Extracting oils from plants. How to make essential oils. Preparation of essential oils by pressing

The use of essential oils has long gone beyond the perfume industry and has gained widespread popularity. Therapists in clinics can now easily prescribe aromatherapy treatment, and cosmetologists even consider these drugs indispensable in beauty enhancement. Their only drawback is their high price. But this problem can be easily solved if you know how to make essential oil at home. As practice shows, the quality is not inferior to that of a pharmacy, but is several times cheaper.

Preparatory stage: proper procurement of raw materials

Aroma oil can be extracted from almost any vegetation, be it a wild bush or a noble flower from a country flower bed. But before you make essential oils at home from the selected plant, you should clarify in which part of it the maximum amount of aromatic substances is concentrated. For example, in the flowers of the lily of the valley, despite the pronounced pleasant smell, they contain only about 0.04%, and in the fruits of the clove tree - 22%.

Available methods for preparing essential oils

There are several methods for making your own essential oil. These are extraction, distillation, enfleurage and infusion. The choice of method largely depends on the type of raw material.

Low-cost methods: extraction and distillation

The easiest and fastest way to obtain aroma oil, which does not require any additional equipment or extra costs, is pressing. But it is only good for processing citrus fruits. The essence of this method is to manually squeeze the oily liquid from the peel of the fruit.

But if you build such a device at home, then the production process will be practically no different from how essential oils are made in pharmaceutical factories, and at home it will be possible to obtain a very high-quality product that is in no way inferior to pharmaceutical drugs.

Flower lipstick and essential tinctures

The beautiful word “enfleurage” refers to the complex procedure for obtaining aromatic oils by extraction with purified solid (mainly beef) fat. The idea is that plant parts are placed on a thin layer of fat, pressed with a press and left for a while. The fat absorbs the aroma and the result is what perfumers call floral lipstick. Subsequently, it is dissolved with alcohol and filtered, obtaining pure oil. This method is very expensive and labor-intensive, so it is used only for processing very delicate and fragile flowers of plants such as roses, violets, and jasmine.

The most popular recipes for homemade aromatic oils

Fragrant aphrodisiac from roses

To prepare this aroma oil with a subtle, enticing scent, use strong-smelling red garden roses.

Mint symphony with anti-stress effect

To prepare a natural preparation called “Mint Symphony”, which relieves stress and calms the nervous system, only fresh and intact peppermint leaves are used. They must be washed thoroughly, dried with a paper towel and torn into small pieces by hand to speed up the release of juice.

Invigorating citrus oil

The beauty of this product, in addition to its healing properties and pleasant aroma, is that orange or lemon peels are used for its preparation. Thus, you can eat the fruit, replenishing the body’s vitamin reserves, and put the peel to good use. To prepare an aromatic product, peels from several fruits are crushed, placed in a jar and filled with any refined vegetable oil that does not have its own smell. After letting the mixture brew for a week, the jar with a loosely closed lid is placed in a steam bath for 30 minutes, after which the resulting liquid is filtered, carefully squeezing it out of the peel. Once cooled, your homemade essential oil is ready to use. Before using any aromatic oil for medicinal or cosmetic purposes, you should consult a specialist, because each of them has a number of contraindications. For example, mint can cause miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy, and citrus can cause allergies in children.

Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile oils that are extracted from aromatic (essential oil) plants such as lavender and rosemary. There are approximately 700 different types of plants that contain beneficial essential oils, and there are several methods for extracting them. The most common method of extracting essential oils is distillation. Essential oils are expensive, but you can easily distill them at home without breaking the bank.

Steps

Collection and preparation of the distiller

Buy or make a distiller yourself. It will probably be difficult to buy a pre-made distiller in a store (unless you have a specialty store nearby), so you can buy a distiller online. Be prepared that they can be expensive. If you plan to make essential oil in large quantities, then purchasing professional equipment will likely be a good investment.

Make your own distiller if you don't want to buy a ready-made one. If you decide to make a distiller yourself, then you have almost limitless possibilities for creativity - there are a thousand options, and even today many distillers are made by hand. The main components of the distiller are:

Use stainless steel and glass materials if possible. Do not use plastic tubes as this may affect the quality of the oil. Some plants contain chemical compounds that react with copper and produce unwanted impurities. However, thickly tinned copper is suitable for all types of plants. Aluminum can also be used, but not on plants containing phenols (such as wintergreen and cloves).

Bend the tube so that it passes through the steam-cooling pan. The plant material will boil in the pressure cooker and the steam coming out of it will pass through the tube, cooling in cold water or ice. Depending on what you are using for cooling, the bend in the tube will have a different shape. For example, if you are using a simple cold water bath, you will need to roll it into a ring that will sit in the water. If you are using a large ice bucket, you will probably need to bend the tubing at a 90° angle so that it goes through the top of the bucket and then out into the hole at the bottom.

Connect the tube to the pressure cooker valve. Use a small piece of flexible hose that fits into both holes. It should be approximately the same size as the 10mm tube you are using. To make a secure connection, you can use a clamp (such as a clamp with a screw), which can be purchased at any hardware store.

• Make sure the piece of hose is long enough to bend. Otherwise, the tube will point straight up and you will have to bend it at a 90° angle to guide it into the pan to cool.

1. Run the tube through the cooling. If you are using an open bucket of cold water, position it so that the tubing meets it. The tube should be completely immersed in cold water or ice. You can make a hole in the bottom of the bucket and thread a straw through it. Seal the hole with caulk or epoxy to prevent water from leaking out of the bucket.

   Place the open end of the tube over the separator. Once the distillate drips into the separator, the separator will do all the work for you. It will separate the essential oil from anything else that shouldn't be in the final product.

   Make sure all tools are securely secured. Depending on what tools you use and depending on the shape of the tube, you may need to additionally secure certain elements to ensure the entire installation is safe and secure. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid to which the tube is attached, pass the tube through the pan or bucket to cool, and secure the open end over the separator. Make sure that the tube has comfortable bends and does not interfere with anything.

