Answers

How do you store oud oil?

Short answer

Keep the bottle tightly closed, upright, in a cool and dark place such as a drawer or a cupboard, away from sunlight and radiators. Light, heat and oxygen are what alter essential oils over time.

Why

The constituents of essential oils oxidise, and the reactions speed up with light, heat and contact with air. A review of essential-oil stability names these three factors as the main causes of degradation during storage. 1

In practice

Close the dropper after each use. Keep the bottle out of direct sunlight, away from a heater or a car in summer. A bottle with little air inside keeps better than an almost empty one; when you decant, use a small vial.

Oud chips

Keep chips in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight.

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Other questions

Sources

  1. Turek C., Stintzing F.C. (2013). Stability of essential oils: a review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 12(1), 40–53. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12006

Updated 29 September 2026.