The more I read, the more I realized that most posts on the internet source back to this blog post {HERE} by Robert Tisserand. In regard to refrigeration, he states, that the prime temperature for essential oil storage is 35-38 degrees, which is a temperature you can get in the fridge. You can store your oils in the kitchen fridge - although he warns the food may taste like your oils, so be sure to put them in a box or plastic bag.
A simple CRAZY but fun remedy would be to get a dedicated mini fridge. When I first saw that people were doing this, I thought it was a bit much. But, then a blogger friend told me that I could get one that was used for around $50. Now that's a steal! So, I looked into her claims and you know what I found? That you can, in fact, get a mini fridge on a great deal - I saw several ads for them around that price. Yahoo! I happened to mention this around the holidays and was lucky enough to receive one from KB as my "big" holiday gift, along with a few essential oil reference books, including Essential Oil Safety but Robert Tisserand. I could not have been more surprised.
If you have a copy of this book, you can reference pages 10-12 and 654 to read about refrigeration. For those who don't, a study done by Gopalakrishnan (1994) discusses the degradation of volatile constituents of cardamom CO2 extract when tested 90 days after opening at 0 degrees Celsius and at 28 degrees Celsius, those at the lower temperature showed less degradation of the constituents measured. In the storage and quality control section it states to "keep essential oils cool, preferably in a refrigerator" (p. 654).
To be honest, after reading more about it, I still wasn't 100% convinced. BUT, I decided that with the large monetary investment I have in my essential oils collection, I needed to make an investment in protecting them and in some cases increasing their lifespan, even if the chance was slim it would make a difference. So, I encourage you to read the post linked above, do your own research and decide for yourself.
Temperature Tips: I got two very inexpensive thermometers for inside my mini fridge to make sure I was getting to the correct temperature. The user guide said that the range was 58-32 with the controller being 1 being warmest and 6 being coldest. It took a few days to settle and I discovered I only need it on the 2 to be in the 30s. I anticipate as the year heats up I will have to adjust this setting.
Carrier Oils: I wanted to store as many of my products together as I could. This post on Aromaweb {HERE} talks about carrier oils and refrigeration. It states that it can be helpful for most carrier oils. The post specifically states that avocado oil should not be stored in the refrigerator.
I initially put jojoba oil and sesame oil in but they both solidified, which I didn't care for, so I put them on a cool, dark shelf.
Tell me, do you refrigerate your oils? Are you thinking about it now that you've read this post?
Source: Tisserand R, & Young R 2013 Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh; blog post, roberttisserand.com: Lemon on the Rocks, Keep Your Essential Oils Cool
Linked up with: Homestead Barn Hop, From the Farm, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways