Ultraviolet light breaks down citrus oils and aldehydes long before it touches the heavy base. The opening fades, turns flat, sometimes sour. The vanilla and musk are still there, without their greeting.
The main enemies
Light, especially ultraviolet. Citrus and aldehydes go first. Keep the bottle in the box or a cupboard, off the windowsill.
Heat speeds oxidation. 18 to 22 C is steadier than a bathroom after a shower.
Air. Every spray lets oxygen into the bottle. A smaller bottle means less air above the liquid, which suits scents you wear rarely.
Fridge or not
For most EDPs, a fridge is optional. It helps for:
- large bottles you wear rarely
- vintage and discontinued scents, where every month counts
Do not freeze. Condensation from temperature swings is worse than a steady cool cupboard.
Decant against bottle
A decant fades faster. Less volume, opened more often. Do not buy 10 ml “for the year” if you wear it once a month.
Concentration
Extraits and parfums often hold up longer in the bottle because there is less alcohol to flash off. An EDT with a citrus top is the first to tire on a warm shelf. Store the delicate concentrations in the dark, and keep decants of them small.