   Collect plants correctly. When learning when to harvest plants for essential oil, check how exactly they need to be harvested. Improper harvesting or harvesting the wrong parts of the plant, as well as harvesting at the wrong time of day, will reduce the amount of essential oils in the plant. For example, only the tops of rosemary need to be collected. The rest of the plant should be discarded or otherwise used.

   • Most of the essential oils are contained in the glands, veins and bristles, and these parts are always very fragile. If you break these parts, the plant will produce less essential oil. Handle the plants carefully and handle them as little as possible.

2. If you buy plants, be selective. If you buy already collected raw materials, you cannot greatly influence the collection process. Buy healthy and undamaged plants and ask the seller when the plants were harvested. Whole specimens, not crushed or ground, are best.

   • Distillation removes many impurities, but pesticides and herbicides may remain in the oil. This is why it is best to use organic plants, whether you buy them or grow them yourself.

3. Dry the plant material. Drying reduces the amount of essential oils in the plant, but you can significantly increase the amount of oil produced with each distillation if you use more plant material. Drying should be done slowly and NOT in direct sunlight. Commercially grown plants such as mint and lavender are often dried in the field within a day or so of cutting.

   • Each plant has its own ideal drying method, but the most important thing is always not to overheat the raw material. Drying your plants in the shade or even a dark room will minimize essential oil loss.
   • Do not over-dry your botanicals or allow them to become wet before the distillation process. Try to distill the oil as soon as the plants are dry.
   • You don't have to dry the plant material, in which case skip this step.

Distillation process

1. Pour water into the distiller tank. If you bought a ready-made distiller, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Use clean water, preferably filtered or distilled, or as soft as possible. If you bought a ready-made distiller, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you have enough water to complete the process. Depending on the type and number of plants, distillation can take from 30 minutes to 6 hours or more from the moment the water boils.

   Put the plant material into the water. Place as much vegetable material as will fit in the pan. The layer of plant material can be quite dense, but the main thing is that it is below the steam outlet. Make sure that it does not block the opening when you close the pressure cooker with the lid. The raw material should not reach the hole by about 5 cm.

   • There is no need to grind plant materials, as during grinding you may lose some of the essential oils.

2. Bring the water to a boil. Close the distiller with a lid so that all the steam comes out only through the straw that you attached earlier. Most plants produce oils at the boiling point of water at 100°C, which is the normal boiling point of water.

   Do not leave the distiller unattended. After some time, the distillate will pass through the condenser into the separator. There is no need to interfere with the process, just make sure that the distiller does not run out of water. Depending on the length of the distillation process, you may need to change the water in the pot or bucket to cool. If the hot wand has heated the water, replace it with fresh cold water or ice to keep the steam cooling process going.

3. Some plant hydrosols, such as rose water or lavender water, can be used.
4. If you don't need the hydrosol, you can pour it back into the still for the next batch (if you'll be processing another batch of raw materials right away) or just pour it out.

• Essential oils are very concentrated, so it is often recommended to dilute them with others base oil before use. The most popular carrier oils are almond oil and grapeseed oil, but others can be used. Oils can be diluted both during the bottling process and before direct use. The latter is preferable, since in some cases you may need undiluted oils, and the shelf life of base oils is often shorter than the shelf life of essential oils

Warnings

• Most essential oils should not be eaten, and many must be diluted even for use on the skin. In addition, some of the essential oils are toxic. You can find more information about using essential oils on wikiHow or online.
• To distill essential oils from flowers, skip the drying process and distill the oil immediately after harvest.
• Do not distill for too long (check extraction time recommendations for your specific plant species). If you distill for a long time, you will get a little more oil, but at the same time, unwanted chemical compounds may be introduced into it.
• Make sure that no dust or dirt gets on the plants during drying. This can not only reduce the quality of the oil, but also make it unsuitable for use.
• The term “organic” does not mean that no pesticides or fertilizers were used on the plant, it’s just that not synthetic substances, but organic ones were used to feed and fertilize it, and they sometimes contain even more toxins than synthetic fertilizers. Try to find a local grower who can tell you exactly how the plants were grown.

What you will need

• Distillation equipment, at least a pan or bucket, condenser, oven or other heater and separator
• Glass tubes for connecting distiller components
• Plant raw materials from which essential oil will be produced.
• Dark glass or stainless steel containers for storing oils

METHODS FOR OBTAINING OILS.

Essential oils are clear, colorless or colored liquids. What distinguishes them from vegetable oils is their volatility. Their density is usually less than 1. They are practically insoluble in water, but dissolve well in alcohol and other organic liquids, as well as in fats, waxes and other oils. These properties are used in various methods of obtaining essential oils. Some parts of the plants from which essential oils are obtained, especially flowers, are prone to rapid loss of quality and should therefore be used as soon as possible after harvest. Other parts, including roots and seeds, can be stored for a long time. They are transported to various parts of the world. Basically, aromatic oils are obtained in five ways (we will not mention artisanal methods, since they do not guarantee quality).

Distillation- the main method of extracting essential oils from plants. According to authoritative experts, this is the only method by which it is possible to obtain substances that fully meet the definition of “essential oil”. Substances obtained by other methods are called essences or absolutes.

In distillation, plant material is either immersed in water, which is then brought to a boil, or placed on a grid placed over boiling water so that steam passes through it. Leaves, roots, fruits, flowers, branches, trunks, bark and resins can be used as raw materials. When the raw material is placed in water, the process of obtaining oil is called direct distillation, and if steam is passed through it, then it is called steam distillation.

In both cases, hot water and steam rupture the glands of the plant and the essence contained in them is released in the form of steam. This steam, together with the steam involved in the distillation process, is collected in a tube passing through the cooling units, after which it again acquires liquid form and is discharged into a settling tank. The steam turns into a water distillate, and the essence of the plant turns into essential oil. Since oil is lighter than water, it collects on the surface of settling tanks and is easily separated from the water fraction. Sometimes the aqueous distillate is also a valuable product and is sold as flower or herbal water.

