THE OIL SERIES #3 -HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD QUALITY OIL FOR SKINCARE

Recently I was having a conversation with a friend at work who also likes to use coconut oil. I asked her which brand she bought, and she said she brought hers for £1.99 from a local grocery store. First of all I think PRICE is indicative of the quality of the oil. She then showed me the bottle and I knew instantly it was not a good quality oil. I bit my tongue and didn't say anything, as I knew I would probably start sounding all preachy and she may think jeeez this woman this nuts!! Ha ha. 

So for those who want to know here is my guide on how to choose a good quality oil. 

In most commercial skincare products the oils they use will be refined or partially refined. You may think you're slathering on a beneficial oil but the oil will not be of a high quality, meaning that you will not getting the oils full benefits. I would rather use straight up 100% organic cold pressed argan oil than the popular Moroccan oil! 

Good quality oils don't always make the best aesthetic sense - for instance cold pressed avocado oil is a intense emerald green colour, and organic rosehip oil has a deep orange colour (from the carotenoids). A lot of the mass market customers may be put off by this, not everyone wants to buy a frog colored cream! That‘s why in most commercial products you will find only refined, filtered, deodorized oils and fats.

Top Tips in choosing a good quality oil for skincare

♥Try to always but oils from organic cultivation, you don't want chemicals or pesticides on your face

♥Have a closer look at the label "virgin", "cold pressed" and "co2 extracted are probably the best quality you can get

♥Don't be put off by a intense colour or specific scent, see it rather as an indication of quality 

♥A good quality oil will not be cheap, as producing a excellent oil requires a lot of manual work, expertise and careful extraction - a bottle of oil will last you a long time as you only need small amounts, so actually when you compare it to buying commercial moisturisers, in the long run it works out better.

What to the different terms mean? 

Unrefined

Unrefined oils are not necessarily as pure and natural as you may think, the seeds may have been toasted, treated with hot water, steam or externally heated. Unrefined only means that the oil has not been bleached or deodorised. 

Cold Pressed

Cold Pressed oil is obtained through pressing and grinding fruit or seeds with the use of stainless steel presses."Cold pressed" simply means no heat has been added, although a certain amount of heat is produced due to friction, though for an oil to be labeled as cold pressed the temperature must not rise over 49ͦc. 

CO2 Extracted 

CO2 in its fluid state is passed through raw plant material, extracting all biologically “active” components. This process takes place at about 85°F (30°C) without any thermal stress and without using any kind of solvents. The low temperature and lack of emissions make it an extremely environmentally friendly process. The extraction is done in a virtual vacuum, with no oxygen present. No oxygen means absolutely no risk of oxidization. This is particularly important for oils prone to turning rancid such as sea buckthorn, rosehip, hemp or grape seed oil. During cold pressing oxygen is present throughout, causing the oxidization process of these oils to start immediately.

Virgin (or Native) Oils

The term “virgin” (or “native”) is a high guarantee of quality. “Virgin” oils are “cold-pressed” and have not been treated with external heat before or during the extraction process. No further processing is allowed. This means: no refining, no washing, no filtering, no centrifugation, no deodorizing

I hope this helps. Be sure to share with others you may think would it helpful.