Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Do you have to throw out your favorite Perfume?

A few days ago (or maybe more), I received an email from one of my favorite sites, It's a Glam Thing... with information on some tips about the shelf life of your favorite fragrances and Perfumes.  I thought this would be very useful information for all those Fashionistas out there that LOVE to smell wonderful.

The tips were provided by Carolos Ugalde, Founder of Sasha Varon Luxe Parfums via an email from Keith Head @ It's a Glam Thing.  


So what is the 411?

Contrary to popular belief... most fragrances have a shelf life of 2 years but can be extended up to 5 years if kept out of the light and in a cool place.  Many factors go into this... One being the oil to diluents (alcohol and other ingredients other than fragrance/essential oils) ratio.  The more the alcohol in the fragrance, the less concentrated and pronounced the fragrance is... though the shelf life is longer.


Apparently - many people ask if refrigeration can prolong fragrance shelf life and verdict is definitely split.


Here are the two views:
1.)  From thegloss.com:  "Keep essential oil perfumes in the refrigerator to slow oxidization (but this depends on the carrier - oil or wax-based scents can go bad faster than alcohol based ones)."
2.)  The Fragrance Foundation:  This is the premier source for expert fragrance information.  Here is what they have to say:  "It's important that you keep your fragrance protected against extreme cold or heat. Only colognes and toilet waters should be stored in the refrigerator. Perfumes should not be exposed to extreme cold or heat because either may upset their delicate balance. Notes can be affected by extreme temperatures."


So - if not in the refrigerator, where should you store your fragrances?


Solution:
Do store fragrances in cool, dry spaces away from sunlight:
- Cupboards
- Dresser drawers
- Dark closets


Don't store fragrances in:
- Bathrooms (generally moist and warm) Yikes, I usually store half of my most used ones in my bathroom and the less used ones in my bedroom.  I guess I have to get new ones and store them elsewhere. :(
- Windowsills
- Direct Sunlight
So - I have apparently been doing the complete opposite than what I am supposed to be doing with regard to storing my fragrances and perfumes.  Honestly, like I mentioned above... since I usually apply perfume right out of the shower and after I dry off - I leave the bottles of my favorite (most used) perfumes in the bathroom.  I did notice that a few of them have lost the intensity of their notes over a short period of time... and now I know why.  

We are often faced with many questions when it comes to things that are beauty related.  I am so thankful that this email was sent out via It's A Glam Thing... so I am very well informed about the storage of the things that help to make me smell so divine. :)

Thanks again to Keith Head for sharing this info with me.  Please note that a fair percentage of the words above were excerpts from the original email that I received from Keith.



I was not compensated or paid by any mentioned company to discuss or blog about this topic.  This is for informational purposes only.  


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