Essential oils are natural plant-derived compounds made up of mixtures of volatile substances at room temperature. An essential oil is not made up of a single molecule, but a mixture of several.
In some plants, by using different parts and different extraction methods, it is possible to extract different types of essential oils. For example, bitter orange peel oil "citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil", "neroli" from the flowers; and "petit-grain" from the leaves.
In cosmetics, they are classified into two large groups - Activated and Purified:
Purified Essential Oils – This is the case when unpleasant-smelling substances or irritating molecules are present. These unwanted elements are removed using fractional distillation.
Activated Essential Oils – We use techniques such as peroxidation, which enhances bactericidal activity, helping to better preserve formulas.
The most commonly used are:
Lavender, carrot seed, rose, rosehip, chamomile, blue tansy, rosemary, frankincense, geranium, tea tree, ylang-ylang, and patchouli.
In your favorite cosmetics
They possess many properties for skin care, from eliminating bacteria responsible for acne to calming the most reactive skin. When we formulate at Twelve Beauty, we always keep sensitive skin in mind, so we must be very careful when introducing them, as they are active and potentially irritating compounds. Our careful selection leads us to choose only essential oils low in compounds called aldehydes and phenols, which are responsible for possible allergic reactions. Finally, we never exceed doses of 0.004%; this way, they provide their benefits, but we minimize the risk of irritation.
