Shelf Life of Essential Oils – and how to make them last longer
People are often surprised to find that essential oils have a shelf life. They may have been told essential oils never expire to justify a high price tag.
The truth is, essential oils do have a shelf life – regardless of the brand. Because essential oils are volatile, they have the potential to oxidize. Chemically speaking, volatile substances, like essential oils, evaporate. This is why we can smell them, and how they work.
Essential oils are made up of a variety of constituents, or chemical compounds, which collectively make what we call an essential oil. The lighter constituents are most volatile and will evaporate first. The heavier constituents will be the last ones to go.
The lighter constituents are often the ones more gentle for the skin. So when these leave, the risk for that essential oil to cause redness and irritation increases. Sensitization risk is also increased when oxidized essential oils are applied to the skin.
What makes essential oils go bad
According to Essential Oil Safety, “Contaminants or adulteration may increase toxicity,” and “degradation can lead to increased hazards.” Degradation comes about from three main ways: oxygen, heat, and light.
Oxygen
Oxygen that gets into your bottle and reacts with some of the constituents is called oxidation. This oxidation can affect the therapeutic properties of the essential oil, as well as render it more hazardous (source). The biggest hazard is increased risk for sensitization.
Heat
Heat causes the more volatile constituents to evaporate more quickly. CO2 extracts are more prone to damage from heat than steam-distilled essential oils (source).
Light
Ultraviolet light promotes free radicals. Amber colored bottles are best at keeping UV light out. Cobalt (blue being the opposite color of brown) bottles do not do a very good job of keeping UV light out, but they allow the light to pass through the glass more readily, and therefore into the product (source).
Essential oils to avoid if oxidized
These are some of the essential oils which should be avoided if oxidized (source). These are also the essential oils to prioritize for refrigerator space, if you have limited room. I compiled this list after flipping through each essential oil profile page in the book Essential Oil Safety.
Angelica Seed Angelica archangelica
Anise (Star) Illicium verum
Bergamot Citrus bergamia, Citrus aurantium
Camphor (Borneo) Dryobalanops aromatica, Dryobalanops camphora
Caraway Carum carvi
Celery leaf, Celery seed Apium graveolens
Clementine Citrus clementina
Cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Dill seed (European) Anethum graveolens
Elemi Canarium luzonicum, Canarium vulgare
Fennel (bitter, sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
Fir (Douglas) Pseudotsuga menziesii
Fir Needle (Canadian) Abies balsamea
Fir Needle (Himalayan) Abies spectabilis, Abies webbiana
Fir Needle (Japanese) Abies sachalinensis
Fir Needle (Siberian) Abies sibirica
Fir Needle (Silver) Abies alba
Fragonia Agonis fragrans
Frankincense Boswellia frereana, Boswellia papyrifera, Boswellia sacra (Boswellia carteri), Boswellia serrata, Boswellia neglecta, Boswellia rivae
Gingergrass Cymbopogon martinii var. sofia, Andropogon martinii var. sofia
Grapefruit Citrus x paradisi
Juniper Berry Juniperus communis
Lemon Citrus x limon, Citrus limonum
Lemon Balm Eucalyptus staigeriana
Lime Citrus x aurantifolia, Citrus x latifolia
Mandarin Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis
Orange (bitter) Citrus x aurantium
Orange (sweet) Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantium var. sinensis
Palo Santo Bursera graveolens
Pepper (black, white) Piper nigrum
Pine (black) Pinus nigra
Pine (dwarf) Pinus mugo
Pine (grey) Pinus divaricata, Pinus banksiana
Pine (red) Pinus resinosa
Pine (Scots) Pinus sylvestris
Pine (white) Pinus strobus
Sage (blue mountain) Salvia stenophylla
Spruce (black) Picea mariana, Picea nigra
Spruce (hemlock) Tsuga canadensis, Pinus canadensis, Picea canadensis
Spruce (Norway) Picea abies, Picea excelsa
Spruce (red) Picea rubens
Spruce (white) Picea glauca, Picea alba, Picea canadensis
Tangerine Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis, Citrus tangerine
Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia
Thyme (limonene chemotype) Thymus vulgaris, Thymus serphyllum
Verbena (white) Lippia alba, Lippia gerinata
Essential Oils to Avoid if OxidizedFor a full list, consult Essential Oil Safety.
