Longevity is essential to the craft of perfumery - from the enticing notes left behind as you glide through the room to the shelf life of your signature scent. Like other beauty products, all perfumes have an expiry date and a window in which the scent is at its most evocative.
Every perfume has a slightly different lifespan - scents with heavier base ingredients, for example, typically tend to last longer than those home to lighter, more citrus top notes - so understanding your scent's composition is the secret to protecting its potency.
Take a deep dive into our perfumers' guide to fragrance expiration and discover advice on prolonging the life of your signature scent.
Does Perfume Expire?
Choosing a fragrance with a high concentration of essential oils will ensure a deep, impactful and long-lasting scent. Eau de Parfums usually contain an essential oil content of around 10-13%, while Eau de Toilette contains around 3-8%. The House of Creed’s Eau de Parfum concentrations are much higher however, at 18-25% essential oils.
But while the concentration is undoubtedly important, there is more to take into account when it comes to choosing a fragrance with a long-lasting blend. The fixative ingredients in a perfume have a dual purpose - offering delectable notes that play either a central or supporting role in the overall scent of the perfume, and also helping to reduce the volatility or the overall formula, making the blend more stable and thus longer-lasting.
Rich, deep notes such as sandalwood, cedarwood, Ambroxan, vanilla, orris, vetiver, tonka bean and styrax are some of the most effective fixative additions, and all feature prominently in The House of Creed’s fragrance formulations, to ensure the fragrance can be savored and enjoyed for as much time as possible.
Finding a beloved fragrance is one of life’s finest small pleasures, and often comes after a long period of trialing and testing. With this advice, you should be able to get the most out of your favorite fragrances, spritz after spritz.
How long does Perfume last once opened?
Once opened, perfumes can last between three-to-five-years on average – though it is advised that a fragrance should ideally be used within two to three years. This is, however, dependent on a few different factors, such as the perfume’s storage conditions as well as its ingredient formulation.
Broadly speaking, fragrances with a higher concentration of heavier base notes – such as oud or musk – are less sensitive to oxidation, so scents with a leather or amber profile typically have a longer lifespan. Perfumes home to lighter top notes – like zesty citrus or sweet florals – are less resistant to oxidation, so may have a shorter shelf life than their more balsamic counterparts.
From the revitalizing layers of crisp green apple and pink pepper in Aventus For Her to the sensual dry down of Royal Princess Oud, our master perfumers at The House of Creed craft our fragrances to last. Once the scent has been introduced to air, our artisanal perfumes have a three-to-five-year shelf life, so you can indulge in your signature scent for longer.
How long does perfume last unopened?
Most perfumes’ expiry dates refer to the moment the bottle is opened, but there is no overarching rule for the expiry date of an unopened perfume. If unopened, a perfume will have no exposure to oxygen, meaning it is likely to last far longer than an opened bottle. An unopened bottle can also continue the maturation process that allows the scent to intensify prior to use - it is this reason that our House experts actually advise trying to leave your new bottle of Creed untouched for a few months before relishing in it - so long as you leave it undisturbed in a cool, dark place.
So, does perfume expire if unopened? According to many fragrance connoisseurs, it shouldn't. As long as the perfume is stored in optimal conditions, an unopened bottle will retain its exquisite scent until it is ready to be worn.
How can I tell if my perfume has expired?
The notes of your signature scent are intimately familiar – whether that’s smoky sandalwood or fresh patchouli – and so, more often than not, it will be easy to notice when its scent is not exactly as you remember. If your perfume has oxidized, you will often notice a change in the scent itself.
Expired perfume is often described as having a sour, metallic or acidic – almost vinegary – quality. The perfume’s color may also change, too. Many perfumes are usually a pale yellow hue, but if your perfume is nearing expiry it may have a darker tint and the liquid may appear more opaque.
This may be harder to identify with your Creed fragrance due to the high concentration of natural oils present, which can often provide a much darker juice than most fragrances anyway so it's important to take note of the color of the juice when you first purchased it to avoid throwing away fragrance that is still perfectly wearable.
How can I ensure my perfume lasts longer?
All perfumes are an intricately layered composition: imagine the fresh opening notes of bergamot leading to an intoxicating dry down of musk, or heart notes of rosemary and sage wrapped in a cocoon of frankincense and mandarin. When a perfume is nearing expiry, the balance of this delicate composition can change, altering the scent’s profile. Below, discover an array of methods from The House of Creed’s master perfumers to care for your signature scent correctly.
1. Organize Your Fragrance Collection
If your luxury fragrance collection is abundant, organizing your bottles by their opening date can ensure you experience each scent at the height of its potency. For unopened perfumes, some bottles might display an expiry date or shelf life on the base or on the packaging, however noting when you purchased the fragrance will certainly help you keep track of when to use your fragrance by.
If you are ever unsure about how old your Creed fragrance is, you can reach out to our customer service team quoting the lot number on the bottom of the fragrance box or bottle and they will be happy to assist you in when it was created.
You may also consider using fragrances a little more quickly once you are nearing the end of the bottle. This is due to accelerated oxidation: the more fragrance you have used, the more oxygen present in the bottle. When you are approaching the end of your scent, it may be best to use the fragrance faster to ensure you enjoy your perfume at its best.
2. Keep Perfumes In Their Original Bottles
Storing your perfume in its original bottle is essential to its longevity. Re-housing a scent exposes it to the air, which speeds up oxidation as well as the evaporation of any alcohol – stripping the scent of its preservative. Once you have applied your fragrance, make sure to replace the bottle cap.
3. Store Your Perfume In Optimal Conditions
At The House of Creed, our master perfumers recommend minimizing your fragrance’s exposure to oxygen, direct sunlight and extreme temperature fluctuation to prolong its lifespan. This also ensures that the maceration process continues in the bottle over time.
To select the perfect home for your scent, consider its environment. Keeping fragrances in places subject to high temperatures – such as a bathroom, or in the glove compartment of a car – can damage their formulas. The same care should be taken with housing a scent in the opposite temperature extreme: if a perfume is stored in the fridge, removing it on application can also distort the scent.
Our artisan perfumers advise that your Creed fragrance is best stored in a cool, dark space – such as a bedroom drawer, or on a wardrobe shelf in a room with a stable temperature – for an exquisite olfactory experience. Keeping your bottle in its original box will also help reduce exposure to sunlight.
Like any luxury beauty product, caring for your scent correctly is the best way to protect its shelf life. To ensure you experience your perfume at its most enticing, take care to limit its oxygen exposure and store your bottle away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. In optimal storage conditions, your signature scent can last season after season.
