What are CO2s

Lily

B.R
Staff member
Essential oil is a term that most of the people are familiar with. However, very few people know that there is another type of oil, known as CO2s, which have properties quite similar to pure essential oils. Now, you must be wondering as to what exactly are CO2 oils. CO2 oils, in short CO2s, can be described as the oils that are extracted by using CO2 (carbon dioxide). Many-a-times, they are also known as essential oils, and not absolutes. This is because after CO2 oils have been made, no trace of a harmful solvent remains in the final product.

CO2 oils are believed to have a number of advantages over pure essential oils. One of this is the fact that in the preparation of CO2s, no heat is used and thus, none of the constituents of the oil are damaged, unlike the latter. CO2s are also thicker than their essential oil counterparts and their aroma is closer to that of the natural herb, from which they are extracted. In fact, they are said to have more constituents, in addition to the ones in pure essential oils. This is what makes them thick, with a more rounded aroma.

Extraction of CO2s:


The process of extracting CO2 oils makes use of carbon dioxide (CO2) explaining the reason behind such a name. In the first stage, carbon dioxide is pressurized till the time it becomes a liquid. This liquefied carbon dioxide then serves as a solvent on the natural plant matter, resulting in the dissolution of the essential oil content into the liquid CO2. This is followed by return of CO2 to natural pressurization. With this, CO2 evaporates back into its gaseous state, leaving behind the resulting oil.
 
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