Do Perfumes Expire?

I've moved a grand total of five times in the past five years. As frustrating as it can be, moving is a great way to rediscover a lot of old items you may have forgotten about. I recently rediscovered my very first perfume which I received as a gift when around 15 - Baby Phat Goddess, by Kimora Lee Simmons.

I was absolutely obsessed with this fragrance when I received it. I loved everything about it - the beautiful  shape of the bottle, the pink colour, the gorgeous faux diamond ring and of course the light and fresh, floral scent.

Baby Phat Goddess is composed of gardenia and white rosebud notes on the top; blue lily, hyacinth and black pepper in the middle; and woodsy, musk base notes on the bottom. It's delicate and floral yet spicy and sophisticated.

Since I've had this fragrance for many years, I couldn't help but wonder if perfumes expire. After some research I learned that sealed perfumes last up to five years, but once opened, a perfume generally lasts a year or longer if stored properly. Fragrances with higher amounts of essential oils have a longer shelf life.

Over time, the colour and odour of a perfume will change but it doesn't necessarily expire unless it emits an unpleasant odour. A "bad" fragrance may appear much darker than the original. Despite this, some perfume bloggers claim that fragrances, like wine, get better with age.

The most useful tip I read was to store your fragrances in a cool, dark place with constant temperatures and away from direct sunlight. This means, that the bathroom is the worst place to keep perfumes since it can get very hot and steamy, and the temperatures are constantly changing.

My bottle of Baby Phat Goddess, has changed colour, but the scent is still beautiful. Every time I spritz it on, teenage memories come flooding back. I'm very impressed by the longevity of this fragrance and since it still has a very pleasant smell, I plan to use it until the bottle is completely empty!