Essential oils are a natural way to
infuse your homemade products with aromatic and medicinal uniqueness. Essential oils are concentrated compounds
extracted from plants and can pack a punch not only in aromatic intensity, but
in your container. To prevent
deterioration and permeation, it is imperative that the products containing
essential oils are packaged in the right kind of container. Pure essential oils are very potent. Care should be taken to ensure they are
stored in an airtight container. All
oils have different properties and caution and experimentation should be used
in determining what kind of container will work best. Glass bottles with airtight lids are
recommended. Rubber and plastic
containers and cap components can be damaged and deteriorated by pure essential
oils. Prolong the life of your pure
essential oils by storing in a cool, dark, dry place. Citrus essential oils are the most prone to
oxidation, so to avoid the damage caused by temperature variation you could
store them in your refrigerator if you have the space. Carrier oils and massage oils will also
benefit by being stored in this way. Both
essential oils and vegetable oils do not like extreme or repeated changes in
temperature. Essential oils are
moderately volatile and will evaporate fairly quickly so be sure to replace the
cap tightly when you have finished using them.
They are also flammable, so keep them away from sources of ignition such
as fires, candles, and flames.
Glass is impervious to essential oils
and essential oils are not damaged by the glass, so it is the number one choice
for storage of your essential oils and the recipes you blend yourself. It is recommended that you use dark amber or
cobalt blue colored glass bottles since this filters out the sun’s ultra-violet
light. Dark amber was always the color
of choice, but today dark shades of blue, green, and violet have become popular
and they all offer some protection to your oils. Using clear glass does not harm the essential
oils, but it does not offer any protection from the deteriorating effect of any
direct sunlight. Glass mixing bowls,
stirring rods and beakers are perfect for stirring and blending oils when you
are making lotions and creams.
Some metals can react with various
essential oils. Never store undiluted
essential oils in Aluminum as some of them have chemical constituents that can
cause the aluminum to be damaged and leach into the oils themselves,
particularly strong oils like Cinnamon or Thyme. Aluminum can be used for products containing
“diluted” essential oils. If you need to
use a metal bowl or container, it is best to use a high grade stainless steel. Stainless steel whisks, spatulas and steel
spoons are great for stirring and mixing.
Do not use plastic or wooden spoons.
Stainless steel spray bottles are hard to find and expensive, but there
are some available.
Some types of plastic bowls can be used
for blending and mixing, but most plastics have a tendency to absorb the
essential oils, making it near impossible to clean afterwards. Undiluted essential oils should not be stored
in plastic containers, as some properties in many essential oils will break
down the plastic, which can destroy the oil and often cause leakage. If the oils are diluted with carrier oil, they
may be stored in high quality plastic bottles and containers for several
months.
PET or HDPE Plastics can be used to
store blended products such as lotion and massage oils. PET or PETE is a thermoplastic polymer resin
of the polyester family and is commonly used for beverage, food and other
liquid containers. PET does not contain
BPA or any estrogen-like chemicals. It
is not known to leak any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or
disrupting hormones. However, as with
many plastic products, if reused multiple times, the chemicals can start to
break down over time. PET has the number
‘’1” as its recycling symbol. PET has a high permeability resistance rating
is an alternative to glass for some products as it is less expensive, weighs
less, and recycles well.
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) has
a high density and high chemical resistance
As with PTE HDPE is not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected
of causing cancer or disrupting hormones, but reuse may cause plastic to begin
to break down over time. HDPE has the
number “2” as its recycling symbol. Once
they are used with the essential oils the plastic container may not be able to
be used for other scented products because of the absorption of the scent. Essential oils can ruin rubber, so it is best
to use silicone or nylon scrapers to scoop out all of your mixtures.
If you want to reuse your essential
oil bottles be sure to clean them thoroughly.
Be sure to use the hottest water available and some soap or
detergent. Let them soak for a few
minutes and then use a cleaning brush to clean the insides to remove any
stubborn remnants. On tiny bottles you
can use a Q-tip or a tooth pick. Rinse
with hot water and turn upside down on clean paper towels to drain.
For your bowls and other containers,
you can rinse them with hot soapy water and then run them through the
dishwasher. Be certain the majority of
the oil has been completely rinsed to avoid damaging the rubber-based parts in
the internal workings of your dishwasher.
After cleaning and rinsing, the last
thing to do for making sure the residue has been removed from your bottles or
equipment is to rinse them with a little alcohol. Rubbing and denatured alcohol have a lot of
water and impurities in them, so you can use a “high proof” alcohol such as a
cheap vodka which is odorless and free of impurities. This high-proof alcohol dissolves and helps
remove any residual essential oil or carrier oil that might be left in your
bottles or droppers. It also helps them
to dry quickly because of the high alcohol content. Again let them dry upside down on paper
toweling.
Here are some links to sites where these can be purchased:
AromaTools
My Oil Business
Amazon
Specialty Bottle
My Oil Gear
