Like Celebrities, Fragrances Can Go Bad
Erin asks: Does perfume expire and if it does is it bad to use it?
Sarah Bellum sniffs out a response: Since I have the biggest fragrance collection of all the Beauty Brains, I told Lefty I’d answer your question Erin. Here’s the scoop:
Perfume chemistry
It takes dozens, sometimes HUNDREDS! of different chemicals to make perfume smell so sweet. Some of those chemicals can react with each other and change over time. (If you wanna be a real geek about it you can learn more by reading the Brains’ Fragrance Science series.)
These reactions can make fragrances “go bad” over time. When that happens some of the scents change and the fragrance doesn’t smell as pretty. So once a fragrance expires you’ll know it because you just won’t like it anymore. Can it be bad for your skin? Lots of people have fragrance allergies, so it make sense that if the chemistry of the fragrance is changing over time, you could become more irritated by it. But it’s not like BOOM all of a sudden your favorite fragrance is going to make you break out in a rash. So chances are you don’t need to worry about that.
How long does perfume last
How long does it take for a fragrance to expire? Can’t say for sure because there are sooo many different chemicals in each perfume. But in general a fragrance should be ok for about 2 years. If you keep it away from light and store it in the refrigerator, you can make it last a lot longer. Of course, it depends on which fragrance you’re talking about. Celebrity fragrances, for example, are much less stable than regular ones. Let’s take a peek at some:
“Fantasy” by Britney Spears shouldn’t last any longer than her marriage to KFed.
“Starlight” by Shania Twain will probably expire before you even buy it, considering how long her career has been over.
“Fetish” by Christina Aguilera will be very unstable unless it’s covered up better than she was on the cover of Marie Claire.
“With Love” by Hilary Duff. Not sure about this one, I get mixed it up with Duff Beer fragrance from the Simpsons.
How long do YOU keep fragrances? Do you use them up before they go bad or do you end up throwing them away? Leave a comment and share your fragrance fetishes with the Beauty Brains community.
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Meg from The Bargain Queens & All About Appearances Says:
Hmmmm… I think it’s time to toss out all my perfumes. I think I was a foot shorter when I got most of them.
And then I’ll have to email my mom this post. (Hi Mom!)
LeighAnn Says:
I have perfumes that are over 10 years old and still smell the same. I did have to throw one out this last year that was 16 years old because it lost its smell. after 16 years I think I got my money’s worth though.
Gaia, the Non-Blonde Says:
Some perfumes change within a few years, while others don’t turn at all and hold their beauty for decades, as collectors of vintage scents know.
Perfumes are affected by light, temperature and exposure to air, so careful storage is essential. The worst place to keep perfumes is your bathroom.
What happens more often is that the top notes weaken and/or disappear, but if the middle and the base are well-made (old Guerlains and Carons are known for this), they are still wearable decades later, as long as they were stored correctly.
Lynnette Says:
I have two Patchouli vials from the 70’s that I still wear. The scent is still the same as when I got it back then.
My musks tend to stay the same, too.
Being scent sensitive, I am so careful about what I buy.
Great info though!
buenos dias,
Lynnette
Vanessa Says:
I love the picture you used for it - Perfume is one of my favorite books, so when I saw the poster for it on here I squealed a little. Interesting and informing article as always. =]
Marry Says:
Who made the stupid comment about starlight lasting as long as Shania’s career.
Is this person dumb or just jealous of Shania.
Shania sells tens of millions whenever she puts out music. Everything she does is a huge success all over the world.
Newsflash- Shania has been on hiatus with her family for a couple of years in her swiss castle.
Whenever she releases new music it always is one of the top sellers in the world. Shania is worth 500 million and over the last 12 years has been the biggest seller in all of music.
You need to get over your jealousy and stupid comments because Shania’s career is as big as it gets in music and always will be, she is an icon. And icons take hiatus’s because they have the money and power to do what they want.
I am still laughing at how stupid your comment sounds. You don’t even know the difference between self imposed hiatus and a career being over lmao!!!
thebeautybrains Says:
Dear Marry,
Regarding your Shania Twain comment: it was just a joke. Take a chill pill.
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Steve Says:
I’ll never buy any celebrity fragrance, I’m sticking with Armani Code or a Prada cologne for the rest of my life.
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Gary Moss Says:
Marry,
Shania Twain is a walking insult to music… shame on you for having such putrid taste.