What are CO2s?

Ismael Imports
We import frankincense and myrrh resin (Boswellia & Commiphora myrrha) from Somaliland to Vermont, where we steam distill the resins into essential oils and fragrant water (hydrosol) . Our products are of superior quality and 100% pure.

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Oils extracted by the CO2 (carbon dioxide) method are commonly called “CO2s” for short. In a nutshell, CO2s are extracted by pressurizing carbon dioxide until it becomes a liquid. The liquid carbon dioxide then acts as a solvent on the natural plant matter and the essential oil content then dissolves into the liquid CO2. Afterwards, the CO2 is brought back to natural pressurization, the CO2 evaporates back into its gaseous state and what is left is the resulting oil.

CO2s are often labeled as essential oils as opposed to absolutes since no trace of a harmful solvent will remain in the final product. CO2s have an advantage over essential oils because none of the constituents of the oil are damaged by heat.

CO2s are usually thicker than their essential oil counterparts and often smell closer to the aroma of the natural herb. CO2s have been said to contain additional constituents than what is extracted from the same plant using steam distillation. This would seem to make sense since CO2s generally are thicker oils and often seem to have a more rounded aroma.

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