Perfumer measuring fragrance oil concentration into a glass bottle

Eau de parfum typically contains around 15 to 20 percent fragrance oil, with the rest made up of alcohol and a small amount of water. This is a widely used industry convention rather than a strict legal requirement, so it can vary a little between brands.

Why There Is No Fixed Legal Number

There is no single UK or EU law forcing every eau de parfum to sit within an exact percentage band, these figures are industry norms that most reputable houses follow. That is why you will occasionally see two eau de parfums from different brands that feel quite different in strength, even sharing the same category name.

How to Judge It in Practice

Rather than relying purely on the label, trust your nose over a full wear, since the actual formula matters more than the percentage on the box. This is also why sniffing two eau de parfums side by side in a shop can be misleading, since the actual blend of ingredients shapes the experience far more than the number on the label. Our guide to perfume concentrations covers every tier from cologne through to parfum, and our complete guide to perfume has more background on how formulas are built.