Clear vs. Colored Essential Oil Bottles

Is there really a different when an essential oil comes in a clear bottle or a colored one? I have been lead to believe that amber glass bottles are better than clear. Well, according to Dr. Robert Pappas, a brilliant essential oil expert chemist, clear is just fine for diluted blends and short term storage. He wrote this on this on his facebook page.

"Many people ask me all the time if its really necessary for essential oils to be stored in colored glass bottles. My preference is to store the oils in clear glass because color analysis is important to me and I want to be able to clearly see the color of the oil. The truth is that most essential oils are photochemically inactive in the visible region but do have some reactivity in the ultra-violet (UV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Since UV light of high enough energy to cause photochemical reactions in most organic molecules is absorbed (not transmitted) by normal glass, regardless of color, most of the time it really makes little difference if the oils are in clear, brown, blue, green, purple or whatever color glass."

"Of course there are a few exceptions, as with the chamazulene containing oils (blue chamomile, blue yarrow, blue tansy, etc.) that you would not want to store in colorless bottles for long periods under heavy lighting conditions. This is because chamazulene has strong absorption in the VISIBLE region of the spectrum (thus the intense dark blue color of these oils) and so it is the lower energy visible light and not just UV light that can significantly effect these oils. As a general rule, if the liquid is intensely colored then that's telling you that there is significant activity in the visible region and normal light can effect the product since clear glass is obviously transparent to all frequencies of the visible spectrum."

"But even so, photochemical degradation is not really the biggest threat to essential oils. Of more concern is thermal degradation and reaction with oxygen, these are the biggest enemies of essential oils in general. For this reason you should really be more concerned about refrigerating oils like citrus and the chamazulene containing oils because they are more susceptible to thermal degradation than other oils. Furthermore, since oxygen plays a big role in decomposition, you should keep airspace in the oil to a minimum. I recommend as a general rule that once the oil container is half full then its time to transfer the oil to a smaller bottle, this will significantly extend the useful life of the oil. If you want to see how air affects oils then try putting some orange or grapefruit oil in a bottle and only filling it about 1/10 the way full. Come back to the oil about 6 months later and dip a scent strip in the oil to evaluate it and you will notice a drastic difference in the odor. Many times viscosity will also change because the oxygen can cause polymerization reactions making the oil a thicker consistency."

"So, in summary, if you just take extra measures to keep the airspace to a minimum and the temperature at 75 or below (even lower in the case of citrus and other oils more susceptible to thermal decomposition) then you can keep the oils smelling nicer for longer periods as well as extend their effectiveness and these two things will contribute far more the preserving the oil than any colored bottle will do."

This comment comes from a friend, and fellow aromatherapist that I whole heartedly agree with, Grant Greene. This question was asked in a FB group and there was a lot of differing of opinions. This one makes sense. "If you are making blends at home and are going to store them properly in a cool dark place, the color of the glass really doesn't matter. If a company is going to sell essential oils in a physical store where the oils will be on a shelf, then amber colored glass that meets the UV light protection limits as specified in the U.S. Pharmacopeia would be preferred. If a company doesn't bottle your essential oils until you place an order, then any color is fine if you properly store the bottles. If you keep your bottles out in the open (like on a shelf), then you might want to be sure your oils are in amber colored bottles just to be safe. You really want to keep your oils in a dark place that doesn't experience drastic temperature changes and is relatively cool."

There you have it! Colored bottles are more expensive than clear and do not allow you to see the quality of the essential oil. We have decided to switch our roller bottles ONLY to clear so we all can see what is in them and if there may be a possible issue. Our single oils will stay in colored bottles as will the back stock of our oils. All are stored, in a cool, dark location so no UV light reaches them. That is just our personal preference. It also shows when the oil is getting low easier.

If you purchase something from us and receive it in a clear roller bottle, you will know why. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I love hearing from all of you, email me at melissa@sweetwillowspirit.com.

Love and light,

Melissa

Caution: The material on this page is not meant to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. Since the actual use of this product by others is beyond our control, no expressed or implied guarantee as to the effects of their use can be given nor liability taken. Use at your own discretion. Any application of the recommendations is at the user’s risk. Sweet Willow Spirit, LLC disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of this information and assumes no responsibility for any actions taken. This should not be used in place of traditional therapies but solely as a complementary means for bringing well-being. The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. No claims are made as to any medicinal value of any oil or healing modality.