Essential oils are an investment in your health and well-being. Learning the dos and don’ts of storing them is just one important way to protect your wellness investment and maximize their benefits.
Whether you’ve just jumped into essential oils or have a longtime collection you’ve been meaning to organize, these tips for properly storing your favorite products will keep your house happy and your health prioritized!
A tight lid prevents oxidation, air, or water from getting inside the bottle.
YL tip: The plastic fitment on the bottle allows the oil to escape one drop at a time and also helps keep air and water out. Be sure to leave it on the bottle!
Photo by Ashley Griffin
YL tip: Keep essential oils in a closet or drawer and avoid leaving them in your car. A good rule of thumb is to keep oils in a cool, dark place.
If you’re anything like us, you keep your favorite oils on hand wherever you go—your gym bag, your desk, and your purse. You can preserve your oils and store them safely while on the go by using a carrying case made especially for essential oils. Take the 30 essential oils carrying case with you wherever you go!
You love your oils and you’re not afraid to show it! Display them in your home with a stylish shelving unit along with a potted plant or chic decor. Be sure to keep them away from sunlight and enjoy an eye-pleasing display of your fave always-on-hand oils!
Need a little inspiration on how to display and organize your oils? Check out the photo submissions from Young Living members throughout this post!
Photo by Mackenzie Waldron
Have questions about storing your oils, keeping the quality consistent over time, and getting the most out of each little bottle? Here are some frequently asked questions:
Some essential oil lovers swear by putting their oils in the fridge. It isn’t so much the lower temperature that matters—oils do not need to be kept that cold—but the consistent climate. Your fridge stays the same temperature day and night, which helps preserve the oil. If you don’t want your oil to be cold when you use it, be sure to remove it about 1–2 hours before you’ll need it so the oil can return to room temperature. Once you’re finished using the oil, put it back in the fridge so it can return to a consistent temperature.
Putting essential oils in the freezer is perfectly safe. The consistent temperature and lack of light will help to preserve your oils. There are some oils—like Rose, Thyme, and others—that may have natural components that solidify or crystallize in the freezer. If your oils do this, simply allow them to thaw before you use them by keeping them at room temperature. Once you’re finished with them, return them to your freezer to store.
Photo by Frankie Gene
Essential oils are incredibly powerful, which means that many oils will dissolve plastic. For this reason, it’s recommended to keep oils in glass bottles or stainless-steel containers. Keep this in mind when you make essential oil-based DIYs like DIY body spray or facial toner.
You’ll notice that all Young Living essential oils come in amber bottles. That’s to protect them from light, which can alter their delicate composition. We recommend always storing your essential oils in dark or opaque bottles to preserve their quality.
Essential oils don’t expire in the traditional sense. When stored properly, essential oils can last for years. But because of a process called oxidation, which begins the moment you open your bottle and expose the oil to the air, oils will gradually change over time. Following the suggestions mentioned above—storing oils in dark bottles, keeping them out of the sun, and storing them at room or cool temperatures—will help prolong the lifespan of your oils. Read this article to learn more about essential oil oxidation and expiration.
Photo by Rachel Lynn Engen
Looking for more sparks of inspiration for how you can use your oils? Check out essential oils for travel (and other vacay must-haves) or how to create your own essential oil diffuser blends.
What’s your favorite way to store your essential oil collection?
Tell us in the comments!
View Comments
Hi. How long does a 5ml bottle last if I use 2-3 drops every day? Thanks.
Hi Qamar, There are approximately 85 drops in a 5-ml bottle. Thanks for stopping by!
I have someone challenging me on expiration of Young Living Essential Oils. It was my understanding that they don't expire but they have shown me a bottle with an expiration date. Can you please clarify for me.
Thank you
Hi Gail,
Essential oils do expire over time. Please do research to find out why. YL oils are not exempt from expiry unless they are putting in some kind of weird preservative that is a secret to the rest of the aromatherapy world. Proper storage is key, but every time the bottle is opened the contents are exposed to oxygen and as the contents are used it also leaves more room for oxygen. When oxidized or degraded an essential oil can cause irritation, toxicity and the valuable properties will not be effective. Depending on the chemical compounds of the oil will also determine their longevity. This is a fact and it is science. Keeping oils refrigerated in their own container will certainly keep them longer that possibly expected. I hope this truthful explanation helps. :)
Hi Gail, Young Living’s essential oils do not expire and will maintain their integrity, efficacy, and beneficial properties virtually indefinitely, provided they are stored properly in a dark-glass bottle, upright and tightly sealed, out of sunlight, and in cool temperatures. Thanks for stopping by!
