The Super-critical CO₂ extraction method is another safe and popular way to take out oils from very delicate flowers and plants. It works in a way that is a little like the Hexane solvent method, but instead of using Hexane, it uses CO₂ gas. This method is mostly used when the material we want oil from is soft or in liquid form. Hexane extraction, on the other hand, is usually used for solid plant parts that hold oil tightly.

How SFE CO₂ Extraction Works

In this process, we blast the plant material with strong jets of CO₂ gas under very high pressure. This pressure helps remove the oily parts, lipids, and other tiny ingredients from the plant. The thick liquid that comes out is called a “concrete.”

After that, we wash the concrete with alcohol (usually ethyl alcohol). The alcohol helps separate the oily parts even better. Then we let the alcohol evaporate. Once the alcohol is gone, the liquid left behind is very pure and has a strong, beautiful smell. This final product is called an “absolute.”