Recently, I've been interested in the idea of whether or not a fragrance expires. I mean, it would make sense if it did, right? Most products do have an expiration date. Some are fairly short such as with fresh food products and others are rather long like with medications. But what about fragrances? Do they expire?
The reason why I became interested in this query is that I recently came across a video that claimed that you had to use your fragrances quickly lest they will oxidize and lose their quality. It sounds like legit information, right? Nine times out of ten if someone uses a scientific term to back-up their claim it becomes more credible. But instead of just believe this person's claim, I did what any intellectual person would do-- my own research, and here's what I found.
While a fragrance can technically expire, whether or not the oxidation process will alter the fragrance itself depends primarily on how the fragrance is stored. This in itself can be an entire new line on inquiry-- how do I properly store a fragrance?-- but it is pretty self-explanatory. As long as you don't store them in extreme temperatures or areas in which the temperature fluctuates often like in the bathroom or outside then you shouldn't worry too much about it.
I read several articles and watched several videos that essentially said the same thing. One person in particular said that he had a fragrance for ten years and it still performs as well as it did when he bought it. Oxidation does really happen after you break the manufacturer's seal-- that is, the tiny part in the atomizer that keeps your fragrance completely sealed until you spray it a couple times-- but despite what people might say about it, the process is not a fast one. This means that there is no exigency to use your fragrance quickly.
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| Notice what looks like an open container of hair pomade in the upper lefthand corner of the sticker. That's how many months the fragrance has before it expires. However, there's no need to pay too much attention to this number (Fragrance: Versace Eros Flame EDP 100ml) |
In fact, the technical expiration date on most fragrances is 36 months so three years, and assuming you consistently use your 100ml bottle, it will likely be gone long before that. It takes me about half a year to use a full sized bottle that I really like. Three years is a long time, and chances are, if you don't completely use up a fragrance within that time-frame that you don't really like the fragrance that much
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| Sometimes it can be really hard to see the expiration time. Sometimes it's not even on the bottle (Fragrance: Ralph Lauren Polo Double Black EDT 100ml) |
In some cases, the expiration time is 24 months so two years, but even two years is a long time to be holding onto a fragrance. My oldest fragrance is probably only 18 months old and it's nearly empty. It can be interesting to check your fragrances to see when they technically expire, but again, don't feel like you have to quickly use them to prevent them from oxidizing.
So the bottom line is this: while fragrances do technically expire, you don't need to feel like you have to use them quickly. As long as you take good care of them then they'll last for as long as you need them.
So what do you guys think? What's your oldest bottle of cologne and does it still perform well? Do you have any tips for properly storing your fragrances?
Let me know in the comments!
-Ryan S.
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