How to Store Perfume So It Lasts

Store perfume somewhere cool, dark and stable — a drawer, a cupboard or its original box — with the cap on, away from sunlight, radiators and the steam and temperature swings of a bathroom. Light, heat and oxygen are what change a perfume over time, dulling its top notes and darkening or souring the liquid. Kept well, most perfumes stay close to how they were made for years.

What damages perfume

Light

Sunlight, and ultraviolet light in particular, drives chemical reactions in fragrance materials. A bottle on a sunny windowsill can change noticeably within months. Clear glass offers little protection; that is one reason some bottles are coloured or boxed, and some perfumes contain a UV filter.

Heat

Warmth speeds every reaction and encourages the lightest materials to escape. A hot car, a sunny shelf, a radiator or a lamp all age perfume.

Temperature swings

Repeated warming and cooling — a bathroom with a hot shower every morning, a car through day and night — is especially unkind. It may also push and pull air through the sprayer.

Air

Oxygen slowly oxidises some materials, especially citrus and other fresh top notes. A bottle that is nearly empty has more air in it, which is why the last part of a bottle can age faster. Keep caps on.

Where to keep it

A drawer or cupboard in a bedroom or living room — dark and reasonably stable.
In the original box, which adds another layer of protection from light.
Upright, so the liquid is not constantly in contact with the sprayer and seal.

Display is tempting — perfume bottles are beautiful — but if you want them out, choose a shaded spot away from windows and heat, and keep your favourites boxed.

Where not to keep it

The bathroom, with its heat, steam and swings — the most common mistake.
A windowsill or anywhere in direct sun.
A car, especially in summer — or a suitcase left in the sun; see Can You Bring Perfume on a Plane? for travelling with it.
Near radiators, heaters or lamps.

Perfume asks for very little: darkness, quiet and a steady temperature. In return, it stays itself.

Does the fridge help?

A cool, stable temperature helps, but a fridge is not necessary for most perfumes, and it brings its own problems: food smells, humidity and the shock of moving cold liquid into a warm room, which can make some perfumes temporarily cloudy. A dedicated cool cupboard is usually enough. If you live somewhere very hot without air conditioning, a small fridge used only for cosmetics is a reasonable choice.

Samples, decants and travel sizes

Small vials hold proportionally more air and are often in clear glass, so they age faster than full bottles. Keep them boxed or in a drawer, closed tightly, and use them within months. See Perfume Samples and Decants.

Perfume oils

Oil perfumes are not exposed to alcohol evaporation, but their carrier oils can oxidise over time. Store them the same way: cool, dark and closed. See Perfume Oil vs Spray.

Signs a perfume has been stored badly

The opening smells sharp, sour or "off", while the base seems normal.
The colour has darkened noticeably. (Some perfumes darken naturally over time without spoiling, so colour alone is not proof.)
The fresh, citrus top notes have disappeared.

What these mean, and whether a perfume can still be worn, is covered in Does Perfume Expire?.

Common questions

How long does perfume last if stored well?

Often many years. There is no single figure; fresh citrus perfumes tend to change sooner than rich woody and amber ones.

Should I keep perfume in the box?

Yes, if you can. It protects it from light.

Is it bad to shake perfume?

Shaking isn’t necessary and adds air bubbles, but an occasional shake does no real harm.