Fragrance basics

Extrait de Parfum, explained

Almost every fragrance sold in Pakistan is labelled with a concentration — EDT, EDP, extrait — and almost nobody explains what those letters mean. They are the single most useful thing on the box.

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The concentrations, in order

A fragrance is aromatic oil dissolved in alcohol. The concentration tells you the ratio. Everything else — longevity, projection, price — follows from it.

• Eau de Cologne (EDC) — roughly 2–5% oil. Lasts an hour or two. Traditionally a splash-on.
• Eau de Toilette (EDT) — roughly 5–15%. The most common thing on a shelf. Typically three to five hours.
• Eau de Parfum (EDP) — roughly 15–20%. The standard for most designer releases. Four to eight hours.
• Extrait de Parfum — the highest tier, commonly cited from around 20% upward, though houses vary widely. Typically six to twelve hours, often longer on skin that holds fragrance well.

Why concentration is not the same as strength

A common assumption is that extrait means overpowering. It usually means the opposite in practice. Higher oil content tends to sit closer to the skin and unfold slowly, where a lighter concentration sprays loud and fades fast. An extrait is often quieter in the first ten minutes and still present eight hours later.

This is why the amount you apply matters more with extrait. Two sprays of a well-made extrait will outlast six of an EDT, and applying it like an EDT is the most common mistake people make when they move up.

What it means for value

Compare by oil, not by bottle size. A 100 ML EDT at 8% concentration carries roughly 8 ML of oil. A 50 ML extrait at 25% carries around 12.5 ML. The smaller bottle is the larger fragrance, and it is why a 10 ML extrait lasts far longer in daily use than the volume suggests.

How to tell if a concentration claim is honest

Concentration is unregulated. Any brand can print 'extrait' on a label. Two practical tests: does it still smell like something four hours in, and does it develop — meaning does the scent at hour four differ from the scent at minute one? A fragrance that smells identical throughout and then vanishes is almost always a thin formulation regardless of what the box says.

Common questions

Is extrait de parfum the same as pure parfum?

Broadly yes. 'Extrait de parfum', 'parfum' and 'pure parfum' are used more or less interchangeably for the highest concentration tier. There is no legal standard enforcing the boundaries, so the terms vary between houses.

Does extrait de parfum last longer than EDP?

Generally yes. Higher oil concentration usually means longer wear — commonly six to twelve hours for extrait against four to eight for EDP — though formulation quality and the specific notes matter as much as the percentage.

Why is extrait more expensive?

You are paying for oil rather than alcohol. A higher concentration means more aromatic material per bottle, and the raw materials are the expensive part.

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