I would not necessarily describe myself as the sentimental type, but I do appreciate the value that an event or object can hold. During an exercise of identifying and discarding old grooming & hygiene products, I discovered an old bottle of Vera Wang for Men. Launched in 2004, I received this fragrance as a birthday gift from my girlfriend (destined to be my wife) Stephanie. I forget the exact details, but Vera Wang herself was in town signing the box of her newly launched cologne for men. And so, I made sure that my autographed box was never damaged or compromised. I did not who Vera Wang was at the time, but I recognized her celebrity, and I appreciated Stephanie securing the fragrance with Wang’s autograph as a special touch. That was 2004. It is now 2019, soon to be 2020. As the scent had fallen out of my rotation, it was now tucked away in a quiet spot, perhaps begging for a return to the lineup. However, we are now approximately 15 years past the original unboxing. Surely the scent had gone bad. My curiosity coaxed me to investigate.

To my astonishment, the fragrance was still strong and healthy. Sure, the atomizer was a little stiff, and it took a few compressions to get the cologne flowing, but the contents were perfectly fine. Conventional wisdom dictates that quality cologne can last upwards to 10 years. Honestly, that was not my original intent. How did my Vera Wang for Men make it to 15 years without any noticeable degradation? Since this batch was launched during its first run, perhaps the quality was top shelf. If you think about – who wants their first cologne launch to flop? And then perhaps, its life had been extended due to the care (or neglect if you ask my wife) that I afforded it. Now, I can’t promise that your cologne can last 15-20 years after unboxing; but follow these simple rules and you will enjoy your cologne longer than perhaps expected.

Gent Hints

• Store your fragrance in a location with a stable temperature, preferably cool and dry. Severe temperature fluctuations can degrade the chemical makeup of your cologne.
• Do not subject your cologne to high temperatures. And please do not expose your cologne to direct sunlight. Again, your cologne will begin to degrade.
• If possible, keep your cologne in the original container, or any container for that matter, affording protection from all forms of light.
• Do not store in locations with heat and humidity – that means your bathroom sir.