How To Store Essential Oils

Essential oils, as any other botanical oils, have an approximate lifespan. The complex structure, which gives essential oils the properties we look for and cherish, is also responsible for their tendency to slowly oxidize and decay. Read more to better understand how to preserve and use your favorite essential oils for a longer time.

Storage tips and tricks

There are a few things that may help preserve and extend the life of your essential oils.

Get to know your essential oils

The very nature and structure of essential oils makes them extremely stable. Shelf life testing performed on essential oils has shown that essential oils maintain their efficacy even after 5–10 years or more.

While the shelf life of citrus and mandarin essential oils is approximately 1-2 years after opening, some essential oils, like sandalwood, patchouli or any other viscous essential oil, have a longer shelf life and their aromatic properties are actually accentuated as time goes by.

Storing essential oils properly also plays a major role in ensuring that essential oils maintain their efficacy and beneficial properties over time.

Below are some guidelines that should be implemented when storing your essential oils.

Keep your essential oils in a dark spot

Essential oils are sensitive to direct light, and exposure to light can accelerate the oil’s decay and shorten their shelf life. Keeping them in a dark shelf or cupboard will secure the oils stability and properties.

Keep your essential oils away from heat

Heat can play a major role in the process of evaporation and can speed up your oils’ decay.

It is best to keep your essential oils at room temperature of 68 to 70 degrees.

Keep the lid tightly closed

Make sure you properly secure the lid on the bottle of the oil after each use. Unnecessary exposure to oxygen can also lead to shortened shelf life and decaying of the oil.