Q: What's the best container for storing essential oils?
A: An amber glass bottle is the best container for protecting the aromatic properties and botanical constituents of an essential oil. It's most effective at blocking light, particularly ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light has a slightly higher frequency than visible light, and this higher energy often accelerates photodegradation, the breakdown of molecules initiated by the absorption of light photons.
(Never store essential oils in plastic containers of any kind as many oils will react with the plastic and degrade it.)
The superiority of amber glass in blocking UV light is affirmed by glass container suppliers. In a 2001 study done for the beer industry, researchers at the Monmouth College Department of Chemistry measured the light transmitted through different colors of glass.
Light from three sources — tungsten bulbs, fluorescent bulbs and sunlight — was filtered through blue glass, green glass, brown glass and left unfiltered (the equivalent of clear glass).
The order of protection from all spectrums of light, which was consistent for all three sources, was:
--Amber glass (highest protection)
--Green glass
--Cobalt blue glass
--Clear glass (least protection)
Study author Bradley E. Sturgeon, PhD, noted, ". . . brown glass filters the largest amount of high energy light. Note that the green and especially blue are inefficient at filtering the higher energy UV light."
We package Aura Cacia essential oils in amber bottles to provide them with the greatest possible protection from the negative effects of exposure to light.
