At Candle Shack, we know fragrance oils are at the heart of your product.
Whether you’re crafting candles, diffusers, or room sprays, using high quality
oils that are well cared for is key to creating products your customers will
love.
This guide covers how long fragrance oils typically last, how to store them
correctly, and how to spot when they may have degraded.
How Long Do Fragrance Oils Last?
Most raw, undiluted fragrance oils have a manufacturers shelf life of 24 months. However, they can last 3-4 years or more depending on their formulation and how they’re stored. Oils containing delicate top notes like citrus, green, or floral accords may fade or change sooner.
While a fragrance oil won’t “expire” like food, it may lose its strength, balance, or ability to perform well in your finished products.
How to Store Fragrance Oils Properly
To help protect the quality of your fragrance oils:
- Keep bottles in a cool, dark, and dry space away from direct sunlight, heat, and humidity.
- Seal bottles tightly after each use to prevent air exposure and oxidisation.
- Avoid high humidity or fluctuating temperatures, which can degrade the oil over time
Good storage habits will help preserve both the scent profile and stability of your oils.
Signs a Fragrance Oil May Have Degraded
Not sure if an oil is still good to use? Here are some common signs that a
fragrance oil may have deteriorated:
1. The scent has changed
If it smells flat, sour, metallic, or just different from what you remember,
oxidation may have occurred.
2. The oil looks different
Darkening, cloudiness, or visible separation can indicate that the oil has
been affected by light or air.
3. The texture has changed
If the oil has thickened, feels sticky, or pours inconsistently, it may no
longer be chemically stable.
4. Performance has dropped
If you’re noticing poor scent throw in candles or weak diffusion in sprays
and reed diffusers, the oil may no longer be effective.
Even if the oil smells fine in the bottle, always test in your actual
product performance is the final measure of quality.
Candle Shack Tip
Label your oils with the date received and rotate your stock. If an oil has
been in storage for over a year, we recommend running a small test batch before
using it in production.
Still unsure? Our team is here to help. Whether you need technical guidance
or support with specific fragrance behaviour, we are just a message away.
