Essential oils continue to be a popular way to enjoy holistic relaxation. Whether you want to load a lavender essential oil into a diffuser and enjoy the atmosphere or include some during your next massage, these oils are a great way to relax. In fact, essential oils can even help you focus, reduce inflammation, and improve your skincare routine!
That said, you might be wondering if they expire or if you can keep enjoying that same bottle of lavender essential oil for years to come. So, do essential oils expire? This article helps you find out. Read on to learn more below.
What Is an Essential Oil?
Essential oils are unique oils that come from plants. However, essential oils aren’t your average oil because they’re made from distilling or cold-pressing plant materials. The result is a highly concentrated oil that captures the plant’s natural flavor, scent, and most importantly, feeling.
Typically, essential oils are used for aromatherapy and tend to get loaded into aroma diffusers and candles. This is because many essential oils can produce a calming environment that helps you relax. You’ll also find essential oils in skincare products or even mixed with massage oils.
What’s more, many essential oils have some holistic healing properties. For example, some essential oils may reduce inflammation or improve respiratory function.
Do Essential Oils Expire?
Essential oils do expire but not in the same way that food and drinks spoil. That said, essential oils will go through a process of oxidation over time. This process results in essential oils losing their potency, aroma, and even their consistency.
While this might make your aroma diffuser smell off, using essential oils that expire can also be bad for your skin or reduce their impact on skin health if you use them topically.
What Are the Signs That Essential Oils Are Expired?
There are several signs that indicate that your essential oils are expired. These signs include:
- The aroma of the essential oil changes.
- The essential oil doesn’t work as well for skincare.
- The essential oil causes rashes or other problems when used topically.
- The consistency of the oil changes.
- The color of the essential oil changes.
Depending on the essential oil, you may notice some or all of these changes when they expire. For this reason, it’s important to store them properly and check the label for anything else you should look out for.
How Long Does It Take for Essential Oils to Expire?
You’ll find that most essential oils live for a long time – around two years for most types of oils. That said, you have to store them properly (room temperature with low humidity is best) and keep them sealed.
It’s important to note that some essential oils can expire faster, like tea tree oil, and some can last longer, like sandalwood. Ultimately, it depends on the essential oil but you can usually expect to get a year or two out of most essential oils.
Are Expired Essential Oils Safe?
Expired essential oils aren’t dangerous in the same way that food becomes dangerous when it’s expired. This is because you usually aren’t ingesting essential oils. Therefore, having them around your home or sitting on a shelf for a long time doesn’t usually impact your health.
What’s more, expired essential oils are unlikely to be unsafe for use in diffusers but they may not be as effective as they once were.
On the other hand, essential oils you use for topical use can be dangerous. They may cause skin irritation or even ruin your skincare products if you mix essential oils with them. It’s important to note that some oils may be more dangerous than others when they expire, so make sure you read the label.
Do Essential Oils Expire? Our Final Thoughts
Essential oils are a great way to relax, enjoy a massage or even to help you focus; it all depends on the oil and the application. While essential oils last for a long time, it’s important to note that they do expire slowly. Eventually, they’ll lose their aroma and many of their holistic healing properties, so the fresher the better!
The good news is that it’s never been easier to stay stocked up on some of the best essential oils. Plus, when you source your essential oils from the best brands, like Wholesale Botanics, you’ll find that they last longer and perform better over time.