Preserving Perfume

You have read about choosing and wearing your perfume. All you need to know now is how to store it to keep its scent intact as long as possible.
By Sabine Chabbert . 12/04/01

If you wear the same scent almost every day, preserving it is a snap. You just have to keep it away from sources of heat and out of direct sunlight.
If, however, you prefer to vary your pleasures depending on your mood and the circumstances, you should opt for small bottles. An open bottle will keep its aroma intact for up to a year, as long as it is full or nearly so, but as the level goes down, the presence of air will gradually alter the perfume's characteristics, eventually distorting them.

Don't do it!

An unopened bottle of perfume can keep its scent and potency for years, although the color may change. Don't assume that that means the fragrance has suffered: perfume is a living substance whose raw ingredients are constantly evolving.
Don't get rid of perfumes you're tired of or don't care for any more. They are a record of your olfatory path. Who knows? As age and maturity develop your sense of smell, you might someday rediscover the full value of a perfume that you had misunderstood up until then.
Thanks to Guy Robert and Olivier Cresp for their wise advice.