How to Preserve Your Perfume

Perfume is a living entity, whose scent and composition can change over time. Most perfumes have a shelf life of about five years, but that life drops dramatically once you open the bottle. There are ways to lengthen your perfume's life.

Things You'll Need

• Opaque or dark glass bottles

Instructions

1. Buy perfume in small bottles so you'll use it all before it starts to fade or turn.

2. Store perfume in its original bottle. Decanting it into another bottle or spray atomizer won't extend its life.

3. Keep your perfume bottles in a cool, dry, dark place. Your dresser drawer is just fine. Your dresser top is probably not.

4. Avoid exposing your perfume to prolonged heat. Heat can cook the essential oils and destroy the scent.

5. Keep your perfume out of direct sunlight. Both sun and heat can affect the scent of your fragrance.

6. Always close bottles tightly to keep air away from the perfume.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with vacuum-sealed bottles, which you can purchase from specialty perfumeries.

• If you make your own perfume, store it in dark or opaque glass bottles with vacuum-seal stoppers.