How to Store Perfume Properly (So It Lasts Longer and Smells Amazing)
Ways To Store Perfume Properly To Improve Longevity And Smell
We all want to carry our most favorite perfume for a long time—on skin and in the bottle as well. But perfumes, if not kept properly, may lose their longevity, sillage, and mesmerization. So, how should we keep them to retain their intensities and elegance? Though the answer is quite simple—hide it in some dark place where light and humidity can’t track down your gem in a perfume bottle. Why am I saying this? Because if you've had your perfume stored in the bathroom or on a sunny shelf, its composition changes. Heat, humidity, light, and even air can play tricks on your fragrance in the long run by oxidizing it.
A pro tip is to store your newly bought perfume in its packaging or in the catacombs of a closet. This keeps your perfume concentrated, flavorful, and nice-smelling as it did in the first place. Don't panic—here are some simple and easy ways to store perfume properly to keep the scent smelling amazing for years!
Where Not to Keep Perfumes?
Perfumes must not be stored in your bath vanity, where mostly our grandparents keep them. As it's humid inside the bathroom, sensitive ingredients inside the perfume may oxidize, like citrus, floral, alcohol, etc. This process kills the natural essence of your delicate perfume.
Ways to Store Perfumes
If perfumes are not to be placed in the bath, then should I place them on my dressing table or room shelf? Buddy, perfumes are meant for smelling cool, not to enhance the ambience of a room. Let me open up here.
1. Don’t open the bottle until you’re ready to use it
Perfume doesn’t start aging until it meets oxygen. So if you’ve bought a new fragrance, resist the urge to “just smell it” until you’re ready to start wearing it. Once opened, the clock starts ticking.
2. Keep it Away from light
As pretty as those perfume bottles are on your vanity, sunlight is among the quickest methods of degrading the ingredients inside. Light—particularly UV light—can alter the chemical bonds. This allows the molecules to lose their intensity and escape into the air quickly. You’ll see a clear change in the hue of your perfume.
Best action: Store it in a dark drawer, box, or closet.
Spoiler Alert: A dark or cool place doesn’t mean your refrigerator.
3. Avoid the bathroom
It's easy (and handy) to keep your perfume in the bathroom, but it's also the most horrible place. The shower heat and humidity will destroy your scent much more quickly. Opt for a dry, cool location instead.
4. Use the original box
Those small cardboard boxes your scent is packaged in? They are actually made to shield it from light and heat fluctuations. In case you don't have room to show it off, placing it in the box is among the simplest things to do so that it remains fresher longer.
Also Read: How Long Does a Perfume Last?
5. Place bottles on a lower shelf
Perfume bottles break easily. Keep them on a high shelf, and one careless bump could result in a broken bottle and a department-store-scented room. Store them low—just in case.
6. Always replace the cap
Don't take the cap off after spraying your perfume. Oxygen exposure leads to oxidation, and that can dissolve the fragrance. Even a short few hours off-cap can ultimately be detrimental.
7. Don't shake your perfume
Shaking won't "awaken" the scent -it'll actually introduce infinitesimal air bubbles that can hasten the loss of the aroma. Leave your perfume peaceful and undisturbed.
8. Store it in the original container
Yes, the old-fashioned glass atomizers are adorable, but pouring perfume from one bottle to another allows air in and spoils the formula. Use the original bottle and spray top for optimal performance.
9. Pack smaller bottles
If you're going on a trip, don't take the big bottle. Not only might you damage or spill it, but opening it usually just hastens how quickly it spoils. Pick up a travel-sized or refillable atomizer.
10. Maintain the temperature constant
Perfume prefers regularity. Do not keep it in a spot that becomes extremely hot or cold (such as near windows, heaters, or AC vents). 60°F (15°C) is an ideal temperature.
11. Keep an eye on color shifts
Not everything that changes is bad news. Some natural perfumes discolor with time without losing fragrance. But if a synthetic perfume begins to alter color, become oily, or have an odd odor, it is probably time to say goodbye.
12. Double-up for extra protection
You want to double down on precautions? Keep your perfume in its original packaging and put it in a sealed bag or container—best if opaque so that it cannot get any light. This works particularly well with pricey or hard-to-find perfumes.
Also Read: Eternal Perfume: Answering Your Essential Fragrance Questions
13. Be cautious when shipping perfume
If you’re mailing a bottle, use bubble wrap and a padded box, and keep it upright. Glass bottles break easily, and leaks can ruin everything inside the package.
14. Choose long-lasting scents
Even with perfect storage, some perfumes naturally last longer than others. Richer scents with notes like amber, patchouli, or sandalwood tend to be more stable. Light, citrusy, or floral perfumes often fade faster.
15. What about the fridge?
Storing perfume in the refrigerator is a topic of debate. For most perfumes, the cold will mess up the delicate chemistry. But eau de toilette or cologne—particularly those with a higher alcohol content—can generally survive the cold. Just don't store perfume in the freezer or near the cooling vent of the refrigerator.
Final Thoughts
Perfumes are picky about how they are made and kept. Your favorite fragrance can last longer and smell better, and you won't waste a drop if you give it a little TLC. Don't hesitate to treat your signature scent like the luxury that it is.
Try to handle it the way we recommend: remember a dark and cool place, avoid heat and humidity, and lastly, avoid interaction with air; it may evaporate. You will get every spritz to the very end if you use it sensibly and store it carefully.