How long can perfume stay fresh if it's not opened? We're sure you've already thought about this. In terms of keeping perfume that has already been worn, we know that scents can last for years. What about scents that haven't been opened yet?
You can keep your perfume for decades in its original box. Your scent won't have changed when it came in touch with air, so time probably won't have any effect on it! Keep reading, and we'll tell you how to keep your perfume fresh for as long as possible.
How Long Does Perfume Last Unopened?
When people ask how long does perfume last, they usually mean how long the smell stays on the skin during the day, not how long it lasts in the bottle. It's important to know how long a perfume lasts, though, because the scent will eventually go bad and you may have to throw it away.
Most beauty items come with a small symbol on the package that tells you how long they will last. The hint that this perfume has is very helpful, though. Some perfumes can be kept for three to five years after they were made, which is good news. But this depends a lot on the chemicals that make up the smell. It's true that some high-quality perfumes lose their effectiveness after 10 years and others after only one or two years.
A perfume's shelf life is also affected by a number of things, the most important of which is how you store it. If you store cologne the right way, it can last up to 30 years. But scents go bad faster when they are exposed to things like natural and manufactured light, heat, and humidity, whether the bottle is open or not.
High temperatures and UV light break down the chemicals that make up the scent, which makes it age faster and makes it smell bad. You might not have a bad response to an expired fragrance most of the time. But keep in mind that when the chemicals in a perfume break down, they release compounds that can irritate the skin or even cause an allergic reaction in the worst cases. So, if you think your best scent is past its expiration date, you should test it first.
Keep An Unused Perfume Safe
You should still take care of your perfume, even though the package keeps it safe from outside factors that could change its smell. What is the best thing to do? Not in direct sunlight, hot weather, or damp places! The best choice possible? Your cologne should be kept somewhere cool and dry, like a cupboard, so it can wait its turn. If you want your perfume to last longer, keep it out of direct sunlight.
How To Identify An Expired Perfume?
Feeling worried that your old signature smell has run out? Here are some ways to tell if your perfume is past its expiration date.
Take a Whiff
A nose test is the best way to tell if perfume has gone bad. A lot of fragrances, especially ones with vegetable oils, start to smell bad after a while. In contrast to smells with essential oils, they end up smelling like metal or vinegar.
Changes in the smell of a perfume can also be caused by top notes going bad. If air gets into a perfume bottle, it can change the volatile scent molecules, making the perfume smell old. Luckily, most perfumes today have UV screens and stabilisers in them, which protect the molecules from oxidation. If the smell of your perfume has gone away, it's probably going bad, so get rid of it.
Look At The Shade
Try to notice any changes in the colour of your perfume before you even open it. If your perfume started out clear gold and is now a brown liquid, it's likely past its expiration date.
Also, perfumes that have a lot of alcohol in them tend to evaporate over time. That's why there may be less perfume in the bottle than you thought there was. If you notice a big change in the colour or strength of your perfume, it may be going bad.
Keep In Mind When It Expires
Finally, check the date on your cologne to see when it goes bad. Most of the time, the date is written at the bottom of the perfume bottle or box as a batch code or Period After Opening (PAO). You can also use the bar code or catalogue number to find out when the perfume goes bad.
- PAO Number: This is usually shown on the perfume bottle as an open jar with a number on it. With that number, you can use your opened perfume for a certain number of months before it goes bad. The number is generally between 30 and 36 months, which is about 2.5 years of use. You can start looking to see if the scent has gone bad after the time period is over.
- Batch Code: This is a list of codes that tell you where a smell was made. Quality checking is often done with these codes by manufacturers. For example, if a bad batch gets out to the market, the numbers can help them figure out which batch it is. Most batch codes are made up of 12 numbers, but some also have letters.
Besides that, check the ingredients in your favourite perfume. Because they are so volatile, lemon and flower-based scents tend to not last as long. Oriental, oud, and woods smells, on the other hand, tend to last a long time. The same goes for fragrances that are made from natural materials.
If you're still not sure if your perfume has gone bad, ask a friend or someone who knows a lot about perfume.
FAQs
How can I ensure my perfume lasts longer?
There are many layers to every scent. For example, the fresh top notes of bergamot lead to an enticing base note of musk, or the heart notes of rosemary and sage are wrapped in a cocoon of frankincense and mandarin. The balance of this delicate makeup can change as a perfume gets close to its expiration date, which can change the way it smells.
How long does Perfume last once opened?
Perfumes can last anywhere from three to five years after they are opened, but it is best to use them within two to three years. This, however, depends on a number of things, including how the perfume is stored and how its ingredients are put together.
Can I use 10 year old perfume?
If the perfume has passed its expiration date, using it could cause a bad smell, skin irritation, or even an allergic reaction in the worst cases. It might be best to test the perfume before you use it if it's more than two years old.
How To Tell If a Perfume Is Fake?
Check the list of ingredients, bar code or batch number. If you cannot find it or it is incomplete, it is a fake perfume. Normally, the bottle of a fake perfume is not well finished. You will probably see the joints in the glass to seal it and the cannula will be more visible and wider than that of a real perfume.
Final Thought
That being said, all perfumes go bad after a while. But their expiration dates are different because the chemicals and ingredients in them are different. How perfumes are stored is also a big part of how long they last, both when they are open and when they are not. Fragrances can last for years if they are kept properly. That's why you should keep your perfumes in a room out of the sun, heat, and humidity.
