The shelf life is for any product, only its duration differs. And now we are talking not only about food, but also about cosmetics. Everyone knows that powder and eyeshadow are not stored for more than a year or 24 months. But is there a shelf life for perfumery, which is made on an alcohol basis? After all, it would seem that such products will not spoil soon. But it turns out that perfumes also have a shelf life, and it will decrease or increase depending on improper or correct storage. How is it necessary to properly store perfumery so that it lasts longer and does not lose its authentic scent?

To begin with - about the shelf life of perfume

Many ladies are sincerely perplexed, why throw away perfumes that have not yet been used by a third, even if they were purchased several years ago ?! And our mothers and even grandmothers can still boast of rare perfumes, whose "age" is a couple of decades! Indeed, the perfume did not change its smell, so why dispose of the "good", for which, most likely, you gave a round sum? ..

As a rule, perfume brands indicate the shelf life on the bottles, which ranges from 3 to 5-6 years. But it is possible to use perfumes, even not necessarily a luxury or niche brand, but also of a mass market class, even after this expiration date. Why then indicate a time limit? It's simple: brands thereby insure against claims from customers who can store perfumes incorrectly, thereby “destroying” or distorting their fragrance.

Why doesn't perfume spoil?

The whole point, first of all, in alcohol, which is the basis of perfume. As a rule, its content in the composition of a perfume is very high. Namely, alcohol is an excellent preservative. And if alcohol at 40 degrees can stand without spoiling for years, then wine, for example, has a clearly marked shelf life. And even the wine that has been in the cellars for decades and is valued precisely for its "age" and maturity must be stored under the strictest conditions of observing light and temperature conditions and humidity conditions.

It's the same with spirits. It is believed that before perfumery was of much better quality, the smells are more intense, the weathering time is longer. Therefore, vintage perfumes will also be sold at the price of expensive collection wines, or even more. But the bottom line is that these fragrances must be stored in strict compliance with all the rules. It is easy to distinguish "spoiled" perfumes: a sediment appears at the bottom, the smell gives off rancid oil or a distinct alcoholic aroma without a pronounced perfume composition, light top notes (usually fresh citrus, herbal or "sea") disappear.

So how do you store perfumes in order to use them much longer than the recommended shelf life of about 3 years indicated on the packaging? There are several important nuances, and we will talk about them below.

Tip # 1: Observe the light regime

Many perfume brands place great emphasis on the design of their perfume bottles. Therefore, it is not surprising that you want to decorate your dressing table with such works of art. But perfumers strongly advise against doing this! After all, no matter how beautifully the sunny color plays on the faceting of perfume bottles, namely UV rays trigger irreversible chemical reactions in the composition of the liquid.

These reactions lead to a strong distortion of the perfume composition, which is so carefully created and selected. Therefore, it is worth keeping perfume in a dark closet, away from the sun, and from any other light. Don't throw away your perfume box either, especially if you have too many or don't use perfume every day.It will additionally protect the perfume from light.

Tip number 2: observe the temperature regime

Many perfume lovers on forums and on their blogs constantly argue about the temperature at which perfume should be stored. They agree on one thing: do not store perfumes in warm places, near heaters, sources of heat and light. But there are also controversies about the fact that perfume can / cannot be put in the refrigerator. So is it possible?

It turns out that spirits cannot stand either heat or extreme cold. The storage area should be cool, but certainly not less than 10 degrees Celsius, as is usually the case in the refrigerator. They do not like perfumes and sudden changes in temperature, so you should not constantly transfer them from place to place. Determine a place for them, for example, in a dark closet in your bedroom: there are almost no temperature changes during the day.

Tip # 3: maintain the correct humidity regime

As we said above, perfumes do not like warm air and high temperatures. For the same reason, a room with high humidity is not suitable for their "residence" either. But many make a common mistake and keep perfumes in the bathroom, because it is most convenient to use them there after taking a shower.

This mistake should not be repeated: the air in the bathroom is warm, and the temperature drops are strong, and the air is literally filled with moisture. The glass bottle of perfume will fog up when heated, and then cool sharply. And this cannot negatively affect the quality of the aroma and its persistence.

Tip # 4: Close the bottle carefully every time after use

The perfume composition can also be strongly distorted from the effect of air on the liquid inside. And when exposed to air, alcohol quickly evaporates, the percentage of which is quite high and volatile. Namely, alcohol helps to reliably maintain the quality and durability of the aroma.

Therefore, it is worth very carefully closing the bottles, twisting them as tightly as possible. For this reason, you should not throw out the same perfume box - it will additionally delay the abundant flow of air to the bottle. And it is best to choose bottles with an atomizer (spray): it is securely soldered to the neck of the bottle and will not allow air to penetrate in any way.

Tip # 5: try not to shake the perfume bottle often

And finally: constant shaking of the bottle also leads to the weathering of alcohol and changes in the aroma and persistence of the perfume. The perfume is created in such a way that the contents of the bottle "behave" best at rest. The liquid, due to its high alcohol content, is very homogeneous in itself and does not require, moreover, does not tolerate constant shaking.



Therefore, you should not store perfume in drawers of a dresser or wardrobe. Choose a place for them on the shelf of the cabinet with the opening door. And if you are used to keeping your favorite scent with you at all times, and carry perfume in your bag, choose pocket mini-versions of 10-20 milliliters or 5 milliliter perfume samples with a spray bottle.