Because I love healthy properties of oils not only in my creams but also as a single ingredience and also in my food I will share few basic information with you so you can have idea why oils are so good for your daily use both externally and internally , how they are obtained and ways off processing them . You might also discover where their sometimes high price comes from.
Vegetable oils can be obtained by two methods:
Chemical – extraction (isolation) of oil with the use of chemical solvents (most often the production of palm oil with 1-hexane), with simultaneous heating to high temperatures (over 100 ° C). From the industrial point of view, it is the most efficient and the cheapest method of obtaining oil, but it deprives the raw material of valuable nutrients and leaves traces of a chemical solvent, therefore it is not recommended in food.
Physical – mechanical pressing of fat in a screw press. No chemicals are used in the process, while high temperature is used depending on the harvesting method. The seeds are crushed in a screw press, pulverized and the pressed oil passes through fine sieves where the residues are retained. The oil obtained in this way is of high quality. Punching can be done in two ways:
cold – oils obtained mechanically at a controlled temperature – cold pressed oils – pressing temperature maintained at a level not higher than 50 ° C. The most expensive method of obtaining oils. The obtained oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, has an intense color and smell. As it does not contain a preservative, it should be used up quickly. The production of such oils is expensive, therefore their price is higher.
hot – involves the production of oil at a temperature of 160 – 200 ° C The yield of oilseeds doubles, but the unsaturated fatty acids they contain are transformed into trans isomers, which are detrimental to health.
After receiving the oil, the next stage is the refining or purification stage – it is not obligatory and can be omitted.
Depending on the degree of purification, we distinguish oils:
Refined – Filtered oils go through a full refining process that removes all unwanted components. For this purpose, high and low temperatures are used, as well as chemicals (including hexane), which are washed out with water at the end of the process. As a result, the oils:
– they do not have intense color and aroma,
– they are poorer in health-promoting components, unsaturated fatty acids can transform into synthetic trans fats at high temperatures,
+ are more durable, characterized by high temperature stability and clarity.
Partially refined – only subjected to certain cleaning processes, e.g. decolorization, deodorization (deodorization).
Unrefined – the extracted oil is not subjected to any purification processes. It is characterized by an uneven, cloudy consistency, a darker color and an intense aroma. It contains valuable ingredients, i.e. vitamin E, beta-carot
ene, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
Refined and unrefined oil When discussing the methods of obtaining fats, it should be emphasized that refined oils are devoid of many ingredients, both beneficial and unfavorable in terms of health (including harmful heavy metals). Colloquially speaking, they are sterile and are only a source of energy. Unrefined oils are best used raw. It should be remembered that you must not fry food on them, as polyunsaturated fatty acids under the influence
of high temperature are transformed into the trans form, which is dangerous to your health.
Natural based cosmetic oils and waxes are important ingredients used in my personal care botanical formulations to structure formulations and impart a smooth, soft, moisturized feel to skin or hair. Most of them have also been shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, soothe skin, reduce TEWL, reduce sebum and have antimicrobial activity.
All-natural cosmetic oils, using no chemical modification in their production, are comprised of liquid oils, waxes, butters, unsaponifiables, and essential
oils.
Oils containing high levels of unsaturation are normally liquid and are prone to oxidation. Solid waxes or butters contain higher levels of saturated C12-30 chains and have melting points greater than ~40°C. Plant based oils/waxes/butters are normally mixtures of hydrocarbons, triglycerides, esters, and alcohols depending on the type of plant and processing used.
Plant unsaponifiables are ingredients that do not hydrolyze or saponify when reacted with caustic. These include tocopherols, sterols, carotenoids, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and triterpenoids. Carotenoids are highly colored antioxidants commonly found in plants that are potent scavengers of singlet oxygen free radicals. It is believed they are the important antioxidants that protect skin from free radical attack. The main sterols found in plants are beta sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol. These are similar to sterols like cholesterol needed to produce biologically active sterols in the body. Many have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity and help repair the skin barrier function .
Essential oils are concentrated hydrophobic liquids containing volatile chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are called volatile oils, ethereal oils, or as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted (ex. oil of clove). An essential oil contains the characteristic fragrance of the plant from which it is derived, and many are used to provide a natural scent to my products . Additionally, many essential oils have antioxidant, antimicrobial, sebum reducing, and skin soothing properties.