From some plants, only a very small amount of essential oil can be obtained by distillation, and then it is considered a by-product in the production of, for example, rose or orange water. To obtain essential oil from more delicate, delicate plants that do not tolerate exposure to steam - jasmine, roses, orange flowers - another technology is used, namely enfleurage or solvent extraction.

The distillation process as a method of obtaining essential oils from plants has been known since at least the 10th century AD. e. It is believed that this method was invented in Persia, where essential oils were highly valued for their wonderful aroma and used as perfumes. However, recent archaeological excavations in Italy have revealed distillers of simple design. This suggests that the ancient Romans already knew this technology, and the Persians simply improved it.

Some stills used today, especially in less developed countries, are little different from those ancient stills, but where large-scale essential oil production exists, these units are significantly larger in volume and are often made of stainless steel, although they use the same technology .

Enfleurage is a traditional method used to extract the highest quality plant essences from delicate flowers such as rose and jasmine. This is a labor-intensive and expensive process, so the resulting product - the absolute - has a high price.

The process of enfleurage occurs as follows. The glass sheets are coated with fat, usually refined pork or beef fat. Freshly cut flower petals are placed on top. Fat actively absorbs volatile essential oils. Withered petals are removed and fresh ones are added. The process lasts several days, and for jasmine it takes as long as three weeks until the fat can no longer absorb the oil.

The fat is then collected and cleaned of any stale petals or stems. The product obtained at this stage is called lipstick. It is then dissolved in alcohol and shaken vigorously for twenty-four hours to separate the fat from the essential oil.

The oil obtained using this method is called "absolute". Absolute is usually a highly concentrated viscous liquid, but sometimes it has a solid or semi-solid consistency, such as rose absolute. It hardens at room temperature, and if you hold the bottle of absolute in your hand for a while, then, as it heats up, it acquires a liquid consistency. The absolute has a strong odor and strong therapeutic properties. To achieve the same effect, much less absolute is required than essential oil obtained by distillation.

There is another method of enfleurage. Gauze sheets are stretched over wooden frames, soaked in olive oil and flower petals are laid out, changing them daily until the oil can no longer absorb the plant essence. The resulting product is used in its natural form as a fragrant body oil or subjected to alcohol extraction to separate the absolute.

These two methods have traditionally been used in the perfume industry, especially to produce high quality essential oil. But now, using the latter method, no more than 10% of all absolutes are obtained, since the process is too long and expensive. Approximately 80% of rose and jasmine absolutes are currently extracted using volatile solvents, with the remaining 10% being aromatic oils extracted by distillation.

Absolute is a term describing substances that are obtained from a plant through enfleurage or solvent extraction. Archaeological finds indicate that distillation existed even before the time of Avicenna, but it is likely that he greatly improved the technique by adding a cooling system to the main still. In enfleurage, a substance called lipstick is extracted, which is a mixture of fat and essential oil. Extraction with solvents produces a concrete consisting of fats, waxes, essential oils and other plant substances. The absolute is extracted from lipstick or concrete using alcohol. These methods are used to extract essence from flower petals in cases where distillation would otherwise distort their delicate aroma. In aromatherapy, three absolutes are mainly used - rose, jasmine and orange blossom (neroli). Other flower absolutes, particularly carnation, gardenia, mimosa, and hyacinth, are used in high-quality perfumes, but are only rarely used for medicinal purposes.

Absolutes differ from essential oils (they are obtained by distillation) in that they have an exceptionally strong aroma and high healing power and must be used in low concentrations. Absolutes are typically colored, highly concentrated liquids that are more viscous than essential oils. When stored in a bottle at room temperature, rose absolute may harden, but when held in your hand, it quickly returns to a liquid state.

Some aromatherapists believe that absolutes should not be used in aromatherapy because they may contain traces of solvents such as acetone, ethanol or hexane, which are used to extract the absolute from pomade or concrete. The exception is cases where natural ethanol is used. However, in practice, many aromatherapists use absolutes in small quantities.

Extraction

Some of the highest quality floral absolutes are obtained through solvent extraction. This method was tested in the 30s of the 19th century, and sixty years later it became widespread.

Flowers are placed in perforated racks in sealed containers that can be tied together in a row. At one end is a reservoir containing a liquid solvent, and at the other is a vacuum distiller. The liquid solvent slowly seeps through the flowers, dissolving the essential oils. The solvent is then separated for later use, resulting in a semi-solid aromatic substance called concrete. It contains essential oil, fats and waxy substances. Twenty-five grams of concrete is equivalent to a kilogram of the best quality lipstick obtained by the enfleurage method.

Like pomade, the concrete is vigorously shaken in alcohol to remove plant waxes, resulting in a high-quality absolute.

In the 19th century, petroleum ether was used as a solvent, and later benzene was used. Modern extraction processes may use liquid butane or liquid carbon dioxide, which produce excellent oils and do not spoil even the most subtle aromas.

Cold press method

Essential oils of lemon, bergamot, orange and other citrus fruits are obtained by simple extraction. The essential oil of citrus fruits is contained in their zest. Before extracting the oil, cut off the pulp from the rind. For a long time, this process was carried out manually in two ways: either the inner part of the crust was scraped out, or its outer part was cut off in thin strips.

Then the zest was squeezed out, and an essential oil with a small amount of juice was obtained. The resulting liquid was left to settle until the oil rose to the surface, and then it was removed.

Another traditional method was to roll the fruit on a drum studded with spikes that pierce the rind, then collect the resulting liquid and separate the oil from the juice.

Nowadays, different mechanisms are used to process citrus fruits, but the best citrus oil is still obtained by hand pressing.

You can also get some lemon or orange oil at home. To do this, you can use a new garlic press (one that has not been used before). But first you need to make sure that the fruits are not coated with any composition, which is sometimes used to protect against spoilage during long-term storage and which will make the oil from the zest of these fruits unsuitable for consumption.

