Common mistake is 'ruining' your perfume - make it last 'years and years' with easy swap

Emilia is a cosmetic and fragrance influencer who shares reviews and insights into the world of perfume and aftershave, taking on the alias "Professor Perfume". She claims that consumers could extend the shelf life of their chosen fragrances simply by paying attention to where they are storing them on a daily basis.

"It's come to my attention that nobody on TikTok or Pinterest knows the proper way to store perfume," she explained in a video for her audience of 308.7K followers. Emilia captioned the video exclaiming: "I can't take it anymore."

She said that she has a "visceral reaction" when she notices people storing bottles of perfume on their bathroom counters. She explained: "If you keep your perfume in the bathroom when you shower, all of the steam, all of the temperature fluctuations are going to spot your perfume a lot faster than if you store them correctly."

However, this doesn't necessarily mean you can simply move your perfume to a dressing table or window sill. Emilia warns that these locations are equally detrimental to your scents.

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"Now you're thinking 'okay, I'll take them out of my bathroom and I'll put them on my dresser or my window sill'," she said. "Don't do that either."

And there is a science behind why direct sunlight or heat exposure can impact your perfume or aftershave. Fragrance expert and head of marketing at The Fragrance Shop, Iember Gordon, said: "Your fragrances may look pretty on your vanity or bathroom shelf, but fragrances can break down in fluctuating temperatures or humidity.

"If a fragrance gets hot and cold a lot, this causes it to 'sweat' and condensation can get into the fragrance and cause unwanted chemical reactions to occur, which can ruin your favourite scent."

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Instead, "Professor Perfume" suggests moving your fragrances to a cool, dry and dark location. "I always recommend your closet or a dresser drawer," she said.

"Some people keep them in a fridge, you don't have to go that far, but when you store them correctly they will last you for years and years."

Though plenty of people have been making the storage mistake, there were some commenters who have already been putting Emilia's advice into practice.

Cathy said: "I keep mine in a drawer just because I hate dusting them." Another commenter named Victoria added: "My grandma always taught me to keep my perfume inside the closet and the box as well."

A third commenter shared her story, saying: "Absolutely I’ve had a Chanel perfume since 2019 and still smells great. I keep them in the box."

However, other viewers were shocked at the revelation. Jaedyn said: "The walk of shame I just did to my bathroom. Into the hall closet they go."

Hanna added: "Woah, did not know this. So Eau de Toilette does not go here the toilette!!" [SIC] Not everyone was sold on the recommendation though, with some people saying they had always kept their fragrances in the bathroom with little trouble. "My 17-year-old Juicy [Couture] perfume living in the bathroom would like to have a word," said Jordan.

If you do want to display your pretty perfume bottles, some fragrance fans recommend only doing so when they are empty. Virginia said: "If y'all wanna display the perfume get the ones you've already used and it's all gone and fill it up with water." [SIC]