Do You Ever “Test” Your Extensive/Long Term Storage Bottles?

[kosui no kaori]

Hello!

I’m new to Basenotes, though I’ve been reading forums and articles from afar for quite some time. My name is Karin, I live in the U.S. but am originally from Japan.

I am also generally new to the world of collecting fragrances, and still learning as I go. My newfound passion was ignited by a need to acquire and hoard one of my favorite fragrances, which happens to be discontinued (Bvlgari Rose Essentielle). I’ve acquired a small collection of about 10 bottles, through lots of trial and error (aka turned bottles and counterfeits). Now that I have some good bottles in my hands, I want to have them stay potent and true to themselves for as long as I possibly can (although I know that some notes will change over time, which is fine). All are stored in their own cold, dark storage vessels in a temperature-controlled room.

If you have a vast collection of scents, or a small collection of one scent that you intend on keeping for a long period of time for future use, do you just leave them be, unused in storage? Do you occasionally spray them to see how they’re holding up? If so, how often?

I know that oxygen = accelerated aging, so I’m not quite sure if I should check up on my bottles every so often, or leave them be.

I know that BRE is not exactly a coveted or prestigious scent, but it means a lot to me and I’d love for my growing collection to last me a long time, if not a lifetime.

Thank you for your time, Basenoters!

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Welcome kosui no kaori! 🍺

I usually pull out the bottles if I want to revisit a fragrance or if I'm in the mood to wanting to wear it.

For backup bottles unless they are already opened, I would keep them as is until I'm ready to open a new bottle.

 

[kosui no kaori]

Welcome kosui no kaori! 🍺

I usually pull out the bottles if I want to revisit a fragrance or if I'm in the mood to wanting to wear it.

For backup bottles unless they are already opened, I would keep them as is until I'm ready to open a new bottle.

Thank you so much!

I did make the mistake of testing every bottle that arrived. I’d promised myself that I would leave a couple intact to squirrel away, but my curiosity always got the best of me and I always ended up doing a spray test.

Thank you so much for the input!

 

[Ken_Russell]

Welcome!
Usually doing this very infrequently and only on the fragrances do already own at least one, sometimes multiple backup bottles of.
And while not concerned very much about air exposure, still trying to minimize the risk just in case.

 

[kosui no kaori]

Welcome!
Usually doing this very infrequently and only on the fragrances do already own at least one, sometimes multiple backup bottles of.
And while not concerned very much about air exposure, still trying to minimize the risk just in case.

Thank you so much!

Thank you for your response as well.

I absolutely agree with your last statement. I’m much more concerned about light and heat … but it doesn’t hurt to minimize the risk factor!

 

[hednic]

If you have a vast collection of scents, you intend on keeping for a long period of time for future use, do you just leave them be, unused in storage? Do you occasionally spray them to see how they’re holding up? If so, how often?

Yes, I have a vast collection. Many are left untouched for a long time and others I spray occasionally. The frequency varies.

 

[pluran]

Yes, and the ones that have been taken care of properly usually smell better.

 

[kosui no kaori]

Yes, I have a vast collection. Many are left untouched for a long time and others I spray occasionally. The frequency varies.

Thank you very much for the input!

I’ve read about your extensive collection and envy-inducing basement vault in other threads on Basenotes. The stuff of legends!

 

[kosui no kaori]

Yes, and the ones that have been taken care of properly usually smell better.

I bet!

I’ve never been so attentive to an inanimate object before. It’s dangerously fulfilling.

 

[pluran]

I bet!

I’ve never been so attentive to an inanimate object before. It’s dangerously fulfilling.

Or obsessive.

 

[kosui no kaori]

Or obsessive.

Yes. That.

 

[cacio]

I assume your bottles are atomizers. Typically these are better than splash, as they let in less oxygen anyway.

I use them whenever I feel like-what's the point of keeping them there unused instead of enjoying? But I also now have more than 100 bottles, so I almost never use each single one. But that's for using and enjoying them, I don't see the point of spraying just to see how things are holding.

Also, I have now realized that if I really love a perfume that's in production, I should buy two bottles while they're still there. Reformulations and discontinuations happen all the times. But I have more than one bottle only for a dozen perfumes.

cacio

 

[kosui no kaori]

I assume your bottles are atomizers. Typically these are better than splash, as they let in less oxygen anyway.

I use them whenever I feel like-what's the point of keeping them there unused instead of enjoying? But I also now have more than 100 bottles, so I almost never use each single one. But that's for using and enjoying them, I don't see the point of spraying just to see how things are holding.

Also, I have now realized that if I really love a perfume that's in production, I should buy two bottles while they're still there. Reformulations and discontinuations happen all the times. But I have more than one bottle only for a dozen perfumes.

cacio

My bottles are 100 ml edps, with the exception of one 50 ml that I’m currently using (which I don’t count as part of my 10). I’m not too concerned with evaporation, but more so with spoilage.

I absolutely agree with enjoying something rather than secreting it away. I’m currently enjoying my current bottle daily, and one spray to bed if I’m in the mood. If it were still in production, I wouldn’t be so obsessive over my little collection … I think.

Thank you so much for the input!

 

[kosui no kaori]

I assume your bottles are atomizers. Typically these are better than splash, as they let in less oxygen anyway.

I use them whenever I feel like-what's the point of keeping them there unused instead of enjoying? But I also now have more than 100 bottles, so I almost never use each single one. But that's for using and enjoying them, I don't see the point of spraying just to see how things are holding.

Also, I have now realized that if I really love a perfume that's in production, I should buy two bottles while they're still there. Reformulations and discontinuations happen all the times. But I have more than one bottle only for a dozen perfumes.

cacio

I think I completely misunderstood the first part of your response. I don’t know why I equated the word “atomizers” with a travel sized spray.

Please excuse the nonsensical babble about the size of my bottles. My frag ignorance is showing.

 

[cazaubon]

I don’t spray my backup bottles until they are ready to be put into action.

 

[kosui no kaori]

I don’t spray my backup bottles until they are ready to be put into action.

I’ll definitely be leaving mine alone from now on!

 

[Pippin06]

I do not.