Ever wondered how the oils we use in skincare, cooking, or aromatherapy make their way from seeds and nuts to those bottles on your shelf? It’s a fascinating journey, and there are several methods to get those precious oils out. Think of each method like making your favorite juice: whether you’re squeezing it by hand, using a press, or blending it with some water, the process you choose affects the taste, color, and health benefits. Let’s take a tour of the different ways oils are extracted, and why it matters.

1. Infused or Macerated Oils: A Slow, Flavorful Steep

Imagine making a cup of herbal tea. You steep the herbs in hot water, allowing their flavors and benefits to infuse into the liquid. Infused or macerated oils are made the same way, but instead of water, plant material is steeped in a base oil (like olive or sunflower oil) for an extended period. Sometimes gentle heat is added to speed up the infusion process, much like warming your tea. The plant releases its beneficial properties into the oil, creating a rich, blended product.

This method is often used for delicate herbs and flowers like calendula or chamomile, making infused oils ideal for gentle skincare products or massage oils.

Key point: Infused oils combine the base oil’s moisturizing properties with the therapeutic benefits of the infused plants, like herbs steeping in tea.

2. Cold Pressed Oils: The Gentle Squeeze

Imagine pressing a fruit to make juice, but doing it with care so you don’t lose any of the goodness inside. That’s the idea behind cold-pressed oils. This method uses a mechanical press, like squeezing a lemon by hand, but with more force. The catch? It’s done slowly and carefully to make sure the temperature never goes above 120°F/49°C. If it heats up too much, the oil loses some of its flavor, nutrients, and aroma—just like if you overcook a delicate dish.

Cold-pressed oils are like the fresh juice of the oil world. They’re nutrient-packed and as close to nature as you can get. These oils are great for skincare because they retain their vitamins and antioxidants, helping your skin stay hydrated and healthy.

Key point: Cold-pressed oils are made without heat to preserve nutrients, similar to how fresh juice keeps all the flavor and vitamins when made carefully.

3. Expeller Pressed Oils: The Workhorse of Oil Extraction

Picture a machine at full throttle, working hard to squeeze every last drop out of a seed or nut. That’s expeller pressing. It’s like when you’re trying to squeeze the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube! This method uses mechanical pressure without adding heat, but because of the intense pressure, it creates some friction, which can raise the temperature during the process.

This method is efficient for large-scale oil production, but it doesn’t always preserve the delicate properties of the oil. Still, expeller-pressed oils are widely used in cooking and cosmetics because they offer a balance between yield and cost. It’s a bit like using a blender to make juice: you get more, but it’s not quite as delicate as hand-squeezed.

Key point: Expeller-pressed oils are like squeezing with more force and speed, often resulting in higher temperatures and bigger yields.

4. CO2 Extracted Oils: The Clean Science of Nature

Now, let’s talk about one of the coolest methods—literally. CO2 extraction uses carbon dioxide at high pressure to get the oil out without any heat or chemicals. Imagine if you could dissolve something into a liquid and then, with the flip of a switch, turn the liquid back into a gas, leaving only the pure essence behind. That’s CO2 extraction!

This method preserves the most delicate parts of the plant, including its scent, color, and therapeutic properties. It’s like capturing the soul of the plant in a bottle, without any trace of how it got there. CO2 extraction is especially prized in aromatherapy and high-end skincare for its purity.

Key point: CO2 extraction is like catching the full essence of the plant—clean, effective, and without any leftover residues or heat damage.

5. Solvent Extracted Oils: The Chemistry Lab Approach

If you’ve ever made lemonade by mixing water and sugar to dissolve everything quickly, you’ve done something similar to solvent extraction. In this process, a chemical solvent, often hexane, is mixed with the seeds or nuts to dissolve the oil. The solvent is then removed, but a tiny bit may still remain in the oil.

This method is widely used because it’s cost-effective and efficient, especially for tough seeds like soybeans or rice bran. However, because solvents are involved, these oils are not as natural or nutrient-dense as their cold-pressed or CO2 counterparts. Think of it like adding artificial sweeteners to your lemonade—it gets the job done, but it’s not quite the same as fresh-squeezed.

Key point: Solvent extraction is a quick and efficient method, but some chemical residue may remain, making it less ideal for natural, nutrient-rich products.

6. Virgin Oils: The First and Finest Press

Imagine making the perfect cup of coffee, using only the first, most flavorful brew. Virgin oils are like that—they come from the first cold pressing of seeds or nuts, without any added heat or chemicals. It’s the most natural and purest form of the oil you can get. Virgin oils retain all their natural nutrients, antioxidants, and subtle aromas, making them a favorite for both culinary and skincare uses.

Because virgin oils are so pure, they often have a shorter shelf life, and they can be more expensive. But if you want the highest quality oil with all the original nutrients intact, virgin oils are the way to go.

Key point: Virgin oils are like the first brew of coffee—rich in flavor and nutrients, but they require care and often come at a higher price.

7. RBD Oils: Refined for Stability

RBD stands for Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a process to clean up and stabilize oils. If you’ve ever filtered your coffee to make it smoother, or added cream to tone down the bitterness, you’re on the same track. The RBD process removes impurities, unwanted colors, and strong smells to make the oil more neutral and long-lasting.

While RBD oils are less “natural” than cold-pressed or virgin oils, they’re perfect for mass-market products where consistency and stability are more important. They’re often used in cooking or cosmetics where a neutral scent and flavor are needed.

Key point: RBD oils are refined for stability, just like filtering coffee for a smoother drink, but they lose some of their original character.

Why It All Matters

The method used to extract an oil affects everything about it—its purity, nutrients, flavor, and scent. Whether you're shopping for skincare or cooking ingredients, understanding these methods helps you choose the right product for your needs. Just like choosing between fresh-squeezed juice and store-bought concentrate, knowing how your oils are made lets you decide what’s best for you.