The sun is out, but your perfumes shouldn't be - here's how to protect their precious notes

While your mind might be justifiably on other things, like keeping yourself cool and hydrated in the summer heat, spare a quick thought for your favourite (and likely very expensive) fragrances and where you might be storing them, as the heat affects them too.

Let's take your dresser, for instance; while your best long-lasting perfumes might look incredibly chic, positioned just so, on its top, if that spot sees a lot of light and the room gets hot, your scents might be suffering for the aesthetic. Their compositions are delicate and can be adversely affected by several factors, though the heat is our top concern right now, with temperatures already soaring this season.

So, if you've just invested in a luxe and gorgeous-smelling citrus or floral fragrance, and you want to keep it that way, these are the worst places to store your perfumes, according to experts.

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The worst places to store your perfumes, per the experts

It's likely something that's never really crossed your mind before, but your best rose perfumes and gourmand blends actually aren't impervious to the elements just because they're housed in ornate and stylish, often tinted bottles. In fact, the summer heat can indeed pose a risk to them.

"As an Australian, I have a lot of sympathy for anyone experiencing a heatwave," says Almira Armstrong, founder of LUMIRA. "We spend much of the year navigating intense summer temperatures, and one thing I've learned is that perfume needs protecting just as much as we do."

Now, it's important to note that your favourite £100+ perfume isn't in immediate danger. As Perfume Direct's Fragrance Expert, Jonny Webber explains: "Perfume is highly sensitive to heat, light and oxygen. The aromatic compounds that create a fragrance are delicate, and once a bottle has been opened, they gradually begin to oxidise. Heat speeds up that process."

That said, "One warm afternoon isn't going to ruin your favourite perfume, but weeks or months of exposure to high temperatures and direct sunlight can change how it smells."

Thus, it's very important, in the long run and especially during intense periods of heat - like this current UK heatwave - that we take preventive measures and keep our scents away from these three locations...

1. On your dressing table or windowsill

We know, we know, they do look so chic there, but as Webber notes, "If you've spent £80, £100 or even £200 on a premium fragrance, leaving it on a sunny dressing table during a heatwave is a bit like leaving an expensive bottle of wine in a hot conservatory. You're simply accelerating its decline."

Webber adds that "Direct sunlight is the obvious problem, but even bright rooms that become warm throughout the day can gradually alter a fragrance's chemical composition. Heat and UV light are one of the worst combinations for preserving perfume."

Ideally, fragrances should be stored at around 15-20°C, but keeping them somewhere consistently cool, dry and out of direct sunlight is the most important thing. Webber advises that a cupboard or drawer "in one of the cooler parts of your home is usually the best place."

Armstrong seconds this, adding: "The ideal place is somewhere cool, dry and dark. A bedroom drawer, wardrobe shelf or cabinet is perfect. I always recommend keeping fragrances in their original box if possible, as this provides an extra layer of protection from light exposure."

2. In the bathroom

Now, this one might surprise you, but your bathroom is a no-go for your favourite fragrances.

"Bathrooms experience constant swings in temperature and humidity," Webber explains. "Every hot shower exposes the bottle to warm, damp air before it cools again. Over time, those repeated fluctuations place unnecessary stress on the fragrance."

Armstrong also notes that "Heat, humidity and direct sunlight are perfume's greatest enemies. These conditions can cause delicate fragrance molecules to degrade faster, altering the scent and reducing its longevity."

3. In your car or handbag

We're definitely guilty of this one, but during bouts of warm weather, keeping your fragrance in your car or handbag is a no-no.

"A parked car can become far hotter than the outside temperature, especially in direct sunlight," says Webber. "A fragrance left in a glovebox or handbag inside the car for just a few hours can be exposed to temperatures well beyond what it was designed to withstand."

Tips for protecting your perfumes in the heat

The beauty of a perfume and why we don't mind spending a little more on them, compared to our foundations, let's say, is that they can last us for years. But taking care of them is the key to really getting the most out of them. So, to keep your signature scents doing what they do best, Webber has shared some recommendations.

Tips for protecting your perfumes:

1. Keep your scents in a cool, dark place - like a drawer
2. Keep bottles in their original boxes to help protect them from light
3. Always replace the cap immediately after use to reduce exposure to oxygen.
4. Invest in a travel atomiser to decant your favourites and store them in your handbag
5. Never leave perfume in a parked car, even for a short time

And in case you're on the hunt for some summer perfume recommendations, Armstrong recommends fresh, airy perfumes - but not applied directly to the skin.

"In extreme heat, I prefer lighter application and gravitate towards fresher fragrance families," Armstrong says, before adding that "Applying fragrance to clothing rather than heavily sun-exposed skin can also help it wear more beautifully throughout the day. And of course, staying hydrated and cool helps every fragrance feel fresher." LUMIRA's Sun Soaked scent is a gorgeous take on a solar perfume, in case you're in the market for one.