How long do bottles & imps last?

[tart]

sarada, you might find this thread interesting:

Who here has the oldest bottle of the preciousss?

[The Ace of Spades]

an imp lasts me about 3 fairly liberal applications. usually in a few days, it's gone. i cannot BELIEVE there are some lucky sh*ts out there who can make an imp last thru 15 apps!

 

perhaps it's the extremely arid climate in colorado, but even though i really liberally lube myself up....i end up reapplying many times to get even *some* effect. i have a couple of 5mls i don't expect to last more than a month.

 

and when posters say they pop the lid & put a drop on & everyone can smell it for miles?? consider yourselves LUCKY.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tend to get between 10 and 15 applications from an imp, but then, I started with very conservative applications. Once I started getting bottles of my favorites, I started slathering more because I didn't feel like I had to conserve. I refresh during the day, too.

[sarada]

sarada, you might find this thread interesting:

Who here has the oldest bottle of the preciousss?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks tart! I looked high and low for a thread on that. Searching on words like "bottle" yields quite a few hits though! I feel confident these will last long enough for me to get a good use out of all of them..

[purely_cosmetic]

As everyone has already said, it really depends on which scent you're using, and also, how many other scents you have.For me, at the moment there are probably only three to four scents that I love so much I wear all the time. I could get through an imp of Golden Priapus in a couple of days, so I've ordered a 5ml, I'm ordering a ten ml later this month, AND il probably buy another 5ml when apoth cat start to stock it. I would bathe in it if I could. BETH PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DONT EVER CANCEL IT?!!?!

 

Oh yes. I love it more than chips, when I could eat chips.

 

I'm also getting a ten ml of tigerlly, because I love usingit as a burning oil thing, as well as perfume.

 

HOWEVER, I also really like Jack, and have a 5ml, but I have no idea how long it will take for me to finish. A matter of month rather than days, as its very very strong, and lasts right trough the day, unlike GP which fades after a few hours on me.

Edited February 12, 2005 by purely_cosmetic

[theshapeshifter]

I'm relieved to read through this and see that I'm not the only one who gets through an imp in 3-6 uses! I'd posted to the LJ comm recently, in which I mentioned that a "tested once" imp for me would be at or just below the label in terms of fullness, and a lot of people's reaction seemed to be something like: :icon_eek:

 

I'm only just starting to receive my first 5 mls, so it'll be interesting to see how long they last. I love feeling free to slather, though!

[karlajean]

I suspect that with me, the oils will last a LONG time. I generally can't wear "commercial" (ie. department store) perfumes - the smell of them makes me sick to my stomach. I don't know what I'm reacting to, but there was one time I actually had to get out of a car and throw up because my brother was wearing strong commercial cologne.

 

Because of this (and perhaps because I rely on public transit, heh) I have strong opinions about personal "air space" and perfume... I wear perfume for me. I wear it because I like the smell, and other people shouldn't be able to smell me until they get within a 3 foot or so radius of me... they shouldn't be able to smell me from across a room. Because of this, I don't apply much - even with light scents like Dirty. One use from an imp and I can't even see a difference in the level of the liquid in the vial. On the plus side, I can buy an imp of an LE/discontinued scent from a forumite or LJer and it'll last me a long time (I'm also doing the different scent every day thing).

 

I've also made it a policy that my first test of any perfume happens ONLY on my wrists. I tried one (Beltane, I think) which had a lot of musk in it, and because of that I've realized that musk and I don't mix very well. I wanted to get that one off of me right quick, and was able to wash it off of my wrists but because I'd applied it to my neck as well, it had gotten onto my shirt and I couldn't get it off completely. So because of this, testing an imp doesn't make much difference in the amount in the vial.

