Why Store Essential Oils in Glass?

With a shift in consumer trends toward more natural and organic remedies, essential oils are perceived by many to be healthy alternatives to synthetic products. Packaging essential oils in glass is an excellent way to maintain their integrity, enjoying glass’s non-toxic and leech-resistant qualities.

An essential oil glass bottle can include many stylistic features that make storing and dispensing care-free: dropper caps, child-resistant closures, UV-resistant color, and more! Earn your guru status: discover why glass bottles are the preferred essential oil container and what principles guide packaging choices in the aromatherapy industry.

Essential oil glass bottles are typically small glass bottles with airtight closures intended for storing essential oils. Due to the properties of essential oils, these bottles are commonly flame and UV resistant. Popular styles include glass dropper bottles as well as small glass boston round bottles paired with PolyCone caps.

Essential oils are compounds extracted from different plant parts including flower, leaves, bark, seeds, roots, twigs and more. The extract is a highly concentrated compound that retains the natural smell and flavor of the plant or the “essence” of its source. Some of the more popular essential oils are peppermint, lavender, sandalwood, bergamot, rose, chamomile, tea tree, jasmine, and lemon.

Pure essential oils contain volatile organic compounds, which means they are flammable and are sensitive to heat, light, oxygen and moisture. When essential oils are in their pure (or undiluted) form, plastic packaging is not recommended because certain plastics may deteriorate from the chemical composition of the oil and may degrade the oil itself.

Glass, on the other hand, is more heat and chemically-stable than plastic. A tinted essential oil glass bottle can provide UV protection, blocking out harmful rays of sunlight. Additionally, glass does not leach into the product it contains and is 100% recyclable, providing non-toxic packaging for an industry with holistic values.

When shopping for glass bottles for essential oils, consider its properties. Consistency, light sensitivity, and similar qualities can shape your ideal packaging type.

Sunlight can accelerate the breakdown of essential oils, causing them to lose their properties. If an essential oil is sensitive to light damage, it may be best suited for a darker glass bottle.

Dark bottles for essential oils are tinted to prevent the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight from affecting the product. Amber glass and cobalt glass are two popular colors for essential oil bottles, but amber glass provides more UV protection than cobalt.

A clear essential oil bottle can still provide some UV protection depending on its coating. Even with protective packaging, storing best-practices suggest keeping essential oils out of direct sunlight to minimize the risk of heat and UV damage.

Unlike plastic, glass is 100% recyclable, meaning it does not degrade throughout cycles of reuse. Since many essential oil brands value natural, earth-friendly solutions, the recyclability of glass appeals to the holistic values of the aromatherapy industry.

Glass bottles for essential oils should be paired with the appropriate closures. Essential oils are usually dispensed in small doses. Small, precise amounts are easier to dispense with dropper caps and orifice reducers.

Dropper caps feature a flexible bulb that can be squeezed to control the amount of liquid dispensed. These closures help prevent spills and allow oils to be dispensed in droplets, rather than through pouring. Dropper caps are also available in child-resistant versions, which is a preferred option as some essential oils can be dangerous if ingested. Our glass dropper bottles collection offers pre-paired boston round bottles and dropper caps for your convenience!

Alternatively, to incorporate a threaded closure that provides a tight seal, phenolic screw caps are an ideal option. In addition to helping prevent the oil from evaporating and losing its potency, phenolic caps are made to withstand most chemical substances.

Reusing glass bottles for essential oils is an excellent way to keep these sturdy glass containers out of landfills. In order to repurpose an essential oil glass bottle, take careful measures to remove the oil residue from it, then wash and dry thoroughly.

Remove oil residue using a safe solvent such as rubbing alcohol, high-proof vodka, or a mixture of warm soapy water with vinegar. Let your bottle soak in the solvent, using a bottle brush to scrub it clean. Rinse well with clean water and let air dry.

Shopping for your ideal essential oil container brings up many questions, but our product experts at The Cary Company have their answers ready!

Essential oils should be stored in dark bottles in cool, stable environments like a dry cabinet or refrigerator. Clear bottles are a viable option, but additional measures might be necessary to protect the product from light damage.

Many essential oils are sensitive to temperature, so spaces in the 35-40F range are highly recommended. Dark bottles for essential oils provide a protective UV resistant layer that minimizes light damage. Clear glass bottles without a UV protectant coating should be kept away from sunlight.

Your ideal essential oil container might not rely on a dropper for product dispensing, in which case boston round bottles paired with phenolic caps are an excellent choice! To dispense oil from a boston round without a dropper, carefully dip the bottle to only use the desired amount. A reducer can help control dispensing.

Our selection of boston round bottles also come in amber and cobalt glass varieties.

Note that most dropper bottle styles consist of a dropper paired with either a boston round or cylinder round bottle.

The nominal capacity of your essential oil glass bottle is the volume it is designed and intended to contain, whereas the overflow/brimful capacity is the maximum volume it could contain. The empty headspace factors for liquid expansion and closures. Fill glass bottles for essential oils to their nominal capacity in order to avoid spills and leaks.

For products that contain diluted essential oils, plastic can be a viable option. Note that the ratio of the dilution is critical to the plastic’s stability over the long term. Also, just as with glass bottles, the plastic must be at least tinted or, for best results, completely dark for the dilution to maintain its potency. Here is a list of plastics that can be used to store diluted essential oils. You should always test the compatibility of your product with the container prior to essential oil packaging.

At The Cary Company, we provide industries such as aromatherapy with reliable products and trustworthy resources to prioritize your product’s shelf-life! Browse our versatile selection of glass containers or to find the best glass bottles for essential oils for you.

Have any questions? Interested in finding a container? Contact one of our product specialists available to answer any questions and recommend products for you. Give us a call at 630-629-6600 or email us at sales@thecarycompany.com.