Eau de toilette (French: [o d(ə) twalɛt], meaning "grooming water")^{[n 1]} is a lightly scented perfume.^[2] It is also referred to as aromatic 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 various volatile oils.^[5] Traditionally these products were named after a principal ingredient; some being 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 than perfume (eau de parfum) and more than cologne (eau de Cologne).^[8][9]

Types

Eau de toilette is a weaker concentration of fragrance than perfume.^[10][11] The concentration of aromatic ingredients is typically as follows (ascending concentration):

• Splash and after shave: 1–3% aromatic compounds
• Eau de Cologne (EdC): Citrus type perfumes with about 2–6% perfume concentrate aromatic compounds^[12]
• Eau de toilette (EdT): 5–15% (typical ~10%) aromatic compounds
• Eau de parfum (EdP), parfum de toilette (PdT): 10–20% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds. Sometimes listed as "eau de perfume" or "millésime".
• Perfume extract: 15–40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds

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 and neroli (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]

History

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 for Queen Elisabeth of Hungary.^[19][20] This was called "eau de la reine de hongrie" or Hungary Water, and contained the herb rosemary, which allowed the scent to evaporate slowly on the skin.^[21][22] However, some early scientists, including Johann Beckmann, doubt that it was created for the Queen of Hungary.^{[citation needed]}

The King of France Louis XIV (1638–1715) used a concoction of scents called "heavenly water" to perfume his shirts; It consisted of aloewood, musk, orange flower, rose water and other spices.^[23]

Some eau de toilette were once considered restorative skin toners with medical benefits.^[24][25][26] The journal Medical 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 the bubonic plague.^[29][30]

Varieties

• Carmelite Water – a water of lemon balm, orange flower, angelica root, and spices prepared for Charles V of France, first made in 1379 by the nuns of a Carmelite abbey.^{[31][32][33][34]}
• Carnation Toilet Water – extract of Jasmine 2.5 pints, extract of Orange Flower 2.5 pints, extract of Rose 5 pints, tincture of Vanilla 20 ounces, Oil of Pink (synthetic) 2 ounces.^[35]
• Creole Toilet Water – to 6.75 ounces of orris root cut in small pieces put 1.5 pint of French brandy. Allow this mix to stand for 2 weeks, stirring frequently. Then filter the mix and add 3 pints of French brandy and 3 drops of oil of orange blossoms. Add 0.75 fluid ounce of oil of geranium. Distill and add a little coumarin essence.^[36]
• Eau de lavand ambre – a favorite with Spanish women who use it in their hair as well as on the skin after bathing.^[37]
• Florida Water – based on the nineteenth-century formula for a commercially prepared toilet water that mixes floral essential oils.^[38]
• Geranium Toilet Water – oil of rose geranium, 2 ounces; tincture of orris root, 2 ounces; tincture of musk, 1 drop; rose water, 8 ounces: alcohol, 4 pints.^[36]
• Heliotrope Toilet Water – heliotropine, 2 drops; rose oil, 15 minims; bergamot oil, a half drop; neroli oil, 5 minims; alcohol, 10 ounces; water, 6 ounces.^[39]
• Honey water^[14] – an old-time English toilet water. The British Pharmaceutical Codex gives the formula.^[40]
• Jasmine toilet water – made with spirits of cologne, jasmine, and alcohol.^[41]
• Kananga Water – is a "holy water" used for purification in revival ceremonies.^[42]
• Lavender water^[14][43] – a formula called "upper Ten" consists of 1 fluid ounce of oil of lavender, 8 fluid ounces of deodorized alcohol, 3 fluid ounces of rose water, and 80 grains of carbonate of magnesia.^[44]
• Nosegay – distilled honey water with cloves, lavender and neroli.^[45]
• Oriental Toilet Water – an extensive list of ingredients is given in the Useful and Practical Notes section of National Druggist.^[46]
• Rose water toilet water – extract of rose 1 pint, of tuberose 1 pint, of cassia 1 pint, of jasmine 4 ounces, tincture of civet 3 ounces. Popular in the Middle East especially Egypt and called 'maward'.^[47]
• Viennese Cosmetic Toilet Water – bruised almonds, 15 parts; water of orange flower, 62 parts; water of roses, 62 parts. Rub up the almonds with the waters, allow to stand. Later add borate of soda, 1 part; spirit of benzoin, 2 parts. Dissolve.^[36]
• White Rose Toilet Water – one ounce of triple extract of white rose, 3 drops of oil of rose, 3 drops of oil of rose geranium, 26 ounces of cologne spirits, and 6 ounces of hot water.^[44]
• Hugh C. Muldoonin submitted various toilet water formulas he called "Own-make Toilet Specialties" to the Bulletin Of Pharmacy in 1917.^[48]