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Perfume or fragrance does not expire in the same way as food does. It can be difficult to estimate how long will perfume last if unopened. When a perfume goes bad, the scent becomes repulsive or unrecognizable.it can also result in perfume stains on clothes. It can take years for a perfume to reach that scent expiry date.

Take the Perfume Expiry Date with a Grain of Salt

Usually, manufacturers do specify an expiry date for their perfumes. It can vary based on the ingredients used and usually, that date is the expiry date of the ingredient that expires the fastest. This date is not set in stone. Even if a manufacturer gave a scent expiry of 3 years, it can last much longer than that.

Perfumes contain a lot of alcohol and around 15% to 25% fragrance oils. As the fragrance molecules are suspended in alcohol, they are preserved better. Storage conditions can extend the perfume expiry date but it is nearly impossible for how long. There are preservation techniques that can help prevent the perfume from going bad and alter the smell.

On average, a perfume has an expiry date of three to five years depending on the volatility of the fragrance oils used. That expiry date can be much shorter if the perfume bottle is stored in direct sunlight or a very warm room.

On the opposite side, we have the situation in which a perfume can survive up to 10 years or more. To achieve this, the perfume needs to be stored in a cabinet or something of sorts that protects the bottle for being exposed too much to light. Also, storing it in a cool room, avoiding exposing it to hot environments prolongs its shelf life beyond the perfume expiry date.

How Can You Tell a Perfume Went Bad?

If the perfume was stored properly, there is no reason to be concerned if it has not reached the fragrance expiry date. Beyond that date, you should inspect the bottle if the perfume is not stored in its original box and it is no longer sealed. If the bottle allows you to see the perfume inside, inspect the color of the liquid. When a perfume goes bad it will change color and become hazy. Certainly, the scent expired and no longer smells like it used to. Also, it is worth noting that even if the perfume did not reach the expiry date, the fragrance can lose some of its properties. The scent can be less intense, it is less persistent and may even smell a bit different but not necessarily bad.

Things To Keep In Mind

Even if a manufacturer declares a particular fragrance expiry date, it is not something set in stone. A perfume or fragrance can survive for over a decade if stored properly even if it was already opened. Storing unopened perfume bottles in cabinets, limiting exposure to light, and in low ambient temperatures will preserve it for many years beyond the 3 to 5-year mark. Estimating how long will perfume last if unopened is difficult to answer but it never hurts to store them properly and inspect the bottles from time to time.