• HerbSpace
• Thu,10 2019

What is An Essential Oil, A Concrete, A Resinoid, and An Absolute?

All of us go through some hectic things daily, we must accept that. Not every day is a chill-pill; some might be scary like anything. The worst part is an incomplete, interrupted sleep that is enough to make one crazy if continued for a few days. Therefore, you need something that can drive you out of all these in no time. What about essential oils? You must have heard about them. And, they are worth it!

There are several varieties available in the market from which one can choose depending on their needs. At the same time, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions floating around about essential oils. Some people don't think twice before spreading misinformation without knowing things in detail which eventually stops many from availing its health benefits. In this blog series, we will learn all the important aspects related to essential oils. Let's start with what essential oil, concrete, resinoid, and absolute are.

 

What is Essential Oil?

Essential oil is a plant-based oil obtained from several parts of a plant including its flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds through the cold pressing or steam distillation process which is carefully performed. Solvents might be required during the process, depending on the nature of the plant. Some plant materials are too delicate to release their essences and require solvents like petroleum ether, methanol, or ethanol.

Don't worry; these solvents are not going to be a part of the final product. Once the extraction process reaches its end, it is time to evaporate the solvent and what is remaining is a pure essential oil that is costly and loaded with several astonishing therapeutic benefits. One can dilute and use them for bathing or opt for aromatherapy in which certain essential oils are used to lift one's mood. 

However, there are some other products obtained from the same plants that include concretes, resinoids, and absolutes. Concrete and resinoid are two different products obtained during absolute extraction using different plant materials. One can easily get confused and end up picking something else from a store instead of pure essential oil. Therefore, it is important to understand what they exactly are.

Concrete

Concretes and Resinoids are very close to each other but not the same. Though both are the products of absolute extraction, they differ in terms of the plant material used. While extracting the absolute from plant material, the solvent is removed through the process of evaporation and the remaining semi-solid product is called concrete.

Resinoid

Coming to resinoids, they are also obtained in the same way as concretes are done but differ with the fact that the plant material used for extraction is resinous. Resins are gum-like substances usually obtained by cutting the bark of a tree. And, if the absolute is extracted from a resinous material, it leaves behind resinoids. Needless to mention, they are different from concrete; so are their applications.

 

Absolute

An absolute can be said to be the final product of the same process that delivers concrete. This concrete is again melted and diluted using ethyl alcohol. This alcohol is further removed, leaving behind an aromatic substance which is called absolute. Though an absolute is not the same as an essential oil, it may contain some part of it and is used by perfume industries for its irresistible aroma.

 

The Bottom Line

Most people fall in love with essential oils at the very moment they get to use it. These oils are widely used for several purposes that include but are not limited to aromatherapy, stress management, and pain relief. The only thing that attracts the most consumers is their 100% natural formula that not just makes them safe for use but also impressively effective. Many people have been using them for years and availing of their therapeutic benefits along with the refreshing fragrance offered by them.