[RunsWithScissors]

I wanted to chime in here on the shelf life factor because I have essential oils and perfumes that I've had for years. I'm not kiddings. YEARS. And they haven't changed at all in scent. I keep them on a shelf in my bathroom closet where it's dark and dry. And I pulled out a scent that I've had for probably close to a decade (I kid you not! I got it on a cruise in St. Thomas where perfumes are dirt cheap) and I was planning to toss it, thinking it must have gone bad. Just out of curiosity, I sprayed it into the air and was stunned to find it hadn't changed at all. Smelled exactly as I remembered. Memories came rushing back. Then I tried it on and it was fine. Maybe that's something in the perfumers alcohol that keeps it good.

 

As for essential oils, I never found they go bad or rancid on me. I keep them in a drawer or wooden box, out of light and heat, and I've never had a problem, to my happy surprise. But that's just my experience. I just wanted to add it just to say that it is possible for you to have oils or perfumes for ages and not have them change scent.

[Koumori]

I've been ordering from BPAL for several years, and I have yet to run out of a 5mL - however, I'm a dabber rather than a slatherer and I rarely apply more than a drop or two at a time. I wore Sugar Skull almost daily all fall and winter, with a midday reapply, and I still have a third of the bottle left!

 

As far rancidity goes - I've only had one bottle go rancid on me so far, which was the 2003 Samhain (or was that 2002? I forget.. well, Samhain I anyway). I discovered it had gone bad about a month ago, which gave that particular bottle a shelf life of a bit less than 2 years (or maybe 3). Like all my oils, it was kept in a box in my bedroom.

Edited June 16, 2005 by Koumori

[blackrayne]

As far rancidity goes - I've only had one bottle go rancid on me so far, which was the 2003 Samhain (or was that 2002?  I forget.. well, Samhain I anyway).  I discovered it had gone bad about a month ago, which gave that particular bottle a shelf life of a bit less than 2 years (or maybe 3).  Like all my oils, it was kept in a box in my bedroom.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Samhain's first appearance was in 2003. I have a bottle from then too... I wonder if it's still ok or if mine too has turned. I hope it's still ok... I haven't yet used all of it (or my 2004 bottle either).

[joseybird]

I've heard that EOs don't go bad with age except for citrus oils...most non-citrus fruit notes are bouquets, because most fruits resist distillation or have no oils to extract, so it might be that even though a citrus is not listed in a blend's description, it might be part of a bouquet used for one of the notes

 

Either that or the bottle has just become very contaminated?

[Nia]

I have done a search to see if this very anal question was already answered and it looked as if I'm the first to make it.

 

I'm very new to BPAL; I just have a handful of imps. The way I apply it is by running the open imp fast along one side of my neck, or accross it, rubbing it on the skin so that it leaves a trace. When I use a BPAL perfume to give new life to my "normal" ones, I just use a rub of the cap's wand.

 

How many uses do you think I can get out of one imp that way? about 5 or so?

[evanesce]

Mine last forever, for others they last three applications...

 

There's another thread on this some where...

[Orodemniades]

Hmm, that's a toughie.

 

Having said that, I'm a slatherer. I hit up 6-7 points on my body when I slather, and find most imps - assuming they're above label - give me at least 10 applications. However! These are for oils that aren't all that thick. Thicker oils might have fewer applications. Of course, my skin also drinks oil, and ymmv.

 

eta: I've actually yet to empty an imp, even ones like Rose Red, Venom, and Eve...

 

ORo

Edited December 22, 2005 by Orodemniades

[sarada]

I did an experiment and found that about 12 drops of oil will fill an imp to about the label, and most blends only require about one generous drop to give me a nice application. With lighter ones I apply like crazy though. I rarely even get halfway through an imp before I panic and buy a bottle, so I don't really know how long they would last me if I kept going.

 

That may be an experiment I need to force myself to do in the new year.

[ipb]

sarada, that depends on the size of your dropper & the viscocity of the liquid. the kind i use (which i bought from a science supply store back when i was decanting with pipettes) is calibrated to give ~0.04 mL/drop with water (~20 drops/imp)

 

 

nia, i use something along that method for applying from imps, and some of my imps i've had for nearly two years...but i don't apply from imps daily (my usual suspects are in bottles )... for the most part, i use imps to test if i like a scent before buying a 5mL, so except for a few that i don't like enough to buy a bottle of, i try to not have too many imps around. they're harder to organize!

