How To Choose The Ideal Bottle For DIY Perfumers
Some people just love experimenting with different coffee blends. Some completely adore mixing and matching clothes. There are some people who just cannot resist keeping on restyling their rooms. To those who have already discovered it, there are also people who are interested in making their own perfumes.
There is a certain fascination that attracts more and more people to perfume-making. Over the years, many people have decided to forego the busy aisles of shopping malls, resisting the urges of the gold jewelry stores, and opted to start making their own perfume at home. Some do it as a business while some people do it simply for fun. Many homemakers create perfumes to lighten up the atmosphere inside their houses. There are even entrepreneurs who use perfumes to add a signature scent to their products. There are just so many things that could hook you into it.
With a growing community both on and offline, perfume making is definitely a new thing that almost anyone can try. There are many available ingredients that you can buy. You can find a number of websites in the internet with how-to guides. There are also workshops that you can join.
Of course, undertaking a new found interest requires appropriate, good-quality tools and instruments too. In perfume-making, a reliable set of perfume bottles should definitely be on your list.
Choosing your ideal perfume bottles may seem like a very shallow matter, but there are actually some very good reasons to learn more about them.
Though perfumes do not spoil quickly like many types of food, most of them do degrade overtime. Some perfumes may show significant reduction in aromatic strength in as early as six months. This process does accelerate when the perfume is exposed to elemental factors that are detrimental to their quality.
Given these, we should know that a perfume bottle must be able to do more than just hold liquids. The ideal bottle for your prized perfumes should be one that can protect them effectively.
Allow us to put you on the right track. There are many different containers available out there, so you must know what to look for before buying any of them. Needless to say, we assure you that the products Infinity Jars offer can provide the qualities needed to safekeep your fragrances. Still, we would be more than glad to tell you how.
The Story of Perfume Bottles: From Stone, to Porcelain, to Glass
For as long it has been since perfumes were invented, people have also thought of many ways on how to store them. There was an obvious need for reliable containers. People needed vessels that will make it easy for people to carry the liquid perfumes over long distances for buying, selling and personal use. Perfume containers were an essential part of the trade.
Perfumes were regarded as a highly valuable commodity. For a very long time, it was a commodity only afforded by the rich. For this reason, it was only fitting that a household would keep their perfumes in the fanciest containers available. When noblemen carried perfumes with them, they would store them in very decorative vials worn with their vestments. Ancient Greek and the Roman royalty even had very sophisticated bottles that imitate the shape of birds and other animals. All these were dedicated only to the safekeeping of their prized perfumes.
Most importantly, perfumers have searched for the ideal containers that will retain the fragrances of their blends. They have tried using different materials in their attempt and many developments were made. Perfume bottles that we now use surely have quite a story to tell us about how they came to be.
Alabaster Containers
The Egyptians were particularly knowledgeable and skilled in making containers. Somehow, they knew that perfumes needed to be contained in materials that can protect them from light, temperature and oxidation. Egyptian craftsmen were adept at constructing containers from wood and stone materials. They used these to hold plants, resins and embalming ingredients.
Eventually, they discovered that using alabaster as material is effective in storing their mixtures. Alabaster is a type of stone that is naturally cool at the touch. It served fairly well in protecting their perfumes from the intense Egyptian heat.
The alabaster vessels did considerably well as a perfume container. It was a clever choice given the limited natural resources of the ancient Egyptians. However, to be able to hollow out containers from such stones required laborious work indeed.
As other civilizations rose in their own industrial capabilities, more and more advancements were made to the making of perfume bottles.
The First Glass Bottles
Though the Egyptians are well-deserving of praise for their ancient craftsmanship, man will later discover better materials to make their bottles. Perfumes eventually found their best-suited container in the form of dissolved sand: glass.
The title of glass-making pioneers is still disputed today by a number of nations. Nevertheless, whoever did crack the code to creating this material has done humanity a great favor. Glass is unrivaled for its amazing combination of transparency, hardness and adsorbent properties.
Of course, the first glass containers were far from those that we know today. They were opaque, full of granules of undissolved sand and trapped bubbles. Manufacturers would later discover effective ways to enhance the quality of glass.
The biggest advancement to perfume bottle making probably came from the Syrians. In around 50 BC, the Syrians began to develop techniques that would eventually become the foundations of the now vast glass-blowing industry. Even though glass was already a known material during the period, the Syrians paved the way to turning glass into functional and stylish containers.
