In part 1 of this post I talked about my current
perfume collection, I’m now going to explain how I store my perfumes and look
at some accessories that you can buy to compliment your favourite fragrances.
I’ve seen a lot of people display their perfumes
beautifully on vanities or dressing tables on glass trays, it’s only natural to
want to show off gorgeous bottles but exposing fragrances to light or heat can
lead to them deteriorating faster than they otherwise would. Keeping them cool
and out of direct sunlight can really help to prolong their lifespan by a
number of years.
I use a box that came with my Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely perfume gift set, I lined the bottom
with a couple of sheets of tissue paper and placed my perfume bottles carefully
inside. I usually try to stand them upright to avoid spillages but where this
isn’t possible with the larger bottles I just recline them slightly against the
side. The box sits on a shelf in my wardrobe where I see it every time I open
the door to get clothes out, not only does it look pretty but I know it’s
helping to preserve my favourite perfumes. I usually expect them to last three to four years
(although I’ve had some keep significantly longer!) stored like this. When a
perfume starts to change colour or darken or just generally start to smell
different I know it’s time to get rid of it.
As perfumes vary in strength (a perfume is really
a blend of fragrance oils with alcohol and/or water, the most concentrated
version a ‘Parfum’ is usually between 15-25% perfume oil, an ‘Eau de Parfum’ or
‘EDP’ is 8-15% and an ‘Eau de Toilette’ is 4-10%) some will last longer than
others on the skin. To help retain the fragrance I will sometimes use a
matching body lotion then very lightly spritz the perfume on top, as they
evaporate much faster from dry skin the moisture from the lotion slows this
process down and helps the fragrance last all day.
I
like to have a little of my fragrance with me but carrying a heavy glass bottle
around is far from ideal though so I invested in a Travalo, the pocket-sized atomiser designed to be quick and
easy to fill (through a valve in the bottom) and hold approximately 4ml of
perfume, enough for 50 sprays. It’s a great idea… in theory however in practice I discovered it’s not compatible with
all perfume bottles so I had to purchase an empty spray bottle to decant some
of my fragrances into before transferring them to the Travalo.
My final perfume tip I use to keep my handbags
smelling lovely and fresh when I store them. Spraying perfume directly onto leather
or fabrics is never a good idea as it can stain them so instead I use the paper
swatches found in department stores and chemists for trying out fragrances, I
spray one a couple of times with perfume, let it dry for a second and pop it in
my handbag before I store it away in its dust bag. The perfume leaves a subtle
fragrance and stops the bag smelling musty. You can use exactly the same tip to
keep drawers smelling sweet.
Hope you enjoyed this mammoth double post, what
are your favourite perfumes? Do you have any tips or tricks to share?
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