Jojoba oil shelf life?

**AdaClare** · September 14th, 2016, 06:36 PM

First off: apologies if this has already been covered in a previous thread/article - feel free to redirect me to it!

Does jojoba oil have a shelf life? Most of what I've read up on suggests that it doesn't, but the color of the bottle I'm currently using made me wonder: I've had it for a super long time now (almost 4 years, I think? I bought it ages ago, went through a period of not using it, and have started back up again). Since I'm getting low, I bought a couple of additional bottles for when I run out, but noticed the color of those are much darker than the one I'm using now. Could my old bottle have gone bad?

**DweamGoiL** · September 14th, 2016, 07:26 PM

I'm not sure about the answer, either, but how does it smell? Usually rancid oil does not smell good.

**AdaClare** · September 14th, 2016, 07:40 PM

The opened bottle has a pretty nutty smell (still have yet to open either of the new bottles).

**Baby** · September 15th, 2016, 02:14 AM

Jojoba oil is one of those oils that don´t really go bad, it has a long shelf life of at least 5 years. The colour can vary from batch to batch and different brands. If it does not smell bad or rancid it is ok to use.

**ChloeDharma** · September 15th, 2016, 04:33 AM

As long as no moisture gets into it then it should last ages, however I've had bottles in clear bottles that do loose their colour, personally I decided not to use those and get a new one.

**lapushka** · September 15th, 2016, 04:42 AM

I keep my oils in a dark cupboard. They've been there for years now. I go by smell, not by expiration date, so if it still smells OK, I'd use it, for sure.

**Nymphe** · September 15th, 2016, 05:18 AM

I have an 8-year-old bottle of jojoba and a 4-year-old bottle of refined babassu; work and smell just the same. I concur that storage is the main factor in oil longevity.

**AdaClare** · September 15th, 2016, 07:20 AM

Thanks everyone!

**Kajzh** · September 15th, 2016, 12:56 PM

People say the shelf life of any oil is 1-2 years, buuuuut does anyone follow that rule? The same goes for eyeshadow, haha!

I've been using the same jojoba for about five years.

**mizukitty** · September 15th, 2016, 02:07 PM

Jojoba oil is actually a wax, and I believe that's what enables it to have a very long shelf life. Keeping it in the dark will prolong it some, as well as using a airless pump bottle (I decant mine.) But yeah, 5 years is pretty standard! The smell test is probably the most reliable.