Shelf life – generally speaking
In general, shelf life is determined by the chemical composition of the essential oils, some of which oxidize or evaporate more quickly than others.
Essential oils which contain a lot of monoterpenes or oxides have the shortest shelf life, of approximately 1-2 years.
Essential oils which contain a lot of phenols may last up to 3 years.
Essential oils which contain ketones, monoterpenols, and/or esters have a shelf life of 4-5 years.
The potentially longest-lasting essential oils contain lots of sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenols which can last up to 6 years.
Shelf life – essential oils in alphabetical order
Please note that several factors are to be considered when estimating the shelf life, and these are just approximations. Opening the jar frequently, leaving caps off for a length of time, placing in sunlight (or artificial light), keeping in a warm place, and getting water or other things in the essential oil bottles can drastically shorten shelf life.
Estimated shelf life of some popular essential oils
Basil (sweet) Ocimum basilicum 3 years
Bergamot Citrus bergamia 3 years
Blue Tansy Tanacetum annuum 3 years
Cardamom Elettaria cardamomum 4 years
Cedarwood Juniperus virginiana 6+ years
Cinnamon Bark Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum 4 years
Chamomile, German Matricaria recutita 4 years
Clary Sage Salvia sclarea 4 years
Copaiba Copaifera officinalis, Copaigera langsdorfii 6 years
Elemi Canarium luzonicum, Canarium vulgare 3 years
Fennel (sweet) Foeniculum vulgare 3 years
Frankincense Boswellia frereana, Boswellia papyrifera, Boswellia sacra (Boswellia carteri), Boswellia serrata, Boswellia neglecta, Boswellia rivae
2 years
Geranium Pelargonium roseum x asperum 4 years
Ginger Zingiber officinale 6 years
Helichrysum Helichrysum italicum, Helichrysum angustifolium, Helichrysum stoechas 4 years
Juniper Berry Juniperus communis 3 years
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia 4 years
Lemon Citrus x limon, Citrus limonum 1 year
Lime Citrus x aurantifolia, Citrus x latifolia 2 years
Mandarin Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis 1 year
Melissa Melissa officinalis 3 years
Myrrh Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol 6 years
Neroli Citrus x aurantium 3 years
Orange (sweet) Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantium var. sinensis 1 year
Oregano Origanum onites, Origanum vulgare, Thymbra capitata 3 years
Patchouli Pogostemom cablin, Pogostemon patchouly 10+ years
Pepper (black) Piper nigrum 6 years
Peppermint Mentha x piperita 4 years
Rosalina Melaleuca ericifolia 3 years
Rose (otto) Rosa damascena 6 years
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ct camphor 3 years
Sandalwood (East Indian) Santalum album 6+ years
Spearmint Mentha cardiaca, Mentha crispa, Mentha viridis 4 years
Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia 2 years
Valerian Valeriana officinalis, Valeriana fauriei 5 years
Vetiver Vetiveria zizanoides, Andropogon muricatus, Andropogon zizanoides, Chrysopogon zizanoides, Phalaris zizanoides 6+ years
Wintergreen Gaultheria fragmentissima, Gaultheria procumbens 6 years
Ylang Ylang Cananga odorata 4 years
Basil (sweet) Ocimum basilicum 3 years
Bergamot Citrus bergamia 3 years
Blue Tansy Tanacetum annuum 3 years
Cardamom Elettaria cardamomum 4 years
Cedarwood Juniperus virginiana 6+ years
Cinnamon Bark Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum 4 years
Chamomile, German Matricaria recutita 4 years
Clary Sage Salvia sclarea 4 years
Copaiba Copaifera officinalis, Copaigera langsdorfii 6 years
Elemi Canarium luzonicum, Canarium vulgare 3 years
Fennel (sweet) Foeniculum vulgare 3 years
Frankincense Boswellia frereana, Boswellia papyrifera, Boswellia sacra (Boswellia carteri), Boswellia serrata, Boswellia neglecta, Boswellia rivae
2 years
Geranium Pelargonium roseum x asperum 4 years
Ginger Zingiber officinale 6 years
Helichrysum Helichrysum italicum, Helichrysum angustifolium, Helichrysum stoechas 4 years
Juniper Berry Juniperus communis 3 years
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia 4 years
Lemon Citrus x limon, Citrus limonum 1 year
Lime Citrus x aurantifolia, Citrus x latifolia 2 years
Mandarin Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis 1 year
Melissa Melissa officinalis 3 years
Myrrh Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol 6 years
Neroli Citrus x aurantium 3 years