I have a couple of bottles (lemon and orange) that the cap has cracked. Do you know why this happened? Some of the other bottles I have also seem to be "bowing" out like they are also going to crack.
Hi Heather, Great question. The cracks in essential oil bottle lids can be caused by turning the lid too much and repeated flexing from opening and closing the lids. Some oils may also cause the plastic in the lids to soften, which over time may result in cracking. Thanks for stopping by with your question!
How long are the oils good for? I bought some almost 3 years ago, but don't use them very often.
Also I had some in my purse in my truck and the lids split open. I assumed they got to hot and tossed them in the trash. Is it bad to use oil that is old or got to hot?
Hi Jessica, Young Living's essential oils do not expire and will maintain their integrity, efficacy, and beneficial properties virtually indefinitely, provided they are stored properly in a dark-glass bottle, upright and tightly sealed, out of sunlight, and in cool temperatures. Cool temperatures should be considered near room temperature at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You will also want to make sure that the oils are stored in a location where they will be kept safe from fluctuations in temperature. Thanks for stopping by with your question!
Hello. I'm considering storing some YL essential oils in my travel trailer for a few months over the winter. It is in Oregon where the temperature rarely gets below freezing, but in case it would, would this adversely affect the oils (or any specific blend...i have several)?
Thank you for your response.
Devi
Hi Devi, Great question. Low temperatures will not damage or freeze your essential oils, but they may change their appearance. For example, citrus oils may become cloudy when cold but this occurs naturally and you may continue to use them as usual. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi,
I leave my essential oils on a special open shelving unit by the wood blinds. The sun only hits in the morning and even then the bottles are all dark and don't get hit directly. Are they okay?
Hi Mateo, UV exposure will cause the greatest damage to the constituents of the oils, and heat and light combined will affect them even more quickly. If the oil has been sitting in a hot car for a few hours, but the oil has not been directly exposed to UV light, the efficacy will not be compromised. Essential oils should be sealed tightly and stored upright in a cool, dark, dry location. Cool temperatures should be considered near room temperature at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You will also want to make sure that the oils are stored in a location where they will be kept safe from fluctuations in temperature. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi. I have a bottle of YL Rose and the oil keeps turning to gel, why? It must be heated to turn liquid, but it will solidify again once completely cooled. It is kept in a room that is 70 degrees F. Any advice on what it was exposed to that caused this? Thank you!
I was searching the internet looking for a response to this very same question. The Essential Oil of Rose that I purchased was from a French Company, who has been certified by both of the European Bodies who Govern Essential Oils, so I knew the oil was Real Therapeutic Grade. I not only paid a fortune for the oil itself, but I also had to pay a fortune on shipping and Import fees from Fed-Ex.
I've been using Essential oils for years, and haven't seen any do this before, so I am happy to learn that this is quite normal for Rose.
I don't trust many companies, but I do feel as if Young Living has quality oils. And apparently, having the support of Young Living Experts to help answer any questions you may have, is very nice as well.
Hi Cballard631, Our rose is a white pure rose oil that has a high congealing point, meaning it will congeal when cool. Shaking it or placing it in warm water will allow it to liquefy. This is considered a normal characteristic and the oil will continue to retain it's full therapeutic properties. Thanks for stopping by with your question!
I was wondering if the YL Roller Ball blends expire?
Hi Nancy, Specific shelf life information for those blends that contain carrier oils has yet to be determined as we are in the process of further improving our industry-leading product testing processes. We apologize we are unable to provide specific shelf life information as it is currently under review. However, we can tell you that past testing results showed that the blends which contain carrier oils are considered safe and effective for use for at least two to three years. Thanks for stopping by with your question!
I would like to use some of my Young Living Oils in a Scent Ball Plug in Aromatherapy Electric Room Diffuser. Do you have a list of oil that will not be at risk of catching fire while plugged in? I hear that some oils have a low heat tolerance and could be at risk of causing a fire when being used in combination with a plug in.
Hi LJ, As we do not carry this device we do not have information regarding which essential oils are compatible with it. Moreover, we do not recommend using essential oils in devices that will heat the oil as we cannot guarantee that the therapeutic compounds will remain intact. Instead we would suggest using a cold air or ultrasonic diffuser. Young Living's selection of cold air and ultrasonic diffusers can be viewed on our website here. Thanks for stopping by with your question!
I store my oils in a bathroom cabinet which is next to the shower. Will the change of bathroom temperature due to the hot water running seep into the cabinet and cause the oils to spoil?
Hi Sarah, Essential oils should be sealed tightly and stored upright in a cool, dark, dry location. Cool temperatures should be considered near room temperature at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You will also want to make sure that the oils are stored in a location where they will be kept safe from fluctuations in temperature. Thanks for stopping by with your question!