Without your realizing it, your collection tends to expand until you find yourself with a huge variety of oils.
The thought of how long essential oils last suddenly comes to mind as you're standing there admiring your shelf of essential oils. Do essential oils go bad? Is your peppermint essential oil's typical shelf life differing from your citrus essential oil's shelf life?
There is no definite expiration date for pure essential oils, and they do not grow rancid. However, essential oils can oxidize, degrade, and lose their medicinal and fragrant properties as time passes. however, it changes depending on the oil. The oxidation process starts the minute you expose your essential oil but this changes depending on the oil (I'll elaborate later.) The oxidation process starts the minute you expose your essential oil.
The consequences of the oxidation process will be subtle at first, but you may notice a change in the color of your essential oil or perhaps notice that it smells odd because to the changes in chemical components. Because pure essential oils do not include preservatives, you should be mindful of your essential oil's shelf life, especially if you only use high-quality pure essential oils – which we strongly suggest!
How long do essential oils generally last?
The shelf life of most essential oils varies depending on the kind of oil. We've created a handy cheat sheet for you to use if you're unsure of when your essential oil expires. If your favorite essential oil isn't on our list and there isn't a best-by date on the label, we recommend conducting some exploration. By no means is this a detailed list.
Shelf life of 1-2 years
The shortest shelf life are often found with citrus oils.
- Lemongrass
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mandarin
- Yuzu
- Orange
- Tangerine
Most citrus peel essential oils contain 90% or more monoterpenes and consequently have the lowest shelf life.
Shelf life of 2-3 years
Almost every other essential oil (i.e. Oils that contain a higher percentage of aldehydes, oxides, monoterpenols, esters, ethers, phenols or ketones.) When stored carefully and without additional ingredients — for example another essential oil or carrier oil — these oils have a shelf life of 2-3 years.
- Chamomile
- Cypress
- Frankincense
- Coffee
- Niroli
- Rosemary
- Catnip
- Chamomile
- Cypress
- Frankincense
- Chamomile
- Cypress
- Frankincense
Shelf life of 4-8 years
- Lavender
- Myrrh
- Thyme
- Cedarwood
- Clove
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Vanilla
- Ylang Ylang
- Eucalyptus
- Ginger
- Sandalwood
- Fennel
The longest shelf life can be found in oils with a high concentration of sesquiterpenes and/or sesquiterpenols. Although the aromatic quality of these oils may increase over time, their therapeutic quality may deteriorate.
Some tips to make their shelf life last long
- Keep It Covered
- Keep away from light and heat
- Use smaller containers to store your oils
- Keep It Cool and Dark
- Keep their caps tightly closed
How can you determine if an essential oil is out of date?
- Its texture has changed from when you first opened it, either becoming thicker or thinner.
- Cloudiness has developed in the essential oil.
- Since you initially opened the container, the fragrance of the oil has changed.
The lifespan of your essential oils is determined on the oil and how you maintain for them. While some oils have a one-year shelf life, some have up to an eight-year life span, so it's critical to keep items well labelled.