If you are new to aromatherapy and don’t know how to store your essential oils, you have come to the right place. Not only should essential oils be used intelligently, they must also be stored expertly. It is imperative for you to look after your oils and store them well; doing so will maintain their effectiveness and elongate their shelf life. Without straying away from the topic any further, here are 5 effective ways to store your essential oils!
- Using essential oil cases and gear
If you want to ensure the protection of your essential oils, you should invest in essential oil cases and gear. You can arrange your bottles neatly in the cases and prevent them from breaking and shattering due to impacts. In addition to protecting your essential oils, the cases also help make your oils accessible during travel, allowing you to carry your essentials oils with you wherever you go.
- Safety
Essential oils are known to be extremely flammable. Hence, you shouldn’t keep them near sources of ignition. Basically, you must avoid storing the oils in places that are exposed to flames. You should especially pay attention to essential oils such as lavender, tea tree, and citrus oils as they are known to be highly flammable. Therefore, it is a very bad idea to store the essential oils in your kitchen near the gas stove, candles or cookers etc.
- Why don’t you bottle your own blend?
If you want to make your own blend, it is advisable for you to store your mixture in amber-glass bottles. The amber-glass bottles play an instrumental role in providing protection to the oils from harmful ultraviolet light. These glasses are also sturdy and durable enough to accommodate oils and blends that possess citrus. Most of the plastic bottles can dissolve because of the citric acid. It is also of paramount importance to keep the bottles at a uniform temperature; the oils deteriorate faster when stored in places that experience constant fluctuations in the temperature.
- The caps on the bottles must be airtight
We have already established the fact that the direct exposure to sunlight is not good for essential oils. Similarly, an exposure to air also causes similar effects. When the essential oils are exposed to air, the oxidization process is expedited, resulting in the quick deterioration of the oils. Hence, you must ensure that the bottle caps are airtight and have a good seal. You should especially pay attention to bottles that use decorative plug-in stoppers as these bottles generally tend to leave the oils exposed to air.
- Store the oils in a cool temperature
Essential oils that boast of a citrus element tend to deteriorate quickly when stored in places that experience constant fluctuations in the temperature. Hence, it is best to store citrus essential oils, massage oils and carrier oils etc. in the fridge. While storing them in the refrigerator, the temperature shouldn’t exceed -10 degrees Celsius. Essential oils such as Fennel, Star Anise, and Rose Otto, tend to solidify when kept at a cool temperature. However, you shouldn’t be concerned as you will only need to warm them up before use.
