Aside from the usual “store in a cool dry place,” perfumes hardly come with detailed instructions on storage or why you should even store the perfume in that cool, dry place. Knowing how to store perfumes properly will help keep your perfume safe and fresh for as long as possible.
1. Always keep your perfume tightly closed.
Most perfumes will stay pristine until they are opened for the first time. But once opened, a bottle of perfume could easily oxidize. Keep the bottle tightly sealed after use. Oxygen is not your perfume’s friend.
2. Store your perfume in a dark place
Perfumes are usually stored in glass containers that light could penetrate. Some people even use the fancy perfume glasses as dresser decorations. But light penetrating your perfume could alter its balance or delicate DNA composition. Store perfumes in a dark place to prevent light altering its composition.
3. Store your fragrance in a cool dry place.
Water or humidity will affect your perfume’s composition and cause unwanted chemical reactions. Your bathroom is never a good place to store perfume. It gets warm, wet and humid when you have your bath. Also, temperatures alternate frequently in your bathroom. Do not store your perfume in a place with alternating extreme temperatures. Keep in a constantly cool place. You can have a target of 60 degrees.
4. Store your perfume in its original packaging.
This is because the manufacturer most probably chose a box/packaging most compatible with retaining the effectiveness of your perfume. Usually, the original packaging would shield the perfume bottle from light and air; and also be tight to prevent spilling or breakage when moved. When traveling with perfumes, store the perfume in a tight and padded container to prevent breakage when the packaging shakes.
5. Keep your perfume within reach.
Avoid storing your perfumes on high shelves as this can easily lead to a fall and breaking of the perfume bottle. You really don’t want your precious bottle of perfume wasting. Consider storing on low level shelves or in a closet.
6. Avoid shaking your perfume before use.
Shaking the bottle can expose it to take in air, so, unless there is an instruction by the manufacturer to shake before use, do not shake. Recall what we said about oxygen not being your perfume’s friend?
7. Store your perfume in its original bottle.
While transferring your perfume into a fancier bottle may seem appealing, the original packaging was made with the chemical combination of the perfume in mind and the spray head is the most adequate for that perfume. Transferring your perfume into another bottle may also involve altering its chemical composition and you don’t want that.
8. Take notice of your perfume’s lifespan and keep it in mind.
Most perfumes have a three to four years lifespan but some clean fragrances could have a much shorter lifespan since they are formulated without stabilizers or extenders. It may not be necessary to toss your perfume once it’s past its lifespan but expect a degradation of the fragrance’s effectiveness. However, if the perfume starts to smell sour or metallic or acidic or it changes color or consistency, it may be best to toss it.
9. Limit your use of perfume applicators.
Applicators are wands used to apply perfumes for more precision. A disinfected reusable applicator could alter your perfume’s delicate composition; while use without disinfection could introduce bacteria and oils to the perfume.
Bonus tip: Go for long lasting perfumes. Fruity scents’ notes tend to diminish faster than scents like oud.
