There are three big mistakes people make when it comes to storing their perfumes, which could leave their fragrances ruined and unwearable within just a week of purchase. While you may see online influencers showing off their collections on open shelves in brightly lit rooms, experts are warning that storing perfumes in this way is less than ideal.
Sarah Day, storage expert at Pay Less For Storage, has highlighted that keeping perfume bottles in direct sunlight or even artificial light can cause your favourite scents to fade or begin to smell sour over time. This can lead to your fragrances becoming unwearable before you’ve even gotten close to the last spritz. She explains: “Fragrances last longest when kept in a cool, dark place with a stable temperature, especially high-end or designer perfumes, which are often composed of a complex balance of notes.”
“Think of them like a fine French wine: too much heat, light or moisture will destroy them and ruin their smell.”
Three fragrance storage mistakes to avoid:
Keeping perfumes in the bathroom
According to Sarah, the heat and humidity that can be present in bathrooms are massive scent killers. If perfumes are kept in the bathroom, they will degrade faster,while frequent temperature changes speed up chemical reactions inside the bottle, breaking down delicate notes.
Displaying in direct sunlight
Designer glass bottles might look good on your dresser, laid out on a mirrored tray, or in open shelving, but this exposure to light will only accelerate oxidation, changing both the colour and scent of your favourite scents.
Storing near radiators, windows, or in your car
Indirect heat and light can slowly alter a fragrance, flattening out its top notes and leaving it with less projection, or causing the scent to fade and smell unbalanced.
How to correctly store perfume
Advising on the best ways to store your fragrances to ensure they remain fresh, Sarah says: “If you must keep bottles outside of a dark drawer, store them in their original boxes.
“Ideally, they should be kept inside a cupboard, drawer, or wardrobe, somewhere cool and away from light. And avoid bathrooms at all costs; they’re the fastest way to ruin a fragrance before you’ve even made a dent in the contents.
“Don’t let influencers tempt you into showcasing your collection for aesthetic appeal on Instagram or PerfumeTok and leaving them out to be spoiled.
“A quality fragrance isn’t cheap, and you don’t want to waste hundreds of pounds on something that becomes unwearable after a few months. Treat your favourite scents with a little extra care, and they’ll keep you smelling sweet until the very last drop.”
