Walk into any fragrance counter and you'll see the same three letters over and over: EDT, EDP, sometimes Extrait or Parfum. Most people know they're "different strengths" without knowing what that actually means, or which one they should reach for.
It's all the same fragrance family
EDT, EDP and Extrait aren't different scents — they're the same fragrance oil at different concentrations, suspended in a base of alcohol and water rather than pure oil the way attar is. The percentage refers to how much actual fragrance oil is in the bottle relative to the alcohol carrying it.
Eau de Toilette (EDT) — 5 to 15%
The lightest of the three. EDT is built for immediacy — a fresher, brighter opening that fades faster, typically lasting two to four hours. It's the format most associated with daytime wear: light enough to reapply without feeling heavy, and forgiving if you want to switch scents depending on mood or occasion. What you lose in longevity, you gain in versatility.
Eau de Parfum (EDP) — 15 to 20%
The standard premium strength, and for good reason — it's the sweet spot between projection and longevity. An EDP will typically carry from morning into evening without needing a second application, and the higher oil concentration means the fragrance's heart and base notes get more room to develop properly rather than fading before they've had their moment.
Extrait de Parfum — 20% and up
Sometimes labeled simply "Parfum" or "Extract," this is the deepest, most concentrated alcohol-based format. Counterintuitively, Extrait often projects less than EDP or EDT — there's less alcohol to carry the scent outward — but it lasts considerably longer, sometimes eight hours or more, sitting close to the skin the way attar does, just with a different underlying structure. It's also usually the most expensive format, since it requires the most raw fragrance material per bottle.
How to actually choose
- Daytime, office, casual: EDT — light, easy to reapply, never overwhelming in close quarters.
- All-day wear without thinking about it: EDP — the default choice for most people, most days.
- Evening, special occasion, or when you want a fragrance to genuinely last without touching it up: Extrait.
How to apply for the longest wear
Spray, don't rub. This is the single most common mistake, regardless of concentration:
- Mist, don't drench. Two or three sprays on pulse points outperforms one heavy spray anywhere else on the body.
- Spray from a short distance and let it dry in the air. Fragrance needs a moment to settle before it touches fabric.
- Never rub your wrists together after spraying. It feels natural, but the friction breaks down the top notes before they've had a chance to open — you're quite literally shortening your own fragrance's opening act.
- Moisturised skin holds scent longer than dry skin. Alcohol evaporates faster off dry surfaces, taking the fragrance with it.
What's coming from HEEZE 94
Arabian Nights and Al-Durrah are currently being composed as the House's first parfum collection — built with the same discipline as our attars, just in a different format, for a different kind of moment.