Shelf Life Of Your Fragrance

Perfume bottles are meant to be pretty, some might even call them decorative statements. I've had a few of mine since New Kids On The Block days... no joke.

So, you can imagine my surprise when this little piece of wisdom came jumping out at me from my inbox....

From Carlos Ugalde, Founder of Sasha Varon Luxe Parfums,  a guide to the shelf life of your fragrances:

Most fragrances have a shelf life of 2 years but can be extended up to 5 years if kept out of the light and in a cool place.

Many factors go into this....One factor is the oil to diluents (alcohol and other ingredients other than fragrance /essential oils) ratio.

The more alcohol, the less concentrated and pronounced the fragrance is but the shelf life is longer.

Many people ask if refrigeration can prolong fragrance shelf life and the camps are definitely split.

Here are two views:
1: From thegloss.com : "Keep essential oil perfumes in the refrigerator to slow oxidization (but this depends on the carrier – oil or wax-based scents can go bad faster than alcohol based ones)."

2: The Fragrance Foundation: This is the premier resource for expert fragrance information. Here is what they have to say: "It's important that you keep your fragrance protected against extreme cold or heat. Only colognes and toilet waters should be stored in the refrigerator. Perfumes should not be exposed to extreme cold or heat because either may upset their delicate balance. Notes can be affected by extreme temperatures."

So, if not the refrigerator, where should you store your fragrances?

Do store fragrances in cool, dry spaces away from sunlight:
*Cupboards
*Dresser drawers
*Dark closets

Don't store fragrances in:
*Bathrooms (generally moist and warm)
*Windowsills
*Direct sunlight



Interesting to learn that perfume is only good for 2 years, 5 at the most! I prefer oils to perfume anyway.

Personally, I generally go by the sniffing policy. If it smells good, I'll wear it. And for the really gorgeous bottles, well, they can last a life time -- as decoration, of course.