| #ffffff;" /> | | | | Plastic bottles too must not be used as the plastic |
| The importance of storing your essential oils in a | | | | dissolves with the essential oil and thus is |
| proper manner can be estimated from the fact that | | | | contaminated. One can use aluminum bottles to store |
| women in the 19th century would ask their jewelers | | | | the essential oil, but the inner surface of the |
| to design special bottles to hold their perfumes and | | | | container must be lined. |
| essential oils. Luxury apart, storing essential oils in | | | | Your essential oils need to be kept away from |
| specially designed bottles helped keep the therapeutic | | | | sunlight as far as possible. High temperature can be |
| and aromatic properties of the essential oils intact. | | | | harmful to the oil. Therefore, the place where the |
| It is common knowledge that most of the essential | | | | essential oil is stored must not be near any heater |
| oils become contaminated or their effect gets | | | | vent or any such heat-emitting gadget. Keeping the |
| weakened with time if they are not stored properly. | | | | oil in a refrigerator can help increase its shelf life. |
| Citrus oils are the most susceptible to early | | | | Nevertheless, freezing is not acceptable. When cooled |
| breakdown. They oxidize and begin to lose the | | | | at very low temperatures, some essential oils will |
| aroma and therapeutic properties. The citrus oil | | | | cloud. It regains its original state when brought to |
| becomes cloudy and a sweet fragrance is emitted. | | | | room temperature. Certain citrus oils continue to be |
| This signals towards the deterioration of the essential | | | | cloudy even when brought to room temperature. |
| oil. | | | | However, this does not affect their therapeutic |
| Same does not apply to oils such as frankincense, | | | | properties. |
| sandalwood, patchouli, and myrrh. They can be | | | | We tend to contaminate the essential oil in the |
| stored for a longer time. In fact, they improve with | | | | process of using them. The following checklist will be |
| time. In the older times, Egyptians used to embalm | | | | helpful in preventing contamination: |
| the dead people with the essential oils of cedar | | | | • Never touch the top of the orifice reducer |
| wood, cinnamon etc. When one such tomb was | | | | or the inside of the cap. |
| opened in the early 20th century, traces of the oil | | | | • Always use separate pipettes for separate |
| were clearly visible. | | | | oil. |
| Will you not like to keep your treasured essential oils | | | | • The pipettes must not be carriers of |
| in the same manner? Lifetime of the essential oil | | | | oxygen. When one uses the pipette for taking out |
| ranges from 6 months to several years. Through a | | | | the oil, a few drops of it remain in the pipette. This |
| proper storage, one can increase the shelf life of an | | | | becomes contaminated when it comes in contact |
| essential oil. The following section provides lessons in | | | | with oxygen outside. When the same pipette is used |
| storing essentials oils. | | | | again, it contaminates the whole bottle. |
| Dark amber, cobalt blue, or violet glass bottles are | | | | The cap of the bottle containing essential oils must |
| the best when it comes to storing essential oils. | | | | not be kept open for long. Since they are volatile, |
| Sunlight can be very harmful for the essential oils. | | | | they will evaporate. |
| Ultraviolet rays, which are a part of the sunlight, | | | | The cap of the bottle containing essential oil must be |
| weaken the essential oil. This explains the reason | | | | selected carefully. Rubber droppers have a tendency |
| why it is not advisable to store essential oils in clear | | | | to turn into gum when they come in contact with |
| glass bottles. Sunlight easily passes through the clear | | | | the concentrated essential oil. |
| glass bottle, thus producing reaction in the essential | | | | Keeping these points in mind, one can surely increase |
| oil, and no longer rendering it effective. | | | | the shelf life of the essential oils. |