Orange (sweet) Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantium var. sinensis 1 year
Oregano Origanum onites, Origanum vulgare, Thymbra capitata 3 years
Patchouli Pogostemom cablin, Pogostemon patchouly 10+ years
Pepper (black) Piper nigrum 6 years
Peppermint Mentha x piperita 4 years
Rosalina Melaleuca ericifolia 3 years
Rose (otto) Rosa damascena 6 years
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ct camphor 3 years
Sandalwood (East Indian) Santalum album 6+ years
Spearmint Mentha cardiaca, Mentha crispa, Mentha viridis 4 years
Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia 2 years
Valerian Valeriana officinalis, Valeriana fauriei 5 years
Vetiver Vetiveria zizanoides, Andropogon muricatus, Andropogon zizanoides, Chrysopogon zizanoides, Phalaris zizanoides 6+ years
Wintergreen Gaultheria fragmentissima, Gaultheria procumbens 6 years
Ylang Ylang Cananga odorata 4 years
How to tell if your essential oils are oxidized
Many companies do not provide a distillation date, which can be used to determine shelf life. If you are unsure when it was distilled, or bottled, you can keep track of when you purchase it. Keep in mind there could be several months or longer between when the essential oil was distilled or bottled, and when you make your purchase. If you are left in the dark, there are two ways to tell if your essential oil has been oxidized: aroma, and adverse reactions.
The aroma
If you make yourself familiar with the aroma of the essential oil when it is fresh, you will begin to notice it smells “off” once it has oxidized. A change in smell can alert you that it may not be safe for topical applications.
Adverse reactions
Once oxidized, the potential for the essential oil to cause redness, irritation, itching, etc., increases even when diluted. If this starts happening to you, stop using the essential oil topically. Continuing to use the oxidized essential oil in this way will greatly increase your risk for sensitization.
What to do with oxidized essential oils
Oxidized essential oils are not recommended for use on the skin, but they can be used for cleaning. It is not recommended they are diffused, either, in cause of mucous membrane irritation. Be sure you wear gloves when you use the essential oils in your cleaning recipes. For some recipe ideas, I recommend DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes (ebook) and DIY Organic Beauty Recipes (ebook), as well as Essential Living: Aromatherapy Recipes for Health & Home (ebook, also available as a paperback).
Making essential oils last longer
If you want your essential oils to last longer, keep them closed tightly when not in use, keep them away from light, and store them in a cool place.
Many companies do not provide a distillation date, which can be used to determine shelf life. If you are unsure when it was distilled, or bottled, you can keep track of when you purchase it. Keep in mind there could be several months or longer between when the essential oil was distilled or bottled, and when you make your purchase. If you are left in the dark, there are two ways to tell if your essential oil has been oxidized: aroma, and adverse reactions.
The aroma
If you make yourself familiar with the aroma of the essential oil when it is fresh, you will begin to notice it smells “off” once it has oxidized. A change in smell can alert you that it may not be safe for topical applications.
Adverse reactions
Once oxidized, the potential for the essential oil to cause redness, irritation, itching, etc., increases even when diluted. If this starts happening to you, stop using the essential oil topically. Continuing to use the oxidized essential oil in this way will greatly increase your risk for sensitization.
What to do with oxidized essential oils
Oxidized essential oils are not recommended for use on the skin, but they can be used for cleaning. It is not recommended they are diffused, either, in cause of mucous membrane irritation. Be sure you wear gloves when you use the essential oils in your cleaning recipes. For some recipe ideas, I recommend DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes (ebook) and DIY Organic Beauty Recipes (ebook), as well as Essential Living: Aromatherapy Recipes for Health & Home (ebook, also available as a paperback).
Making essential oils last longer
If you want your essential oils to last longer, keep them closed tightly when not in use, keep them away from light, and store them in a cool place.
