Do's and don'ts of storing perfumes

Perfume is often more expensive than gold. For a quality perfume you will pay $40 or more per oz. This means that when you invest in a good perfume, you should cherish it, and store it right so that the scent will last, not change, and that you can use and enjoy it. The following are some do's and don'ts of storing perfume:

Do: Always remember the three enemies of good perfume: sunlight, heat, and air.

Don't: Don't let perfume fall victim to sunlight, heat, and air.

Do: Store your perfume properly by ensuring that the bottle or container is tightly closed. If it has a stopper, make sure that it is in tight. If it has a lid, make sure it is shut. Perfume needs to be stored in an airtight container so that the scent does not evaporate.

Don't: Never stopper your perfume without cleaning the bottle. Your body oils can mix with the perfume and alter the scent. So, be sure to keep the top of the bottle clean by wiping it with alcohol and letting it dry before you replace the stopper. This will keep the scent unpolluted.

Do: Store your perfume in a cool dark place. While perfume bottles are decorative, and it may look nice to store them on top of a cabinet, etc. a dark drawer will prolong the scent of your perfume and be more effective.

Don't: Never put the bottle of perfume out of direct sunlight, even temporarily, as it will have negative effects on the scent, and how long it will last.

Do: Keep the perfume away from any sources of heat. This means it is unwise to store your perfume in your bathroom as showers cause the air in the bathroom to heat and steam up, and it will affect the perfume's quality.

Don't: Don't keep perfume if it has changed colors or scents, as this usually means it has been affects by air, heat, or light, and the scent will have deteriorated, and not be the same. If you still like it, go for it, but often the changed scent is an unpleasant one.

Do: Keep perfume in the original container. Perfume bottles are typically designed to protect the contents, with airtight stoppers, and colored, frosted, or opaque glass to protect the content from light. So, leave the perfume in what it comes in unless the bottle becomes damaged somehow.

Don't: Don't disregard the warning to keep perfume out of direct sunlight, because of a vanity to show off your perfume collection. Sunlight will change the color and speed up the deterioration of the scent. So, instead, dedicate a drawer of your dresser, or a cool dark place for storing and protecting your perfume.

If you follow these do's and don'ts of perfume storage, your perfume should last you about 3 years from the date it was bottled. So, keep that in mind, and while using it for special occasions, do not waste it by never using it until it has deteriorated.