Filtration

Filtration is a relatively recently invented method of extracting essential oil from plants. It is similar to the steam distillation method, but the difference is that in filtration, the steam generator is placed above the plant material and the steam passes through it from top to bottom. The essence released from the plants in the form of steam, together with the steam involved in the distillation, is collected in a tube passing through a cooling system, where each subsequent installation is at a lower temperature than the previous one. At the end of the process, the essential oil is separated from the water fraction in exactly the same way as in a conventional steam distillation process.

This method is not so widespread, but it is convenient to extract essential oil from woody and hard plant materials, such as seeds of plants of the umbelliferous family (anise, dill, sweet dill, etc.). It takes 12 hours to extract the oils through conventional steam distillation, but the filtration method reduces the extraction time to 4 hours. The less time the plants are exposed to steam, the higher quality oil is obtained as a result.

Obtaining essential oils DISTILLATION

Essential oils are extracted from many plants, and from a wide variety of parts. The most common way to obtain oils is steam distillation, or distillation.

Distillation plants are usually installed close to where plants are grown, so that the raw materials are processed as fresh as possible. The required plant parts: seeds, leaves, stems, flowers (or combinations of two or more parts) are placed tightly in the first container of the alembic. Then steam enters the cube, and then the essential oil begins to evaporate along with this heated steam. The evaporated oil rises and passes along with the water vapor through the condenser into the oil collection vessel, where cooling occurs. When the essential oil and water cool, the oil separates from the water, forming a layer on its surface. Now they can be separated using a special separating funnel.

Some plants, such as jasmine, cannot be steam distilled because the high temperature in the apparatus destroys its most valuable substances. In such cases, the two methods described below for isolating oil are used, which, strictly speaking, do not give oil, but the so-called absolute.

ENFLERAGE

The enfleurage method is also practiced by some French perfumers, although mainly to demonstrate it to tourists and make money from it. In general it seems outdated. This is a labor-intensive and very slow process, although the jasmine oil obtained this way is of the highest grade in terms of strength and purity. Jasmine flowers are placed by hand on glass trays coated with special fat. The baking sheets are placed one above the other and left for a while so that the essential oil has time to be absorbed into the fat. The process is repeated, and already used flowers are replaced with new ones, until the fat is completely saturated with oil. Saturated fat is called lipstick in perfumer's jargon. When the lipstick is ready, it is treated with alcohol to release the absolute. The fat remaining after enfleurage is not thrown away: since it retains the aroma of jasmine, it is suitable for making soap.

SOLVENT EXTRACTION

Solvent extraction is another way to obtain jasmine absolute, as well as essential oils from other plants.

Flowers (or other plant parts containing oil) are soaked (macerated) in a container of a solvent such as hexane. Oils and vegetable wax contained in the raw materials are dissolved in hexane and the resulting solution (extract) is drained. The extract is then heated, causing the solvent to evaporate. What remains after removing the solvent is called concrete; it is a mixture of pure oil and vegetable waxes.

After cooling, the concrete is treated with alcohol to separate the oil from the wax. Thus, an etheric absolute is obtained.

EXTRACTION WITH CARBON DIOXIDE

This method is relatively new compared to the two described above, and may eventually replace the solvent extraction method. The fact is that when extracting with solvents, some part of the solvent still remains in the absolute, and using extraction with carbohydrate dioxide, this problem can be avoided.

Unfortunately, many of the oils cannot be synthesized with our simple equipment and set of reagents. But now we can use our entire arsenal and, as if by magic, extract from our glasses, flasks and retorts a rich selection of aromatic substances. Let's start with obtaining natural aromatic substances from plants.

Fragrant substances are usually found in plants in the form of small droplets in special cells. They are found not only in flowers, but also in leaves, in the peel of fruits and sometimes even in wood.

The content of essential oils in those parts of plants that are used to obtain them ranges from 0.1% to 10%. The fact that they are called oils should not mislead us. Essential oils have nothing in common with ordinary vegetable oils: flaxseed, sunflower, corn, that is, with liquid fats. They are more or less complex mixtures of fragrant organic substances of various types.

Among them, esters, aldehydes and alcohols of the saturated, unsaturated and aromatic series are especially common.

Terpenes and their derivatives are very important components of essential oils.

Let's consider the formulas of some representatives of this class of compounds: Terpinene is a cyclic hydrocarbon. It is found in trace amounts in many essential oils. Limonene is an important component of lemon peel oil. Pinene is the main component of gum turpentine. It serves as the starting compound for the production of synthetic fragrances.

Essential oils are usually very difficult to dissolve in water, but dissolve easily in alcohol.

Therefore, alcohol is used in large quantities in the perfume industry as a solvent. Essential oils can be obtained, for example, by extracting them from plant parts with alcohol or other solvents.

The most valuable fragrant substances of flowers are obtained by placing alternate layers of solid animal fat and plant parts in a closed chamber on a wire mesh.

After some time, the flowers are replaced with new ones so that the fat is saturated with essential oil. With this method (in France it is called "enfleurage") fat containing essential oils dissolved in it is obtained and this concentrate of fragrant substances is delivered to perfume factories (The essential oils are then extracted from the fat with alcohol. This method is used, for example, to extract essential oils from jasmine and tuberose - Translator's note).

We will use a third, especially important method for isolating essential oils - steam distillation.

Essential oils themselves are often volatile only at elevated temperatures, and their boiling is accompanied by decomposition. If water vapor is passed through a mass consisting of plants or their parts, the oils are removed along with it and then collected in the distillate in the form of droplets, which have a low density and therefore float on the surface of the water.

Let's get essential oils

Close the 0.5 liter flask with a rubber stopper with two holes. Into one of them we insert a glass tube drawn at the end, which reaches almost to the bottom of the flask. This tube serves as a safety valve. It should be long enough (about 1 m).

Through another hole we will insert a short elbow of a curved tube with an internal diameter of at least 5 mm (It is best to take a tube with an internal diameter of 8-10 mm.

