Quick answer: on skin, expect 2 โ 4 hours from a citrus eau de toilette, 5 โ 8 hours from a floral or woody eau de parfum, and 8 โ 12+ hours from amber and oud extraits. Longevity is set by three factors in order: fragrance family (base-note weight), concentration, and your skin โ dry skin can halve any number below.
The longevity matrix
| Family | EDT (8 โ 15 %) | EDP (15 โ 20 %) | Extrait (20 โ 40 %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus / fresh | 2 โ 4 h | 4 โ 6 h | 5 โ 7 h |
| Floral | 3 โ 5 h | 5 โ 7 h | 7 โ 9 h |
| Woody | 4 โ 6 h | 6 โ 9 h | 9 โ 12 h |
| Amber / gourmand | 5 โ 7 h | 7 โ 10 h | 10 โ 14 h |
| Oud / leather | 5 โ 8 h | 8 โ 12 h | 12 h+ |
These are skin numbers; on fabric, most of these double or triple (but without evolution โ cloth freezes a scent at mid-development).
Why the family matters more than the price
Longevity is molecular weight: citrus top notes (limonene, citral) evaporate in minutes by design, while oud, ambroxan and musks cling for days. No 300 โฌ citrus will outlast a 60 โฌ amber โ that's physics, not quality. A ยซ weak ยป perfume is often just a fresh-family perfume doing exactly what fresh families do.
What actually extends wear (and what doesn't)
- Works: moisturised skin (unscented lotion first โ the single biggest lever), spraying pulse points, one spray on sturdy clothing, choosing EDP/extrait in heavier families.
- Doesn't: rubbing wrists (crushes top notes), overspraying (louder, not longer), storing the bottle in the bathroom (degrades the juice itself).
Test longevity on YOUR skin before buying
Skin pH, temperature and oiliness swing these numbers by ยฑ50 % between individuals โ the same EDP lasts 5 hours on one person and 9 on another. The only reliable data point is a full day on your own skin, which is precisely the economics of a decant: a week of longevity data for a fraction of the bottle price. How decants preserve the original juice is covered in how decants are filled.
FAQ
Is poor longevity a sign of a fake?
Sometimes โ but check the family first: a genuine citrus dying at hour three is normal. A genuine amber dying at hour three is suspicious.
Does perfume last longer in winter or summer?
It projects more in heat (faster evaporation = bigger sillage, shorter life) and lasts longer but quieter in cold. Same juice, two behaviours.
Why do I stop smelling my perfume after an hour?
Nose-blindness: your brain filters constant signals. Others still smell it โ ask, don't respray.