How to store perfume

The four enemies of perfume

A fragrance is made of dozens to hundreds of aroma materials dissolved in alcohol. Four things break them down.

Light

Sunlight, and UV light in particular, does the most damage. It sets off chemical reactions that make a scent flatter or sharper. A clear bottle on a windowsill therefore changes faster than one in a dark drawer.

Heat

The warmer it is, the faster those reactions run. Normal room temperature is fine. A spot next to the radiator, above the oven or in the sun is not.

Temperature swings

Warm one moment and cool the next, every day, is worse than a steady, slightly higher temperature. The liquid expands and contracts, and each time a little more air reaches the scent.

Oxygen

Air works slowly but surely. Every time you spray, a little air gets into the bottle. A nearly empty bottle holds a lot of air and changes faster than a full one.

Where to keep perfume

The best place is a boring one: a cupboard, drawer or shelf in your bedroom or hallway, out of the sun and away from the radiator. Feel free to keep the bottle in its original box. It blocks light and was made to protect the bottle.

Why the bathroom is a poor spot

A bathroom gets warm and humid as soon as you shower, then cools down again. That happens every day, sometimes twice. Those swings are exactly what harms a fragrance. The bottle you are wearing this week can stand there. Your whole collection is better off elsewhere.

What about the fridge?

You don't need it. A cool, dark cupboard is enough. If you want to use one anyway, pick a separate, stable spot, such as a small beauty fridge or the back of a fridge you rarely open. Not the door: it opens and closes all day, which brings back the swings.

Places at home compared

How long does perfume last?

There is no fixed expiry date. Stored well, an unopened bottle often stays good for several years, and an opened one can too, especially if it is kept dark and cool.

On the box or bottle you will often see a small open-jar symbol with a number, such as "24M" or "36M". That is the "period after opening": the number of months the manufacturer says the product stays good once opened. Treat it as a guide, not a hard limit.

Not every scent changes at the same pace. Fresh scents with a lot of citrus in the top notes, such as Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette or Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum, tend to change sooner than warm scents built on amber, resins and woods, such as Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum or Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum. That is a tendency, not a rule. Read more about both groups under fresh scents and amber scents.

Signs a perfume has turned

• The first spray smells sharp, sour or slightly like vinegar.
• The fresh opening has gone and you only smell the base straight away.
• The scent has become flat or "metallic".
• The colour is clearly darker than before.

A note on that last one: some fragrances darken naturally, for example because of vanilla or certain natural materials, without smelling any worse. So always smell, don't just look. A changed scent is usually not harmful, just less beautiful.

Spray, splash, refill: the bottle matters

Spray or splash

A spray bottle is mostly sealed. With a splash bottle, where you take off the cap and dab the scent on your skin, much more air gets in each time, and often your fingers too. A splash therefore tends to change faster.

Refillable bottles and refills

More and more brands make refillable bottles with separate refills. You buy the nice bottle once and top it up afterwards. Examples are the Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum refill, the Armani My Way Eau de Parfum refill, the Armani Acqua di Giò Eau de Parfum refill and the Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau de Parfum refill. Refill with a clean funnel or the brand's own system, and store the refill just like the bottle.

On the move: decanting, flying and the car

Decanting into a travel atomiser

If you would rather not take your big bottle, decant a little into a travel atomiser. Choose a glass one with a tight spray, clean it before you fill it and label it with the scent's name. Only fill what you will use in the next few weeks: a half-empty atomiser holds a lot of air. Some brands sell small refillable sprays themselves, such as the Bleu de Chanel Twist and Spray Eau de Parfum and the Chanel N°5 Twist and Spray Eau de Toilette. A Dior Sauvage Deluxe Miniature Eau de Parfum or a travel bottle like Armani Acqua di Giò Eau de Parfum Travel is handy too. There is more on minis and testers in testers, minis and gift sets.

In hand luggage

At many airports, liquids in hand luggage are limited to 100 ml per container, in a clear bag. The rule is usually about the size of the bottle, not how much is left in it. Always check your airport's rules, as they differ and change. A big bottle is safer in checked luggage, wrapped well between clothes.

The car in summer

A car in the sun gets very hot very quickly. Don't leave perfume there, not even in the glovebox. Take it inside with you.

Buy a size you will finish

The best storage tip is not to let a bottle sit for years. If you only wear a scent now and then, a 30 or 50 ml bottle is often wiser than 100 ml, even though a large bottle is usually cheaper per 100 ml.

Classics often come in several sizes. Look at Chanel N°5 Eau de Parfum, Hermès Terre d'Hermès Eau de Toilette, Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum or Light Blue, for example. On Eaulie you will be able to compare sizes per 100 ml, so you can see what a smaller bottle really costs you. A gift set with a small bottle or mini can also be a smart way to get to know a scent.

Concentration plays a part too. You often use an eau de parfum or parfum more sparingly than an eau de toilette or eau de cologne, so such a bottle lasts longer. The difference is explained in EDT or EDP.

Common mistakes

• Keeping your collection in the bathroom. It looks nice on the shelf, but it is warm, humid and changeable.
• A bottle on the windowsill or a sunny desk. Light is the biggest enemy.
• Losing the cap or leaving it off. Air gets in every time, and dust and dirt too.
• Keeping a nearly empty bottle for years. Lots of air, so faster change.
• Buying big bottles of a scent you rarely wear. Smaller is often smarter.
• Judging by colour alone. Always smell, because some scents darken naturally.

Want it to last longer on your skin too? Read how to make perfume last longer.