Extrait de parfum: What Does the Label Mean?

Perfume extract, known in French as extrait de parfum, is a term for concentrated perfume. The Perfume Society guide presents extract as one of the concentration categories. The publisher itself explains that the ranges are indicative and can vary between fragrances. The name therefore does not reveal the exact formula in the bottle.

It is important to distinguish the fragrance composition—the mixture of substances that creates the scent—from the product as a whole. Concentration describes the proportion of this composition in the mixture with the base. On its own, this is not a measure of pleasantness or quality. That is why MARABIKA’s concentration guide recommends assessing the fragrance as a whole, not just the tier on the label.

A separate MARABIKA guide, “EDT or EDP,” covers the comparison between EDT and EDP. This article examines a narrower question: what can be learned from the terms extrait, parfum and elixir. The category cards help you move on to choosing a format.

“Parfum” on the front label and “Parfum” in the ingredient list serve different functions. In perfumery guides, the former is used as the name of a concentration category. In an ingredient list, it is a generic term for the fragrance composition. Its mere presence among the ingredients does not mean that the product has a parfum concentration.

Point (g) of Article 19(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 specifies the terms “parfum” or “aroma”. Substances for which Annex III requires this must also be listed separately alongside them. Thus, the generic term does not displace all other labelling obligations.

For example, a box may bear an EDP designation while the ingredient list includes “Parfum”. These entries do not contradict each other: the first identifies the product version, while the second describes a group of ingredients. When reading the packaging, first determine where on it the word appears.

In The Perfume Society’s indicative table, the parfum range is higher than the EDP range, but the ranges overlap; versions with different concentrations may also differ in their notes. The Perfume Society clearly distinguishes a change in concentration from the assumption that the result is merely a stronger or weaker version of the same fragrance. It is therefore worth reading the descriptions of both versions.

For comparison, this publication gives a range of 20–30% for “Extract/solid perfume,” while the MARABIKA guide gives 15–40% for Extrait. These are indicative ranges from two publishers, not laboratory data about your product. The first publication’s category also includes solid perfume, so even its category name is not entirely the same.

Different ranges do not in themselves prove the existence or absence of a legal rule. Any legal claim must be supported by a specific legal act. This article’s practical conclusion is narrower: to know the exact percentage, you need information from the specific manufacturer. General tables are not enough to reach a conclusion about the bottle you have chosen.

Example: one publication’s table shows an extract range, while the manufacturer’s page shows only the word “Parfum”. These are not two analyses of the same product. First confirm that they refer to the same version, then look for a direct declaration. If there is none, write down “percentage not disclosed” rather than an average selected from the table. This keeps the figure as a description from the source instead of turning it into an invented product attribute.

The word “Elixir” alone is not enough to determine the extract concentration. The guides compared in this article do not define a common percentage range for it. We treat the label neither as a promise about strength nor as evidence that a particular manufacturer has changed the formula. That requires information published by the manufacturer.

If a manufacturer’s description includes both “Elixir” and “Extrait de parfum,” read the two entries together. The first helps identify the name; the second indicates the declared category. When a percentage is published, record it separately from the notes. This prevents you from mistaking a marketing name for a measurement.

Do not guess from the bottle’s colour or the word “Intense” either. When choosing, compare clearly identified versions. If information is missing for one, leave the question of its composition open and assess the fragrance itself as a separate sample. This is an editorial approach to selection, not a methodology for determining concentration.

Sillage is the trail a fragrance leaves behind. It is not the same as longevity—the length of time you can still smell the fragrance. MARABIKA’s guide cautions that a higher concentration does not automatically mean greater projection or a better fragrance. Assess these aspects separately.

For a practical comparison, write down what you smell at close range and what you notice while moving. Separately note whether you still like the composition later. Such personal notes can help you choose, but they do not replace a controlled projection or longevity test and cannot support a universal ranking.

MARABIKA did not measure fragrance longevity or projection for this article: the status is “not measured”. We therefore do not assign extracts a general number of hours. One fragrance version, one person and one environment do not constitute a test of the entire concentration category. The table compares concepts, not measurement results.

Explore this topic in the guide: Longevity, projection and sillage.

Begin with a clearly labelled version and a separate test strip. The Perfume Society recommends starting with a paper strip and later assessing the fragrance on the skin. When choosing, record the full name so that you do not later confuse EDP, parfum and elixir.

Check the information on the packaging as well. Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 covers the responsible person, quantity, date of minimum durability or applicable period after opening, precautionary information, batch, product function and ingredients. The specific requirements and exceptions are laid down in the article itself; this is not a complete labelling audit.

Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 of 10 July 2013 requires cosmetic claims to be supported by adequate and verifiable evidence. An appealing name is no substitute for such evidence. If a particular promise matters, look for substantiation specific to it rather than a general account of extracts. This is an informational explanation, not legal advice.

After testing the versions, note which one you would like to wear and why. You may choose based on the fragrance character you enjoy while leaving the exact concentration percentage unknown. What matters is that the decision is based on what you actually read or experienced, not on a supposed hierarchy of tiers that is identical for all manufacturers.

Explore this topic in the guide: How to test perfume: blotter and skin.