I have lots of essential oils, but i have had them for over 3 years now. can i still use them?

Question

i want to use them for a massage and i want to know if it will cause a skin reaction, or if it simply means that they have lost their properties after all this time.

also, can anybody recommend any oils that are good for fibromyalgia?

thanks

Answer 1

Pure essential oils should be ok to use, ive often used them a few years old and theyre fine. If theyre already mixed with carrier oil, then i wouldnt as the carriers will have "gone off".

Answer 2

Good quality essential oils will have a "use by" or expiration date. If they are much past that, discard. They don't go rancid but their properties change. Most oils last 2 years.

Couple of notes on dates:

A few oils that are tree resins actually improve with age. I'm thinking particularly of Patchouli, which costs more if it's aged before selling. Others are Frankincense & Sandalwood.

Citrus oils are the quickest to go out. Any that are 3 years old are too old and should not be used, except perhaps to make the room smell good.

Don't ever store oils mixed into carriers (olive, grapeseed, almond, et.al.) for more than 3-4 weeks because they go rancid too quickly.

These oils are analgesics: Helicrysum, Black Pepper, Roman Chamomile, Yuzu

These oils are anti-viral: Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus (radiata), Melissa, Oregano, Ravensara, Tea Tree, Thyme (red & linalol)

Answer 3

All oils and oil-based products decay over time, so they will almost certainly smell rancid (like old, gone-off butter) by now. Even if the products within them are quite strong, most essential oils use a base oil which is much cheaper (such as rapeseed oil or corn oil), which will have gone off in three years.  Beyond that, without knowing which essential oils you have, I can't tell what they'd decay into, but it's safest to assume that they're probably beyond use by now.

Answer 4

Sure, they'll be as useless now as they were 3 years ago.

Answer 5

The shelf life of the essential oils depend on its grade. The higher the quality of the essential oil, the longer its shelf life will be.

Answer 6

I am still using oils over 5 years old -

Answer 7

They may still be useful...some chemical properties can break down  over time but that depends on the type of oil..smelling them will give you a good idea....the breakdown shouldn't cause a skin reaction.  Just test a small spot on your skin for an allergy response if you are sensitive to things like that.

For Fibro:

For pain relief: spike lavender, sweet marjoram, lavender, petitgrain, Roman and German chamomile, clary sage, lemongrass, helichrysum, peppermint, ginger and black pepper. Spike lavender with peppermint and helichrysum creates an anti-inflammatory synergy.

For stress/anxiety relief: rose otto, frankincense, clary sage, sweet orange, bergamot, grapefruit, ylang ylang, sandalwood, neroli, sweet marjoram, petitgrain, mandarin, lavender, rose geranium, tangerine, jasmine.

For peaceful sleep: lavender, neroli, jasmine, marjoram, Roman chamomile.

For a feeling of harmony and safety: frankincense, lavender, rose, mandarin, neroli, helichrysum.

For headaches: lavender, peppermint, marjoram, Roman chamomile.

For increased circulation: rosemary, ginger, black pepper, peppermint, lemongrass, rose geranium

Answer 8

It is possible for EO's to be kept well for that long, but unlikely. Type of container, amount of air in the container, temperature, light...there are a lot of factors.

I suspect that your oils are oxidized. They are best used at this point added to soapy water and used to clean up.

Regarding fibromyalgia...there are oils to boost your immune system, to treat headaches and other symptoms and to treat the pain, fatigue and insomnia. I suggest that you narrow your focus to what symptoms you would like to treat.

Emily's Oils & Essentials has an interactive search engine that is user friendly.

Answer 9

Certainly - if you want to smell like stools.