[sarada]

My high-tech decanting equipment for that experiment was.....a 4-inch segment of regular drinking straw.

[Seanan]

I'm a slather girl -- I hit all my pulse points, because I can't re-apply during the day, and I find that if I get my wrists, neck, and the insides of my elbows early, the only 'IIEEEE TOO MUCH' moments pass during my morning walk, leaving me pleasant all day long.

 

I went through an imp's worth of March Hare in about a month, so I'm scrambling for more of my favourite Pumpkin Patch scent before it becomes completely unobtainable, as right now, I anticipate running out around Christmas.

[twistedcoil]

My absolute stroke of genuis (happens once in a blue moon!) was to buy a roller ball in which to decant my imps...

 

5ml roller ball, pour in the imp carefully (sometimes it needs a few taps to break the surface tension - a pipette would solve this, but I'm disorganised!). Then I add an equal quantity of jojoba oil (this is the oil which is closest to the natural oil our skin produces) and fix on the cap.

 

Shake gently before use, and then apply as normal. This makes my imps last at least 30 apps (might be much more, I still haven't reached halfway of my first bottles!), and it seems, if anything, amplify the throw of the scent!

 

 

I would be very curious to know if this works for others!

nic.x

[Wwindy]

So, I've been dithering...

 

When the Order of the Dragon came out I only went for the two blends I was interested in. Then, this summer, my baby daughter was born and we wound up naming her Mina -- now I'm thinking I should track down some Wilhelmina Murray for her to have! Obviously she won't be interested for a number of years, though. Is there any point in trying to store a bottle or imp that long?

[Ina Garten Davita]

With proper storage there is no reason to think that the perfume itself with smell bad even after many years. Florals may degrade some. Even if it's just as a keepsake, I say get it. It's a lovely idea.

[joseybird]

Agreed =)

 

Personally, I've been focusing more on resins/spices/woods these days, since they tend to hold up better and I have a ton of Lush solid perfumes to get through before I can really dig into my BPAL again!

[erraticprophet]

It's funny because I thought I slathered but apparently, since I only use a drop or two at the most, I dab. Imps last me forever. I can't even count how many uses I get out of one. I've only ever finished two (Dorian and Embalming Fluid-- two of the imps from my first imp pack). I don't need to use much oil because I tend to amp scent and any more would be overwhelming for everyone and would probably kill me with a migraine.

[Wwindy]

With proper storage there is no reason to think that the perfume itself with smell bad even after many years. Florals may degrade some. Even if it's just as a keepsake, I say get it. It's a lovely idea.

 

Thanks! Now to go ISO...

[olive]

I'm curious as to the shortest amount of time it has taken you to go through a particular bottle, and what bottle it was? I ask primarily because I'm one of the many faithful who, while recognizing all (most!) the bpal scents are great, also recognizes that nothing really compares to Snake Oil. It is just a step above the rest. And I slather it sinfully.

 

I know 10ml's used to be sold but not anymore. Why is this? I do a lot of traveling and don't want to have to keep multiple 5ml bottles with me. Is there any way to procure an empty 10ml Snake Oil bottle and then refill that with 5ml's I order from Beth? I realize I could order and use any random vial in the world, but I'm sentimental (read obsessive) and want an actual 10ml Snake Oil bottle! Empty or not (ha, right)

 

What bottles do you wish they sold 10ml's of because you go through them so fast? Almost embarassingly fast. In addition to Snake Oil I would also add Kabuki. Over the last few years my love for absinthe has turned me into a raging anise-a-holic and Kabuki hits all the right spots and then some.

[starwild]

I've barely made a dent in my bottles, as I like to switch things around and wear imps in between bottle-wearing, but good grief...I know I will go through my two bottles of I Married a Vampire From Planet X in no time. I used an imp in two days. I have never done that before.

 

I got my first (lab fresh) 5 mls back in October and have used maaaaybe an imp's worth from each of them?

Edited February 6, 2008 by starwild