Nothing is forever, and sadly, perfumes are included in this. If you have ever questioned whether or not perfumes have a shelf life, the answer is yes, they do. Since we are aware this is a scent query that not many are fully aware of, we are going to delve a little deeper into the subject and give you a series of tips to extend its useful life.
WHY DO THE PERFUMES EXPIRE?
Although a quality perfume can last for years, (the norm is that it is good for one to three years), it is not a product that remains completely unaltered over time since its components are affected by temperature and the conditions it is exposed to.
Changes in temperature, light, humidity and excess oxygen can cause a fragrance to oxidise and even evaporate and well as a fragrance losing its initial intensity. Heat and light are the two factors that affect them the most.
HOW DO I KNOW IF A PERFUME HAS EXPIRED?
Discovering if a fragrance has expired it quite simple.
One of the easiest ways to find out is by looking at the colour of a perfume. If it has darkened considerably and takes on a hue similar to rum, it is quite likely that it has oxidised and the perfume has therefore, expired.
If you can't see its colour very well because its hue was already dark or because the bottle is opaque, don't worry, the scent should tell you what you need to know. An out of date perfume is easy to identify, since the fragrance loses its smell, its scent is much less intense and can even smell of alcohol; meaning that much of the composition of the fragrance has evaporated.
TIPS TO MAKE PERFUMES LAST LONGER
If you are a fan of perfumes, (like us), and you have a lot of them on your dresser, don't worry, here are the best infallible tips to make your favourite fragrances last much longer.
Although fragrances do expire, if you keep the bottle in these conditions, you can extend the "best by" date and life of a perfume so it can last for years in perfect condition with its same delicious smell.
KEEP OUT OF LIGHT
One of the factors that spoil fragrances most is direct sunlight since this can break down some molecules within it accelerating oxidation. The ideal is to keep them in the bottle in it's original packaging, in a drawer or in a cupboard. If you do not have a hole or a gap in any of them, make sure the light does not fall through and affect the perfume.
COOL AND DRY PLACE
Changes in temperature and humidity are not good for a perfume so the bathroom is not a suitable place to keep a bottle of perfume.
They are also not good kept anywhere too hot as heat causes the formula to alter and some essences and therefore the scent can evaporate.
TAKE YOUR COMPOSITION INTO ACCOUNT
If you are someone who has a perfume for every occasion so use very little of each of them, it is a good idea to choose perfumes whose composition last a little longer.
Not all scent notes last in the same way, for example, fragrances with citrus, those with a lot of patchouli or those from the Chypre olfactory family have a higher content and tend to oxidise more quickly. On the other hand, perfumes that contain notes of incense or resins last longer.
A perfumes with a high concentration of alcohol will generally last longer, while those with oily or natural bases expire more quickly.
AVOID MOVING THEM IN EXCESS
We know that as lover of perfume, you will want to take them everywhere and wear your perfume for all occasions. Of course, choose a dispenser in which you can put a small amount of the fragrance and leave the original bottle at home. A sudden or constant movement can cause molecules to shake and make the formula to break down.
We hope that this series of tips will help you so that your favourite DIVAIN perfume lasts you for years and years and accompany you in the best moments.