aromatherapy for pleasure week 2 extraction processes of essential oils

Aromatherapy for Pleasure

Week 2Extraction processes of

Essential Oils

Jane Barber/aromatherapy for pleasure week 2

Lets have a look at what we did last week, we discussed:- What Aromatherapy is Categorised smells & aromas What types of smells you liked

& what you felt about them What essential oils are & where

they come from Safety of using essential oils Demonstration of Hand Massage


Extraction processes of Essential Oils We have already discussed from which

parts of the plants that Essential Oils can be found, these are in:-

Berries SeedsPeel LeavesTwigs RootsWoods PetalsBarksCan you give an example of any essential

oils that correspond with these parts?


Processes of Extracting Essential Oils from the plants Depending upon the plant material,

the extraction processes are different Essential oils are easier to extract

from some plants than others Essential oils may be more plentiful

in some plants than others Some plant parts are more robust

than others There are several ways in which

essential oils can be extracted;


Cold Expression This method is used

for all citrus fruits that produce essential oils.

Essential oils from citrus fruits such as lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, orange & bergamot all require that the outer peel, the pericarp, be ruptured to enable the oils to be collected.

No heat or solvents are used in this process


Steam Distillation The oldest & most popular

process of obtaining & separating oils.

Only suitable for those plants that are robust enough to withstand heat and steam

Essential oils are volatile, certain plants cope better than others to this process.

Among these are lavender, camomile, tea tree and rosemary


Process of Steam Distillation

Plant materials are crammed into a container known as a ‘still’

The steam penetrates the plant material, & reaches the droplets of essential oils in the plant matter turning them to a vapour

Two types of vapour arise from the still; water vapour and essential oil vapour

The mixed vapours are led into a condensing chamber, the sides of which are kept cool


Process of Steam Distillation

The condensed vapours flows into a separating container

Essential oils will float to the top of the flask and will then be tapped off.

The heavier water will be sent around the system again to produce floral waters or hydrolats


Solvent Extraction Most used for flowers & delicate plant

materials that would be destroyed by hot water & steam

It is a complicated & costly procedure using solvents such as hexane to draw the oils from the plant materials

The result is not actually an essential oil but is known as an Absolute

Absolutes are rich & powerful in aroma Absolutes are expensive


Solvent Extraction Modern solvent

still


Let’s recap on today’s lesson:-

Name 3 Methods of Extraction of Essential Oils

Provide 2 examples of Oils that are produced from each of the above Extraction methods

Which Extraction method produces Absolutes?

What is a Hydrolat?

aromatherapy for pleasure week 2 extraction processes of essential oils

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