Can perfume go bad, and if so, what is its expiration date? With these questions, we turned to the perfumery expert Valeria Nesterova. She told VOICE how to tell if a fragrance has lost its charm and what happens if you keep using it.
Perfumes, as well as food and various beauty products, have a certain expiration date. This information is not hidden from consumers: it can be found in the regulations of all countries of the world. On average, it is recommended to store perfume on a dressing table for 3 to 5 years.
But how do you know that your favorite fragrance has really gone bad? We talked about this topic with a professional perfumer. She spoke not only about proven methods for determining expired perfumes but also explained what to do with fakes of famous fragrances.
Perfume color changes
After the expiration date, the fragrance may become brighter and more intense, darken, change its original color, or precipitate. This is due to the physicochemical processes inside the aromatic liquid. However, some brands have unfiltered perfume in their line. The presence of sediment for them is quite normal.
Bad smell
Another criterion for an expired perfume is the appearance of unpleasant odors: if you catch unattractive shades, you can suspect the expiration date. It is also important to keep track of whether “broken notes” have appeared in your favorite perfumes – this happens when the top shades of the fragrance disappear. It is simply dangerous to use such a perfume because it can provoke an allergic reaction.
Often, when the scent of a fragrance has changed, it is referred to as rancidity. This concept includes either the appearance of a foreign smell in the perfume or the fact that the fragrance itself has become difficult to inhale and unrecognizable.
Particular attention should be paid to vintage fragrances. They are certainly good to enjoy but can give the most unpredictable reaction on the skin.
What to do with fake fragrance
It happens that they sell low-quality perfumes. If you realize that you have acquired a fake, it is recommended to dispose of it immediately. It is dangerous to apply such aromas to yourself because a poor-quality composition of perfume can provoke serious problems in the body and cause an allergic reaction. Be careful and observe perfume etiquette.
The tester is not a fake
Perfume testers are often confused with low-quality fragrances. This is due to the lack of beautiful packaging and labels. However, a real tester is a 100% identical product, only without the packaging markup. To determine if a perfume is real, pay attention to the appearance of the product (the glass bottle must match the original) and the sound of the fragrance itself – for this you need to know exactly how the original perfume smells.
The price tag is also worth checking out. It is important that the cost of the tester is not too inferior to the price of perfume in the original packaging. A big discount on expensive perfumes is a reason to wonder if you have stumbled upon a fake.
