SolveYourProblem Article Series: Aromatherapy
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How to Store Essential Oils (Prolonging Shelf Life)
   

The proper method of storing your essential oils to prolong the shelf life of the product is important to know. There are many simple tips that do not take up much time to accomplish, very little money used for and in the long run will make your aromatherapy experience far more enjoyable and effective. The first thing to remember about storing your essential oils is to keep them in an amber glass container, or other dark colored glass, away from direct sunlight and in a cool place. These small reminders, though seemingly insignificant, will ensure that your oils will last as long as they can.

The cool conditions of storing your essential oils can be anywhere you find the temperature to be lower than the rest of your home. In fact, some oils are recommended to be stored in your refrigerator. These are essential oils such as citrus and some of the more expensive oils. The cooler conditions of the fridge will prevent the oils from escaping by evaporation so that they will not be lost. If for the sake of taste, you do not want your food tasting like essential oils, make sure you get an airtight lid so that none of the aromas are transferred to your foods.

Another cool place that many people like to store their essential oils is in their bathrooms. This is fine, but there are a few things to remember if you want to do this. Obviously if any of the fragrances escape this will give your bathroom a nice fragrance. But, do not store it next to a windowsill. For one, sunlight will make the oils dissipate more quickly, and an open window will only allow the aromas to escape. As well, the temperatures in bathrooms fluctuate quite drastically, due to hot showers and windows being opened for refreshing. This is not always a good thing for the shelf life of your essential oils. This is not to say that a bathroom is a bad place to store them, just keep these facts in mind when putting them away. Perhaps a closet in the bathroom or some such place will do.

Some essential oils, such as absolutes, can solidify in cold weather. This is important to keep in mind, because it may make you reconsider where to store your essential oils due to what kind they are. Make sure you have some information about the physical nature of your oils before you decide where to store them. This could prevent you from ruining a perfectly good set of oils.

If you do have some absolute essential oils that happen to solidify while in storage, this can simply be undone by running the hardened oil under warm water to help it return to a liquid form. Do not do it too long or it will diffuse in the air and you will find yourself engaging in aromatherapy whether you wish to at the time or not.

Most essential oils have a shelf life of about two years, so pack rats beware! If you do not use them in a reasonable amount of time, then unfortunately you may lose them.

Some discoloration may occur in the process of storage. For instance, some species of chamomile, when young, are a dark, green/blue, but over time turn to a midnight blue. Do not be alarmed, as this is a natural evolution that occurs when they are stored for a certain amount of time. This does not mean that they have ‘gone bad’. This is merely a transformation in hue and aroma that it is subjected to. Lavender that is freshly distilled has often been cited as having an unpleasant aroma. The smell has often been referred to as herbaceous. But, this smell changes over time. So, a seasoned store of lavender, in the light of fears that it will ‘go bad’, actually enhances the aroma and causes it to have a more pleasing smell. This is not to compare lavender to something like wine. It indeed will lose its effectiveness and scented aroma over time. But, in contrast to freshly distilled lavender, it is better to have it sit for a short time, which it usually does in the case of retail stores’ shelves and the like. So, these are just a few storage tips for keeping your essential oils for aromatherapy.

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by SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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