Like all beauty products, perfumes have an expiration date. While they typically last about two years, certain factors can cause them to go bad even sooner! That’s why we’ve put together tons of tips to make your perfume last as long as possible. But above all else, proper storage is the #1 way to take advantage of every last drop of your favorite fragrance without it changing or fading. Because perfume companies don’t usually provide care instructions, many people don’t know that there is a right way and a wrong way to store it. Read on to find out the best way to store your perfume and extend its shelf life.
Where to Store Perfume
Perfumes thrive in cool, dark places. When exposed to UV light, a fragrance’s compounds break down much faster, so be sure to keep your perfume out of direct sunlight.
The most common mistake made by perfume wearers is storing fragrances in the bathroom. Because heat and humidity from the shower are the biggest offenders when it comes to ruining a fragrance’s color, scent, consistency, and more, you’ll want to store it in a dry space. Avoid areas such as cabinets near a heater, the tops of dressers, windowsills, and high shelves.
The Best Places to Store Perfume:
- Dresser drawer
- Bedroom
- Closet
- Kitchen
- Home office
- A room with a dehumidifier
- Refrigerator
Yep, you read that last one right. Many perfume experts recommend storing perfume in the refrigerator, especially during hot summers or if you live in an excessively warm or humid climate. The fridge provides the ideal environment for fragrances because it’s dark, dry, and maintains a cool and stable temperature.
The Best Temperature to Store Perfume
While the refrigerator is the perfect storage spot for perfume, you probably won’t want to put it in the freezer. You can generally extend the longevity of your perfume by avoiding extreme temperatures: not too hot and not too cold. Most fragrances can withstand a great deal of cold, however, depending on the type of scent. While complex scents such as cedar and vanilla can thrive in the freezer, more delicate scents like jasmine and citrus will dissipate much faster in freezing temperatures.
How to Store Perfume: 9 Do’s and Don’ts
The following tips will help guide you to ensure that you are properly storing your perfume:
- DO: Store Your Fragrance in its Original Box
While the original box isn’t always the most exciting storage vessel, it is designed to keep light away from the perfume, keep it at a stable temperature, and prevent the perfume from being exposed to oxygen. The moment you remove the box, the perfume begins to lose its potency.
- DON’T: Store Your Fragrance on a High Shelf
This may seem obvious, but storing a fragrance on a high shelf puts the glass bottle at risk of falling and shattering. Furthermore, because heat rises, a high shelf exposes the perfume to higher levels of heat and humidity, which will rapidly break down the perfume.
- DO: Keep the Bottle Sealed Until You’re Ready to Use It
Oxidation begins the moment you open your bottle of perfume, which allows oxygen to enter and causes the scent to fade, slowly but steadily. That’s why it’s important to wait to open it until you’re ready to use this fragrance regularly.
- DON’T: Shake Your Perfume Bottle
When you shake your perfume bottle, it oxidizes more quickly because it creates bubbles. In addition, shaking your fragrance can compromise the delicate molecular structure of the fragrance, altering the scent or causing it to go bad prematurely.
- DO: When Traveling, Transfer Your Perfume to a Smaller Container
Using a small travel bottle for your perfume not only saves space, but it preserves the rest of the bottle while you’re away. Because your perfume may be jostled during travel, you’ll want to bring only what you need in case the oxidation alters the scent. You can also purchase a sample/travel size of your favorite perfume to take with you on all of your trips. Be sure to tuck it into a secure spot in your travel bag and you’ll be good to go!
- DON’T: Store Your Fragrance in a Decorative Bottle
It may be tempting to pour your perfume into a decorative perfume bottle and display it on your nightstand, dresser, or vanity. However, the perfume’s original bottle is designed to be airtight and includes a specific spray head that distributes the perfect amount of perfume, making the original bottle the best place to store your fragrance. If you want to display your perfume’s original bottle, make sure that you place it out of direct sunlight.
- DO: Keep Your Fragrance at a Consistent Temperature
Changes in temperature can affect the overall scent, color, consistency, and makeup of the fragrance. To protect the essential oils and other carefully-formulated ingredients of the perfume, you’ll want to keep your fragrance at a cool and consistent temperature as much as possible.
- DON’T: Leave the Cap Off the Perfume Bottle
Always replace the cap when you’re not using your perfume. Leaving the cap off will allow the scent to oxidize, which affects the fragrance’s balance and causes it to fade much more quickly. Replacing the cap will also prevent the perfume from leaking and will limit its exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
- DO: Buy Long-Lasting Fragrances
While proper storage is the best way to keep your fragrance smelling great for as long as possible, the shelf life also depends on the fragrance. If you want your perfume to last a long time, you’ll want to invest in one that’s designed to last all day. For help finding long-lasting fragrances, check out our list of the 10 longest-lasting perfumes. Plus, all of Tabbeau Place’s perfumes are made with the very best natural ingredients to create robust and long-lasting fragrances that you can enjoy until the very last spritz.
Visit our shop now to see the wonderful scents we have to offer!
References:
https://www.mapleprime.com/blog/how-to-store-perfumes/
https://www.fragrancex.com/blog/how-to-store-perfume/
https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/makeup/fragrance/how-to-store-perfume
https://www.instyle.com/beauty/fragrance/does-perfume-expire