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How long does a bottle of perfume last?

A perfume bottle holds about 10 sprays per millilitre, so a 50 ml bottle is roughly 500 sprays — about 4 months at 4 sprays a day, or most of a year if you rotate scents. Unopened it keeps 3–5 years; once opened, about 2–3 years before the scent fades. Below is the full sprays-by-size chart, plus the real cost per spray we track.

Sprays per bottle, and how long it lasts

Bottle sizeApprox. spraysAt 2/dayAt 4/dayAt 8/day
30 ml (1.0 oz)~300~5 mo~3 mo~1 mo
50 ml (1.7 oz)~500~8 mo~4 mo~2 mo
75 ml (2.5 oz)~750~13 mo~6 mo~3 mo
100 ml (3.4 oz)~1000~17 mo~8 mo~4 mo

Based on ~0.1 ml per full spray (about 10 sprays per ml). A light spritz uses less, so these are a middle estimate. Months assume daily use of one bottle; rotating scents makes any bottle last longer.

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Shelf life: 3–5 years unopened, 2–3 opened

Unopened and kept cool and dark, most perfume lasts 3–5 years — stronger concentrations (eau de parfum, parfum) often longer. Once opened, expect about 2–3 years before top notes fade and the scent turns flat. Heat, light and air are what degrade it, so store bottles in a drawer or box, not on a sunny shelf.

The cost per spray

You buy perfume by the bottle but use it by the spray, so cost per ml is the fair comparison. Across the fragrance we track, a spray runs from about $0.015 at the cheapest to $0.18 at the median. A big bottle almost always costs far less per spray than a small one or a travel size of the same scent — which is why the “affordable” small bottle is often the most expensive way to wear it.

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Frequently asked

How many sprays are in a bottle of perfume?▾

Roughly 10 sprays per millilitre, since a full atomiser spray is about 0.1 ml. So a 30 ml bottle holds about 300 sprays, a 50 ml about 500, a 75 ml about 750, and a 100 ml about 1,000. The exact count varies with the atomiser and how long you hold it — a light spritz uses less, so treat these as a reliable middle estimate.

How long does a 50 ml bottle of perfume last?▾

About 500 sprays, so at 4 sprays a day it lasts roughly 4 months; at 2 sprays a day, about 8 months; at 8 sprays a day, about 2 months. Most people wear one perfume some days and rotate others, so a single 50 ml bottle commonly lasts most of a year in practice.

Does perfume expire or go bad?▾

Yes, eventually. Unopened and stored cool and dark, most perfume keeps 3 to 5 years, and stronger concentrations (parfum, eau de parfum) often longer. Once opened, expect roughly 2 to 3 years before the top notes fade and the scent turns flat or sour. Heat, light and air are what degrade it — keep bottles in a drawer or box, not on a sunny bathroom shelf, and they last near their best.

How much does a spray of perfume cost?▾

Across the fragrance we track, a spray (about 0.1 ml) runs from roughly $0.015 at the cheapest to $0.18 at the median. Because you buy perfume by the bottle but "use" it by the spray, cost per ml (or per spray) is the fair way to compare — a big bottle usually costs far less per spray than a small one or a travel size of the same scent.