Like any beauty product, even the best ones perfumes have an expiration date . Although the life of each fragrance is already really long, even more so if made with high quality raw materials, after 36 months from opening the product begins to degrade. In fact, although very slowly, the essential oils and organic components contained in perfumes are subject to deterioration. Let's find out together with Three Pi Perfumery , the online perfumery which offers a wide range of men's and women's perfumes, how to deal with the expiration of a perfume, how to recognize an expired perfume and how to preserve a fragrance so that it lasts as long as possible.
The color of the perfume changes: is it expired?
Many people believe that the first symptom of a perfume approaching its expiration date is the change in color of the liquid. This is wrong: in fact, the deterioration of organic substances, essential oils and natural components does not go hand in hand with the change in color of the perfume.
After the very first opening of the bottle, the liquid inside tends to darken over the months because its components mature little by little. This does not diminish the quality of the perfume and does not mean that it is expired . This is why evaluating whether an Eau de Parfum is expired just because its color changes is an incorrect parameter and definitely not recommended.
How to recognize an expired perfume?
If the change in color does not indicate an imminent expiration, what are the signs that warn us to replace the perfume with a new one?
Expert perfumers agree that a perfume expires when you start to notice a partial acidity in its tones , which was previously non-existent. In fact, if a fragrance acidifies it means that its components have reached and passed the mature stage and are degrading irreversibly.
An acid perfume is a product that has lost its quality , and this is shown by some characteristics of the perfume itself. For example, it is typical of a perfume that has gone bad to be unable to easily distinguish the top, heart and base notes. Furthermore, these prove to be no longer persistent, that is, they do not remain fixed on the skin as long as they did at the beginning of the perfume's life. If the raw materials of a fragrance reach their limit of time, the perfume becomes much less pleasant to smell and its effect on our skin fades quickly.
How to store a perfume?
If the expiration of a precious Eau de Parfum is a sad and unpleasant moment, there is good news: it is possible to extend the life of a perfume!
In fact, there are some tips and tricks that can be used to prolong the duration of a fragrance: let's find out together what they are.
- First of all, the first necessary precaution is to keep the perfume bottles away from light sources . Light, in fact, is the element that most of all degrades the organic components present in the essence, ruining the essential oils and notes. Although it is pleasant to keep perfumes in plain sight, to ensure that their expiration does not arrive prematurely it is important to keep them hidden from light, for example inside a drawer or a wardrobe, possibly in the original packaging of the perfume itself. By avoiding contact with light the perfume will not suffer and can extend its life by several months.
- Many people do not know that a perfume, even a high quality one, should never be exposed to heat sources and temperature changes. Heat sources accelerate the degradation of the raw materials contained in the perfume. It is essential to never expose a bottle of perfume to sunlight, but not only that: the bathroom is also not the ideal place to store them, since in that room temperature changes are frequent. Above 30 degrees, fragrances can be ruined even irreversibly, and expire prematurely.
- Finally, a practical piece of advice is to do not use too many fragrances at the same time : owning 5 or 10 perfumes at the same time increases the risk that they will not be fully exploited before their expiration. A quality perfume, if stored wisely, can last even several years without losing its olfactory notes.