As the glass-blowing practice grew, numerous advancements were achieved. Later, manufacturers discovered how aesthetic qualities can be improved by adding other valuable elements such as silver, gold and cobalt. Ways to enhance the strength of glass and reduce its brittleness were also developed.
In the 4th century, Venice became the center of glass production. The manufacturing prowess of the region was so precious to the manufacturers of that time. Stories have been told that glass laborers were practically imprisoned within the island to keep their secrets from the rest of the world. The high-class reputation of Venetian glass and glass containers is still widely recognized today.
The Porcelain Craze
Another innovation in perfume bottle-making occured in the 18th century. After so many generations, the porcelain-making secrets of the Chinese were finally revealed to the Europeans. Soon, the porcelain containers began filling the houses of the royal and wealthy. Many of these vessels were intricately decorated and valued at very high prices. It was a new fashion that took the market by storm. A wide selection of porcelain bottles were being made. People paid to have their own personal designs and travelled far to find the right porcelain container to match their luxurious tastes.
However, beautiful as these artworks were, they did not prove to be as effective as glass in storing perfumes. The glass bottle industry eventually outgrew the porcelain trade and re-established itself as the preferred choice as a carrier of fragrances.
Glass Containers, The Perfumers’ Choice
Just as it did to other commodities such as wine, glass bottles certainly paved the way to a lot of progress in the perfume trade. The diverse sizes and shapes of glass containers allowed people to carry them in varying amounts. The adsorbent quality of the glass also allowed merchants to travel with their products over long distances.
The use of glass containers did not benefit the perfume industry alone. It also become an ideal choice for carrying other vital liquid products, including incense, balm and oils.
Even now, a lot of companies are focusing on technological developments in the use of glass. It has come a long way from being the mere dissolved sand it once was. Glass offers us a unique set of qualities that newer materials such as plastic just could not achieve. Even other huge industries such as carbonated drinks recognize the unequalled effectiveness of glass bottles in maintaining the quality of their beverages.
Despite the many changes that came along the way, modern day perfumers have remained confident in the services of glass bottles. It is undeniably the winning choice of material for perfumes.
The No-no’s Of Storing Perfume: Quality-Degrading Factors
Perfumes are truly a wonderful item to spice up our everyday life. They may not be as essential as food or medicine, but the way they can affect us goes to a different sense of value to us. That is why a lot of people always keep a good old bottle of fragrance in our purses or drawers.
However, keeping a safe amount of the liquid perfume is only as good as keeping the scent they hold intact. What does that mean? It means that the fragrant essences contained in the very perfumes do fade and change gradually over time.
Perfumes do lose their fragrant qualities eventually. Still, there are several factors that usually accelerate this process. Every good perfumer knows about them and so should we. Knowing these influences is important to storing and handling our perfumes in the best possible way.
Oxidation
Liquid substances naturally turn into gas. It is a process called oxidation. Depending on the ingredients and proportions used, perfumes have varying rates of oxidation. Some perfumes can begin to lose their aromas in a matter of months. On the other hand, some can remain fragrant and even improve their scents after a decade or more.
Basically, perfumes that contain elements with long lasting scents will also retain their fragrances longer. Some examples of these ingredients are those with woody scents such as patchouli and vetiver. These components would even improve as they age. Similarly, other perfumes that uses scent ingredients with higher oxidation rates will also lose their fragrances much quicker. Perfumes that carry citrusy and floral components are very good examples of these.
Sunlight
Sunlight is mostly beneficial to us. To perfumes however, it could mean a very bad thing. Overexposure to direct sunlight would definitely take a toll on the quality of their aromas. This is because the radiation and heat can cause a fragrance to break down.
Changes in Temperature
Perfumes are also affected by fluctuations in the surrounding temperature. The chemical composition of your perfumes can be sensitive to changes in temperature. A sudden shift from cold to hot may cause an increased rate of oxidation.
Perfumes can best retain their aromatic property under a consistent, cool and dry environment.
Exposure to Air
There are countless materials in the air that can contaminate your perfume. Exposing your perfume to the surrounding air will subject it to many elements that can alter its scent.
Keeping your perfume uncovered will also allow it to oxidize. Doing this is a sure way to lose your perfume’s aroma and, needless to say, its significance.
Qualities To Look For In Choosing Your Bottles (And Tips In Storing Them)
Now, we know all the potential enemies of our perfumes. This means we are ready to identify the qualities to look for in choosing our perfume bottles.
