Eau de parfum, extrait, and what the words mean

Two bottles, same shelf, different math

Pick up two bottles that look almost identical and one will cost more per millilitre than the other. It isn't packaging. It isn't marketing. But it is a real, measurable difference in what's inside, and the words on the label are trying to tell you that, if you know how to read them.

What the percentage actually means

"Eau de parfum," "eau de toilette," "extrait de parfum". These aren't flavour names, they're concentration bands. Each one tells you roughly what share of the bottle is perfume oil versus alcohol and water.

• Eau de toilette (EDT): around 5–15% oil. Light, quick, built to be topped up.
• Eau de parfum (EDP): around 15–20% oil. The everyday-luxury middle ground: enough weight to carry a full day, without demanding a heavy hand.
• Extrait de parfum: 20–30%+ oil, sometimes more. The least alcohol, the most raw material. It costs more to make, so it costs more to buy, and it rewards restraint: one or two sprays does what an EDT needs six to attempt.

More oil doesn't just mean "stronger." It means a slower, closer, more textured wear, the difference between hearing a song through a wall and sitting in the room with the band.

Where each Monzzaro sits

Every perfume in La Collezione Epos (the six everyday-luxury originals) is composed as an eau de parfum. That's the deliberate choice for a scent meant to be worn daily, across an office day and into dinner, without asking you to think about it twice.

La Collezione Cristallo follows the same logic: both Saharan Spice and Silk Blush are eau de parfum, built for versatile, frequent wear.

La Collezione Oud is where the house lets the format do some of the storytelling. Oud of the Ocean is an eau de parfum, the lighter, all-weather half of the pair. Oud of the Storm is built as an extrait de parfum: the house's most concentrated composition, meant for one or two sprays and a long, deliberate evening.

What this means for you, practically

Don't judge a perfume's "strength" by memory of how many sprays another brand needed. Ask what concentration you're holding, and dose accordingly. An extrait wants restraint. Spray it like you mean it, then leave it alone. An eau de parfum is more forgiving, built to be worn the way most days actually go.

The words on the box aren't decoration. They're instructions.

Next, learn to read the rest of what's on the page. See How to read a Monzzaro product page.