Eau de toilette (French:[od(ə)twalɛt], meaning "grooming water")[n 1] is a lightly scented perfume.[2] It is also referred to asaromatic waters and has a high alcohol content.[3] It is usually applied directly to the skin after bathing or shaving.[4] It is traditionally composed of alcohol and variousvolatile oils.[5] Traditionally these products were named after a principal ingredient, like geranium water, lavender water, lilac water, violet water, spirit of myrcia and "eau de Bretfeld".[6] Because of this, eau de toilette was sometimes referred to as "toilet water".[7]
In modern perfumery, eau de toilette has less concentrated fragrance thanperfume (eau de parfum) and more thancologne (eau de Cologne).[8][9]
Eau de toilette is a weaker concentration of fragrance than perfume.[10][11] The concentration of aromatic ingredients is typically as follows (ascending concentration):
Perfume oils are often diluted with a solvent, though this is not always the case, and its necessity is disputed. By far the most common solvent for perfume oil dilution is ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and water. Perfume has a mixture of about 10–20% perfume oils mixed with alcohol (acting as a diffusing agent delivering the fragrant odor) and a trace of water. Colognes have about 3–5% perfume oil mixed with 80–90% alcohol with about 5–15% water in the mix. Originally,eau de cologne was a mixture of citrus oils from such fruits as lemons, oranges, tangerines, limes, and grapefruits. These were combined with such substances as lavender andneroli (orange-flower oil). Eau de toilette has the least amount of perfume oil mixture among the three main liquid "perfumery" categories. It has only about 2–8% of some type of perfume oil and 60–80% alcohol dispersent with water making up the difference.[13][14] Eau de toilettes are a less concentrated form of these above types of alcohol-based perfumes.[15][16] Traditionally cologne is usually made of citrus oils and fragrances, while eau de toilettes are not limited to this specification.[17][18]
Hungarian eau de toilette, an alcohol based perfume that is the predecessor of eau de cologne, was first produced in the fourteenth century, supposedly by a Hungarian man forQueen Elisabeth of Hungary.[19][20] This was called "eau de la reine de hongrie" orHungary Water, and contained the herbrosemary, which allowed the scent to evaporate slowly on the skin.[21][22] However, some early scientists, includingJohann Beckmann, doubt that it was created for the Queen of Hungary.[citation needed]
Some eau de toilette were once considered restorative skin toners with medical benefits.[24][25][26] The journalMedical Record reported in 1905 that a toilet water spray restores energies lost in business, social, and domestic situations.[27][28] During the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries a type of eau de toilette called "plague waters" was supposed to drive away thebubonic plague.[29][30]
Groom, Nigel,The new perfume handbook, Springer, 1997,ISBN0-7514-0403-9
Halpern, Georges M.,The Healing Trail: Essential Oils of Madagascar, Basic Health Publications, Inc., 2003,ISBN1-59120-016-4
Hiss, A. Emil,The new standard formulary:, G.P. Engelhard, 1910
Keithler, William R.,The formulation of cosmetics and cosmetic specialties, Drug and Cosmetic Industry, 1956
Hopkins, Albert Allis,The Scientific American cyclopedia of formulas: partly based upon the 28th ed. of Scientific American cyclopedia of receipts, notes and queries, Munn & co., inc., 1910
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Martin, George R.,The mentor-world traveler, Volume 10, George R. Martin, 1922
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Sherrow, Victoria,For appearance' sake: the historical encyclopedia of good looks, beauty, and grooming, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001,ISBN1-57356-204-1
Stoddart, David Michael,The scented ape: the biology and culture of human odour, Cambridge University Press, 1990,ISBN0-521-39561-5
The National Druggist, Volume 42; H. R. Strong, 1912
^Sherrow, p. 125King Louis XIV (1638–1715) had his shirts scented with toilet water that included aloewood, rosewood, orangle flower, musk, and spices. The concoction was called "heavenly water" ...
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