Tips To Store Essential Oils

What is the best way to store my essential oils? This is the common question asked by people who are new to aromatherapy and it is certainly worth knowing a few dos and don’ts on this subject. Why so? Because the way you look after your essential oils affects their shelf life and quality.

Provided that the oils were fresh when you purchased them, correct storage is definitely the key to getting the most from your oils. Here are a few tips that will help:

The Basics

First thing first, buy glass vials. Essential oils should always be stored in dark colored glass dropper vials as they help filter out UV rays from the sun. Until recently, dark amber bottles were used to store essential oils and they can also be seen in the form of old-style medicine bottles today. However, now, there are dark shades of green, violet and blue in glass bottles and they offer the same level of protection. Check out the Amber Boston round glass bottle from our collection here- it is perfect to store all sorts of essential oils.

Regardless of the color of glass bottles, remember to never leave them out in the sun. Choose a cool, dark place which is away from direct sunlight.

Cool the Oils

Oils like citrus essentials are highly prone to oxidation; therefore, you should avoid the damage caused by storing them in the refrigerator. On the other hand, massage oils and carrier oils will also benefit from being stored this way. However, remember to maintain the temperature between 5 and 10 degree Celsius. Storing them in cool colored bottles like this Cobalt Blue Boston round glass bottle from our collection can also help.

Aromatherapy Storage Boxes

If you don’t have enough space in your fridge, you might want to consider storing them in an aromatherapy box. It doesn’t really need to be fancy box but something that keeps them away from extreme temperatures. As these oils are also volatile, make sure you replace the cap tightly once you use them.

Safety Matters

Most aroma oils are flammable; therefore never leave them near sources of ignition such as fires, candles, or naked flames. To put this in perspective, you probably know that most alcoholic drinks are flammable but it isn’t much of a problem if you store them correctly. Since safety is a major concern when using essential oils, make sure you read all the safety guidelines on the packaging before storing.

One final piece of advice- never decant your undiluted essential oils in plastic bottles as most oils will quickly eat into them and in most cases melt the plastic. Ready to buy glass vials to create your own collection of essential oils? Check out our collection for glass dropper bottles here.