Using old fragrance oils?

[msuver]

Does anyone have experience using "old" fragrance oils?

I have taken a 1.5 year hiatus from soap making. Obviously my soaping oils are all off and need to be replaced, but I'd hate to lose my extensive collection of fragrance oils! I need to do a full inventory and check their expiration dates, but most of them are going to be somewhere from 3-8 months past expiration, with a few more like a year. I'm really hoping they're still usable!

 

[MellonFriend]

I believe @John Harris might be the man you are looking for.

 

[TheGecko]

Does anyone have experience using "old" fragrance oils?

I have taken a 1.5 year hiatus from soap making. Obviously my soaping oils are all off and need to be replaced, but I'd hate to lose my extensive collection of fragrance oils! I need to do a full inventory and check their expiration dates, but most of them are going to be somewhere from 3-8 months past expiration, with a few more like a year. I'm really hoping they're still usable!

Before tossing your oils, check them first, a lot of 'expiration dates' are more about increasing sales than something actually going bed. I am still using oils and butters that I had stocked up on two years ago...Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Castor Oil, Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter. The Palm Oil was a 35lb bucket and was melted and separated into 1 gallon zip lock bags and put back in the bucket. All have been stored in the garage and only opened when I needed to make the next Master Batch.

I'm into my third year of soap making and a lot of small bottles (1 and 2 oz) of FOs I have collected over that time. I was going to try and sell them, but postage makes it not worth it and so I have started to make 'one-off' soaps with them. If the caps are tight and have been stored away from heat and light, they should probably still be good.

 

[msuver]

Unfortunately, my tallow and apricot kernel oil are both definitely expired (they smell turpentine-ey, which to me means they're off), and I have one soap made a little bit before my hiatus that has gotten DOS despite being stored properly (dark, dry, no metal), which makes me suspect the rest of my oils are at or very near expiry as well. It wasn't too much, so no huge loss!

The real concern I have about the FOs is if they're old, are they just less fragrant/potent, which isn't a big deal, or is there the possibility that they could cause issues like ricing, seizing, acceleration, etc?

 

[dibbles]

I would use them, or at least try. I have a bit of an FO problem, and a lot of mine will sit for two years before they are used up. They are stored in the dark, in my cool basement. I've never had any problem. @John Harris has been using fragrances that are a lot older than that with good results.

 

[msuver]

That's great to hear! Sounds like multiple people use FOs that are at least a couple years old without issue. Whew! I got a big bottle of my absolute fav fragrance (Heavenly Honeysuckle by Brambleberry) right before I moved into the apartment and couldn't soap any more, I'd be SO sad if that one in particular got lost!

 

[cerelife]

When The ScentWorks went out of business several years ago I bought multiple pounds of my favorite FOs. Same with Peak a few years ago.
I've never had any issues soaping with old FOs. They smell the same as when I bought them and haven't created any new issues in soap.

 

[Kim]

I just used a FO probably 6-7 years old (oatmeal, milk and honey from Brambleberry) and my soap seized almost immediately! Course I was using old oils too. Had taken a long hiatus but got the bug today. Oh well - gives me inspiration to buy fresh oils and start again!

 

[lucycat]

I have had minimal issues with old fragrance oils. A lilac that became a darker color, a fragrance that ate through the plastic bottle. If they smell fine then I use. The bigger issue with ricing, acceleration, etc is that it isn't easy to find soaping information about a fragrance that is no longer sold, so you don't have those guidelines to predict behavior.

 

[Marie_with_an_e]

I’m soaping right now with some FOs that are 8+ years old and they’re fine! No issues and they still smell strong. One of them is OMH from Brambleberry. They’ve been stored appropriately in a cool dark environment with caps securely screwed on.

 

[SoapMedic]

In my FO stash I have older FOs, 10 years or so, from buying in quantity and some in small bottles that I wasn’t overly enthused about but kept for blending Or for seasonal soaps.
I still have some Scentworks and older Brambleberry (from several label changes ago!). Haven’t had a problem using them. They smell great, aren’t troublemakers and the scent sticks well In soap. I also use them in soy candles with no issues. I will add though that mine are all in amber glass, tightly sealed and in a cool dark area of my basement workshop with humidity maintained below 55% And I do think that avoiding exposure to heat and light is key.
go ahead and use those FOs as long as they still smell great, enjoy!