How to Refill a Perfume Bottle (Screw-Neck and Crimped)

Key Takeaways

• Check the neck first. Screw-neck bottles unscrew and can be refilled. Most designer perfumes use crimped pumps that are permanently sealed and aren't designed to be refilled.

• Use a small funnel, pipette or decanting tool to avoid spills and keep air contact to a minimum.

• Clean and dry the bottle completely before refilling. Water or leftover fragrance can spoil the new scent.

• Don't overfill. Leave a little room below the neck so the pump seats properly.

• Need refillable bottles? Browse our perfume and fragrance bottles and atomisers and closures.

Can You Refill Any Perfume Bottle?

Not every bottle is made to be refilled. It depends on how the spray pump is attached:

• Screw-neck bottles have a pump that screws on and off, like a bottle cap. These are designed to be opened and are easy to refill.
• Crimped bottles have a pump that's been pressed onto the neck with a metal collar (a ferrule) using a crimping tool. This creates a permanent, airtight seal. Most high-street and designer perfumes are sealed this way, and they can't be opened without damaging the pump.
• Refillable designer bottles are made by some brands with their own refill system. If yours came with refill instructions, follow those.

If your bottle is crimped, the cleanest option is to decant the perfume into a refillable screw-neck atomiser instead. Our guide to how crimping works explains the difference in more detail.

What You'll Need

• The fragrance you want to refill with
• A small funnel, a pipette, or a perfume decanting tool
• Kitchen roll or a lint-free cloth
• Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) for cleaning, if you're switching scents

How to Refill a Screw-Neck Perfume Bottle

1. Unscrew the pump and set it on a clean piece of kitchen roll, tube side down.
2. Check the bottle is clean and completely dry. If you're changing to a different fragrance, clean it first (see below).
3. Place a small funnel in the neck, or use a pipette to transfer the perfume a little at a time.
4. Fill to just below the shoulder, leaving room for the pump's dip tube so the liquid doesn't overflow when you screw it back on.
5. Screw the pump back on firmly and give it a few test sprays to prime it.
6. Wipe the outside of the bottle to remove any drips.

How to Decant Perfume From a Crimped Bottle

You can't open a crimped bottle, but you can transfer perfume out of it through the spray nozzle:

1. Remove the spray cap so the pump stem is exposed.
2. Fit the stem into a decanting tool, or press the nozzle directly against the opening of a small refillable bottle.
3. Spray slowly in short bursts until the new bottle is filled to the shoulder.
4. Fit the new bottle's pump, prime it with a few sprays, and wipe away any drips.

This works well for filling travel-size atomisers from a full-size bottle, so you don't carry the original around.

How to Clean a Perfume Bottle Before Refilling

If you're refilling with the same fragrance, a quick wipe of the neck is usually enough. If you're switching scents, or the bottle has been empty for a while, clean it properly:

1. Rinse the bottle with a small amount of rubbing alcohol, swirl it around and pour it out. Repeat if a smell of the old fragrance remains.
2. Flush the pump by spraying a little alcohol through it.
3. Leave the bottle and pump to air-dry completely, ideally upside down, for several hours.

Avoid washing the inside with water unless you can dry it thoroughly afterwards. Leftover water dilutes the fragrance and can make it go cloudy.

Tips to Keep Your Perfume at Its Best

• Keep air out: refill in one go and close the bottle straight away. Air speeds up oxidation, which dulls the scent.
• Store away from light and heat: sunlight and warm rooms break down fragrance oils. A cupboard is better than a sunny windowsill.
• Choose the right glass: amber and coloured glass give more protection from light than clear glass.
• Don't mix fragrances in the same bottle unless you mean to.

Making Your Own Fragrance?

If you're refilling bottles because you're making perfume yourself, screw-neck bottles with atomisers are the easiest place to start. When you're ready to sell, crimped bottles give a tamper-evident, professional finish. See our fragrance bottle guide for help choosing, or try our step-by-step guide to creating your own fragrance at home.

The Bottom Line

Check whether your bottle is screw-neck or crimped. Screw-neck bottles unscrew and refill easily with a funnel or pipette; crimped bottles are sealed for good, so decant the perfume into a refillable atomiser instead. Make sure any bottle is clean and fully dry, don't overfill, and store it away from light and heat.

FAQ: Can you refill a designer perfume bottle?

Usually not. Most designer bottles are crimped, which means the pump is permanently sealed on. The exception is bottles sold as refillable, which come with the brand's own refill system.

FAQ: How do you open a crimped perfume bottle?

You can't open it without damaging the pump and the metal collar. To reuse the perfume, decant it through the spray nozzle into a refillable bottle instead.

FAQ: How do I clean a perfume bottle?

Rinse it with a small amount of rubbing alcohol, spray some through the pump, then leave everything to air-dry completely before refilling.

FAQ: Does refilling a perfume bottle affect the scent?

Not if the bottle is clean and dry and you minimise air contact. Leftover water, a different fragrance, or a long time open to the air can all change how it smells.

Looking for refillable bottles or atomisers? Shop our perfume and fragrance bottles and fragrance closures, available in trade packs.