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Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts used in a wide variety of products, from perfumes to aromatherapy. However, to bring out the full benefits of these oils, extracting them from plant materials requires careful techniques. Understanding how to extract essential oils properly is key to preserving the plant’s beneficial properties. Various methods of extraction preserve the plant’s beneficial properties, each suited to different types of plants and desired outcomes.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the Top 6 Essential Oil Extraction Methods You Should Know, breaking down their processes and benefits to help you better understand how to make essential oils from plants
Distillation is the most widely used method for extracting essential oils, accounting for about 95% of the oils on the market. This process involves using heat or steam to release the aromatic components of plants. showing you exactly how to make essential oils from various plant materials.
The plant material—whether it’s flowers, leaves, bark, or roots—is placed in a distillation chamber where steam is passed through it. As the steam heats the plant material, essential oil components evaporate and travel with the steam. The vapour is then condensed into a liquid, separating the oil from the water.
Necessary Conditions for Distillation:
This method is preferred for extracting oils like lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus, showing you exactly how to make essential oils from lavender with consistency and purity
Although not as common today, the basket method is a delicate process that involves the use of animal fat or vegetable oil to absorb essential oils. This method is perfect for flowers used in high-end products, such as perfumes, showing you exactly how to make essential oils perfume from plants like jasmine., this method begins by layering fresh petals onto a glass plate coated with fat. The plates are stacked in a wooden frame and left in the sun for the heat to help release the essence of the flowers.
The process is repeated every day, replacing the petals and allowing the fat to absorb the essential oils. After the fat is fully saturated, the fat is removed and washed with alcohol, resulting in an absolute oil.
This method is labour-intensive and time-consuming, which makes it more expensive. However, it’s perfect for extracting delicate oils that retain their natural fragrance and purity.
For flowers and plants that are sensitive to heat, like tuberose and rose, solvent extraction is often the best option. In this method, a solvent such as petroleum or benzene is used to extract both volatile and non-volatile aromatic components from the plant. After the solvent is evaporated, a waxy, semi-solid substance remains, known as concentrate.
This concentrate is then treated with alcohol to extract the essential oil, resulting in a highly concentrated oil often used in luxury perfumes.
Key Features:
Cold pressing, or squeezing, is the method of choice for citrus fruits such as oranges, bergamot, and grapefruit. In this method, the peel is mechanically squeezed to release the essential oils. Unlike distillation, which can alter the fragrance, cold pressing retains the true scent of citrus oils.
Cold-pressed citrus oils, with their fresh and uplifting scents, are perfect for making candles. If you’re wondering how to make essential oils candles, this method provides a pure and fragrant oil perfect for burning
Traditional vs. Modern Methods: In ancient times, workers would use a sponge to absorb the essential oil from the peel, then wring it out to collect the oil. Today, this labour-intensive process has been replaced by essential oils extraction machine that are much more efficient at extracting citrus oils without damaging the delicate aroma.
Supercritical CO2 extraction is a more advanced method that has gained popularity in recent years for its efficiency and ability to preserve the integrity of essential oils. In this method, carbon dioxide is pressurized and heated until it reaches a supercritical state, where it behaves as both a liquid and a gas. This supercritical CO2 is then used to extract essential oils from plant material.
The beauty of this method lies in its ability to extract a broader range of compounds, including heat-sensitive components, without damaging them. The result is an oil that is pure and closely resembles the original plant aroma.
Advantages:
Subcritical extraction is a newer technology that uses lower temperatures and pressure than supercritical extraction, making it an eco-friendly and more cost-efficient alternative. Subcritical fluids are used to dissolve the fat-soluble components from plants, and then the fluid is separated from the oil through evaporation at reduced pressure.
This method is perfect for large-scale industrial production, providing a sustainable and energy-efficient option for extracting essential oils while preserving the active compounds found in plants.
Benefits:
Each essential oil extraction method has its unique advantages, depending on the type of plant and the desired characteristics of the oil. While steam distillation remains the most common and cost-effective method, other techniques like solvent extraction, supercritical CO2 extraction, and subcritical extraction offer specialized solutions for preserving the integrity and quality of the oil.
At AromaLeap, we believe in providing the highest quality essential oils, whether through traditional methods like distillation or more advanced techniques like supercritical CO2 extraction. Understanding these methods allows us to choose the best approach for every oil we produce, ensuring you receive pure, potent, and aromatic products.
Stay tuned to our blog for more insights into essential oils, their benefits, and how we extract the natural goodness from plants to bring you the best of nature.
AromaLeap is based in China and was founded in 2010. It is engaged in the professional design and manufacturing of essential oils, fragrance oils, and diffusers. With ISO certifications and two subsidiaries, our focus is on eco-friendly, long-lasting products.
