Why "Old Lady Perfumes" Never Go Out of Style (2024)

FAQs

Why do people buy old perfume? ›

Old perfume bottles are usually collectibles by people that enjoy scents from the past which makes them valuable in case you are “holding” a special old batch of that particular perfume, or something that is highly sought after and long gone and discontinued.

Guerlain Shalimar, Yves Saint Laurent Opium, and Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps have similar profiles; Shalimar and Opium emit a powdery amber essence, while L'Air du Temps has a carnation note that smells soapy. They, too, are often referred to as Old Lady Perfumes.

Some will begin to expire in less than a year and others will last upwards of 10 years. However, three to five years is the average shelf life of a fragrance. According to experts, perfumes with heavier base notes will last the longest. Some people compare these perfumes to a fine wine—they get better with age.

It is generally safe to use vintage perfumes, provided that the bottle is still sealed and the scent is still pleasant. However, it is important to keep in mind that the ingredients used in vintage perfumes may have changed over the years and some may be irritants or allergens.

Most fragrance manufacturers recommend throwing away your bottle after anywhere from one to three years, but fragrance doesn't behave in the same way as food, so it can be okay to keep it for longer, most fragrance experts recommend around three to five years. Opened vs unopened?

Women consume the most Fragrance products by volume, with older women, those aged 55 and over, being one of the most prominent consumer groups. Heavy consumption of Fragrances is highest amongst Tweens and Early Teens; this is a key segment that the marketers need to sustain.

It smells like old ladies. It's that very rich, over powering floral scent that in a blindfold test you would be thinking you are smelling an old lady. The liquid colour is very very yellow.

She fell in love with the Krigler perfume Lovely Patchouli around the time she married Aristotle Onassis and made the note an instant classic.

A timeless perfume is one you can always trust in and rely on — a scent created by a master perfumer that has stood the test of time. If you're looking to invest in a classic perfume for your vanity, there are many timeless scents to choose from.

You can tell if a perfume has expired when the smell is slightly sour, especially as the top notes oxidize. This can have a slight metallic scent. "Oxygen within the air can alter some of the molecules present in a fragrance over time," says Huclier.

Does perfume last longer on skin or clothes? ›

Perfume will stay longer on textile than on your skin. If you want your perfume to last longer, praying some on your clothes or scarf is a good idea. But be careful: some perfumes can cause stains on your clothes, especially the more concentrated perfumes with a darker, ambery color.

Many perfumes don't have a set expiry date and can last between 1-10 years. Perfume shelf life depends on how it's stored. Perfumes that are correctly stored will last much longer than those that are not.

Wilhelm Mülhens had been selling Eau de Cologne in Cologne's Glockengasse since 1799. He named his company "Franz Maria Farina, Glockengasse 4711, Cologne" in order to profit from Farina's reputation.

Welcome to the '50s

Although launched in 1948, Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps became one of the defining fragrances of the 1950s.

Some perfumes might last a decade, while others can last less than a year. The average perfume will last three to five years. Generally, perfumes with heavier base notes will last longer than those with lighter, more delicate fruity or citrus notes.

Bottom line: An unopened bottle of fragrance is good for 12 to 18 months, though a light scent—such as a citrus, one with fresh green notes, or a delicate floral—will most likely begin to turn sooner.

How many perfumes should you have? In general, you need to own at least two perfumes. With two perfumes, you can have cold and warm weather perfumes to ensure a matching scent all year round. More perfumes are recommended, especially if you want to be able to change things.

The oversaturated market has made it difficult for new scents to sell, forcing perfume makers to rethink their strategies. The main issue is there's a lack of differentiation between many scents on the market, according to experts.

End-user Insights. The women end-user segment accounted for the largest share of more than 62.85% in 2022. It is observed that women in the U.S. purchase a new perfume as often as once a month, in comparison to men who buy it on an average of 1-2 times per year.

What was Princess Diana's favorite perfume? ›

Van Cleef & Arpels First Eau de Toilette.

FOR the last 81 years, the Chanel name has carried a special resonance for women 30 and older, who have made Chanel No. 5 the world's leading fragrance.

I'm gonna be the first to say that Shalimar is a unisex fragrance and no one should be afraid of “smelling like an old lady”.

Creed Love in White Edp is Michelle's go-to scent as it reflects perfectly the freedom to choose and act. The top-notch quality scent has a sophisticated blend of ingredients and floral scents that creates a refreshing impression and an even alluring aura.

Like millions of other women, Monroe was a fan of Chanel No 5. However, in 2002, it was revealed that she also had a secret penchant for Floris Rose Geranium. The eau de toilette was delivered in bulk to her at the Beverly Hills Hotel under a cloak and dagger alias while she filmed Some Like It Hot.

