There's no bigger rush than the one that comes after a stranger compliments your perfume. Who doesn't want to smell so good, people are compelled to ask how and why? Such is the power of  fragrance.

There's a lot to consider when selecting a scent — notes, category: warm, fresh, floral, deliciously gourmand? But it's also worth thinking about the concentration, specifically an extrait. The fragrance industry typically categorises a scent based on its concentration of perfume oil. The more concentrated, the greater its intensity, projection and longevity. An extrait is the strongest of the bunch, meaning it's worth looking at if you want your perfume to stay in a room well after you've left.

From smoking red roses to hibiscus flowers, a RUSSH-approved edit of the best extrait perfumes, below.

What is an extrait perfume?

"An extrait pushes the limits of perfume and will contain between 20 to 50% perfume oil, sometimes more," explains Aidan Calabria, the Fragrance Education Lead at Mecca. "An extrait will offer a bold, expressive fragrance experience — the kind of fragrance that will enter a room before you do, or last for weeks on clothing."

How is an extrait different to an eau de parfum, or a toilette?

The main difference is the concentration of perfume oil, in turn impacting the intensity and longevity of your fragrance. "An eau de toilette (EDT) is a lighter, fresher fragrance with a moderate concentration of perfume oil, around 10% — but I've seen some as low as 2%," explains Calabria. "It really comes down to how the ingredients express themselves on the skin, for stronger smelling materials like amber, the concentration may need to be lowered to achieve the desired lightness of scent."

"An eau de parfum features a generous concentration of perfume oil that will help to support longevity and projection," Calabria adds. "While there's no true industry standard, an EDP will typically contain 20% perfume oil."

The best extrait perfumes, according to 'RUSSH'

Maison Crivelli Hibiscus Mahajad

Maison Crivelli's extraits have developed a bit of a cult following. Hibiscus Mahajád is bright but warm; described as 'flowers in a gemstone market'. It's syrupy and addictive, a failsafe scent that will get you stopped on the street.

Maison Crivelli Oud Maracuja

Oud Maracuja is an interesting mash up of tangy passionfruit, dry oud, rose and sticky honey. Think rich, androgynous and surprising.

Byredo Vanilla Antique

Vanilla has a reputation for being demure, but Byredo have reimagined it for nighttime, tempering vanilla bean with cashmere woods, plum, amber and musk. It's not a classic gourmand, it's got a lot more depth.

Merit Retrospect

If you want longevity but don't want a perfume that yells, Retrospect is much more subdued. It's powdery and floral, a little bit vintage. It's the kind of fragrance that doesn't smell like one thing in particular; it's more the sum of its parts.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge Extrait de Parfum

Yes, you read that correctly — the Internet's favourite perfume comes in an extrait. As if Baccarat Rouge wasn't distinctive enough, this uber-concentrated iteration will stay on your clothes for days and days.

Louis Vuitton Myriad

Vuitton's scents are praised for their incredible projection and sillage, the Les Extraits collection especially. Myriad is a personal favourite of mine — oud, rose, musk, saffron. It's decadent and memorable. And the bottle is designed by Frank Gehry... sigh.

BDK Parfums Rouge Smoking Extrait

Rouge Smoking Extrait is sexy, and a little Parisian. It's full of cherries, almonds, milk, musk, black vanilla. A spicy floral that's intense but sensual.

Matiere Premiere Encens Suave Extrait

With coffee, vanilla and incense, Encens Suave is mystical and grounding. It almost smells like walking into a church with towering ceilings, candles burning. Rich, warm, woody and powerful.

Images: Byredo, Maison Crivelli