I thought vintage fragrance expired?

Myths facts and opinions:

Fragrances age like fine wine, not spoiled food!

The primary factors that affect the life of a fragrance are oxidation and temperature fluctuations. A well-preserved bottle can act as a time capsule if preserved properly.

There is a recommended shelf life that department stores must abide by for a perfume to be distributed to the public. If a fragrance does go "bad" it's sort of like catching a cold. It could happen at any time, it's just a matter of something triggering the reaction within the liquid. Dark, almost black liquid may indicate if a fragrance has "turned" but sometimes you never know until you smell it. When shopping for vintage fragrance it's best to cross-reference with other bottles from a similar timeline to compare the color of the liquid.

From my experience though, it's rarer than you would think to encounter spoiled fragrance. If the bottle has never been sprayed, or not sprayed in years, shake it before use, and do three test sprays first to remove any old liquid from the atomizer for best results!

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