Our sense of smell is a big part of our lives, and it’s deeply tied to memory. It can create a sense of nostalgia and conjure emotions, even going as far as being able to change our moods entirely. And who doesn’t want to smell lovely? (Especially if your signature scent means you’ll be living in everyone’s head rent-free every time they smell it.)
But in order to keep your fragrances fresh for as long as possible, there are some things you might want to avoid doing. These tips will help you correctly store your perfumes, extending their shelf life and ensuring they don’t lose potency.
Keep them packaged until the first use
We understand the temptation of buying or receiving a new bottle of perfume and wanting to spritz some of it on to try out the scent, but you should probably wait until you’re actually ready to use it. Perfume boxes are designed to keep light and air out, so your product will stay pristine until it’s opened. The moment you spray it, though, the scent will start to dilute and become oxidized over time.
Store fragrance in a cool, dry place
Exposure to heat, light, and humidity can cause fragrances to break down, especially if there is a frequent temperature variation. For that reason, bathrooms are probably the worst place you can keep your perfumes, even if it might make sense from a day-to-day getting-ready perspective.
Instead, try storing them in a drawer or cabinet, away from heat vents, windows, and the shower. The ideal temperature for fragrance is below 71 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you’re feeling a little extra, you might want to keep them refrigerated to prolong the scent–but it’s not necessary.
Avoid shaking the bottles
Many people make the mistake of shaking their perfumes before using them, believing that it will mix the ingredients and make the scent more potent. The opposite is true here, however, as agitating a fragrance introduces air bubbles, and can cause the delicate molecules to break down. On a similar note, if you want to keep the scent from changing when applied, opt for letting it air dry instead of rubbing it in.
Check your product’s lifespan
All perfumes have an expiration date, and a general shelf life after opening that can be checked on checkfresh.com–typically three to four years after opening. That being said, you don’t need to throw the whole thing out the moment it reaches one of those markers.
Instead, observe: is the liquid discolorated, cloudy, or oily? Does it smell sour, acidic, or metallic? Are you experiencing a rash or allergic reaction when applying? These are all signs that your perfume has turned, and it’s time to get rid of it. But if all you’re experiencing is a fainter smell, you’ll probably be fine if you want to keep wearing it past its peak freshness.
Layering for longer wear
As a bonus tip, if you want your perfume to last longer when you wear it, apply it after lotion. Not only does moisturized skin lock in the scent more easily, but layering it on top of another product with a similar smell will help boost the fragrance. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our Being Frenshe Glow On Perfume Oil and Being Frenshe Milky Body Lotion, which layer beautifully.