What are the different methods of extraction?
Steam Distillation: The most common process of extracting an essential oil is by distillation, a process that isolates the aromatic, volatile element of the plant with steam. Cold Pressed: Expression or cold pressing, is used primarily for citrus fruits like orange and lemon, where the essential oil is obtained in tiny pockets in the peel or rind. Oils extracted by cold pressing are the most volatile of essential oils and can evaporate quickly when exposed to air. Solvent Extraction: Flowers too delicate to be processed with heat or pressure are soaked in a spirit of solvent that extracts the volatile elements. The solvent is then evaporated at high temperatures, leaving only the most fragrant constituents behind. This process produces what is called an “absolute”. CO2 Extraction: The CO2 extraction method yields a greater number of aromatic compounds than any other distillation process. In certain conditions at a low temperature Carbon Dioxide or CO2 can be pressurized to become a liq
