Can Perfume Go Off?

Can Perfume Go Off?

 

Can perfume go off? Yes, your perfume can expire or go off as it is often called. There are several factors at play. Cheaper perfumes can often expire sooner. Expensive brands tend to last longer and may not expire for a long time. When stored correctly, the most premium, top brands last even up to 10 years.

 

Don’t worry, you don’t have to buy million-dollar when you want your perfume to stand the test of time. It is better to buy top brands including Givenchy, Chanel, Hermes and Dior. I have a bottle of Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil which was a Valentine's Day gift in 2004. It still smells wonderful. Thank you, darling, if you are reading this.

 

Let’s find out more about how you should look after your perfumes.

 

How Long Should My Perfume Last?

 

Most brand perfumes have a shelf life of three to five years. In general, the more you pay for your perfume, the longer it can last.

 

Why do top perfume brands last longer? One of the reasons top perfumes are more expensive is because they contain a higher concentration of essential oils.

 

Cheaper perfumes, especially perfumes branded by high street stores including Boots and Superdrug, contain a lower concentration of essential oils. They contain more water and alcohol to make up the volume in the bottle.

 

If you have ever bought anything from a high street store’s ‘own brand’ fragrance range, you may have found that you have to use more to get the desired effect. The same thing goes for their body lotions. You have to use more to get the benefits.

 

How Do I Know if My Perfume Has Gone Off?

 

It is not always easy to tell if your perfume has gone off.

The first thing you should do is to look at the colour. Has the colour changed?

 

The colour of your perfume depends on what essential oils are in the perfume. A perfume may change colour to darker or lighter depending on what essential oils make up its notes.

 

Lavender based fragrances often go darker and jasmine based scents go lighter. All essential oils contain antioxidants.

 

Antioxidants are plant extracts that are chemicals known as polyphenols. Polyphenols are represented by different colours. When they start to disintegrate or oxidise, their chemical structure changes. This is what is behind the colour of your perfume.

 

If your perfume has changed colour, it smells different. Changes in smell range from sour notes to what I like to call autumn notes. If you go for a walk in the autumn, you can often smell a slightly musky dark scent maybe even a moldy smell. Cheaper perfumes that contain a greater quantity of water can go moldy.

 

Is My Perfume Dangerous to Use?

 

Your perfume is probably safe to use. What you need to be aware of is that your perfume is now unbalanced. One essential oil may be more concentrated than another. If you are sensitive to certain plant-based chemicals or other components in perfume, a perfume that has gone off can cause skin irritations. It is important to be aware of that.

 

Most of the time, provided you use your perfume sensibly, it does not happen. If you don’t want to use the scent on your person, there are many other ways to use perfumes that have “gone off.” The way you can use your perfume depends on how it smells.

 

Storing Your Perfume

 

Just as you use your make-up, it is important to use your perfume. What can make a real difference in how long your perfume lasts is the way you store it.

 

As mentioned, I have a perfume that still smells original after almost 20 years. That is very rare. The best idea is to use your perfumes regularly.

 

Storing Your Perfume at the Right Temperature

 

Essential oils are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature. If they become too hot or too cold, their chemical structures change.

 

When you want to make sure your perfume lasts for longer, you should store it at an ambient temperature. What does that mean?

 

Ambient temperature indicates room temperature. In a perfect world, you should store your perfume at a temperature of around 20 Celcius. The reason for that is simple. The essential oils in perfumes are sensitive to changes in temperature. They don’t like it too hot or too cold.

 

Many ladies say that storing their perfumes in a refrigerator helps. Cooler temperature damages essential oils. When you want your perfume to last longer, never put it in the fridge.

 

Can I Keep My Perfume on My Dressing Table?

 

That depends on where in your bedroom your dressing table is located. If it is in a sunny spot, your perfume is going to heat up and be affected by the sunlight very quickly.

 

If affected by light, it is unlikely your perfume will last for long. The best place to store your perfume is in a cupboard or bathroom cabinet where the temperature remains ambient and sunlight does not interfere with its ingredients.

 

Most men store their fragrances and aftershaves in the bathroom cabinet. As all ladies know, most men hang onto their after-shaves for long a long time. Even if they have had them for 5 - 10 years, their fragrance may not have changed.

 

Don’t do what my husband does which is to forget he has a certain aftershave. But storing your perfumes away from light and temperature changes is the right thing to do.

 

I often keep the original box and store my perfume in the box in the bathroom cupboard.

 

How Should I Store My Perfume When Out and About?

 

Most ladies like to put their perfume or favourite scent in their handbag. We seldom think about the way we store our perfume once it is in our bags.

