With the cost of fragrances doubling in five years, it is no wonder there are so many questions regarding how to get the most from your scent purchases. I had the pleasure of speaking with CHCH Morning Live cohost Simone Gavros recently to finally answer some of the most common queries.
Question: How do you best store fragrance?
Dave: You want to keep your fragrances in a cool, dark place. The biggest threats to fragrance are heat, sunlight and oxygen. A hall closet, away from the bathroom which can have temperature swings, is the best location. You can even store them upside down in the boxes they came in. This prevents the rubber seal at the top from drying out and cracking.
Sunlight, oxygen and temperature swings are the biggest threats to fragrance
UV rays will cause the botanical ingredients to oxidize and spoil faster. (Oxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs when sensitive aromatic compounds in perfume react with oxygen in the air. It’s much like an apple that turns brown when cut.)
Never display your fragrances in direct sunlight. It can shorten the lifespan of a fragrance by 20%. That’s because UV rays speed up the chemical reactions in perfume accelerating the oxidative breakdown of the perfume.
Q: Can you store fragrance in your fridge?
Dave: Yes, you can store fragrance in the fridge. The consistent cooler temps and dark keep fragrances fresher, longer. When I visited fragrance labs in France, they stored their prototypes in the fridge
Feels good in summer to spray a cool fragrance on your skin
Q: Can you keep perfume in the freezer?
D: No, Don’t keep it in the freezer. May affect some of the botanical ingredients
Q: How long does a fragrance last?
A: Typically, they will last 12 months to 24 months once opened if they are kept in cool, dark locations.
Yes, fragrances have expiry dates. Usually it is 12 months after you open the package.
Look for a symbol of an open jar on the box. This shows how many months it will last once opened. After the 12 to 24 months, the fragrance slowly declines. It will start to smell different over time.
An opaque bottle that doesn’t allow any light in will keep a fragrance fresher, longer.
Q: How can you use empty fragrance bottles?
D: Many fragrance houses are offering refillable bottles and actual refills. You can save some money buying fragrance Refills. Guerlain was one of the first luxury fragrance brands to embrace refills. And L’Oreal has is now committed to making fragrance and beauty refills the new norm. On June 16th, World Refill Day, 18 of the company’s brands including YSL, Lancome, Prada, CeraVe and Kiehl’s participated in a refillable beauty campaign called #jointherefillmovement. The number of refillable options offered by L’Oreal brands has risen 37-fold in the past six years. This is in response from a consumer market research campaign that noted 84% of consumers want to make more sustainable choices.
You can display your bottles after the fragrance is gone. Or use them as bud vases for flowers, etc.
Q: How to you use the last drop of fragrance in a bottle?
D: Unscrew the cap and add the drop of scent to unscented body lotion in the palm of your hand. Mix and apply. You’ve just created a perfumed body lotion.
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