Essential oils are an amazing way to support a holistic lifestyle. They can be mixed for custom botanical topicals, blended into homemade hand creams or body butters, or used for aromatherapy. But should you buy essential oils or make them yourself at home?
Key Takeaways:
- When you make your own essential oils, you control the end product
- There are multiple methods for making DIY essential oil
- Each extraction method has specific pros and cons
- Using low-temp, ethanol vacuum extraction may be your best option
Why Make Your Own Essential Oils at Home?
Commercial essential oils can contain all sorts of buffer ingredients that can weaken their potency or compromise the health benefits. You just can’t know for certain what you’re getting with essential oils
When you make your own essential oils at home, you know exactly what goes into each batch. You can experiment with different ingredients and techniques and create customized oils that match your needs.
5 Different Types of Essential Oil Extraction
Here are three of the most common methods of essential oil extraction. Some processes extract with a solvent for a more potent end product.
1. Maceration
For successful maceration, botanicals must be dried completely at a very low temperature before they’re chopped or ground and mixed directly with the carrier oil. The resulting mixture can then be agitated, left to rest, and repeatedly agitated over days or weeks.
Maceration does carry a rancidity risk, which can be combated by adding vitamin E oil to the preparation.
2. Cold Pressing
This solvent-free method, also called scarification, expression, or mechanical separation, is typically used for heat-sensitive citrus fruit peels. A machine crushes and pierces the peels, which are then subjected to a hydraulic press to extract the oils from the underside of the rind.
A centrifuge separates the essential oils from the plant pulp and juice.
3. Water/Steam Distillation
Another solvent-free option uses water or water and steam. If botanicals are in danger of clumping when added to the oil directly, they can be submerged in water instead. Heat or steam is introduced3. , condensing the solution into a separator. The extract floats to the top as it cools. The water left behind is typically fragrant and may be used as herbal distillate.
4. CO2
CO2 can act as a “solvent” but requires an elaborate setup and knowledge of how to run a high-pressure system. Liquid (pressurized) CO2 is pumped into a container full of plant material, forcing the essential oils to leach into the CO2. Next, the liquid is run through pressure-reducing valves into a separator.
The oil can be collected as the now-gaseous CO2 returns to the tank for pressurization into a liquid again. Care must be taken to prevent leaks, as gaseous CO2 is extremely dangerous.
5. Ethanol Vacuum Extraction
This solvent-based method relies on vacuum pressure and mild heat to extract hard-to-pull out botanicals rapidly.
With the SourcePro or the EtOH Pro, plant matter and food-grade ethanol are processed in a “plug and play” vacuum pressure machine that ultimately leaves the extract to be retrieved from one chamber and the reclaimed alcohol or ethanol from another.
Pros and Cons of Essential Oil Extraction Methods
This pros and cons chart can help you decide which DIY essential oil extraction process is best for you based on experience, required equipment, ease of process, desired potency, and your choice of botanicals.
Extraction Method |
Pros |
Cons |
Maceration |
All-natural extraction method Captures more plant essence Best option for dry plant materials |
Time-consuming process Risk of rancidity increases over time Low potency results |
Cold Pressing |
Process preserves oil integrity Avoids heat damage to botanicals Best option for citrus peels |
Labor-intensive process Requires specialized equipment Low potency results |
Water/Steam Distillation |
Popular method among DIYers Adjustable temperature and pressure Best option for many herbs and spices |
Requires a complex setup Heat can alter oil composition Steam pressure can be dangerous |
CO2 Extraction |
Process produces high-quality oils Extracts highly pungent aromas Best option for seeds and fruit extracts |
Demands specialized equipment Liquid CO2 considered hazardous Presents high-pressure safety concerns |
Ethanol Vacuum Extraction |
Process uses low temperatures Easy for DIYers with SOURCE machine Best option for most botanicals |
Smaller size machines only hold 500 ml; professional users will need the larger 2L version to extract at scale |
DIY Essential Oils with Extract Craft: Step-by-Step
ExtractCraft’s SOURCE Turbo extractor appliance is easy enough for anyone to use. Here’s how to make your own essential oils with minimal time and effort:
- Prepare your botanicals (dry or dehydrate, then chop or grind).
- Mix your plant material and food-grade ethanol in the cup provided.
- Seat the cup properly in the SOURCE machine.
- Fasten the lid, turn the machine on, and walk away.
- Return in a few hours to retrieve your extract and reclaim your solvent.
- Toss dirty components in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.
- Mix your extract with your desired carrier oil.
With the Right Tools, You Can Make Essential Oils at Home
Being able to quickly and effortlessly create your own essential oils means you’ll never have to wonder what’s in your botanical products. Experiment with your results with a seasonal essential oil recipe, try them in aromatherapy, or create bespoke topical creams and butters—you can even start your own small business (just make sure to follow FDA labeling requirements).v