Por Alice Abbiadati
The world of perfumes is full of facets, discoveries and secrets.But also of some doubts.The main dilemma among fragrance fans, which not only have a perfume, but also have a rich collection, is if there really is an expiration date.Of course, there is always an expiration date, even for perfumes, which is printed on the container.However, after the indicated months, it can be said that the perfume does not expire, but that its characteristic aroma can change or even disappear.Citrus fruits, for example, they evaporate more easily.On the contrary, the background notes, such as the loved ones, evolve and, over time, improve, a little as a bottle of wine of a good year.
"At a pharmaceutical level, a cosmetic product always has a date of expiration, between one and three years, up to a maximum of five.An olfactory brand does not perform the perfume, but commission it to a factory that, to prevent it from developing incorrectly, introduces UV filters between the ingredients, to prevent the perfume from degrading if it comes into contact with the light, and antioxidants, such as tocopheroles, the same that are used in skin care, so that the product lasts longer.It is a different issue for those who, like me, create fragrances using only essential oils and alcohol, "explains Julian Bedel, of Fueguia 1833 - therefore, its evolution is even more drastic than that of a fragrance of perfumery.Like some of the most important men in history.
"Of course, there is no rule, everything depends on the complexity of the perfume and the amount of molecules that interact.The interaction is much easier if 10 or 15 essential oils are used together, oxidation is a bit like that of wine: some ingredients become more interesting over time, others do not, also due to alcohol that gives an additional interaction to thefragrance stratification.I have many perfumes that seem more interesting even after two, three and up to five years, while others lose their intensity.For example, amaderated, amber and musk notes remain well, the citrus notes "flat" '' are flattened "'.A fragrance is very important, your perfume can make others trust you.
Bedel shows daily in his boutiques how the profile of fragrances changes and matures, according to the year, thanks to his selection he gets Vintage.If a customer likes a concrete fragrance, you can choose to buy it new or vintage.As each fragrance is created with botanical extracts, it changes over time.This allows the subtle changes in the composition olfatively experimenting: it applies to both the intensity and the maturity of the fragrance in question.And if you wonder, can an open perfume give problems to the skin with the passage of time? "In theory, no, speaking of natural ingredients.If they cause allergies, they do it from the beginning, not if the product has been open for some time.The same happens, in general, with the most chemical components.Let's say there is no real expiration date, it is rather the expiration date of the UV filters and the antioxidants to which attention must be paid.Alcohol, on the other hand, plays an important role because it is the component that modifies the ingredients from the beginning, "continues Bedel," is the most aggressive, being a solvent that modifies the composition.Over time, alcohol can lose its, let's call it, aggressiveness and make the aroma less persistent, round or sweet, or amplify its natural acidity, as in the case of citrus.
In summary, in broad strokes, fragrances last up to five years -but it is always goodcontact with direct light and far from heat sources.Last but not least, always make sure the perfume cap is well closed.In fact, the air tends to oxidize the ingredients with which it comes into contact, modifying them.
Article originally published in GQ Italy.
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