FAQ Page

All of Northstar Aromatics essential oils are Organic or Wildcrafted and all of our products are Ethically Sourced. We strive to provide ethically grown and ethically sourced products that limit the amount of unnecessary chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides where possible.

You Betcha! This is one of the many aspects that sets Northstar Aromatics apart from the rest. We don’t simply fill orders - we hand pour every bottle to order - assuring not only the freshest aromatic experience you’ll ever have, but delivering intentional handcrafted products poured specifically for you. We believe this handcrafted touch has become lost in the “business” of aromatherapy and practice of alchemy. Northstar Aromatics essential oils are stored in the refrigerator to provide consistent temperature and protection from light and are topped with an Argon barrier that helps keep oxygen out. This helps to prevent the oils from oxidation while they wait for bottling. Once an order is placed, the oil is pulled from the refrigerator, it is hand poured and then topped off with Argon once again. From here, Northstar Aromatics oil goes back into the temperature stable fridge until called upon for another order and your hand poured oil ships fresh to your door. The care we take with our bottling process allows us to have confidence that the shelf life of your oil will start as soon as you receive it. I look forward to sharing my gift of hand poured and hand crafted alchemy with you.

Aromatherapy is the application of essential oils extracted from plants to promote health and wellbeing. It’s a holistic healing practice in which natural oils and their aromas are used to support the body, mind and spirit. There are many things aromatherapy can help with, including mood, sleep, spiritual connection or body aches and pain to name a few.

There are various schools of thought regarding true “shelf life” of essential oils.

The problem is that while the oil may not go “bad” – it doesn’t stay the oil you know and love forever. It will begin to change and break down. If an oil becomes oxidized, it may cause skin irritation, respiratory irritation or other harmful side effects.

A good rule of thumb is this -

1-2 Years - Tea Tree and Most Citrus Oils like Lemon, Lime, Orange
2-3 Years - Bergamot, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Frankincense, Neroli
3-5 Years - Clary Sage, Lavender, Ginger, Ylang Ylang, Peppermint
5-10 Years Plus - Many oils have been shown to actually improve aromatically with age and without therapeutic benefits being impacted, such as Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vetiver and Cedarwood

These are just a few examples of course. Shelf life depends greatly on the chemistry of each oil and how the oils were stored (kept away from heat, light, and oxygen).

Essential oils basically have 3 “enemies” - Heat, Light, and Oxygen. To extend the shelf life of essential oils, you can store them away from heat, light, and oxygen. A refrigerator is a happy place for essential oils.

Our best advice, is to purchase essential oils with intention and from a company that you can trust, like Northstar Aromatics. A lot of energy and effort goes into creating essential oils, so once you purchase an oil, don't treat it like a collectors item, use it with intention and don’t let it sit too long so that you lose the energetic and therapeutic benefits it is offering you.

In developing these products, we wanted to find something that could be used with natural wool dryer balls to both fragrance laundry and speed up drying time. The conundrum with using essential oils in the laundry line of products is that the majority of essential oils have a very low flash point, and therefore are not generally recommended for use in combination with heat from dryers, for safety reasons. Therefore, what we discovered were perfume and fragrance combinations that are free of parabens, animal testing, and are non GMO that stay within the standards, ethics, and mission of Northstar Aromatics while achieving the desired safety. While our primary focus and the vast majority of my offerings use essential oils exclusively, this product is a case where that was not advisable.

Essential oils and Hydrosols benefit from being stored at cooler temperatures and away from heat and light. Northstar Aromatics stores our essential oil in bottles in the refrigerator topped with an Argon barrier that helps keep oxygen out and to provide consistent temperature and protection from light. Roll-On products and other products that contain carrier oils will solidify if stored in the refrigerator, so these generally do not need to be kept in the fridge but should be stored in a cool, dark location and away from direct sunlight and heat to slow down or reduce oxidation.