Two bottles on a bathroom shelf. The same name on both, almost. One says eau de parfum, the other says parfum, and the difference is written in a few words of French that most people never stop to read.
By evening the difference is impossible to miss. One has thinned to a whisper on the wrist. The other is still there, warm at the collar, found by whoever leans in close.
This is what those words actually measure. How each one wears, how far it carries, how long it stays. And why every Mihan Aromatics ™ parfum is made at the deepest of them.
The word on the bottle is a measurement
Every bottle holds two things. Aromatic concentrate, the oils and compounds that make the scent, and a carrier, usually alcohol with a little water, that lifts it from the skin and then quietly leaves.
Concentration is the share of the bottle given to that concentrate. A single percentage decides the name on the label. It also decides almost everything about how the scent behaves once it meets your skin.
There is no single global standard, and houses draw the lines a little differently. Treat the figures below as a working guide rather than law.
The four classifications, from deepest to sheerest
Parfum sits at the top, from around 20% upward. You will sometimes see it called extrait. The deepest classification there is, made for long wear close to the body.
Eau de parfum sits at around 15 to 20%. The most common choice on any shelf. Dependable and well rounded, carrying through much of a day.
Eau de toilette sits at around 5 to 15%. Bright on first spray, quick to lift, quick to leave. A few hours on skin.
Eau de cologne sits lowest, at around 2 to 4%. A splash more than a presence. Gone, as a rule, within an hour or two.
Parfum vs eau de parfum, side by side
The two names are close enough to confuse, but the gap between them is not small. An eau de parfum might hold 15 to 20% concentrate. A Mihan parfum holds 30%.
That means more of the bottle is scent and less of it is carrier. More material to unfold, more slowly, across more hours.
An eau de parfum is a fine thing to wear. A parfum is a different thing to wear. It asks for less, gives back for longer, and keeps its secrets closer to the skin.
How concentration changes wear and projection
Longevity is the first difference you notice. As a rough guide, an eau de cologne fades within an hour or two and an eau de toilette within a few hours. An eau de parfum carries through much of the working day.
A parfum goes further. Every Mihan parfum wears for 8 to 12 hours, moving from its opening into the slower, warmer notes beneath, then settling into a trace that lingers into the evening.
Projection is the second difference, and it surprises people. Lower concentrations carry more alcohol, so they burst outward on application and announce themselves across a room. A parfum sits closer, a quieter radius that draws people in rather than reaching out to them.
This is why new wearers sometimes believe a parfum has faded when it has not. You stop noticing it on yourself within the hour. The person who greets you at dusk still finds it.
What 30% means in a Mihan parfum
Every Mihan parfum is made at 30% concentration, which places it in the Parfum classification. It is a deliberate choice. At this strength there is nowhere for a formulation to hide, so every note has to earn its place.
The carrier matters too. Our parfums are built on Australian Organic Sugarcane alcohol from sustainably practising farms in Northern Queensland, then hand filled in Melbourne.
Vegan and cruelty free, always. Genderless, made for whoever finds themselves in the scent. For the full story behind the number, read what 30% concentration actually means.
How to apply a parfum
Less than you think. A parfum at 30% is not worn by the cloud. Two or three presses will carry you from morning well into the evening.
Apply to the warm pulse points, where blood runs close to the surface: the wrists, the base of the throat, behind the ears, the inner elbow. Heat lifts the scent slowly through the day.
Press, do not rub. Rubbing the wrists together creates friction that burns off the opening notes before they have bloomed. Touch the parfum to the skin and let it settle on its own.
Apply after a shower, while the skin is still warm, over a little unscented moisturiser. Hydrated skin holds scent for longer, while dry skin lets it slip away. More on placement and layering in our guide to how to apply and layer parfum.
Which one should you choose
If you want a scent that arrives loudly and leaves by lunch, a lower concentration will do. If you want something that stays with you from the first coffee to the last glass of the night, choose parfum.
A parfum is less a spray and more a second skin. Fewer applications, a slower unfolding. A trace left on a scarf, a pillow, a coat collar, long after you have gone.
The surest way to know is to wear it. The Discovery Set holds all seven Mihan parfums in 2ml vials, each at the full 30%. Wear one a day and notice which one is still with you at dusk.
Frequently asked questions
Is parfum stronger than eau de parfum?
Yes. Parfum holds a higher percentage of aromatic concentrate, from around 20% upward, while eau de parfum usually sits at around 15 to 20%. Every Mihan parfum is made at 30%, which places it in the Parfum classification.
Which lasts longer, parfum or eau de parfum?
Parfum. The higher concentration keeps the scent on skin for longer and lets it unfold more slowly. Mihan parfums wear for 8 to 12 hours, while an eau de parfum typically carries through part of the day.
What is the difference between eau de toilette and eau de cologne?
Both are lower concentrations. Eau de toilette sits at around 5 to 15% and lasts a few hours, while eau de cologne sits at around 2 to 4% and fades within an hour or two. Neither wears as long or as close as a parfum.
Is parfum the same as perfume?
Parfum is the French word, and on a label it names a specific classification: the highest concentration available. In everyday English the word is used loosely for any scent, whatever its strength, so the label is the more reliable guide.
Does parfum project less than eau de parfum?
Often, yes. Lower concentrations carry more alcohol, which pushes the scent outward on application. A parfum sits closer to the skin and lasts longer, drawing people in rather than filling a room.
Familial scents of Australia. Explore the collection at mihanaromatics.com.
