One of the great concerns of the aromatherapy practitioner is keeping their essential oils at their best. If one buys a good stock of oils, how should they be kept? The answer is a little complex, requiring diligence and knowledge about each type of oil, and the most protective means by which an oil can be stored. Let's take a look at the range of possibilities, and how you can most easily care for your stock of precious therapeutic essential oils.
The lifespan of essential oils, if simply left in their bottles in the average home ranges from a few months to almost indefinitely. Over time, certain factors in the environment degrade the natural constituents of certain oils and not others. These environmental factors include: the presence of oxygen (or simply exposure to air), heat, and light. Theoretically, oil left in an open bottle, sitting in the sunlight will then have the shortest lifespan, and a closed bottle -- with very little airspace -- in a dark, cool cabinet will have the longest. Yet because oils vary so greatly in their natural chemical makeup, this is truly just a generalization.
To make matters a little more complex, some companies publish a "shelf life" for their products -- and many customers are interested in this figure. This term really only refers to the longevity of an oil after the bottle has been opened and is keep at room temperature and out of sunlight. But by taking measures to prevent an oil's aging, the real shelf life of even the most delicate oils can be many years.
Another item to consider is what actually changes in terms of therapeutic value as an oil ages (for those oils specifically that do not improve with age). Many of them just become flat, losing freshness. You might still enjoy the aromas of these oils, and that is perfectly fine to do -- in this respect, they retain much of their therapeutic value. Oils used for other applications (topical or internal) may also retain much of their value -- however, the molecular components of the oils which are aging may in-fact become mildly toxic. Lavender and tea tree have been shown to produce "contact dermatitis" -- simply irritated skin when topically applied -- when they've oxidized beyond a certain amount. The point being that its for the more "medicinal" applications of oils that one really need be concerned about improper aging of their oil stock.
The fastest aromatics to degrade are those cold-pressed from the peels of citrus fruit. You can imagine that while other essential oils have been steam distilled, solvent extracted, or some even distilled with high pressure liquid carbon dioxide, the citrus oils in a way are still in the natural state the fruit had been when they were picked. These oils are very prone to oxidation, a process where oxygen atoms robs other molecules of electrons. The not-so-technical meaning is that the oils go flat, and looses their "zing".
Within the citrus oils themselves, we find that grapefruit essential oil is the most susceptible to oxidation of them all. But it's also important to note that you can easily protect this and all the citrus oils from aging by keeping them in a cold, dark location, in bottles with very little air space in them. The refrigerator is acceptable, though if you choose to keep your oils in the "cold box", consider keeping a smaller bottle at room temperature that you work from, decanting some from the cool bottle once every couple of weeks or so. This prevents the oil in cold storage from being disrupted by frequently changing conditions -- cold to warm to cold again -- and possibly absorbing water from the air in the process.
The next group of oils to consider are those distilled from the flowers. They have a significant range of natural longevity, with neroli being very delicate, to rose otto, which some think even ages well over a few years. In the middle are floral oils like lavender and chamomile -- these are fine to keep at room temperature if being used within six months. If storing longer, a cool dark place would be best.
We find a wide variation in shelf lives in other oils still. Those steam distilled from spices: black pepper, ginger, cardamom and the like, can quickly loose their spicy top notes. These same oils when found as CO2 extractions are much more resistant to breakdown. Oils from herbs, grasses and evergreen tree needles and leaves are fairly hearty. Generally, when an oil has a bright, lively aspect to it, it is more susceptible to a noticeable change due to improper storage. This freshness can easily be lost when exposed to heat, light and air.
Then we come to oils that actually improve with age. This group includes the classics of sandalwood and patchouli, and the root oils of vetiver and spikenard. These oils may have a a harsher or greener aspect to them when first distilled, which will smooth out over time. These of course can be stored in any condition you wish, and it may even be beneficial to simply leave them out at room temperature -- or even put away at room temperature for some time, to let their value increase!
As you can see, there is truly a very diverse range of natural "durability" of essential oils. Without specific data on each oil, you can go by this rule of thumb: the more lively or fresh and oil is in its optimal state, the more likely it should be carefully stored if you do not intend to use it fairly quickly (within 3 months). The safest long-term storage is in the refrigerator, in a dark glass bottle with as little air in the bottle as possible -- and leaving this bottle undisturbed; in a cool, dark cabinet is nearly as effective. Clearly there are many factors involved in keeping your oils at their maximum therapeutic potential, but with a little know-how and understanding, it's really easy -- and rewarding -- to do.
Author Resource:-
Learn more on the incredible array of therapuetic actions of pure essential oils such as organic Indian peppermint oil and many more at ananadaapothecary.com
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