SESH · FRAGRANCE ACADEMY · INTERMEDIATE
Understand concentration labels as formulation categories, not universal performance rankings.
Linalool contains an OH alcohol group. One functional group is insufficient to predict every molecule’s odour or the performance of a mixture.
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The oversimplified concentration ladder
Names such as Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum commonly indicate concentration conventions, but strict universal percentage ranges do not bind every brand. Two concentrations within a fragrance line may also be reformulated rather than simple dilutions. The naming hierarchy cannot guarantee a universal hierarchy of projection or longevity.
Percentage is not the same as composition
Imagine A uses a higher nominal fragrance load but feels soft and musk-like, while B has a lower labeled concentration with a vivid opening that travels farther initially. B may project more at ten minutes even if A remains skin-close. Without actual formulation and observational data, nominal strength cannot settle the comparison.
Compare concentrations fairly
If you have two versions of a scent, test them with matched conditions and recognize that they may be distinct formulas. Compare character, strength over checkpoints and wearability. Do not assume that two EDP sprays equal four EDT sprays; label concentration alone is insufficient to calculate equivalent sensory dosage.
Particles spread from higher to lower concentration. This is a qualitative model, not a perfume longevity timeline or a measured skin absorption rate.
Open full-size image ↗Two different outcomes
Some substantive facets may remain detectable close to skin well after the broadly projected opening has faded. Thus longevity can exceed projection. Choose based on intended use rather than assuming the more expensive bottle or higher concentration is automatically the stronger choice.
A practical buying decision
For a quiet office fragrance, a softer-performing version may be preferable even if its labeled concentration is lower. For a more noticeable opening at an outdoor occasion, test the alternatives in comparable conditions. Neither choice should be dictated solely by the EDT/EDP abbreviation.
Report without invented percentages
Claiming that a product contains exactly 20% aromatic concentrate requires verified product information. Avoid presenting marketing concentration bands as chemical law. Report the version, timestamp, dose, intensity and evolution you actually observed.
Practice challenge
Compare EDT and EDP variants, if available, on separate strips, recording changes in character, projection and longevity without ranking them in advance.
Key concept map
Concentration versus performance
- EDT/EDP are market conventions
- Formula may change
- Projection is observed
- Longevity is separate
Comparison checklist
- Version
- Checkpoint
- Application surface
- Strength and character
Try the analysis on SESH fragrances
These are optional references for comparison, not evidence of a specific ingredient or superiority claim.
Further reading
The Perfume Society: fragrance FAQs · IFRA fragrance standards
