Approximately 1-2 years:
| Essential Oil | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Angelica Root | Angelica archangelica |
| Bergamot Mint | Mentha citrata |
| Cannabis | Cannabis sativa |
| Cilantro | Coriandrum sativum |
| Elemi | Canarium luzonicum |
| Grapefruit | Citrus paradisi |
| Lemon | Citrus limon |
| Lime | Citrus aurantifolia |
| Mandarin | Citrus reticulata |
| Manuka | Leptospermum scoparium |
| Melissa | Melissa officinalis |
| Neroli | Citrus aurantium |
| Orange (any type) | Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantium |
| Palo Santo | Bursera graveolens |
| Rhododendron | Rhododendron anthopogon |
| Taget | Tagetes minuta |
| Tangerine | Citrus reticulata |
Approximately 2-3 years:
| Essential Oil | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Anise | Pimpinella anisum |
| Basil (any type) | Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum sanctum |
| Bergamot | Citrus bergamia |
| Black Pepper | Piper nigrum |
| Cajeput | Melaleuca cajuputi |
| Camphor | Cinnamomum camphora |
| Cardamom | Elettaria cardamomum |
| Catnip | Nepeta cataria |
| Chamomile (any type) | Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum nobile |
| Citronella | Cymbopogon nardus |
| Clary Sage | Salvia sclarea |
| Coffee | Coffea arabica |
| Copaiba | Copaifera officinalis |
| Coriander | Coriandrum sativum |
| Cumin | Cuminum cyminum |
| Cypress | Cupressus sempervirens |
| Davana | Artemisia pallens |
| Dill (any type) | Anethum graveolens |
| Eucalyptus (any type) | Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus radiata, Eucalyptus citriodora |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare |
| Fir (any type) | Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies sibirica, Abies alba |
| Fragonia | Taxandria fragrans |
| Frankincense (any type) | Boswellia carterii, Boswellia sacra, Boswellia serrata, Boswellia frereana, Boswellia neglecta, Boswellia papyrifera, Boswellia rivae |
| Geranium | Pelargonium graveolens |
| Ginger | Zingiber officinale |
| Helichrysum (any type) | Helichrysum gymnocephalum, Helichrysum italicum |
| Ho Wood | Cinnamomum camphora var linalool |
| Juniper Berry | Juniperus communis |
| Kunzea | Kunzea ambigua |
| Lavandin | Lavandula intermedia |
| Lavender (any type) | Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula angustifolia |
| Lemon Myrtle | Backhousia citriodora |
| Lemon Tea Tree | Leptospermum petersonii |
| Lemongrass | Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus |
| Marjoram | Origanum majorana |
| May Chang | Litsea cubeba |
| Myrtle | Myrtus communis |
| Niaouli | Melaleuca quinquenervia |
| Nutmeg | Myristica fragrans |
| Palmarosa | Cymbopogon martinii |
| Peru Balsam | Myroxylon balsamum |
| Petitgrain | Citrus aurantium |
| Pine (any type) | Pinus sylvestris, Pinus edulis |
| Ravensara | Ravensara aromatica |
| Ravintsara | Cinnamomum camphora |
| Rosalina | Melaleuca ericifolia |
| Rose Otto | Rosa x damascena |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis |
| Sage (any type) | Salvia lavandulaefolia, Salvia officinalis |
| Spearmint | Mentha spicata |
| Spruce (any type) | Tsuga canadensis, Picea mariana |
| Star Anise | Illicium verum |
| Tarragon | Artemisia dracunculus |
| Tea Tree | Melaleuca alternifolia |
| Thyme linalool | Thymus vulgaris |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium |
| Ylang Ylang | Cananga odorata |
Approximately 3-4 years:
| Essential Oil | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Blue Tansy | Tanacetum annuum |
| Cassia | Cinnamomum cassia |
| Cedarwood (any type) | Cedrus atlantica, Juniperus virginiana |
| Cinnamon (any type) | Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum verum |
| Clove | Syzygium aromaticum |
| Jasmine (any type) | Jasminum grandiflorum |
| Laurel Leaf | Laurus nobilis |
| Myrrh | Commiphora myrrha |
| Oregano | Origanum vulgare |
| Peppermint | Mentha piperita |
| Pimento (berry or leaf) | Pimenta officinalis |
| Rose Absolute | Rosa x centifolia |
| Spikenard | Nardostachys jatamansi |
| Sweet Birch | Bentula lenta |
| Thyme thymol | Thymus vulgaris |
| Turmeric | Curcuma longa |
| Valerian | Valeriana officinalis |
| Wintergreen | Gaultheria fragrantissima |
Approximately 5-8 years:
| Essential Oil | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Patchouli | Pogostemon cablin |
| Sandalwood | Santalum album |
| Vetiver | Vetiveria zizanoides |
Properly Storing Essential Oils
Essential oil quality can vary depending on which supplier you purchase your oils from. For example, not all companies will provide the current GCMS testing reports for their batches of essential oils; which is how you can verify purity & tell if your essential oil is adulterated or contaminated in any way. However, the causes of oxidation are the same, regardless of supplier.
Oxidation is the process when a chemical substance changes because of the addition of oxygen. Heat, light and oxygen speed up the oxidation process, causing degradation of your essential oils.
To prevent your essential oils from oxidizing as long as possible, always store them in a dark, cool area in a tightly capped bottle. If you have blends that will be exposed to light, i.e. roller-bottles, it is best to use amber colored glass bottles.
