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Essential oils are used in lotions, creams, aromatherapy and perfumes and in many more products where a pleasant smell is needed. Several methods are used in order to extract essential oils from flowers and other plant material. Only a very small amount of essential oil is in each flower as a result a considerable amount of plant material is used to produce a small quantity of oil. Over a hundred pounds may be required to make one ounce of essential oil. Some plants are also much too delicate to use the straight forward techniques and more expensive and labour intensive techniques must used. Essential oils may be very expensive although they are very strong. Many recipes only use a very small amount so a small bottle may last for a long time.

Extraction by Steam Distillation

This method is the usual method for the majority of essential oil production. Steam that is under pressure is forced through plant material or flowers that are on mesh screens in a still. The oils enter the steam which then enters a different chamber where it is allowed to cool. After condensing the essential oil floats to the top of the water where it is skimmed off. The water remaining is known as floral water and is also used since it contains small amounts of the oil. It is used for mists and toners. Floral water is able to be used by people who are hypersensitive to essential oils as it is much less intense.

Solvent Extraction

For plant material or flowers that are too fragile to use steam extraction, other methods, such as solvent extraction are used instead. In this method a solvent is repeatedly passed over the flowers on mesh trays. The esential oils, along with some other substances that are soluble, are absorbed by the solvent which is then filtered and the resulting solution distilled to remove the solvent. The material left, called a concrete, is a waxy solid that contains the pigments, waxes and essential oils from the flowers. Further processing is undertaken in order to extract the oils and waxes from this concrete. The concrete itself can also be used as a perfume and the waxes are used in candle making and in creams and lotions.

Enfleurage

For those flowers and plants that have only very low levels of essential oils, jasmine for instance, an alternative method has to be used. Flowers are soaked in vegetable oil and left for a few days before being replaced by fresh material. Fresh flowers are repeatedly placed in the vegetable oil until the oil is thoroughly saturated with the oil from the flowers. Alcohol is then used to extract the essential oil from the vegetable oil. The alcohol is evaporated and the uncontaminated essential oil is left. This process takes many days and needs a large quantity of flowers and the resulting oil is very expensive.

Cold Pressing

Some oils such as citrus, in which the oil is extracted from fruit, use a technique referred to as cold pressing. This entails rolling the fruit through projections with spikes which penetrate the skin and then squeeze the fruit to extract the juice containing oils. The juice is then centrifuged to separate the essential oil.

Extraction With Carbon Dioxide

In this technique carbon dioxide is employed to remove the essential oil. Carbon dioxide is pumped into a compartment containing the plant material or flowers. As the pressure is increased the gas liquifies and absorbs the essential oils. The gas is then passed into another compartment where the pressure is released. The carbon dioxide vapourises leaving the oils behind.

As no residues are left the essential oil is extremely clean and has a lovely, fresh fragrance. Since a much lower temperature is used than for steam distillation, oil can be extracted from delicate flowers and plants that would be ruined by steam distillation.

For more information and lots more craft and hobby ideas please visit us at Easy Craft Ideas or Essential Oil Recipes

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