Finally, there is the singer's favorite: '90s Couture, a rich floral scent with sandalwood and peach nectar, which Cher describes as "heady". Each bottle is on sale for around EUR 30 at scentbeauty.com.

Her signature scent

If you were wondering what Jackie smelled like, look no further than luxury French perfume brand, House of Krigler's Lovely Patchouli 55, a leathery scent which housed notes of amber, bergamot, patchouli, and citrus.

Those aromas featured in the aptly named "Norse Power" scent range from the relatively pleasant (fresh pine, seawater, fruits and nuts) to the unabashedly gross (blood and gore, mud, smoke from burning settlements).

How do old ladies smell? ›

They, too, have a distinct scent that's very different from a baby's. Older adults are no different. Many describe their scent as being mildly sweet and musty. And despite what popular culture might try to say, a 2012 study suggests most people usually don't mind this smell at all.

Littman calls it the “Chanel no. 5” of ancient Egypt and says it was popular during the reign of Cleopatra.

Apply immediately after you shower

Your open pores will soak up the scent and leave your skin smelling fabulous all day long. However, don't apply the perfume while your skin is still wet as it will only rub off when you dry yourself!

Don't wear too much perfume

If you wear the same perfume day after day, you can get used to it and don't feel the scent as much as before. But it doesn't mean, that people around you don't feel it also. From time to time, it is better to change your perfume.

Eau de Parfum (EDP) is the strongest type of perfume we sell. Eau de Parfum contains between 10-20% of perfume oil, and is a popular choice with both perfume brands and customers. Eau de Parfum will generally last around 8 hours. Eau de Toilette (EDT) is next, containing around 5-15% of perfume oil.

Too little will go unnoticed, and too much will attract attention for all the wrong reasons, as well as getting up your own nose – but how many sprays is too many? We recommend no more than 5, no less than 2 and space them out (wrists, neck and body) to make the scent even.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth reportedly wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.

Indeed, the first form of perfume was incense, first made by the Mesopotamians about 4000 years ago.

The 60s was the time when we were introduced to many classic aromas. Various brands and drugstores brought multiple fragrances still must-haves in any collection. The best perfume popular in the 1960s is Chanel N°22. It is one of the iconic fragrances of that time, and it still is one of the best aromas out there.

What was the smell of the 70s? ›

Musk. It was a musky decade, overall, whether you wore Jovan, Old Spice or English Leather.

Lenel for Men is a fragrance with classic notes that has been around for decades. Lansky Bros. has sold Lenel since the 1950s and most notably, it was Elvis Presley's favorite cologne brand. The Lenel Natural Spray Cologne is 3.4 FL. OZ.

It was during the 1960s that hippies snubbed mainstream fragrances and musk, patchouli and sandalwood were the hot scents. Essential oils were the new rage and due to this, musk had a special place in the classic drugstore lineup.

Patchouli is known for being the hippie scent-of-choice in the 1960s, but its traditional uses date back thousands of years.

Creed actually presented Victoria with a suprisingly heady scent, in 1845, 'Fleurs de Bulgarie', which she wore throughout her illustrious reign: a waltz of Bulgarian rose, musk, ambergris and bergamot (and an updated version is still a bestseller today).

Large empty perfume bottles

If your empty perfume bottles are rare, old or from an iconic brand, you can sell them to discerning collectors. Some major retailers offer to return your bottles in exchange for a discount on the purchase of a new perfume.

If one is unable to find a recycling program to take back their used bottles, consider repurposing or reusing them. Empty perfume bottles, for example, should never be thrown away. With a little imagination or creativity, they can be put to new use.

Many people enjoy collecting old perfume bottles, as they can make for beautiful display pieces. While some collectors focus on a specific type of bottle, others simply collect any bottle that catches their fancy. Some bottles can be quite valuable, depending on their age, condition, and rarity.

What is the shelf life of unopened perfume? ›

Bottom line: An unopened bottle of fragrance is good for 12 to 18 months, though a light scent—such as a citrus, one with fresh green notes, or a delicate floral—will most likely begin to turn sooner.

Once opened, perfumes can last between three-to-five-years on average – though it is advised that a fragrance should ideally be used within two to three years. This is, however, dependent on a few different factors, such as the perfume's storage conditions as well as its ingredient formulation.

Soak the Clothes Before Washing

Soak your clothing in a sink or washing machine filled with warm water and one cup of baking soda before washing. Be sure the soaking vessel is large enough to completely submerge the smelly garment.

Don't worry: Your perfume contains alcohol which keeps it from freezing, so it won't turn into an alcoholic ice block. Brooklyn-based brand DS & Durga went a step further and, in light of COVID-19, designed an ice cream truck of perfumes, dubbed FUMETRUCK.