The distance between the flasks should be as short as possible, but it is advisable to disconnect the tube between the flasks by inserting a glass tee into the middle and connecting it to both parts of the tube with short pieces of rubber hose. A piece of rubber hose with a clamp attached to it is attached to the free end of the tee. This allows you to quickly separate or connect both flasks during the experiment. If you have a metal steamer, you can replace the first flask with it. - Approx. transl.).

We insert the longer elbow of the same tube through the hole in the stopper into the second flask, so that the tube also reaches almost to the bottom there. In addition, using a glass tube, we connect the second flask with a direct condenser (Liebig or with an external lead coil). It is best to use a separating or dropping funnel as a receiver.

First we get caraway oil. For this we need 20 g of cumin (Caraway can be collected or bought at a pharmacy. - Approx. Transl.).

Grind it in a mortar with added sand or in an old coffee grinder. Place the caraway seeds in the second flask and add a little water so that it does not completely cover the mass of the caraway seeds. Fill the first flask one-third with water and, to ensure uniform boiling, add several pieces of porous ceramic (“boiling pot”) to the water.

Now, using a Bunsen burner, first heat the contents of the first and then the second flask to a boil. After this, we will again move the burner under the first flask and heat it as much as possible so that water vapor intensively passes through the second flask, which then enters the refrigerator and from it in the form of condensate into the receiver.

If there are two burners, then you can simultaneously slightly heat the second flask so that the volume of liquid in it does not increase too much as a result of steam condensation.

It is convenient to use a sand bath to heat the second flask, heating it in advance, before water vapor begins to pass through (It is best to heat the second flask so that the volume of liquid in it does not undergo a noticeable increase or decrease. - Approx. Transl.). We will carry out the distillation for at least an hour. During this time, about 100 ml of water collects in the receiver, on the surface of which colorless drops of cumin oil float. We separate the water as completely as possible using a separating funnel and as a result we get about 10 drops of pure caraway oil along with a small amount of water. This amount would be enough to make several bottles of caraway liqueur!

The characteristic smell of cumin oil is given by carvone, of which it contains more than 50%. In addition, it contains limonene, the fragrant substance of lemons. Caraway oil is used primarily to scent soaps and tooth elixirs. It is also added in small quantities to some perfumes.

Using the same device you can isolate essential oils from other plants. To do this, grind them and subject them to steam distillation for 1-2 hours. Of course, the yield will vary depending on the essential oil content. It is most interesting to obtain the following essential oils:

Peppermint oil. From 50 g of dried peppermint we can extract 5-10 drops of peppermint oil. It contains, in particular, menthol, which gives it its characteristic smell. Peppermint oil is used in large quantities to make cologne, hair eau de toilette, toothpastes and elixirs. Currently, menthol is mostly obtained by synthesis.

Anise oil is obtained from crushed anise. Mixed with peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil, it is included in tooth elixirs and pastes, as well as some soaps.

Clove oil is obtained by steam distilling cloves, which are sold as a spice. An important component of it is eugenol. (Eugenol can be obtained from synthetic vanillin.) Clove oil is an additive to many perfumes and is also used in the manufacture of dental elixirs and soaps.

We get lavender oil from 50 g of dried and crushed lavender flowers. This is one of the most important aromatic substances, which, in addition to its use in making lavender water and cologne, is used in the production of perfumes, soaps, hair eau de toilettes, powders, creams, etc.

Spruce oil. Let's collect at least 100-200 g of spruce needles and young shoots. Grind them and, while they are still wet, without first adding water, distill them with water vapor. Typically, the needles contain only a few tenths of a percent of this essential oil. It will delight us with a pleasant aroma in the room. In addition, spruce oil is a favorite agent that adds aroma to various bath preparations.

We leave it to the reader to obtain other aromatic substances from plants. For example, you can steam distill pine, cinnamon, chamomile flowers or other fragrant garden flowers. We will store the resulting products in securely closed test tubes - later we will need them as fragrant substances for the manufacture of cosmetics.

Unfortunately, we will have to refuse to obtain the aromatic substances contained in perfumes with a subtle, delicate scent - bergamot oil, as well as oils from jasmine flowers and orange flowers - since we do not have the necessary starting substances for this.

However, essential oil with a very subtle aroma is also obtained from lily of the valley flowers. If you manage to collect enough of them, then, of course, it is worth isolating the essential oil from them.

SCENTED ESTERS Many well-known aromatic substances belong to the class esters. The latter are widespread in nature and produce a wide variety of odors, from the smell of tropical orchids to the characteristic aroma of well-known fruits. We can synthesize these compounds. Esters are formed by the reaction of alcohols with carbolic acids. At the same time, water is split off

R-OH + NOOS- R1 R-OOS- R1 + H2O

alcohol + acid ester + water

The reaction proceeds fairly quickly only in the presence of water-removing agents and catalysts. Therefore, a mixture of alcohol and carboxylic acid is boiled for a long time in the presence of sulfuric acid, which acts as a water-removing agent and also catalyzes the reaction.

In addition, the reaction mixture is often saturated with hydrogen chloride gas. We can more easily obtain the same result by adding table salt, which forms hydrogen chloride with sulfuric acid.

Esters are also prepared in the presence of concentrated hydrochloric acid or anhydrous zinc chloride, but with lower yield.

We will use these additives in cases where the original organic substances are decomposed by concentrated sulfuric acid, which can be detected by the darkening of the reaction mixture and an unpleasant pungent odor.

Let's get esters

To obtain esters in small quantities, we use a simple device. Insert a narrow test tube into a wide test tube so that one third of the wide test tube in its lower part remains empty.

The easiest way to strengthen a narrow test tube is with a few pieces of rubber cut from a hose or cork. It is necessary to take into account that around a narrow test tube it is necessary to leave a gap of at least 1.5-2 mm in order to prevent excess pressure during heating.

