Understanding Perfume Terminology: What You’re Really Smelling

Fragrance can feel like an art form—and like art, it comes with its own language. Whether you're exploring a new signature scent or just getting started, here’s a simple breakdown of some common (and often confusing) perfume terms.

Concentration: EDP vs. EDT and More

Perfume strength is based on how much fragrance oil is in the formula, which affects both longevity and intensity. Here's a quick guide:

• Parfum (Extrait de Parfum): The highest concentration—typically 20–30% oil. Rich and long-lasting.

• Eau de Parfum (EDP): Around 15–20% oil. Balanced and bold, with good staying power.

• Eau de Toilette (EDT): Lighter at 5–15% oil. A more subtle impression, often used for daytime wear.

• Eau de Cologne (EDC): 2–5% oil. Very light; tends to fade quickly.

• Body Mist: Usually under 3% oil, designed for a refreshing but short-lived experience.

Higher concentration doesn’t always mean “better”—just different. EDPs might be perfect for evening, while an EDT can be a gentle layer for warmer days.

Longevity

Longevity refers to how long a fragrance lasts on your skin. It depends on concentration, but also body chemistry, environment, and even diet. A scent might linger for 2 hours or 12+ hours, depending on its composition.

Tip: Oils, musks, and woods tend to last longer than citrus or light florals.

Gender: Just Marketing

Many fragrances are labeled “for men” or “for women,” but the truth is: scent has no gender. These labels are largely marketing conventions tied to cultural ideas—florals for women, woods for men, etc. In reality, wear what you love. At Noble Crown, we design for emotion and experience—not binary categories.

Radiance, Sillage, and Projection

These terms describe how a scent behaves once it's on you:

• Projection: How far the scent travels from your skin. Is it intimate or bold?

• Sillage (pronounced “see-yazh”): The scent trail left behind as you move.

• Radiance: A newer term that blends projection and sillage, describing how gracefully a scent diffuses into your surroundings.

You may find a perfume that doesn’t project loudly but leaves a lingering impression—a quiet radiance that stays with you (and them).