There’s no such thing as a pure, captivating essential oil scent as compared to a new bottle. You know, have you ever seen that as time goes on some oils just don’t feel as strong as they once were? Perhaps there’s a hidden culprit in that change of aroma: humidity. I immediately loved how potent essential oils were until a hot and steamy season left my favorite oils without much of a scent at all. Then I learned that humidity and fragrance preservation are intertwined.
In this post I’ll talk about the impact humidity has on essential oils, storage & how to store, and the best HBNO oils for humid climates. If you want to read on for some storage tips, stories, and, of course, some tried and true HBNO product suggestions that have kept my oils fresh and aromatic for months, read on!
Understanding Humidity’s Role in Essential Oil Fragrance Quality
Essential oils are surprisingly influenced by things like humidity or the amount of moisture in the air. Volatile compounds are the ingredients that make up essential oils; as these come from plants, they are essential oils and they evaporate quickly making their scent vaporous. And when you add high humidity those water vapor molecules in the air can interact with these oils and sometimes speed up the breakdown of those aromatic compounds. The result? That beloved fragrance can grow stale and begin to smell bad.
For example, one of my favorite fresh out of the bottle is typically HBNO’s bright orange oil. After a couple of weeks of having it out in my bathroom—a high-humidity area—it didn’t smell as frisky, much less pungent, as I remember. The experience emphasized the need to store correctly in a humid environment.
Recognizing Humidity Damage in Essential Oils
However, do you know if your essential oils are affected by humidity? Here are some indicators that your oils may need a different storage setup:
1. Faded Aroma
The first signs are often a weaker fragrance. Essential oils that are high in strength should be stored, however, in low humidity.
2. Changes in Color
Oxidation is suspected if your oils darken or change color. Very often it happens faster in humid climates; I noticed that my HBNO lemongrass oil, which normally is a pale yellow, becomes amber.
3. Cloudiness or Separation
The essential oil found in nature should be clear, and consistent in texture. If humidity has disrupted an oil, it may cloud or layer.
4. Unusual Consistency
If your oil is thick and sticky, that’s generally a sign of moisture. In my case, if stored improperly, HBNO frankincense oil became stickier.
How to Store Essential Oils in Humid Climates
It is so important to keep your essential oils in good shape, so storing them away from their counters of moisture and excess heat is key. How I use these storage tips to keep my HBNO collection smelling perfect for as long as I want it to.
1. Keep Oils in a Cool, Dark Place
- Don’t hang the essential oils in places like bathrooms or kitchens where humidity is usually higher. It’s best to keep oils away from moisture and sunlight in a bedroom closet or designated cabinet.
2. Use Dark Glass Bottles
- When you buy HBNO oils these come in dark amber glass bottles naturally protecting against UV light exposure. If any of your oils are in clear glass, transfer them to dark glass bottles if you’d like extra protection.
3. Try a Silica Gel Pack
- I began to put a silica gel pack (like the kind contained in shoe boxes) next to my oils. They absorb extra moisture and I’ve found using a pack has made my oils much fresher!
4. Close Bottles Quickly and Securely
- Close the cap tightly after using an oil so that little air and moisture are exposed. Whenever you take the cap off to replace your cap, you’re allowing humidity into the bottle.
5. Use a Dehumidifier in Your Storage Space
- A dehumidifier would be a worthwhile investment if you live in a very humid area. Low humidity around your oils is a good way to protect the scent and keep them lasting as long as possible.
Essential Oils That Stand Up to Humidity: HBNO Recommendations
Some of the oils are specifically designed for use in a humid environment. Through some trial and error, I’ve found that these HBNO oils hold up well even in challenging storage conditions:
- Cedarwood: Cedarwood’s rich, woody scent hangs on well to high humidity. It’s one of my favorite grounding scents, and I love the way it smells in humid weather.
- Patchouli: It’s known to have a deep, earthy fragrance and it prefers humid conditions. The richness of this oil makes it a long-lasting one in my collection.
- Frankincense: Frankincense has a strong, complex aroma, and remains very deep even under changing conditions of storage. It also makes any blend more calming!
- Lavender: HBNO lavender oil is a staple in my collection and fares well with mild humidity keeping its classic, soothing aroma for months.
Practical Experiences: Learning from Storage Mistakes
In the beginning of my love with and use of essential oils, I wasn’t intentional with the fact that how you store essential oils impacts fragrance quality. On a particularly humid day, I left my open HBNO eucalyptus oil sitting on a sunny windowsill because I thought that would fill the whole room with its crisp, clean-scented aroma. A week later the scent had faded, significantly, and it did not have that crisp, invigorating smell that I loved.
I did the same with a bottle of tea tree oil that I left in the bathroom after realizing it had high humidity in my bathroom. I came back to it and noticed it wasn’t as potent and had sort of a strange smell and it smelled off. Since then, I’ve been more intentional about finding a storage spot that avoids the big three enemies of essential oils: heat, light, and moisture.
Why Choosing Quality Matters for Humidity Resistance: HBNO’s Advantage
One of the best ways to test the time of your collection is using high-quality essential oils. Having high-quality, pure oils hasn’t gone unnoticed, and my oils have been noticeably more resistant to the effects of humidity because of it. Synthetic-free and free of any synthetic (even synthetics that can affect the fragrance integrity), HBNO oils do not deteriorate in storage. The bottles are naturally protected from environmental factors because each bottle is sealed in dark glass.
If scent preservation is a goal, then investing in quality oils like HBNO is necessary. As a result, you’ll end up with oils that are less affected by stresses in the environment and provide a more consistent, pure aroma for all your applications.
Final Tips for Fragrance Longevity: Keeping Your Essential Oils Fresh
You don’t need to sacrifice the fragrance quality of your essential oils when using them in humidity. However, with some smart storage, your HBNO collection will always stay fresh and fragrant year-round. When packing them, remember to keep cool, dark storage spaces in mind, use dark glass containers and simple solutions like silica gel packets or a dehumidifier to reduce moisture exposure.
Following these tips will help you keep your essential oils aromatic and potent so you can keep using them to enhance your every day. Whether it’s warm or cold out there, here’s to keeping your fragrances fresh! We have HBNO essential oils and you can use that and some mindful storage into the future to have a lifetime of aromatherapy adventures.
