Essential Oils, Absolutes, Hydrosols and Attars (Was RE: Lavender absolute... anyone ever)

[Guest guest]

>

> David Lambert

> The absolutes and attars smell different from the EOs and

> from each other. I am not sure of the difference between an

> EO, and attar and an absolute. . .I'm guessing it has to do

> with the level of refinement. Anyone know?

>

> Dave

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

This is a post I made to another list some time back, but I figured it

might answer your question here .. And to add one quick note .. True

attars are co-distillations of a chosen plant material with sandalwood.

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

Valentine's Pre-Buy Going On NOW!!!!

Neroli Hydrosol & Sea Buckthorn Oils

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

 

Christine Ziegler [chrisziggy]

Monday, May 02, 2005 8:55 PM

'houstonorganic '

Essential Oils, Absolutes and Hydrosols (Was: question for

Chris)

 

 

 

houstonorganic

[houstonorganic ] On Behalf Of elentari8

what is the difference between an essential oil, an absolute, and a

hydrosol?

-annie

 

 

 

Hi Annie,

 

Here goes - without getting too technical:

 

Essential oils are the volatile oils extracted from botanical matter

through steam distillation or hydro-steam distillation. Cold Pressed

citrus oils are also generally categorized as essential oils too, even

though those are technically " expressed oils " and not " essential oils " ,

but since their constituents are mainly volatile, unlike other expressed

vegetable oils (which are " fixed oils " ) they get to be called essential

oils too without the term being incorrectly applied.

 

Absolutes are the volatile oils extracted from botanical matter through

solvents (these can be organic solvents or synthetic solvents). One

reason this method is employed is to extract the volatile oil from

certain delicate aromatic material that will not yield an oil through

distillation (for example - jasmine blossoms). It is also sometimes used

with botanical material that does yield a steam or hydro-steam distilled

oil (for example rose or lavender) because it extracts a higher volatile

yield (more of the oil) than steam and hydro-steam distillation does.

Also the finished product has a different scent.

 

Hydrosols (a.k.a. hydrolats) are the by-product waters collected in the

Florentine Flask during the steam and hydro-steam distillation

processes. They have micro-dispersed particles of essential oil in them,

as well as the water soluble constituents of the plant material (which

are not found in the essential oil as the oils contain no water soluble

constituents). They are NOT the same as distilled water that was infused

with oil and then filtered, which is what many " floral waters " that are

available are.

 

Then you have another volatile oil product called CO2's - which are

volatile oils extracted from botanical matter with supercritical carbon

dioxide. Within that realm there are " selects " and " totals " , and those

are differentiated by the amount of pressure used in the production

process. Different pressures will give different results due to the

amounts of soluble materials from the botanical matter found in the end

product. The processes of making CO2's is a relatively new and expensive

process. It yields some very lovely oils - without the use of solvents.

Those are becoming more popular in the world of food flavorings and

slowing coming into the world of Aromatherapy.

 

I hope that answers your question and if you want any more details about

what I touched on above, or the actual processes of distillation and

absolute production - I'll be glad to elaborate

 

Oh - and here are some pics I took of the of Rose Otto distillation in

Turkey

http://www.av-at.com/stuff/rosedistillation.html

and an article about Rose Distillation

http://www.av-at.com/distillation/rosadamascena1.html

 

*Smile*

Chris

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

[Guest guest]

Chris wrote:

 

Here goes - without getting too technical:

 

Essential oils are the volatile oils extracted from botanical matter

through steam distillation or hydro-steam distillation. Cold Pressed

citrus oils are also generally categorized as essential oils too,

even

though those are technically " expressed oils " and not " essential

oils " ,

but since their constituents are mainly volatile, unlike other

expressed

vegetable oils (which are " fixed oils " ) they get to be called

essential

oils too without the term being incorrectly applied.

 

Absolutes are the volatile oils extracted from botanical matter

through

solvents (these can be organic solvents or synthetic solvents). One

reason this method is employed is to extract the volatile oil from

certain delicate aromatic material that will not yield an oil

through

distillation (for example - jasmine blossoms). It is also sometimes

used

with botanical material that does yield a steam or hydro-steam

distilled

oil (for example rose or lavender) because it extracts a higher

volatile

yield (more of the oil) than steam and hydro-steam distillation

does.

Also the finished product has a different scent.

 

Hydrosols (a.k.a. hydrolats) are the by-product waters collected in

the

Florentine Flask during the steam and hydro-steam distillation

processes. They have micro-dispersed particles of essential oil in

them,

as well as the water soluble constituents of the plant material

(which

are not found in the essential oil as the oils contain no water

soluble

constituents). They are NOT the same as distilled water that was

infused

with oil and then filtered, which is what many " floral waters " that

are

available are.

 

Then you have another volatile oil product called CO2's - which are

volatile oils extracted from botanical matter with supercritical

carbon

dioxide. Within that realm there are " selects " and " totals " , and

those

are differentiated by the amount of pressure used in the production

process. Different pressures will give different results due to the

amounts of soluble materials from the botanical matter found in the

end

product. The processes of making CO2's is a relatively new and

expensive

process. It yields some very lovely oils - without the use of

solvents.

Those are becoming more popular in the world of food flavorings and

slowing coming into the world of Aromatherapy.

 

I hope that answers your question and if you want any more details

about

what I touched on above, or the actual processes of distillation and

absolute production - I'll be glad to elaborate

 

 

I think the only one you may have missed on Dave's list, Chris, is attar . .

.. Which is a co-distillation with sandalwood, i.e., rose attar would be

rose/sandalwood co-distilled, usually hydro-distilled. Of course, you know

that, but thought I'd add it for Dave. Sometimes, people refer to rose

" otto " as " attar " , but that is not correct; otto is the correct term for

steam distilled Rosa damascena. And, hydro-distillation is similar to steam

distillation, only the plant material is completely submerged in the water

instead of placed above the water for steam to penetrate.

 

Be Well,

Marcia Elston http://www.wingedseed.com

" Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot. " Hausa Saying from

Nigeria