Shelf life and storage of natural raw materials ingredients used in making natural skin care, make up and cosmetic products.

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Skin Care Secrets Revealed: The Storage and Shelf Life of Aromantic Raw

By Kolbjorn Borseth

As a general rule it is important to use products within their shelf life limit that is written on the label. That is the guarantee that Aromantic as a company can give you if you have stored products in the proper way.

When Aromantic label their raw materials, we set the guaranteed shelf life to the minimum advised by our suppliers and producers. However, if you are keeping these raw materials under good storage conditions you can possibly prolong the shelf life of your raw materials. Here are some guidelines that you can follow yourself but without an Aromantic product guarantee.

Normally raw materials don’t need to be kept in airtight containers and stored in a fridge, but if you want to keep them for longer you might consider that. N.B. Never store anything in direct sunlight.

Vegetable Oils

Vegetable Oils/Fats are the most heat-sensitive so you could keep them in the fridge for prolonged shelf life. Never keep fragile vegetable oils and essential oils in the fridge door as it will be shaken often and therefore oxidised and the free radical destruction process will start again and again. If a product has no fats or oils in them, then it is easier to extend their shelf life, for example, tinctures and herbs.

Let us say you have 2 months left on the shelf life of a vegetable oil and you want to use it in a cream or lotion. My experience has taught me that by using it in the heating process to make a cream recipe, you extend the shelf life to at least 1.5 years. I wouldn’t consider an extended shelf life if you just blended it in a massage oil blend or with Vitamin E Oil. Otherwise, the rule is that the higher part of Omega 3/or GLA Oils you have in the oil, the more fragile the oil will be. Never buy Raspberry Oil, Kiwi Seed, Rosehip, Hemp Seed, Evening Primrose or Borage Oils without them having an added antioxidant to them. An antioxidant like Vitamin E Oil or Rosemary CO₂ Extract has to be added when produced or the oil must be capped and the bottle flushed with nitrogen gas when produced. The difference can be a shelf life of 1.5 – 2 years instead of 6 months.

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Essential Oils

Citrus oils are especially fragile. You can keep them in a fridge (not in the door because of the shaking when opening and closing the door as this makes it oxidise faster), and you can add a few drops of Vitamin E Oil to them. Base notes, like woods and roots get better over the years as they mature just like whisky. Absolutes can usually be kept for many years.

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Fats and Waxes

Waxes like Carnauba Wax keep forever, but beeswax keeps for 4-5 years. Fats normally keep for around 2 years. Never store in direct sunlight.

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Hydrolates

Hydrolates will keep for up to 2 years even without alcohol in them. As they are natural products they can all of a sudden change colour and smell strange after one year. There is possibly nothing wrong with them but you may not use them because of the smell. There are companies that add alcohol to them as a preservative measure, Aromantic do not do this. After some time, hydrolates may develop sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but you can still use it and even strain the product if necessary.

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Botanical CO₂ Extracts

Most Botanical CO₂ extracts comes from the producers with Rosemary CO₂ extract as an antioxidant in them and if we get it in as a thick paste like Calendula CO₂ and Chamomile CO₂ then we dilute it ourselves with Jojoba Oil and Jojoba keeps by itself for 5 years.

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Herbal Tinctures

Tinctures can realistically be kept for up to 6 years.

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Dried Herbs

Dried herbs that are used to make herbal tea need to be used within 2 years. One of the many reasons for not using herbs that are too old in herbal teas is that the good flavour will fade away and you will be left with a so called ‘hay’ taste. Dried herbs that are used as an infusion/decoction in skin/hair care products can be used up until they are 5 – 6 years old. A classic example is Nettle – if you are going to drink it as a tea don’t use it if it is more than 2 years old, but all the minerals in the herbs haven’t been lost by storing it for 6years. The important thing is that the herbs have been stored in a dry, dark place.

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Clays

If clays are kept dry they can keep for 7 – 8 years without any problems, as you won’t lose the minerals due to any evaporation.

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Emulsifiers

If the shelf life of the emulsifier expires for example in 2 months time, my experience has shown me that you can extend the shelf life by using it in the heating process to make a cream or lotion where it will last for a further 1.5-2years (a cream’s shelf life).

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Moisturisers

When storing a humectant (a substance that draws water to itself), you need to keep it sealed as it will attract water and then it will be slowly diluted and possibly draw bacteria to it. Examples are Glycerine, Sorbitol and Carbamide. Thickening agents also need to be stored in a dry place.

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Detergents

Detergents can be kept for up to 8 years and they will still be effective. Examples are Alpha, Sugar and Beta.

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Colours

Non-water based and water-based colours can be kept for up to 7 years. Pearlescent colours/normal pigments can be kept for 7 years if kept in an airtight container in a dark place out of sunlight.

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