Now pour 0.5-2 ml of alcohol and approximately the same amount of carboxylic acid into a wide test tube; with thorough cooling (in ice water or cold running water), add 5-10 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and, in some cases, a few more grains of table salt.

Let's insert the inner test tube, fill it with cold water or, better yet, pieces of ice, and secure the assembled device in a regular rack or in a test tube rack.

Then, on the lowest heat of a Bunsen burner, we will simmer the mixture for at least 15 minutes (add “boilers”!). The longer the heating, the better the yield.

An inner tube filled with water serves as a reflux condenser. If its contents become too hot, then you need to pause the experiment, after cooling, fill the inner test tube with ice again and continue heating (It is more convenient to continuously pass cold running water through the inner test tube. To do this, you need to select a stopper with two glass tubes inserted into it. - Approx. transl.).

Even before the completion of the experiment, we can often smell the pleasant smell of the resulting ester, which is still superimposed by the pungent smell of hydrogen chloride (therefore, there is no need to sniff the reaction mixture when bringing the test tube opening closer to you!).

After cooling, neutralize the reaction mixture with a diluted soda solution. We can now detect the odor of pure ether, and also notice many small oily droplets of ester floating on the surface of the aqueous solution, while the unreacted starting materials are mostly contained in the solution or form a crystalline precipitate.

According to the given recipe we get the following broadcasts:

Ethyl methanate (ethyl formate, ethyl formic ester), formed from ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and methane (formic) acid. This ester is added to some types of rum to give it a characteristic aroma.

Butyl ethanate (butyl acetate, butyl acetate) - from butanol (butyl alcohol) and ethanoic (acetic acid).

Isobutyl ethane (isobutyl acetate, isobutyl acetate) is formed from 2-methylpropanol-1 (isobutyl alcohol) and ethanoic acid, respectively. Both of the latter esters have a strong fruity odor and are an integral part of perfume compositions with the aroma of lavender, hyacinths and roses.

Pentylethanate (amyl acetate, amyl acetate ether) - from pentanol, that is, amyl alcohol (Poison!), and ethanoic acid.

Isopentylethanate (isoamyl acetate, acetic isoamyl ester) - from 3-methylbutanol-1, that is, isoamyl alcohol (Poison!), and ethanoic acid. These two esters smell like pears in dilute solution. They are part of fantasy perfumes and serve as solvents in nail polishes.

Methyl butanate (methyl butyrate, butyric methyl ether) - from methanol (methyl alcohol) and butanoic (butyric) acid. Its smell is reminiscent of ranet.

Ethyl butanoate (ethyl butyrate; ethyl butyrate) - from ethyl alcohol and butanoic acid. It has a characteristic pineapple smell.

Pentyl butanate (amyl butyrate, butyramyl ether) - from pentanol (amyl alcohol) and butanoic acid (alcohol is poisonous!).

Isopentyl butanate (isoamyl butyrate, butyroisoamyl ether) - from 3-methylbutanol-1 (isoamyl alcohol) and butanoic acid (alcohol is poisonous!). The last two esters have the smell of pears.

Among the esters of aromatic acids there are also substances with a pleasant aroma. In contrast to the fruity smell of aliphatic esters, they are dominated by balsamic, so-called animal odors or odors of exotic flowers. We synthesize some of these important aromatic substances.

Methyl and ethyl benzoate are obtained from methyl or ethyl alcohol, respectively, and benzoic acid. Let's carry out the experiment according to the above recipe and take alcohol and about 1 g of crystalline benzoic acid as starting materials. These esters resemble balms in smell and are included in perfume compositions with the scents of fresh hay, Russian leather (yufti), cloves, ylang-ylang and tuberose.

Pentyl benzoate (amyl benzoate, benzoinoamyl ether) and isopentyl benzoate (isoamyl benzoate, benzoinoisoamyl ester) smell like clover and ambergris - a peculiar secretion from the digestive tract of the whale. They are used for perfumes with an oriental flavor.

To obtain these substances, we esterify benzoic acid with amyl or isoamyl alcohol (Poison!) in the presence of concentrated hydrochloric acid, because side reactions are possible in the presence of sulfuric acid.

Ethyl salicylate smells similar to green periwinkle oil, which we already met earlier. However, it has a less pungent odor. It is used to make cassia-scented perfumes and Chypre-type perfumes. We will obtain this ester from ethyl alcohol and salicylic acid by heating with table salt and sulfuric acid.

Pentylsalicylate (amyl salicylate) and isopentyl salicylate (isoamyl salicylate) have a strong orchid odor. They are often used to create clover, orchid, camellia and carnation scents, as well as fancy scents, especially in soap scenting. In these two cases we will also carry out esterification in the presence of hydrochloric acid.

Also noteworthy are benzyl methanate (benzyl formate), benzyl ethanate (benzylacetate) and benzyl butanate (benzyl butyrate). All these esters are formed from aromatic benzyl alcohol and the corresponding carboxylic acids - methane (formic), ethane (acetic) or butanoic (butyric).

Since benzyl alcohol is difficult to find commercially, we will get it ourselves from commercial benzaldehyde, used in perfumery to create the aroma of bitter almonds.

In a water bath with continuous stirring, we will heat 10 g of benzaldehyde with a concentrated solution of potassium hydroxide for 30 minutes. (Caution: lye causes skin burns!)

As a result of the reaction, benzyl alcohol and potassium salt of benzoic acid are formed:

2C6H5-CHO + KOH = C6H5COOK + C6H5-CH2-OH
benzaldehyde potassium benzoate benzyl alcohol

After cooling, add 30 ml of water. In this case, potassium benzoate dissolves, and benzyl alcohol is released as an oil, forming the top layer. Separate it in a separating funnel and heat it in our simple esterification apparatus with the above carboxylic acids while adding sulfuric acid and table salt.

The resulting esters have a strong jasmine scent and are used in the manufacture of many perfumes.

