In this guide I will discuss the various perfume strengths and types of perfumed products available on the market. This is in essence a breakdown on the differences between eau de toilette, eau de parfum, cologne, etc. Fragrances are priced according to their essential oil and alcohol content. The higher concentration of essential oils, the more expensive the perfume will be. The percentages given below are only a guide and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Essential oils: these oils come from natural sources and are responsible for the scent of perfumes. These essences are diffused through the tissues of a plant, as in the petals of a flower, these oils are extracted by means of distillation. The oils can also be synthesized from petroleum and other sources. essential oils have the property of becoming gaseous at ordinary room temperatures. They are called essential oils after the Latin word essentia, meaning "a liquid that easily becomes a gaseous essence". because they vaporize so easily, the essential oils have also been called "volatile oils", from the Latin word volare, "to fly". The oils are also called spirits by the old apothecaries, one example is spirits of turpentine, meaning the essential oil of pine.

Perfumer's alcohol: also known as perfumery grade alcohol is another word for ethanol, an important dilutent and carrier for perfumes.It comes primarily from the distillation of wine to produce grape spirit (brandy), the earliest perfumery alcohol. Wine distillate retains a certain bouquet of the grapes which interferes with the composition of perfumes, and is quite expensive to manufacture. In light of this, alcohol made from the fermented grains of  rice, wheat, and sorghum are much cheaper alternatives.As well as the starches in sugar beets, potatoes, and corn, as well as the sugar in molasses are also employed as perfumery grade alcohol. Perfumery alcohol is denatured and is not fit for consumption. Water and glycerine is often added to perfumer's alcohol as they prolong the persistance of the perfume on the skin.

Parfum: also called extrait, is the highest concentration of perfume. A perfume may contain 22-30 percent oils and high grade alcohol, and a slight amount of water. Parfum is the most expensive type of perfume. Any mixture lower in oils is known as an eau.

Eau de Parfum: is composed of 15-18 percent of essential oils with a slightly weaker alcohol and water.

Eau de Toilette: also called toilet water, is a much thinner dilution of the same materials, containing approximately only 4-8 percent of essential oils, in an even weaker alcohol and water mixture.

Eau de Cologne: for men or women, or aftershave, is further diluted, about 3-5 percent of essential oils, in an even still weaker alcohol and water mix.

Eau Fraiche: a cologne or splash with a purer alcohol.

Creams and lotions: most creams contain a fragrance content that is same as that of the eau de toilette, five percent essential oils. The rest of the formula is a blend of lanolin, beeswax, mineral oi,lard, petroleum jelly, or other fats and oils.

Stick perfumes, pomades and solid perfume: an essential oil dissolved in wax, sometimes some other fats are blended in to make it easier to apply to the skin.

Soaps and soap products: composed of fatty acids and a small amount of essential oils.

Bath Oils: a combination of fifteen percent essential oils blended with mineral oil, lanolin, or other fatty oils of plant origin.

Bath salts: essential oils added to sodium bicarbonate(baking soda) and sodium carbotage.

Bath powder: essential oils mixed with talc or cornstarch. The talc is ground very fine  and is purified , sometimes supplemented with china clay and starches. It is then sifted through silk screens.