Shelf Life of Carrier Oils presented by Crystal Forest

Shelf Life of Carrier Oils

2001-2009

Different carrier oils offer different properties and the choice of carrier oil can depend on the therapeutic benefit being sought by the user.Many carrier oils used in soap and toiletries are available to the home-making hobbyist as well as the professional.

Carrier oils are generally cold-pressed vegetable oils from the fatty portions of the plant material they are derived from. Unlike essential oils that can evaporate and have a very concentrated aroma, carrier oils do not evaporate nor do they impart their aroma as strongly as essential oils do. This is not to say that they are fragrance free but that they are merely not as strongly scented. For more information on these oils and their respective uses you may also be interested in my other article entitled Carrier Oils.

Something to remember is that an oil that is primarily a polyunsaturated one will go rancid more quickly than one that is monounsaturated. The reason for this is because a polyunsaturated oil will have a greater amounts of free radicals which are associated with rancidity. Many vegetable, and all animal oils, quickly degrade and will then generate odors signaling their rancidity. Preservatives of some kind are usually need to be incorporated into products in order to compensate for this fact.

Below are many of the better-known oils, and a few not so well known ones, listed under their respective shelf lives. It is important to remember that oils should be kept in a cool dark area for longest shelf life. For highly unstable oils one may wish to store them in the refrigerator. Some such as Jojoba (actually a wax) and even olive oil may become solid when stored in this manner. One needs only to leave them out at room temperature until they liquify once again.

Short Shelf Life -up to 3 months, * denotes those that may last up to 6 months if kept cool, unopened.

Aloe Vera Oil

Camellia

Evening Primrose

Flax

Grape seed

Hemp-natural

Soybean

Sunflower

Walnut*

3-6 month Shelf Life, *denotes possibly longer shelf life if kept cool and unopened.

Almond

Apricot Kernel

Borage

Cottonseed

Evening Primrose

Hazelnut

Hemp-refined

Macadamia

Peanut

Pecan

Pistachio

Rice Bran

Safflower

Sesame

Soy

Walnut

9-12 month Shelf Life or longer when kept cool

Safflower (high oleic)

Avocado oil (refined)

Corn

Canola

Emu

Castor

Cocoa Butter

Coconut

Fractionated Coconut

Jojoba

Macadamia nut

Olive oil

Palm

Kukui Nut

Safflower-Oleic

Shea Butter

Sunflower (high oleic)

Tea Tree

Wheat Germ

Carrier oils also referred to as base oils are used to dilute essential oils, CO2s (oils extracted by the carbon dioxide method) and absolutes before applying to the skin or being used in the making of many soap and toiletries recipes. These oils are referred to in this manner because they "carry" the essential oil onto the skin or in the product that they are used in so as to dilute them properly for absorbtion and, in many instances, to keep them from causing harm to the skin.