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All about making essential oils

Making essential oils involves either steam distillation or solvent extraction methods.  The majority of aromatherapy essential oils are obtained by distillation, although solvent extraction is used to produce absolutes from delicate flower petals such as jasmine.  Oil is obtained from different parts of aromatic plants.  For example, geranium oil is made from the leaves, sandalwood is made from bark and fennel is made from seeds.  Making essential oil by distillation is favored over processes such as expression, as it is less labor intensive and more cost-effective.

Making essential oils has been done for hundreds of years throughout the history of aromatherapy.  Distilling involves the use of steam to separate the pure essential oil from the condensed water.  Essential oil distillation equipment includes a large vat to which the chosen part of the plant is added.  The cooled condensation produced from the steaming process will also have aromatic properties.  This is how lavender water is made, for instance.  It takes a huge amount of plant parts to make just one small bottle of oil, and this affects the price.  For example, rose essential oil is expensive because it takes the petals of around thirty roses to produce just one drop of concentrated oil.

Making essential oils with solvent extraction equipment is done when the plant essence would be destroyed by the heat and pressure of steam distillation.  Oils produced in this way, such as narcissus or rose absolute, are expensive because the process can take a long time, up to twenty days.  The fragile petals are layered in wax and solvent, which are renewed everyday.  They are then distilled at a very low temperature in a centrifuge.  The resulting therapeutic essential oils made from either of these processes are volatile.  This means they will not dissolve in water, but will evaporate if exposed to the air.

About The Author:

Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer and regular contributor to http://www.aromatherapy-essential-oils.ws - A comprehensive online guide to the uses of aromatherapy and essential oils.