This piece of writing explains many things about storage of essential oils. It tells about the shelf life of essential oils and tips for storing essential oil.
Exposure to ultraviolet rays can significantly decrease the
storage life of the oil. Therefore it is essential to store
essential oils in dark amber, cobalt blue, or violet glass bottles
which would cut off these rays, thus increasing shelf life of the
oil. Additionally, keep the bottles in a cool, dark place away from
direct sunlight, heater vents and registers. These oils need to be
stored in an area where temperature variations are minimal.
Smaller bottles for storing are preferred since they expose the oil
to lesser amounts of oxygen. The bottles should be kept tightly shut
and should be opened only as and when required and for very short
intervals.
The shelf life of most oils varies between 6 months to several
years. Among all oils, Citrus oils have the shortest lifetime. Their
breaking down is marked with clouding or a 'sweetening' of the
fragrance. This decreases the potency of the oil considerably for
therapeutic purposes. However, you can still use them for freshening
of a room, Some of the oils with very long shelf lives are
Sandalwood, Frankincense, Patchouli, and Myrrh. People who have had
these oils for years have reported very less erosion in their
potency. The only catch being that they tend to thicken and may
darken as they evaporate.
Least possible physical contact with the oil, top of the orifice
reducer or the inside of the cap should be done to avoid
contamination of the oil. Separate pipette should be used for
transferring each oil. A solution to storing these pipettes, used by
some people, is the use of small individual plastic bags, labeled
for each oil. This is a short-term solution since the oil in the
pipette is exposed to oxygen in the bag and deteriorates quickly. By
using this pipette again, you risk contaminating your entire bottle.
