COSMAS Organic Supplies

Product Storage

Please remember that ‘natural’ does not always mean safe. Plant essential oils and herbs are extremely strong and should be treated with the greatest respect around people, animals and our environment. Please keep stored securely well out of the reach of curious children and animals. Essential oil bottles are small and could easily be swallowed whole by a large animal.

Note that poorly stored or old essential oils can become sensitizing to the skin as they change their chemical composition due to oxidization and exposure to heat and light. Poorly stored products loose their effectiveness and in the worst case become completely unsuitable for use, e.g. a carrier oil will turn rancid. Essential oils, herbs and related products should be stored in a cool dark place. Essential oils, hydrolats, macerates and carrier oils do well stored in the fridge. Herbs should be kept in a dry place.

The shelf life is not the same for all essential oils.  Some are particularly volatile and will be about six months if kept correctly, e.g. the citrus oils such as Bergamot and Neroli.  Others will keep for a year and a half to two years depending on storage conditions.

The same can be said of the carrier oils, for instance Flax is at its best for a very short time of around three months.  Some may stay in a good condition for a year if carefully stored.  The more unsaturated an oil the more vulnerably it is to deterioration.  Hence the use of preservatives in so many of today's products.

The recommended shelf life for macerates is around nine months and flower waters six to nine months.

Please note that poor storage affects our Terms and Conditions.

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