Best Bottles for Fine Aromatics? Our Choice is Clear!
There is always a debate over what type of bottle is best for fine aromatics and essential oils. Strong forces in the industry favor the brown glass bottle as the final word in responsible bottling of essential oils and other aromatic extracts. These strong commercial forces have also influence consumer preference and beliefs. Is this is this brown bottle dogma absolutely necessary and absolutely true?
For our purposes, we disagree. We think that the color of the oil is an essential part of the essential oil experience. The same applies for attars, perfumes, and absolutes (CO2 extractions), and even some medicinals and skin care products. We think that when you invest in a one-of-a-kind premium natural aromatic, the color and texture are part of the experience and the full enjoyment of the product. Color and texture provide pleasure, relieve curiosity, and impart relevant information about the unique product you have chosen. Color is a big part of what makes a fine botanical extract special and unique, even when compared alongside other extractions of the same plant.
We believe in full transparency - and a clear bottle lets you see and enjoy exactly whats inside.
What about notorious “light damage” as a result of using transparent bottles?
The answer is easy. Yes, sunlight in particular will damage, degrade, or alter many essential oils and other botanical extracts. So keep your bottles somewhere dark. It’s that simple. Clear, brown, or otherwise; bottles of botanicals should be kept protected from light and temperature fluctuation as much as possible.
Old habits? I suppose there may be the perception of convenience in the old habit of keeping your entire aromatherapy pharmacy out on you kitchen counter or even on a sunny window sill! This isn’t really good for your essential oils and other botanical extracts anyway, even if the bottle is brown.
You wouldn’t keep a fine wine in a sunny window? Even your ketchup, mustard, and mayonaise probably receive the thoughtful protection of the cold, dark fridge! Why not give at least the same level of thought and care to your expensive and delightful collection of fine aromatics and essential oils?!
There is huge variation in the real, product-specific storage requirements and expected shelf life of aromatic extracts and essential oils. Some aromatics are very hardy and may even benefit from some controlled “sunning” or exposure to free flowing air to “off gas” a little as part of the clarifying and ageing process. (common with wood oils like sandal or oud, for example) Others are incredibly fragile and benefit from the most controlled storage you can possibly manage. (think low-yield ephemeral flower oils, for example) These benefit from refrigeration, darkness, and vacuum or airless containment, somewhat challenging work for the average consumer.
In short: Keep your all your aromatics somewhere dark and temperature stable. And enjoy our transparent bottles with confidence!
