Fragrance, like other cosmetics, has a shelf life. But unlike most make-up, it can be hard to replace, extremely expensive, and once something happens to it, there's no putting it back together. Because fragrance is so vulnerable to degradation from a number of factors, smart storage practices are important. Want to know how to keep your favorite fragrances smelling exactly as they should for as long as possible? Here's what to do.

Keep them away from temperature extremes.
Most of the time, this means heat, but people who attempt to put their scents in the freezer to keep them fresh often also end up destroying the integrity of the fragrances. The best temperature is a good bit colder than a comfortable room. If you want the perfect conditions, try storing your stuff in a cooler.

Don't put them in your bathroom.
It makes sense to put your favorite perfume on your sink, but it's actually not a good idea. Bathrooms are hot and humid, which makes them prime areas for breaking down the fragrance's molecules and introducing bacteria.

Keep your stuff in the dark.
Light exposure degrades lots of molecules, including those in most fragrances. So keeping your scents somewhere with little to no light exposure is best.

Use opaque bottles.
If you have to have your fragrances out on display, transfer them to frosted or wholly opaque bottles, since clear bottles allow light to affect the fragrance ingredients.

Don't leave the top off.
Scents that are alcohol-based have a rapid rate of evaporation once they're exposed to air, so forgetting to seal up bottles means that your scent will dry up sooner.

Written by Miriam Lacey, this article originally appeared on BellaSugar.

Image: Romanchuck Dimitry/Shutterstock.com