Essential oils are natural compounds extracted from plants and are made up of volatile substances at room temperature. They do not consist of only one molecule, but rather a mixture of several.
In some cases, when also using various extraction methods, different types of essential oils can be obtained from separate parts of the same plant. For example, from the skin of bitter (Seville) orange comes “citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil”, from its flowers “neroli”; and from its leaves “petit-grain”.
In the skincare industry these oils are are classified into two large groups – Activated and purified:
Purified essential oils – These extracts have an unpleasant aroma or they contain irritating substances, which are subsequently removed by using a process called fractional distillation.
Activated essential oils – Here, the extracts have undergone a processe such as peroxidation to enhance their bactericidal activity, helping to better preserve the overall product formula.
The most common essential oils are:
Lavender, Carrot Seed, Rose, Rosehip, Chamomile, Blue Tansy, Rosemary, Frankincense, Geranium, Tea Tree, Ylang-Ylang, and Patchouli.
Essential oils in your skincare favs
Although they have many skin-enhancing properties, ranging from eliminating acne causing bacteria to calming even the most reactive of skins, there are still considered active ingredients and can potentially cause irritation. Here at Twelve Beauty we always have sensitive skin in mind, so we pay a great deal of attention when including them in our formulas. Our careful and exhaustive selection process ensures that we only use ones low in aldehydes and phenols, the compounds responsible for possible allergic reactions. Moreover, we never exceed a dose of 0.004%, meaning that we can harness the benefits of these oils, while minimising the risk of skin irritation.
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