Fragrance oil expiration

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Bamagirl

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I was getting ready to make some soap and noticed that most of the fragrance oil I purchased (second hand) is expired. So, I guess you know my next question, can I still use it? Would it make the soap not safe and if it did, would you be able to tell? Thanks!
 
Does it still smell and look okay? I think most FOs have a year expiration date. Some of them fade past that - but if it still seems fine.... I use it.

If you're worried about using it on a big batch, maybe try it out on a small one first?
 
Does it still smell and look okay? I think most FOs have a year expiration date. Some of them fade past that - but if it still seems fine.... I use it.

If you're worried about using it on a big batch, maybe try it out on a small one first?

I haven't used FO's but one time, but they all look/smell ok to me. I am making a 1.5 lb batch, so that should work out great! Also, is the exp date just because the scent fades?
 
I have used FOs that are 5+ years old, and they turned out fine. If the FO smells different than you recall, especially if it smells plastic-y, then IMO it's gone bad and toss it.

I've actually found that Apple Jack and Peel improves with age.
 
I have had the same positive experiences as Dixie and Carolyn with my older FOs. Some of the FOs I have used were 8+ years old, and they all soaped fine...... although there was that one FO that was kinda iffy at first....

The FO in question was about 6 years old, but I need to mention that it was a small leftover 2oz bit that was still in it's original 8oz plastic bottle, which had grown somewhat deformed/warped over time. Also- the FO had turned amber from it's normal clear, but it didn't smell bad, so I soaped it just to see how it would turn out. The worst that happened was that the scent smelled like Playdough in my soap all during cure, but the true scent actually bounced back a couple of months after cure, which surprised me....and it surprisingly didn't discolor it at all either. I thought that maybe it would since it had gone amber in the bottle, but there was no D at all.


IrishLass :)
 

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