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Storing Your Essential Oils

Small, empty amber bottles, suitable for storing essential oils.

For individual use, essential oils, absolutes and CO2s are most often sold in 5ml, 10ml and 15ml (1/2 ounce) sizes. For more expensive oils, it is common to find them available in sizes starting at 2ml and 1 dram sizes. (Visit the Measurements page for more information on understanding the measurements used in aromatherapy.)

Although essential oils do not become rancid, they can oxidize, deteriorate and lose their beneficial therapeutic properties over time. Oils such as the citrus oils will oxidize and begin to lose their aroma and therapeutic properties in as little as six months. Not all essential oils diminish in quality as time passes. Essential oils such as patchouli and sandalwood mature with age. All essential oils, however, will benefit from proper storage and handling.

To avoid deterioration and protect the aromatic and therapeutic properties of your essential oils, store them in amber or cobalt blue bottles. Dark glass such as amber or cobalt helps to keep out deteriorating sunlight. Be leery of purchasing any oils sold in clear glass bottles. Clear glass bottles are not harmful to essential oils, but clear glass does not protect the oils from damaging sunlight. Beer deteriorates quickly and is often bottled in amber glass for a similar reason. Avoid purchasing pure essential oils sold in plastic bottles as the essential oil will eat at the plastic, and the essential oil will become ruined over a short period of time. Some vendors sell oils in lined aluminum bottles. It has been said that aluminum bottles are acceptable if the interior of the bottles are lined.

Glass amber "Boston round" bottles that essential oils are typically stored in. Other liquids used in aromatherapy (hydrosols, carrier oils, etc.) are also frequently stored in amber bottles.

Essential oils should also be stored in a cool, dark place.

Wooden box used to store essential oils. Suitable boxes can be economically purchased unfinished from many craft stores and finished to suit the individual's taste.

Avoid purchasing essential oils that are stored in bottles that have a rubber dropper incorporated into its screw-top cap. Droppers with rubber bulbs should not be kept with the essential oil bottle as the highly concentrated oil can turn the rubber bulb into gum and ruin the essential oil. Most essential oils are sold in bottles that contain an "orifice reducer." An orifice reducer is a small, usually clear insert inside the bottle opening that acts as a dropper. Unlike rubber droppers, orifice reducers will not harm essential oils. You simply tip the bottle to dispense the oil drop by drop.

1/2 ounce (15 ml) size bottle with an orifice reducer.

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