How long will my fragrance last?

Question: How long will my fragrance last?

The holidays are over, and you’ve unwrapped all the presents. Amidst the sweaters and neckties that you’ve received with the best of intention, someone gave you that fragrance you really like and you want to preserve it as long as possible. So you ask the obvious question: How long will my fragrance last?

The answer: It depends. There is no single answer, nor is there a specific shelf-life to any fragrance, but there are ways of helping to prolong its useful life. Knowing about your fragrance will help, so we’ve put together this article — this is not a ‘definitive’ answer to the question but a good series of suggestions — to help preserve your fragrance. With that, here are some things to consider:

Concentration. Generally speaking, the higher the actual fragrance concentration, the better the chance of an extended life. The essential oils and extracts that compose the ‘notes’ of a fragrance are only part of the overall composition. In a pure-perfume, that concentration can be as high as 30%; an eau de parfum, around 15%, an eau de toilette, around 8%, and a cologne around 5%. The remainder is composed of alcohol and distilled water. Over time, these will break down and react, changing the texture of the fragrance, so the more non-fragrant ingredients in the mixture, the shorter the expected lifespan.
Air. Once any fragrance is exposed to air, it changes. Think of how a fragrance will unfold from top to base note when placed on skin, and you can compare that to how that fragrance will diffuse if left open to air. Anyone who has used a reed diffuser to help give a room a particular olfactory character will understand how the theory works: The reeds are placed in the liquid, and as the reeds become saturated, the fragrance becomes diffused through the room either naturally or by the movement of air.
Light. Lighting is the natural enemy of any fragrance, so it’s best that a bottle either be dark itself, or be kept in a dark or low-lighting location. Montale perfumes, as an example, decant all of their fragrances in aluminum which will tend to keep light from reacting with the mixture.
Temperature. Just like wine, the fragrance decanter should be kept at a consistent temperature, preferably under about 25C (77 degrees fahrenheit), but more importantly should be kept at a fairly constant temperature and not experience fluctuations. Refrigeration is not recommended as this will make the composition too cold and cause an unexpected reaction when it is finally exposed. Constant room temperature should help as a preservative.

With those suggestions out of the way, there are some ways you can easily maintain the integrity of a scent:

A cool closet or cabinet. In this way, the fragrance is not exposed to constant light or changes in temperatures. For my own collection, I keep this in a cool closet with dark colored walls and a translucent sliding door for accessibility.
Keep the bottle in the box. This benefits the fragrance since it reduces exposure to light and potentially some passive heating.
Avoid incandescent or halogen lighting, and instead opt for fluorescent or CFL lighting, or LED lighting, both of which will generate less residual heat.
Transfer the content to a covered atomizer (i.e. leather, for example). This will help insulate the fragrance and maintain its integrity, and it’s useful when using the contents of a larger flacon.

Ok, so how long will it last?

Here is a general rule of thumb. Under “normal” conditions — meaning average temperatures, minor fluctuations, and normal light, expect the following:

Eau de Toilette – about 4 years, +/- 1.
Eau de Parfum – about 8 years, +/- 2.
Cologne – about 2-3 years.
Pure Perfume – over 10 years, potentially more.

If you follow the guidelines above, you can extend those lifespans by nearly double, though this is not an exact science. In fact, this is one area where the phrase “your mileage may vary” is very accurate.

Le Labo, as a manufacturer of their own fragrances, labels their own creations with a “Fresh Until” date, usually one year after decanting, primarily as a way of warranting their own product and helping to set the expectation for the fragrance integrity. Properly treated, the bottle will actually last much longer.

In fact, there have been documented cases of pure solid fragrances being found buried in tombs that continue to diffuse their scent literally hundreds or even thousands of years after that tomb is sealed.

While there is no precise answer, nor an exact “Fresh By” date for a bottle of EDT or cologne, there are ways of protecting its useful life.