Let's make perfume

To create a leading scent, we will first need citrus oil, which we get from the peels of lemons or oranges. It is so rich in essential oils that they are very easy to isolate. To do this, it is enough to mechanically destroy the membrane of the cells that contain the oil and collect the droplets released. For this purpose, grate the peel, wrap it in a pureed form in a piece of durable cloth and squeeze it out carefully. In this case, a cloudy liquid consisting of water and oil droplets seeps through the fabric.

Mix approximately 2 ml of this liquid with 1 ml of the distillate we obtained from the soap. The latter contains higher fatty aldehydes and has a refreshing odor, slightly reminiscent of wax.

Now we need another floral shade. We will create it by adding to the mixture 2-3 drops of lily of the valley oil or the substances we synthesized - isopentyl salicylate (isoamyl salicylate) or terpineol.

A drop (literally) of methyl salicylate, caraway oil, and a small addition of vanilla sugar improves the aroma.

Finally, dissolve this mixture in 20 ml of pure (not denatured) alcohol or, in extreme cases, an equal volume of vodka and our perfume will be ready. Although they have a pleasant aroma, it is still hardly worth wearing them, because it is difficult for them to compete with factory perfumes.

The reader can try to independently select the composition of other perfumes, using the aromatic substances described above and obtained by him.

“You need not only to know, but also to apply.
One must not only wish, but also do...”
Johann Wolfgang Goethe

To make essential oils at home, you need to know which part of the plant (leaves, stems, flowers, roots, fruits, peel or seeds) to use to make the oil. Amount of essential oil by composition and content of useful components All plants are different. And fluctuates in a range from 0.04 at the lily of the valley until 6% in fennel seeds, and most of all in buds clove tree – 22%.

Raw materials for preparing essential oil

The healing properties of the same plant may differ depending on the time of day and the season of collection of raw materials. And also on the method of extracting the essential oil and on the conditions and duration of storage

You can make your own essential oil from plants grown in your garden or from wild ones.

Flowers are collected at the moment of their full opening (calendula, rose, chamomile). Leaves and stems - before the plant blooms (basil, rosemary). If the entire above-ground part of the plant is used, then the collection is also carried out during the flowering period (lavender, St. John's wort, yarrow).

Fruits and seeds are collected when fully ripe (coriander, milk thistle). During this period, the content of medicinal components in the plant (flavonoids, aldehydes, phytoncides) is maximum. This improves the healing properties of oils.

Roots and other underground parts of plants are dug up in the fall (burdock root). At this time, the growing season has ended and the roots are saturated with useful components.

When to collect raw materials

The time of harvesting the plant is also important. It is better to collect plants in the morning, when there is no dew, and in sunny weather. Remember that plants cannot be collected near roadsides or near industrial enterprises. They absorb all dust, dirt and various industrial wastes. The best places to collect plants are forests, mountains, meadows, and unplowed fields.

How to dry

Dried raw materials are also used in the preparation of essential oil. Plants need to be dried, just like medicinal herbs, in ventilated sheds or other rooms, on paper or fabric mats, on shelves or boards. Another prerequisite is the absence of sunlight. Under the influence of the sun, essential oils evaporate and the beneficial components contained in the plant disintegrate. They can also be dried in ovens or electric dryers at a temperature of 30-40 °C. As a result of drying the plantlose more than half of their weight.

Compliance with all conditions for collecting and preparing raw materials guarantees the receipt of high-quality natural oil.

Oils prepared at home are identical in properties to natural essential oils, but are less concentrated and therefore can be used without dilution.

At home, it is better to prepare oils in small quantities and those for which special complex machines are not required. With your own hands you can prepare oil of calendula, lavender, rose, St. John's wort, sea buckthorn, burdock, and from white lily flowers.

Cooking recipes

St. John's wort oil

There are more than 20 types of St. John's wort and only one is medicinal, it is called St. John's wort. St. John's wort is common in the central part of Ukraine. It differs from other species in its narrow leaf shape with a smooth edge and large flowers with elongated petals.

St. John's wort (hereinafter the name St. John's wort is used) is collected during flowering. St. John's wort oil is prepared at home from both fresh and dried raw materials. The dried raw material is threshed, removing the stems.

There are many ways to prepare St. John's wort oil with your own hands based on vegetable oils, such as sea buckthorn, olive, almond, flaxseed, sunflower and others.

Let's look at the 5 simplest and most commonly used methods for preparing St. John's wort oil:

1. Fill 20 g or 2 tbsp. spoons freshly picked St. John's wort flowers 1/2 cup olive oil(100 ml). Leave for 4-6 weeks. Then squeeze, pass through a filter and pour into bottles. Store in the refrigerator. The resulting oil is used for kidney stones, bile duct diseases.

2. Fill 20 g or 2 tbsp. spoons of fresh crushed raw materials 300 ml of olive oil. You can take almond or sunflower. Leave for 21 days. Then squeeze, filter through a fine sieve and cheesecloth. Pour into dark glass bottles and store in the refrigerator or cool place. This oil is used for bruises, abscesses and suppurations.

3.Fill 3 tbsp. spoons of dry crushed raw materials from leaves and flowers of St. John's wort 200 ml of any vegetable oil. Leave in a sealed container for 15-20 days, shaking occasionally. Then squeeze and strain through cheesecloth folded in two layers. Place in the refrigerator. Apply the resulting oil for burns and non-healing wounds.

4.Fill 2 tbsp. spoons of fresh flowers 150 ml of any vegetable oil, preferably almond oil. Leave for 2 weeks in a cool, dark place. Then squeeze and filter. Place in a cool place. Apply for the care of dry and aging skin, to prevent wrinkles.

5. Place 500 ml sunflower, corn or olive oil to a water bath. Add 150 g of dried crushed flowers and leaves of St. John's wort. Keep on low heat for an hour. Then leave for two days. Then strain, pour into bottles and place in a dark place.

Calendula oil

To prepare calendula oil, collect the flowers of the plant without pedicels and in a ratio of 1 to 5. Take 1 part crushed flowers and 5 parts vegetable oil pour olive oil. For example, for 20 g of flowers, 100 ml of olive oil. Insist for 3 weeks. Then it is squeezed out and filtered. The oil is used to treat wounds, cuts, and bruises.

