Perfume concentrations, from weakest to strongest
Perfume concentrations run from eau fraiche (1 to 3 percent fragrance oil) through eau de cologne (2 to 4), eau de toilette (5 to 15), eau de parfum (15 to 20) up to parfum or extrait (20 to 30 and beyond). More oil means closer to the skin, longer wear, higher price. The ranges are conventions, not law, and every house draws its own lines.
The ladder, with real prices
Jean Paul Gaultier sells Le Male at three rungs, which makes it a rare like-for-like test. At the shops we track, stepping up a rung typically adds ten to twenty percent rather than doubling the bill; the live cards below show where the three sit today.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Male
from €49.54
/ 75ml
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Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Male Le Parfum
from €57.02
/ 75ml
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Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Male Elixir
from €60.95
/ 75ml
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That small gap is worth remembering, because each rung also smells different. The Elixir is sweeter and darker than the EDT, not simply stronger. Concentration lines are reworked formulas, a point we unpack in EDT vs EDP.
What the label doesn't promise
The oil percentage is almost never printed on the box, and two houses using the same label can sit at opposite ends of the range. The label also says little about how long the scent survives on skin; notes matter as much as oil, which is why some EDTs outlive heavier concentrations. Wear times per rung are covered in perfume longevity.
One more trap: cologne. It names both a concentration and, in casual American usage, any men's fragrance. On this site cologne always means the concentration.
Picking your rung
For a first bottle or office wear, EDT is the sensible default: cheaper to try, lighter when you overspray. Move up to EDP or parfum once you know a scent suits you and you want a full day out of it. Eau de cologne earns its place in summer, when a splash you renew at lunch beats anything heavy.
FAQ
Which concentration lasts longest?
Parfum or extrait, usually 8 hours or more on skin. But a gourmand EDP can outlast a citrus extrait. The notes set the ceiling; concentration decides how close you get to it.
Is a higher concentration always more expensive?
Within one fragrance line, yes. Across brands, no. Acqua di Parma's Colonia is a cologne, the lightest rung, and its 100ml still costs more than Le Male's Parfum. You pay for the house and the formula, not the percentage.
What does extrait de parfum mean?
The highest commercial concentration, roughly 20 to 30 percent oil or more. Dense, close to the skin, made for people who already love the scent.
Building your vocabulary? The complete buying guide ties every term together.
More from the blog
Perfume longevity: what to expect (and the myth)
How long perfume really lasts per concentration, why notes beat oil percentage, and how to buy for staying power.
What sillage means (and how much you want)
Sillage is the scent trail you leave behind. What drives it, how it differs from projection, and how loud you actually want to be.
EDT vs EDP: the difference that matters
EDP carries more perfume oil than EDT, but the same name is often a different scent. What the labels mean and when the upgrade is worth it.