9 perfume storing habits that are ruining your expensive fragrances

Perfumes are finicky. Like a delicate flower, your precious fragrances need the right environment to retain their sweet-smelling allure. There is a long list of things perfumes hate, but among them, moisture, heat, and air are at the top of the list. 

Expose them to any of these harmful elements and they’ll quickly lose their luster, become discolored, expire faster, or take on a horrible scent. The best way to keep perfumes fresh is to stash them in the right place. Here are 9 perfume storing habits that are ruining your expensive fragrances. 

 1. Not being mindful of your first spritz

Like canned food, perfumes can last a long time until they’re opened. Your first spritz introduces oxygen to the scent, causing them to dilute and become oxidized over time. Most fragrances can last up to two years after you first spray them, so be mindful of your first spritz. 

See Related: Don't make these summer perfume application mistakes

2. Storing them where light is

Light, whether natural or man-made, can alter your fragrance’s chemical makeup and ruin its scent composition. Make sure to store them in a dark place instead of making them a centerpiece on your dresser. 

3. Exposing them to moisture

Similar to light and air, water can also destroy your valuable fragrances. Humidity drastically affects your perfume’s make-up and can start an unwanted chemical reaction (this makes bathrooms a big no-no when storing your perfumes). If you live in a humid area, consider getting a dehumidifier and storing your perfumes in the same room. 

4. Chucking away the original box

Can’t think of where to store your perfumes? Keep them in the box they came with. Perfume boxes are masterfully crafted to safeguard their contents and keep them away from light, so don’t chuck the packaging just yet.  

See Related: 4 brilliantly creative ways to recycle your perfume bottles

5. Storing them in elevated places

This is common sense, but many perfume owners have fallen victim to breaking their perfumes when reaching high-level shelves. When storing your perfume, aim for the lower shelves for good measure. 

6. Not keeping the cap on

The perfume bottle cap does wonders for retaining a fragrance’s essence over time. Just a couple of hours with the cap off can ruin a scent’s chemical composition and catalyze its evaporation. 

7. Shaking them

Why do people even shake their perfume bottles? This habit is completely unnecessary and does nothing to improve your perfume’s scent. Shaking hastens the perfume’s oxidation process, causing unwanted air bubbles to form. 

Do note that perfumes are crafted with delicate chemical bonds that can be broken easily with agitation. 

See Related: Eau de what?: A fragrance newbie's guide to perfume concentrations

8. Not being mindful of temperature

Perfumes love cool and dry places, so make sure they’re kept in the right place that’s neither hot nor cold. If possible, keep fragrances housed between 12 and 22 degrees Celsius. 

9. Not knowing when they’ve gone bad

There are a few tell-tale signs to watch out for to distinguish a perfume that has gone bad. Expired fragrances are usually discolored, more oily, cloudy, and give off a diluted scent. 

Related Resources: 

• Choosing a gift? Here are 6 reasons why perfumes are the best choice
• Move over his and hers, genderless scents are on the rise
• Why smelling good plays a big factor on your personal branding game