You might have seen many breathtaking perfume bottle designs yourself. They come in so many elaborate shapes, colors and sizes. Yet, perfume bottles aren’t just about appearance. Perfume companies only produce such amazing containers to increase the marketability of their products. Containers need a good deal of safekeeping properties to effectively keep your perfumes in top quality.
No To Plastic Containers
We all know about the environmental problems that we have caused by overusing plastics. But more than that, there are very reasonable reasons why we do not recommend plastic containers for perfumes.
Perfumes often contain some very concentrated ingredients that can eat their way through plastic overtime. In addition, plastic has an inferior adsorbent quality compared to glass. This means they do not hold liquids on their surfaces as effectively as glass. This is why plastic containers may retain the scent or texture of stuff you placed in them even after you have washed them several times.
Only use glass containers that can be easily cleaned and reused for your perfumes. This is a very simple and practical way to help the environment.
Good Quality Glass
There are countless glass manufacturers inside and outside the country. The quality of the glass used in jars and bottles are surely diverse as well.
Always make sure to examine the surface of your containers both inside and outside. Try to see if the glass has any cracks or imperfections. You should also have a good feel of the weight-to-size ratio of the container. Generally, a bottle with a denser and more compact feel should be more reliable.
When buying online, make sure that you only choose quality-proven sellers with very good reviews.
UV Glass Instead of Clear or Amber-Colored Bottles
Glass containers provide good protection against gaseous and solid contaminants. That is true. However, there is another element than can penetrate them: sunlight.
Exposing your perfumes to sunlight will cause their fragrance to break down. The heat of the sun will also depreciate their quality. Obviously, sunlight can easily pass through clear glass and even amber-colored bottles.
Our recommendation? Ultraviolet glass bottles. UV glass is an innovative type of container material used to preserve all sorts of contents. It stops the harmful visible light from passing through. At the same time, it also allows beneficial ultraviolet and infrared lights into its contents.
Airtight Seal Cover
We all know exposure to air can affect perfumes. Your perfumes may be contaminated and may oxidize quickly. This is why it is very important to make sure your bottle caps are airtight.
Poor quality bottle caps would also allow their contents to drip and go to waste.
To minimize the exposure of your perfumes to air, avoid popping the cap too frequently. Try resisting the temptation to take unnecessary whiffs. You should also try to observe if the contents are seeping between the cap and the lip of the container.
Infinity Jars: Your Best Choice For Storing Perfumes
Our products have continuously been bringing satisfaction to our customers. The well-acclaimed quality of our glass containers is no joke! We have the science to prove it.
- Ultra Modern UV Glass Prevents Visible Light From Damaging Your Goods
- Airtight Seal Keeps Oxygen out and Keeps Smells In!
- Clean and Use Again, Eco-Friendly
Summary
Perfumes are man’s success in attempting to capture the wonderful fragrances of nature in a bottle. We have long been captivated by the peculiar ways that fragrances can stir our emotions, thoughts and imaginations. Our use of perfumes goes a long, long way back in history. Its relation to people is carved deeply into our way of living.
Interestingly, almost as much as the perfumes themselves, people have also been fascinated by the bottles that hold them. You may be surprised by how many people are dedicated to designing, making and collecting perfume bottles.
Perfumes were considered a luxury, an expressive statement of wealth. They were not properties that one would keep in cheap ordinary vessels. Even now, perfume companies invest heavily in the designs and production of their containers. Industrial designers and glass makers treat them as unique masterpieces.
Yet, perfume bottles can be also be judged in a simpler and rather more sensible way: by how well they can safekeep their contents. After all, this is the fundamental importance of the containers. Their ability to protect their contents is usually overwhelmed by the attention given to their riveting --and sometimes radical-- appearances. Nevertheless, the true essence of perfume bottles is their function.
Infinity Jars glass containers offer proven-effective properties that will keep your perfumes in their prime states. We are sure that these products will serve you well in your exciting endeavor. Use them to store your homemade colognes, your essential oil collection or your signature perfumes. They are a great companion in your creative exploits with different fragrant blends.
In a prospering DIY era, they are surely a wonderful addition to your list of amazing finds.
Bibliography
https://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Perfume_Bottle
https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/the-best-innovative-fragrance-bottle-designs
https://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Perfume_Bottle
https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Perfume-and-Technology-Vessels-to-Hold-and-Carry-9116.html
https://www.allure.com/story/fragrance-expiration-date
https://media.allured.com/documents/0021.pdf