 

Perfume bottles for handbag use are often smaller. This means the longevity of the scent is perhaps less critical. But, why should you not look after your perfume after having paid for it?

 

If you do like to keep a smaller bottle of perfume in your bag, you should do your best to look after it.

 

The interior of designer bags such as Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton and Armani often consist of separate compartments. If you have a zipped-up compartment where you can store your perfume, you should keep it in there.

 

When you don’t have a dedicated pocket or compartment for storing your perfume, it is best to keep it in a small leak-proof toilet bag. Make sure the bag is slightly padded so the bottle does not get damaged. We all know we like to keep a lot of stuff in our bags.

 

Keeping your perfume separate from what else you have in your bag should ensure the perfume stays fresh for longer. After all, you would not dream of just throwing your makeup and other cosmetics into your handbag. You keep that in a toilet bag, right? In that case, why not keep your perfume separate as well? You probably paid more for your perfume than you did for your mascara, lipstick and foundation put together.

 

I always keep my perfume in a separate toilet bag and never had any problems with the bottle leaking or damaging my bag.

 

Does Perfume Age Naturally?

 

Yes, perfume does age naturally. How your perfume ages depend on what it contains.

 

Is there a rule of thumb? In general, the more essential oils a perfume contains, the better it ages naturally. High-end perfume brands are often richer in essential oils.

 

In other words, it is better to pay a bit more for your perfume and body lotion.

 

The fragrance of a quality perfume often increases over time. If your perfume contains a lot of water and alcohol, it is likely to age less well.

 

How Do I Know If My Perfume Is Aging Well?

 

Providing you have purchased a quality perfume and you are looking after it correctly, it should age well.

 

There are some signs that you should look out for excess condensation in the bottle and a change of colour. If you notice small water droplets forming inside the bottle, it means the perfume is beginning to break down and change it chemical structure.

 

When the colour starts changing, you often notice that the perfume starts to smell differently.

 

Always remember that the more essential oils your fragrance contains, the better it ages naturally.

 

What Are the Best Essential Oils?

 

There are essential oils which increase the shelf life of your perfume more than others.

 

If you would like to buy a long-lasting perfume, you should look out for the following notes:

 

●     Citrus

●     Frankincense

●     Neroli

●     Sandalwood

●     Patchouli

●     Vetiver

●     Lavender

 

Most women’s and men’s fragrances contain at least one or two of them. They are plants which can also be used as medical herbs. All of them are rich in polyphenols which add to their longevity.

 

Should I Throw Away My Perfume If It Has Gone Off?

 

Reviving a perfume to its original glory is challenging. But, that does mean you should throw it away when it is past its best.

 

I recently opened a bottle of Elizabeth Arden Green Tea that I had for about 7 years. When I compared the fragrance to the original fragrance in a shop, I thought it smelt slightly different.

 

Even though it had been in its original packaging, it was clear that the perfume had seen better days.

 

It would have been easy for me to stick the perfume in a bin. But, keeping in mind we should all rethink, reuse and recycle more, I thought about what else I could do with it instead.

 

After I had taken the top off, I decanted the perfume into a glass atomizer. I added sweet almond essential oil to blend the remaining essential oils. I left it in a cupboard for a week and tested it. When I took it out again, it smelt nice.

 

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea is a refreshing smell. Despite the original being 7 years old, I could still pick up the core notes. But, I decided it was best for me not to wear it.

 

Instead of using it for personal use, I sprayed it on wrapping paper which I turned into scented drawer sheets for my linen cupboard.

 

Three months later, my linen cupboard still smells nice and fresh.

 

I also used the remaining perfume in my essential oil burner. That worked as well.

 

Once you have a perfume which has gone off, there is absolutely no need to throw it away and waste it.

Sweet almond oil is neutral which means it works well together with other oils and essences. It is not expensive to buy.

 

If you do notice that a perfume has gone off, try to think of ways in which you can use it.

 

Things You Should Not Do

 

As old perfume can stain, you should not spray it on clothes or fabrics you don’t want to ruin. Also, you should not use it on pet bedding either. Pets often have allergic reactions to perfumes. If you are unlucky, you can end up with expensive vet bills and a poorly pup.

 

It is also best not to add your old perfume to body lotions or bath water. Nor should you add it to homemade kitchen cleaning products or shop-bought kitchen cleaning materials.

 

Adding old perfume to cleaning products for the floor and especially the bathroom is fine. You may even want to consider using it as a bathroom spray.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Look after your perfume and it should last. There are probably some perfumes you don’t use every day. Some scents like Opium and Poison are better for date nights or special occasions. As they may cost more than your daytime perfume, you should take extra special care of them. Storing them in their original boxes is a great idea.