Choosing a perfume: eau de parfum, eau de toilette, or body mist?

• August 19 2026, by Verpakkingdeals.nl
• 5 min reading time

The difference between eau de parfum, eau de toilette, and body mist lies in the concentration of fragrance oil—which determines how long a scent lasts. Here’s how to choose the concentration, size, and storage.

Almost every bathroom cabinet contains a bottle of perfume that has been used twice. Usually not because the scent was bad, but because it was bought incorrectly: a large size, tested in the store on a paper strip, and it turned out to be wrong at home. Ultimately, perfume is one of the few product categories where the size and concentration are just as crucial as the scent itself. Below is what these terms mean and how to avoid a bad purchase.

Eau de parfum, eau de toilette, and body mist: what the difference does

The names on the bottle refer to the amount of fragrance oil dissolved in the base. Roughly speaking, eau de parfum contains a higher concentration than eau de toilette, and a body mist or body spray has an even lower concentration. What you notice most from this is how long the scent lasts and how close someone needs to be to smell it.

This makes the choice more practical than it seems:

• Eau de parfum is the logical choice if you want to apply it once a day and not think about it again.
• Eau de toilette is lighter and more pleasant if you are sensitive to strong scents or work in a small space.
• Body mist is used more generously over the body, often immediately after showering. Expect to spray again more often.

Examples from the assortment: the Tyler Grant Rouge Ember eau de parfum of 10 ml and Tyler Grant Secret Petal 10 ml cost €2.95 per bottle. On the mist side are the fragrance mist with strawberry extract of 150 ml for €9.95 and the Treaclemoon body spray Frosted Candy Angel for €4.95.

What size do you buy?

The size determines the risk. A 100 ml bottle you don't like is a waste of money; a 10 ml bottle you do like will be empty within a few weeks. A sensible order:

1. 10 to 15 ml — to try, or to take in a bag or suitcase.
2. 30 ml — the size you'll use up within a season. Also the most practical gift size.
3. 75 to 100 ml — only for a scent you already know and wear daily.

In the 30 ml category are, among others, the heart-shaped eau de parfum Endless Love of 30 ml, Velvet Rose 30 ml and Strawberry Kiss 30 ml, all three €4.95 each. If you want to try several scents at once, the 4-pack of 4 x 30 ml for €18.95 is cheaper per bottle.

Larger bottles are also available: the Sexy Lips eau de parfum of 75 ml and the Blush Lips eau de parfum of 75 ml are both €20.00, as is the designer perfume of 100 ml in a bag.

Testing without making a bad purchase

A scent on a paper strip smells different than on your skin, and different after ten minutes than when first sprayed. Three things that help:

• Spray on the skin, not on paper, and wait at least fifteen minutes before judging.
• Don't test more than two scents in a row. After that, you mostly won't notice the difference anymore.
• Test in the place where you will wear it. A scent you smell in the store among other scents will turn out differently at home.

If you want to carry a scent without lugging the entire bottle, you can fill a portable refillable perfume bottle of 15 ml (€4.95). For larger quantities, such as body mist, an amber glass spray bottle of 50 ml (€7.95) is suitable — dark glass lets less light through than transparent.

Storage: where a bottle should and should not be kept

Light, heat, and temperature fluctuations are the three factors that cause a scent to expire faster. The bathroom, precisely where most bottles are kept, is therefore the least suitable place: every shower causes a peak in heat and humidity. Better is a closed cupboard or drawer in a room that has roughly the same temperature throughout the year. The windowsill is unfavorable for the same reason, no matter how beautiful the bottle looks there.

Furthermore: keep the cap on, do not shake the bottle, and use an opened bottle within a reasonable time. If a scent becomes darker in color or smells sharper than you are used to, that is the signal to replace it.

Perfume as a gift — and for resale

Perfume is a tricky gift if you don't know the other person's taste, and an easy gift in a small size with a clear message on the bottle. In the latter category fall the eau de parfum Best Mom Ever of 30 ml and the You Are My World eau de parfum of 30 ml, both €2.95, and the 100 ml variants Best Mom Ever and You're an Amazing Mother, also €2.95. Also practical as a gift: the heart-shaped eau de parfum of 30 ml in a gift box for €4.95, where you no longer need to wrap it separately.

Are you selling yourself? Then the displays are more interesting than loose bottles, because they are immediately presented as a whole on the counter. There is a heart-shaped eau de parfum display with 20 x 30 ml in assorted scents (€90.00), a Tyler Grant display with 63 mini-perfumes of 10 ml (€100.00) and a Sentio perfume display Love Collection of 6 x 15 ml from €3.00.

Briefly summarized

What you are looking for	Choose	Size
Lasts all day	Eau de parfum	30 ml to start
Lighter, for office or small space	Eau de toilette	30 to 75 ml
Fresh after showering	Body mist or body spray	150 ml
To try or take along	Mini or refillable bottle	10 to 15 ml

Further reading

The complete range can be found in the Perfume collection. For shower gel, body scrub, and related products, look in Personal Care and Beauty & Health. Do you want to know what is in stock in a certain size, or are you looking for a display for your store? Send a message to info@verpakkingdeals.nl, and we will check it for you.

Tags

body mist cadeau eau de parfum eau de toilette geur parfum persoonlijke verzorging wederverkoop

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