An essential oil is a concentrated, volatile, aromatic liquid that is obtained from the fruits, seeds, flowers, bark, stems, leaves, or roots of certain plants. Essential oils are used in a variety of ways, including aromatherapy, massage, diffusers, baths, and more.
There are three primary methods used to extract essential oils:
- Steam distillation – This is the most common method used to extract essential oils. Steam is passed through the plant material, which causes the essential oils to be released. The essential oils are then condensed and collected.
- Cold pressing – This method is typically used to extract essential oils from citrus fruits. The fruit is pressed in order to release the essential oils.
- Solvent extraction – This method is used when the plant material does not release the essential oils through steam distillation or cold pressing. A solvent, such as hexane, is used to extract the essential oils from the plant material.
Because essential oils are concentrated and potent, they can cause irritation if applied directly to the skin. They should therefore never be applied undiluted to your skin. To help make essential oils safer to use, it is important to always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before applying them to your skin. A good rule of thumb is to mix essential oils and carrier oils in a ratios ranging from 200:1 to 50:1.
Navigate to our selection of essential oils if you want to learn more about the uses of of each individual essential oil.
