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General Guidelines For Oil Storage

Natural and artificial chemicals are both present in fragrance and flavor oils. An exclusive kind of fragrance oil that is permitted for use in lip care products is known as a flavor oil.

Fragile and prone to separation if exposed to oxygen for an extended time are the volatile, aromatic components that makeup flavor and fragrance oils. Keep fragrance and flavor oils in the dark glass bottles that are the right size for the amount of oil you currently have, as stated in the following instructions. Oils used as flavorings and fragrances hate oxygen.

Shelf Life: Fragrance and flavor oils have a steady shelf life of two years when kept in suitable storage.

Oils for fragrance and flavoring don’t require refrigeration.

You may extend the shelf life of your priceless oils by following the recommendations below. These recommendations hold for flavor, essential, fragrance, and vegetable oils. Even though each oil kind has a unique chemical makeup from the others, they can all lose their quality with time, especially if stored in less-than-ideal circumstances.

Keep Oils In Bottles Made of Amber or Dark Glass

All oils should be stored in dark glass bottles, especially delicate ones with a short shelf life, like amber and cobalt glass. While larger sizes of some oil types are supplied in plastic, From Nature With Love does offer to select smaller sizes of essential, vegetable, and fragrance oils in amber glass bottles. This choice aims to keep product and transportation expenses within reason. Larger glass bottles are more expensive and more likely to break when transported. We are a wholesaler; most clients are manufacturers, practitioners, and artists. There is an additional reason why it isn’t always required to ship some oils in glass bottles because a significant portion of our customers use their oils up quickly after purchase. Oils sent in plastic that you want to store for a long time should be put into dark glass bottles as soon as possible.

Bottles Should Not Be Kept Half Full.

Any oil will begin to oxidize when a bottle is only partially filled with oxygen, which also resides inside the bottle. Vegetable oils may get rancid more quickly as a result of this process. Oxidation can damage the delicate aromatic and medicinal components of essential oils. When the volatile components of fragrance and flavor oils undergo irreversible separation due to oxidation, shaking the bottle will no longer be effective.

The “headspace” refers to the vacant space inside an oil container. By decreasing this headspace, you can increase the oil’s shelf life. For illustration, suppose you have a 16 oz. Bottle of orange essential oil that is just half full and that you won’t be using up soon. 

Transferring the oil into an eight oz. Bottle, two four oz. Bottles, or four 2 oz. Bottles will all increase the orange essential oil’s shelf life. You can utilize only the amount of oil you need later on by transferring a larger quantity into several smaller bottles.

Tight Fit Bottle Caps

Oils hate compressed air and tight oxygen. Always ensure that all bottle tops are fastened tightly onto each of your oils, but avoid overtightening them because they could shatter and let oxygen in.

Oils Should Be Kept Out of Direct Sunlight and Ideally In a Dark Place.

All oil forms are particularly vulnerable to UV and direct sunshine damage. Frequently exposing oils to any light source may also harm them. Your bottles should be kept with little to no direct sunlight. Store your bottles so they aren’t continually exposed to light sources.

Oils Should Be Kept In A Dry, Cool Place.

Your oils should be maintained in a dry, cold space.

Refrigeration

The refrigerator is the best place to keep essential oils. If there is enough room, all oils can be chilled (not frozen! ), but stable vegetable oils, fragrance/flavor, and essential oils don’t need to be. Oils from plants can solidify in colder climates. When stored in the refrigerator, the essential oils of rose otto, anise, star anise, and fennel solidify. Waiting a few hours on your countertop for chilled oils to thaw to room temperature before using them is preferable.

Uphold the Quality of Your Oils

Keep your fingers, cotton balls, and other unsterilized objects out of direct touch with the oils you store. Instead, remove only what you need by pouring it off or measuring it into a container, then work with it to preserve the integrity of the remaining oil.

Glass Bottles and Shades For Essential Oils

There are many different hues of glass bottles available for your essential oils. While selecting the best dye for the eye may be tempting, you must consider how light will impact your product. Which shade of glass should you choose as an essential oil vendor to best serve your client’s needs?

For essential oil bottles, there are four popular color choices:

• Cobalt Blue 
• Green, 
• Amber, Brown, 
• Flint or Crystal Clear

Every color possesses unique aesthetic and protective qualities. Consider shelf life, marketing, and light protection to choose the best choice for your products. The more opaque and dark the glass is, the more excellent protection it provides against oxidation in light protection. Over time, oxidation degrades the oils and renders essential oils ineffective as medicines.

Light’s Impact on Essential Oils

Along the electromagnetic spectrum, light can be divided into two types: invisible light and visible light. Ultraviolet light is the undetectable light that causes the most worry for colored glass used to make essential oil bottles.

Unsafe ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) are present in sunlight. These rays cause skin cancer and burns, so we cover up with sunscreen and sunglasses to protect our eyes and skin. These UV rays degrade essential oils’ composition, like our skin cells.

The compounds in essential oils are altered by rapid oxidation, which results in their breakdown and decreased potency.

On the electromagnetic spectrum, light wavelengths are monitored in the science of oxidation in glass bottles. 

Nanometers measure wavelengths, and 1 nm equals one billionth of a meter. Sunlight’s ultraviolet rays range in length from 10 nm to 400 nm. The wavelengths of the light that we naturally see range from 400 to 780 nm.

The Advantages of Amber Glass Dropper Bottles

Amber glass provides shielding from light with wavelengths between 10 nm and 400 nm. Since amber bottles offer the best UV light radiation protection, many makers of medications and beverages use them.

Negative Effects of Blue and Green Glass

Although blue and green bottles may be more aesthetically pleasing, they do not provide your oils with as much protection. These hues shield you from visible light but can’t shield your oils from UV rays. In general, they cost a little more than flint or amber bottles.

When buying essential oils, should you ever use clear glass bottles?

Clear glass bottles will not immediately harm oils, sometimes called flint glass. These bottles don’t provide any light shielding, though. Clear glass is not the ideal choice for essential oils susceptible to oxidation breakdown or utilized much more slowly, i.e., the number of drops each application.

When Buying Essential Oils, Should You Ever Use Clear Glass Bottles?

Clear glass bottles will not immediately harm oils, sometimes called flint glass. These bottles don’t provide any light shielding, though. Clear glass is not ideal for essential oils susceptible to oxidation breakdown or utilized much more slowly, i.e., the number of drops each application.

Accounting for Storage and Shelf Life

However, there may be circumstances where using a different glass tint can keep customers safe. Lighter glass hues can debut if you are packing an essential oil with a short shelf life or will be kept in a dark place.

If you choose a transparent glass container, specify that it should be stored in a dark place. Alternatively, use clear glass solely to package oils that need to be used quickly or are applied more freely and do not keep well.

Be Innovative When Making Labeling Decisions

Another option is to select a solid, wrap-around label instead of amber or a darker glass hue. This kind of label will cover Most of the glass, obstructing visible and invisible light. The glass bottle’s top or bottom will be transparent to the client, allowing them to see when the product level is becoming low. The ability to see their goods, which is not an option with amber glass, can be a selling factor with transparent glass.

Conclusion 

For essential oil bottles, use the best-colored glass to protect the contents and build your brand. Customers that utilize essential oils will want to engage with a business that offers a variety of colored glass bottles and is familiar with each one’s applications. After all, if their essential oils lose their medicinal function, their money will be squandered.

Contact our sales specialists at Carow Packaging to arrange a 15-minute consultation if you’d like to learn more about selecting the best-colored glass for your upcoming project involving the packaging of essential oils. We will assist you in selecting the best option for your customers based on light protection, branding, and price.