Lavender oil

To make lavender oil, flowering stems are collected and tied into bunches. The oil is prepared from fresh leaves and flowers and from dried ones. To prepare the oil, take 2 tbsp. spoons of crushed raw materials. Fill in 200 ml any basic vegetable oil(olive, flaxseed, macadamia, almond). Leave in a dark, cool place for 2 months. Shaking occasionally. At the end of this period, strain the resulting oil and pour into dark glass bottles.

Rose oil

To prepare rose oil, collect rosehip or garden rose petals with the brightest and most intense aroma in the morning. Roses should not be treated with any chemicals. On the same day, prepare the oil or rose water according to one of the recipes.

1.Distillation method with steam used in industrial production. A similar mini installation can be done at home.
Only from 5 kg of rose petals a total of 1 g rose essential oil in industrial production.

You will get very little oil, a few drops. But floral rose water is enough.

2. Natural rose water It’s easier to make at home than butter.

Take a wide pan and place rose petals in several rows on the bottom. Pour water so that the petals are completely covered with water. Place on the fire, covering the pan with a lid. When the water boils, turn the heat to low and simmer the petals for about 1 hour until they lose their color.

Then squeeze out the petals, strain the resulting rose water and pour into sterile jars. Place in the refrigerator. Such pink water can be stored without losing its smell and properties for a year.

3.This method of obtaining rose water a bit similar to the previous one. Also take a pan, on the bottom of which are placed several layers of rose petals, filled with water. Place a deep bowl or a wide-necked jar in the middle of the pan on the rose petals. The edges of the jar or bowl should be above the layer of water.

Cover with an inverted lid and put on fire. When the water begins to boil, reduce the flame of the burner, and fill the inverted lid with ice cubes. The steam along with the rose essential oils will rise up, settle as a distillate on the lid and flow into the jar.

Heat the pan with rose petals over low heat for an hour. Do not forget to check that all the water has not boiled away. Water can be added. At the end of the process, there will be natural rose water in a jar inside the pan. Store the resulting rose water in a cool place. You can use it for a year or even more, while rose water retains all its healing properties.

Orange oil

If you want to make orange oil at home, you need to take the peels of several oranges.

• Wash, peel the pulp and chop finely.
• Pour into a jar and pour in any vegetable oil so that the crusts are completely covered.
• Then put it in a dark place.
• After 3-4 days, place the jar with the crusts in a water bath for 30 minutes, while the lid on the jar should not be closed tightly.
• Then strain the resulting liquid and squeeze out the crusts, the oil is ready.

Store in a cool place.

Using the same recipe, you can prepare oil from lemon, lime and tangerine.

How to make citrus water

Natural citrus water At home they prepare it like this:

• Peel 1-2 citrus fruits, wash and cut into small pieces.
• Pour some water into a steamer or saucepan.
• In a double boiler - on a wire rack, and in a saucepan - on a smaller sieve inserted into the pan, pour the chopped peel.
• Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. When it boils, turn it off, let it brew and cool.
• Then pour into bottles and store in the refrigerator.

It must be used within 10 days. This fragrant water is used to cleanse the skin of the face, neck and décolleté, morning and evening.

Attention! When growing, citrus fruits are sprayed with pesticides, just like our apples, the last spraying is usually long before the fruits ripen. And before transporting fruits, exporters coat them with wax or paraffin with preservatives to increase shelf life.

Therefore, before preparing the oil, very wash the peel thoroughly using a brush or kitchen scraper to wash dishes. Then plunge into boiling water for 1 minute to melt the wax. You can use soap or baking soda for washing. I wash and pour boiling water from a kettle over it.

Another variant— buy fruits grown without the use of pesticides. In the West they are sold in the organic departments of supermarkets. Prices for such goods are usually 2-3 times higher.

Attention! Grapefruit oil at home they don't cook.

Clove oil

Pharmacy clove oil has a high concentration. It must be diluted strongly and only a one percent solution should be used. Who doesn’t want to guess about percentages is better off making clove oil at home. It can be used for toothache and in the treatment of colds. Use it to make ointments and body creams.

For cooking clove oil you will need:

• 2 sterile glass jars with lids;
• olive oil or any base oil;
• clove buds, preferably as fresh as possible

Here are some ways to make clove oil at home:
1. Rub 4 fresh(8 – which ones exist) clove buds. Pour into a jar with olive oil(300 ml). Close the lid and leave to brew for a week.
After a week, strain through two layers of gauze and pour into another prepared jar. Add 4 more crushed clove buds and cover with a lid. Leave it to steep for another week. Strain before use.

2. Rub one glass of cloves, pour into a sterile jar. Fill in vegetable oil(olive or corn) so that it is a few centimeters higher than the clove powder. Close the lid and leave to infuse in a sunny place for two weeks. After two weeks, pour the strained oil into another sterile jar and close the lid tightly.

3. Shredded cloves pour it out into the slow cooker. Pour in any base oil so that it completely covers the cloves. Cook for 3-4 hours at the lowest temperature. Then strain and pour into a sterile jar and close the lid. If you don't have a slow cooker, use the oven at the lowest temperature and a thick-walled saucepan.
The resulting oil store in a cool, dark place, use Within two months.

Melissa oil

Homemade lemon balm oil is used to treat skin, as a base for masks and creams.

To prepare the oil you need:

• 2 tbsp. spoons of dry lemon balm;
• 1 glass of any vegetable oil;
• 200 g jar with lid;

Pour dry crushed leaves with vegetable oil. Close the jar with a lid and place in a warm, dark place for a week or two. Shake occasionally. Then filter through a sieve and squeeze out the filtered raw materials. Store at room temperature.

It is also recommended to watch :
‎How to make pine oil from pine needles with your own hands
Methods for obtaining essential oils
How to make sea buckthorn oil at home
How to make flaxseed oil at home