscented moisturiser first. Fragrance bonds with skin oils, and dry skin holds less of it.
- Spray onto fabric for longevity. The exception is white fabric, which can stain.
- Store away from heat and light. A bathroom shelf is the worst possible place for a bottle.
A note on the 15ml travel spray
The 15ml format is the most underrated thing in a fragrance collection. It is not a smaller bottle of the same thing you already own - it is the cheapest way to test a scent properly, because you need to wear a fragrance for a full day, on your own skin, before you commit to 50ml. Our coffee and patchouli 15ml is a good example of why: coffee and patchouli is a scent people either love or find too dark, and nobody should buy the 50ml to find out.
Frequently asked questions
Is eau de parfum better than cologne?
Better is the wrong word - they are different. EDP is stronger and lasts longer; cologne is lighter and fresher. For most people buying a first bottle, EDP is the more useful option. For hot weather and daytime, cologne wins.
How long should a fragrance last?
On skin, expect 6-8 hours for an EDP and 3-5 for a cologne or EDT. On fabric it can be double. If it is fading in two hours, you are either on very oily skin or you have sprayed too little.
Does spraying more make it last longer?
No, and it makes the scent worse. Over-spraying flattens the top notes and the fragrance reads as loud rather than expensive. Five sprays, placed well, beats fifteen sprayed anywhere.
Should I buy the biggest bottle?
Only if you already know the scent. A large bottle of the wrong fragrance is a large bottle of something you will not wear.
Why does my fragrance fade faster than my friend's?
Oiliness, skin type, where you sprayed, and how much you moisturised. Dry skin and moisturised skin hold fragrance much longer. It is genuinely individual, which is why testing on your own skin matters.
If you are still deciding, our fragrance collection guide breaks each scent down by when to wear it and what it pairs with.