What are Absolutes?
Absolutes are highly concentrated aromatic liquids extracted from plants. They are extracted in a complex manner. Absolute distillation requires the use of chemical solvents that are later removed during the final stages of production, thus culminating in a more concentrated essence.
There are reasons for producing absolutes. Many times steam distillation of a plant does not extract as much natural oil from the plant, or in some cases, breaks down the precious natural oil in delicate flowers. The solvent extraction methods are often used in these cases. As a rule, absolutes are more concentrated than a similar essential oil. Being more concentrated, an absolute goes much further then the essential oil counterpart.
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© 2004 Aromatherapy and Essential Oil Centre
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