Most of our Eau de Parfums are formulated to last 6–10 hours on skin, though the honest answer is that it varies. Warm skin, oilier skin types, and pulse-point application all improve longevity - dry or cool skin tends to hold fragrance less readily.

Several of our formulas sit at 30% fragrance oil concentration - notably above the 15–20% typical of most commercial Eau De Parfums - which contributes to a deeper, longer-lasting character.

If longevity on your skin matters, we'd recommend starting with a 10ml before committing to a full bottle.

Yes — and we'd always suggest it.

We offer 10ml travel sizes across the full collection, or our Discovery Kit (5 × 2ml) is a popular way to explore the range before settling on a signature scent.

Fragrance is personal and can shift depending on your skin chemistry, so we'd rather you find the right one than rush into a bottle that doesn't feel like you.

Two things, primarily: concentration and ingredient quality.

Many high-street EDPs sit at 12–18% fragrance oil. Our formulas tend to sit higher, which means more depth, better longevity, and a closer-to-skin quality that reveals itself gradually rather than announcing everything at once.

We source raw materials from France, the Middle East, and Asia, and every fragrance is formulated and made in the UK.

They are original. Thomson Carter was built on the idea of creating genuinely distinctive, long-lasting scents - not recreating someone else's. Cashmere Court, for example, was developed in direct collaboration with artisanal perfumer Ilias Kakis, while Are You Vanilla? was developed with perfumer Stephanie Wilkinson.

If a scent reminds you of something you've worn before, that's the nature of shared fragrance families - but none of our fragrances are formulated to imitate an existing product.

If you're new to a particular scent, the 10ml is the natural entry point - same formula, same concentration, just a smaller bottle.

It typically delivers around 100–150 sprays: enough to confirm whether it's something you'll reach for regularly before moving to a 50ml or 100ml. If you already know you love a fragrance, the 100ml offers the best value per ml by some margin.

All our EDPs are composed in layers - top, heart, and base notes - which unfold in sequence.

The top notes you smell first are usually the brightest and most immediate, but they settle within 30–60 minutes. What follows is the heart and base of the fragrance: typically warmer, richer, and more personal, as it begins to interact with your skin chemistry.

This dry-down is often where a scent becomes truly your own. We'd suggest giving any new fragrance a couple of hours before forming a final opinion.

Pulse points - inner wrists, the base of the throat, behind the ears, the crook of the elbow - are your most effective spots. These areas generate warmth, which lifts and projects the fragrance throughout the day.

One thing worth knowing: avoid rubbing your wrists together after applying. It feels intuitive but it degrades the top notes and shortens wear time. A light mist on the chest or the back of the neck, before dressing, works particularly well - fabric holds scent longer than skin alone.

Yes - it's the same formula and the same concentration across all sizes. The only difference is volume.

There's a common misconception that travel sizes are a diluted version; that's not the case here. The 10ml is a fully accurate representation of the full-size experience.

Most of the collection is genuinely unisex - Santal Oud, Cashmere Court, Bois De Santal, Postcards From, Redroom, and the Are You Vanilla? range all wear comfortably across genders.

We indicate where a scent has a more directional character - Smoke & Mirrors sits firmly in a masculine register; Lilium Blume and Rouge Avenue lean feminine - but these are signposts, not rules.

Wear what resonates. If you're unsure where to start, the Fragrance Finder on the site is a useful guide, or reach out directly and we'll point you somewhere that suits your taste.

Yes. Every Thomson Carter Eau de Parfum is formulated using 100% vegan, cruelty-free fragrance oils. No animal-derived ingredients, no animal testing - at any stage of development or production.

We offer a 30-day return window. Unopened, undamaged products qualify for a full refund. Given how personal fragrance is, we'd always recommend starting with a sample or the 10ml first - it removes most of the risk before you commit to a larger size. If something arrives damaged or not as described, get in touch and we'll make it right.