Perfume bottles are now a staple self-care product. These days, looking your best is nearly not enough for everyone, one should smell their best too.
I used to stay away from all kinds of fragrances, perfumes, and colognes. But as I grew older, I found myself gaining more appreciation for them.
This led me down a rabbit hole about fragrances, all the while testing out different perfumes to find my scent.
You’ve probably heard of people storing their perfume in the fridge and are wondering if you should do the same. Does it affect the scent? is it better? Does perfume freeze?
I have the answers to all these right below!
Does Perfume Freeze?
Most perfumes out on the market typically have about 70-90% alcohol by volume (ABV). Due to the high alcohol content, most perfumes likely won’t freeze. But then again, the answer to this question would largely depend on the perfume blend and formula.
An oil-based or water-based perfume with little to zero alcohol content, however, will likely freeze when exposed to normal freezing temperatures.
The higher the amount of alcohol in your perfume, the lower its freezing point is. And the lower the amount of alcohol in it, the higher the freezing point is.
Remember, alcohol prevents a perfume from freezing. Read more about perfume without alcohol.
At What Temperature Does Perfume Freeze?
Pure ethanol, the alcohol used in perfume (and liquor), has a freezing point of -173°F (-114°C). This means it would be impossible to freeze pure ethanol naturally – unless you are capable of producing martian surface temperatures on earth.
As we’ve established above, different perfume formulas have different freezing points.
Pure Perfume, which can reach up to 92% alcohol, has a freezing point of -130°F (-90°C) and below.
Eau de Parfum (EDP), with alcohol content anywhere between 15-30%, has a freezing point of -130°F (-90°C) and below.
Eau de Toilette (EDT), with alcohol content anywhere between 60-85%, has a freezing point of -90°F (-68°C) and below.
Eau de Cologne (EDC), with alcohol content anywhere between 80-90%, has a freezing point of -112°F (-80°C) and below.
Eau Fraiche, with alcohol content anywhere between 1-3%, has a freezing point of 28°F (-2°C) and below.
Keep in mind, these figures are just an approximation. We tried our best to summarize what we could find to give you an estimate so you can better store your perfumes.
A lot of other factors also come into play that affect the actual freezing point of your perfume. These include water content and concentrated perfume oil content in the fragrance blend.
Does Cold Weather Ruin Perfume Perfume?
Cold temperatures do not affect perfume and its integrity. Of course, varying freezing points as we’ve stated above, can have varying effects on different perfume formulas.
While freezing cold temperatures do not affect perfumes, heat, humidity, and UV rays will.
Another factor that affects the integrity of perfumes is rapid changes of temperature.
How to Store Perfume?
Perfumes don’t come cheap. Of course, you want to store it the right way in order to preserve its fragrance and quality. So how do you do it?
Store in the original box
Contrary to popular practice, your perfume’s original box isn’t just for display and aesthetics. They actually do a lot in properly storing your favorite fragrance.
As briefly mentioned above, perfumes do not fare well with heat, humidity, and UV rays. And what better way to keep all that away from your perfume than the box it came in?
Inside the box, your perfume is away from direct sunlight and stays dry all day. If you plan on displaying it up on your vanity or propped up on a shelf, it’s best to keep it in its box.
No bathrooms
Many people choose to store their perfumes in bathrooms, it is, after all, where they get ready in the morning. But doing so means you’re potentially ruining your perfume’s delicate chemical balance.
The bathroom has rapid and constant changes in temperature and humidity. The steam and humidity from hot showers will also mix with the alcohol in the perfume and will cause it to evaporate faster.
No cars
The car is also no place to store your perfume as it is subject to constant changes in temperature and often has direct sunlight on it. You might think it’s handy to carry perfume in your car but all these factors can affect the quality of how your perfume smells.
Also, cars move a lot, so storing your perfume in one will shake it constantly. This shaking will cause oxidation and will ruin your perfume.
Should You Keep Your Perfume Bottle in the Fridge?
Your fridge has a stable temperature and is away from light and sunlight. This is why many choose to store their perfume inside one. Some even prefer to use their wine cooler to store their perfume.
The colder and darker environment inside a fridge will help prevent oxidation and degradation of the perfume formula. There is also very low humidity inside a fridge, keeping your perfume smelling fresh.
The one thing to keep in mind is once you decide to store your perfume in your fridge, you can’t keep changing your mind and have it constantly go back and forth from your fridge to your room. This constant change in temperature will ultimately be bad for your perfume.
If you decide to store it in your fridge, you should only take it out if you’re going to use it.
So should you do it?
Ultimately, the decision lies to you. The only thing to keep in mind, no matter your storage choice, is to keep your perfume away from heat, sunlight, humidity, and constant and rapid temperature changes.
Some people are also worried about what the cold temperature might do to perfume glass bottles. While it would generally be safe in the fridge, the freezer is a different subject as the spike in temperature may break the glass.
Conclusion
Perfumes are now a self-care essential. After all, everyone wants to also smell their best after putting on the effort for clothes and makeup.
A common question among perfume enthusiasts is “can perfume freeze?”.
The answer to this would depend largely on the perfume formula. The more alcohol there is in the blend, the less likely it will freeze. The more alcohol content there is, the lower the freezing point is. And the lower the alcohol content, the higher the freezing point is.
In that sense, pure perfumes will not likely freeze in cold temperatures but water-based and oil-based perfumes are more likely to freeze.
Perfume bottles don’t come cheap, that’s why it’s essential to properly store them to keep their quality intact and their scent fresh.
The only thing to keep in mind in storing them is they don’t fare well with heat, sunlight, humidity, and rapid temperature changes. This is probably why many people choose to store their perfume bottles in their fridge.
And that has been our guide on everything from perfume storage to cold temperatures and freezing!